L. S. Butler

(From HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, 1883, Pages 589)

L. S. Butler commenced business in Worth county in September, 1869, hanging out his shingle in partnership with Edward Collin, under the firm name of Collin & Butler. Their office, for the time, being in the Pioneer printing office. This firm was of but a few months duration, when it was dissolved by mutual consent, each continuing the practice of law on "his own hook," until October, 1872, when Mr. Butler took into partnership William P. Clark, a brother-in-law. The firm was now known as Butler & Clark. This existed until 1874, when E. W. Smith purchased the interest of Mr. Clark, and the firm name changed to that of Butler & Smith, and remained until June, 1875, when W. E. Pickering was admitted to a partnership, and his name added to that of the firm. In July, 1877, Messrs. Smith and Pickering retired from the firm, and L. S. Butler took unto himself a new partner, in the person of his brother, D. M., and the "shingle" of the new firm read "Butler & Butler." This co-partnership existed until August, 1879, when the junior retired, leaving L. S. to handle the business himself. This proving too heavy a burden, at that time, in October, of the same year, he took into partnership A. I. Smith. Under the name of Butler & Smith this firm continued to do business until March, 1881, when Mr. Smith, in turn, retired, leaving Mr. Butler to run the business alone, which he has continued to do ever since. L. S. Butler is one of the best read lawyers in this part of the State and has always figured as a prominent feature in the foreground of politics in the district. In the fall of 1872 he was appointed by the governor of the State to fill the vacancy then existing in the office of the district attorney of this, the twelfth judicial district, and in the fall following, was elected to that responsible office, for the full term, which he served, greatly to the satisfaction of all, except the guilty criminals. A more genial, gentlemanly, companionable man than Mr. Butler would be hard to find, is the universal verdict of his fellow townsmen.

Transcribed by Gordon Felland, April 23, 2008