Francis Butland
Rank: 1st Sgt Co: E Age: 27 Residence: Wells Birthplace: Wells Occupation: mariner Married/Single: M Height: 6' 2.25 Eyes: Bl Hair: Lt Complexion: F
FRANCIS (FRANK) BUTLAND was born in Wells, Maine circa 1835-1836 [based on census ages], the son of Daniel and Mary (Trafton) Butland. He died on 20 Feb 1881 at the Naval Hospital on Mare Island, California from heart problems and dropsy. He is buried in the cemetery located on the island.
He married, on 6 Oct 1860 in Wells, Maine [Wells VR p364], to MARY L BENNETT. She was born in Winslow, Maine on 1 Aug 1842 [pension papers] and died 30 Nov 1919 in Bozeman, Gallatin, MT [pension papers] from diabetis and old age. She is buried in Bozeman. Following the death of her husband, she moved to Montana and had remarried in Bozeman to Richard Nicholson on 6 Oct 1885. They divorced on 20 Oct 1891, and she received custody of a daughter (Mabel Ruth) they had together.
Francis was a member of the navy prior to 1860 when, in June of that year, he wrote home from on board the USS Niagara, who was due to pick up Japanese delegates at New York for their transport home. As he married in October of that year, he clearly was not part of the trip, as the ship didn't return until April 1861.
Following his service with the 27th Maine, he "came back home and after a short time went to Kittery US Navy Yard to work and worked there until he recieved his appointment as boatswain" [pension papers]. The 1870 Kittery census shows him as a rigger at the shipyard, and by Sept 1871 he was a boatswain [Official Register of the United States, p280] (his widow claims he held this position for 12 years when he died). He served on the receiving ships USS Vandalia in 1871 and the USS Sabine by 1875; his pension papers also mentioning the USS Iroquois, USS Falmouth and USS Marion.
His final assignment was on board the USS Pensacola, which was part of the Pacific fleet. He was in San Francisco, California by 1880 [census]. That summer, he was hospitalized with acute rheumatism, (while in the) "line of duty, necessary exposure to climatic changes on board the Pensacola". He died in this hospital the following February.
Francis and Mary had three children:
I. LEWIS H BUTLAND, born July 1861 in Wells, Maine. He was alive during the 1920 census. He married, on 16 Oct 1884 in Lawrence, MA [MA VR v352 p266] to MARY A MURPHY, the daughter of John and Julia Murphy. She was born ca 1865 in Bath, Maine, and was alive in 1920. They were both of Lawrence, MA when they married, and afterwards moved to West Boxford, MA [1900-1910 censuses]. By 1920, he was living in Bozeman, MT. They had (at least) the following children:
1. Lillian R Butland, b. ca July 1887 in West Boxford, MA [1900 census]; married 12 Dec 1916 in Bozeman, MT to Guy A Ensinger [MT Marr]
2. Mabel F Butland, b. 1891 in Lawrence, MA; died 17 Nov 1894 in same from scarlet fever, aged 3 yrs, 11 mos, 15 das [MA VR v445 p483]
3. Ethel M Butland, b. ca Feb 1895 in MA [1900 census]
4. unknown, b. and d. prior to 1900 (1900 census says 4 children, 2 living)
5. Frances L Butland, b. 1 Mar 1902 in West Boxford [MA VR v520 p405]; marr in Bozeman, MT on 16 July 1919 to Fred W Fischer [MT Marr]
6. Harriet Belle Butland, b. 2 Dec 1910 in W. Boxford [MA VR v590 p453]
II. MARY F BUTLAND, born 18 June 1866. Removed with mother and sister to Montana after 1881, whereabouts not known after this.
III. LILLIAN E BUTLAND, born 5 Aug 1876 in Kennebunkport [K-Port VR]. She married C W HUDSON and lived in Bozeman, MT.
Find A Grave: Francis Butland plot in Mare Island Cemetery
He married, on 6 Oct 1860 in Wells, Maine [Wells VR p364], to MARY L BENNETT. She was born in Winslow, Maine on 1 Aug 1842 [pension papers] and died 30 Nov 1919 in Bozeman, Gallatin, MT [pension papers] from diabetis and old age. She is buried in Bozeman. Following the death of her husband, she moved to Montana and had remarried in Bozeman to Richard Nicholson on 6 Oct 1885. They divorced on 20 Oct 1891, and she received custody of a daughter (Mabel Ruth) they had together.
Francis was a member of the navy prior to 1860 when, in June of that year, he wrote home from on board the USS Niagara, who was due to pick up Japanese delegates at New York for their transport home. As he married in October of that year, he clearly was not part of the trip, as the ship didn't return until April 1861.
Following his service with the 27th Maine, he "came back home and after a short time went to Kittery US Navy Yard to work and worked there until he recieved his appointment as boatswain" [pension papers]. The 1870 Kittery census shows him as a rigger at the shipyard, and by Sept 1871 he was a boatswain [Official Register of the United States, p280] (his widow claims he held this position for 12 years when he died). He served on the receiving ships USS Vandalia in 1871 and the USS Sabine by 1875; his pension papers also mentioning the USS Iroquois, USS Falmouth and USS Marion.
His final assignment was on board the USS Pensacola, which was part of the Pacific fleet. He was in San Francisco, California by 1880 [census]. That summer, he was hospitalized with acute rheumatism, (while in the) "line of duty, necessary exposure to climatic changes on board the Pensacola". He died in this hospital the following February.
Francis and Mary had three children:
I. LEWIS H BUTLAND, born July 1861 in Wells, Maine. He was alive during the 1920 census. He married, on 16 Oct 1884 in Lawrence, MA [MA VR v352 p266] to MARY A MURPHY, the daughter of John and Julia Murphy. She was born ca 1865 in Bath, Maine, and was alive in 1920. They were both of Lawrence, MA when they married, and afterwards moved to West Boxford, MA [1900-1910 censuses]. By 1920, he was living in Bozeman, MT. They had (at least) the following children:
1. Lillian R Butland, b. ca July 1887 in West Boxford, MA [1900 census]; married 12 Dec 1916 in Bozeman, MT to Guy A Ensinger [MT Marr]
2. Mabel F Butland, b. 1891 in Lawrence, MA; died 17 Nov 1894 in same from scarlet fever, aged 3 yrs, 11 mos, 15 das [MA VR v445 p483]
3. Ethel M Butland, b. ca Feb 1895 in MA [1900 census]
4. unknown, b. and d. prior to 1900 (1900 census says 4 children, 2 living)
5. Frances L Butland, b. 1 Mar 1902 in West Boxford [MA VR v520 p405]; marr in Bozeman, MT on 16 July 1919 to Fred W Fischer [MT Marr]
6. Harriet Belle Butland, b. 2 Dec 1910 in W. Boxford [MA VR v590 p453]
II. MARY F BUTLAND, born 18 June 1866. Removed with mother and sister to Montana after 1881, whereabouts not known after this.
III. LILLIAN E BUTLAND, born 5 Aug 1876 in Kennebunkport [K-Port VR]. She married C W HUDSON and lived in Bozeman, MT.
Find A Grave: Francis Butland plot in Mare Island Cemetery