Butts, Joshua

Butts, Joshua a Presbyterian minister, was born at Stowe, Vt., April 26,1804. His early education was received in the common schools of his native place. He never entered or graduated from any college. He placed himself as a candidate for the ministry under the care of the Baltimore Presbytery. In 1832 he entered Princeton Seminary, from which he graduated in 1835. For the next five years he was engaged as a supply to churches in the neighborhood of Baltimore. He was ordained and installed pastor of the Carmel Church, N. Y., by the Presbytery of Bedford, June 8,1841. After serving this Church one. year, he engaged to supply the Church at Yorkville, near New York city, and was installed its pastor in 1848 by the Presbytery of N. Y.; labored here diligently and successfully until 1852, when he resigned and went to California. While there he supplied the First Church of Brooklyn, and afterwards resided at Placerville, Cal., until 1858, when he returned to Yorkville. After the breaking-out of the civil war hie accepted the chaplaincy of the 47th Regiment N. Y. volunteers, serving from 1861 to 1865. He died at Chappaqua, N. Y., Feb. 27,1881. He was under fire in about thirty battles, but never wounded. He was much loved by the soldiers, and faithful in the discharge of his duties. See Necrological Report of Princeton Theol. Sem. 1881, p. 48. (W. P.S.)