The eldest child of Henry Alcie Butler and Helen Cornelia Christian Butler was Robert A., born September 12, 1887. He grew up near Midlothian, where his father had donated land for a school.It was the call of the land that brought Robert with his father and uncle, Robert "Buck" Butler to first see the plains of Dickens County in 1912. It looked like a sea of grass and they settled on 400 acres northwest of Crazy Flats, now McAdoo. Rob enjoyed the fact that on 70 acres, they were the original grantee.
Rob graduated from Midlothian in 1906. Rob had a perceptive teacher who steered him to art lessons in Dallas from a German professor where his artistic talents were allowed to develop. Rob received a scholarship to study two years at the Royal Academy in Munich. So, he set forth on this rewarding experience that shaped his whole life. Later, in October 1960, his work was on exhibit at the Lubbock Garden and Art Center at the invitation of the Lubbock Art Guild, then at the Crosby County Museum in Crosbyton.
It was the family, land and school that brought Rob to meet his wife, Loula Martin. "Miss Loula", the new school teacher at Wake was called, and is still referred to by some of her former pupils still living.
Loula´s parents, James Calhoun Martin, born 1841 in Hazelhurst, Mississippi, and Mary Eugenia (Daugherty) Freeman, born 1851 in Hamilton, Ohio, married in 1889 in Weatherford, Texas, where Mary E., a widow, had moved with her young children, Joseph Herbert and Edna Freeman, driving her wagon from Boone County Arkansas, where her father, J.H. Daugherty, ran a newspaper after the Cival War.
The Martin´s two daughters, Willie Belle, born 1891, Jeffie DeLoula, born January 28, 1894 in Weatherford, and the family removed early to Kent County where the children grew up, attending school at Jayton. All three girls were school teachers.
By 1916, J.C. and Mary Martin had moved to Spur, having an apartment in the home of Marie (Oliver) Kelley´s mother. Both parents died soon after, in 1918. Loula, after teaching school at "West End" and Wilson Draw, moved to the school of Wake, Crosby County. Since Rob´s younger cousin, Ruth Butler, was a pupil the new "school marm" came by to visit her. Rob was standing out on the west step of the house, very dashing in riding pants and leather leggins.
Loula returned to teach at the Spring Creek School, the term of 1916-1917 and lived in the home of "Scotch Bill" Elliot, an experience she treasured along with their friendship. Rob rode horseback many miles, visiting the slender dark-eyed teacher. They were married May 30, 1917 in the Oliver home and Loula came as a bride, wearing a navy taffeta and georgette dress, to live in the home shared with Helen and Alcie Butler, as the latter´s health was failing. He died February 4, 1924 and was survived by Helen until May 6, 1947. Both they, Rob and Loula rest in the McAdoo Cemetery.
Alcie and Helen´s mother, Maria Antoinette (Strachan) Christian Meason died the same year, followed by Alcie´s brother Buck, Buck´s wife, Ellie (Middleton) returned to Ellis County with their four children.
During the depression years, Rob unfailingly paid the interest on his FLB loan in order to retain the land. He worked measuring land under the AAA farm program and enjoyed helping to promote conservation practices. The dirt blew and there was no rain, but the family had good friends. Loula was an excellent seamstress and there were canning bees with close neighbors.
Rob believed it was each one´s responsibility to leave his children with a better lot in life, healthier surroundings, higher ideals to live by, and a better education to face the world. In his last year, when his daughter suggested he should have written a book, he replied "Oh, I wrote three", then added, "You, your sister and you brother". These three, born in the house that Rob and Loula lived out most of their lives: Eugenia Harriet born January 27, 1919; Alcia Marguerite, November 17, 1924 and Robert Kyle, March 27, 1927.
....submitted by Eugenia B. Toland, Alcia M. Hester, Robert K. ButlerSource: "Dickens County, Its Land and People", Dickens County Historical Commission, ©1986
Artistic Temperament of McAdoo Painter Recalled by Daughter
Some odd quirks of the late Robert Butler's artistic temperament are related by his daughter, Mrs. Robert Toland, who now lives in Lubbock.
Eight of the McAdoo artist's paintings, pastels and sketches are now on display in the Pioneer Memorial Building. They may be seen Saturday 10:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday 1-5 p.m. or during regular museum hours for the remainder of December.
Butler didn't sign any pictures until he was completely satisfied with it, says Jean Toland. He sometimes returned to a canvas years later and painted in an extra object, such as a cat, before signing it.
On exhibit here is an unsigned barnyard scene. Butler felt the rooster, which was molting when he painted it, didn't have enough tail feathers. He had intended to return and add more plumage.
Rob Butler loved children and the family possesses several sketchbooks filled with drawings of chubby little arms, legs, heads, etc. which he did on long evenings while youngsters frolicked on the floor.
However, the artist was always somewhat withdrawn from his family, recalls his daughter. When her mother took the children somewhere her father would often longer at home to paint or read.
Read Classics, News
He usually painted in the north room of the house because he said north light was more even. In the off season or when weather was bad he turned out the hundreds of canvases which fill his children's closets.Remembered as a very well educated man by his neighbors, Butler read the classics, current events and a diminishing amount of fiction as he grew older.
Butler never painted when he was emotionally disturbed or depressed. He didn't touch his brushes all during World War II while his son was overseas, or during the last illness of his wife whome he survived by only 11 months.
Every inch an artist, Butler took up his pencil young. His mother liked to recount how he came to her one day with on of his drawings and asked her to identify it.
"Oh, I don't know." she said. "It's a dog or cat or something." He began crying because she "didn't know a cow when you see one". Schoolmates at Midlothian remember how his textbooks were covered with sketches.
Grandmother Painted
Mrs. Toland suggests the McAdoo painter may have inherited his talent from his grandmother. Like grandma Moses, she began painting when she was elderly and she painted miniatures.The family possesses a quilt into which she has sewed four small paintings on silk for decoration.
Butler taught some students painters to this area but he didn't like teaching. A perfectionist, he was rather short tempered with leaners. His most successful pupil is Pershing Lee who ten lived at Spur.
Didn't Encourage Girls
Texas Tech once tried to get Butler to join its faculty after taking a few extra courses. He thought about it but decided to stay with the McAdoo farm.He didn't particularly encourage his daughters - Mrs. Toland and Mrs. Alicia Hester of DeSoto to paint. He said women didn't really have a flair for art because they are too emotional and not detached enough.
Instead, herather hoped his son, Robert K. of Dallas would paint. Also he stipulated that if any of his grandchildred showed talent in art they should be given a good education.
The Crosbyton Review, Thursday, December 8, 1960
Funeral services for Mrs. Jeffie D. Butler, 64, were held Wednesday at the First Baptist Church. She resided in McAdoo from 1917 to 1948.Leonard Dennis, Church of Christ minister, of Roaring Springs, officiated. He was assisted by G.J. McCann, Pastor of the McAdoo Baptist Church. Interment was in the McAdoo Cemetery. Campbell´s Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Survivors include her husband, Robert A. Butler; two daughters, Mrs. Eugenia Toland, McAdoo; and Mrs. Kenneth Hester, Dallas; one son, Robert K. Butler, Dallas. Two sisters, Mrs. J.J. Stepp, Hickory, NC and Mrs. W.B. Freeman, Wichita Falls, also survive.
Pallbearers were: J.J. Griffin, Franky Dickinson, Marriett Graham, Johnnie Wooley, Ewell Buckner, and Howard Hickman. Honorary pallbearers were John A. Allen and Loyd Hickman.
©The Texas Spur, Thursday, April 3, 1958
Funeral services for Robert A. Butler, 70, longtime McAdoo resident were conducted at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the McAdoo Baptist Church. He died Thursday in Dallas where he had resided for the past few years.Leonard Dennis, Church of Christ minister, officiated, assisted by the Rev. Gene McCann, Baptist minister. Burial was in McAdoo cemetery under the direction of Campbell Funeral Home of Spur.
Butler moved to Dickens County in 1913 and resided many years in the McAdoo Community.
Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Eugenia Toland, Lubbock, and Mrs. Alcia Hester, DeSoto; a brother[this should read son], Robert K. Butler, Dallas; and a sister, Mrs. May Winn, Los Angeles, Calif.
©Crosbyton Review, March 5, 1959
Record provided by Crosby County Pioneer Memorial Museum
transcribed by Linda Fox Hughes
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