Wetmore-Vantine Family Photo Album

Elizabeth “Lizzie” Butler was born in June 1859 in Sturgeon, Boone Co, MO, to Irish immigrants John Butler and Jane McGrath; as a young child, she was adopted by Lucy and Edwin Wetmore. Samuel Derastus Vantine was born in 1853 in Peoria, IL to Samuel and Charity Vantine; he came to Monroe County about 1871 with his father and stepmother. Samuel and Lizzie were married in Monroe County in 1876 and had five children: Edwin Russell, Luta Francis, Bessie Mae, John Cissell and Fred Raymond.

Lizzie became famous in Missouri when she was declared to be the heiress of John Butler’s large estate in a sensational court case. This Vantine family lived near Paris for many years and later moved to Los Angeles, CA. Samuel died in 1832 and Lizzie in 1942.

Submitted by: Ken Newton at [email protected]

This posed proposal picture of Samuel D. Vantine and Lizzie Butler Wetmore was probably taken on their farm west of Paris; ca 1876.

Bessie Mae Vantine, daughter of Samuel and Lizzie Vantine, on her wedding day, 22 Jun 1905 in Bradley, Kankakee Co , IL

Luta Frances Vantine, daughter of Samuel and Lizzie Vantine, with her husband Glover Ernest Stith on their wedding day, 18 Dec 1906

Four generations photo; ca 1907. From right to left: (1) Lucy Cissell Wetmore was born 1836 in Lexington, KY, died May 1913 Paris, MO; her husband Edwin owned a wagon factory and livery stable in Paris. They adopted (2) Lizzie Butler during the Civil War. Lizzie’s third child (3) Bessie Mae was born in 1881 near Paris. In 1905, she married Darius McIntyre in Bradley, IL and later moved to Los Angeles. Their first child, (4) Helen Claire, was born in 1905.

Lizzie Vantine with her youngest son Fred Raymond; ca 1907. Fred was born 1897 near Paris and this picture appeared in newspapers after the trial. A story appears in the Bess Kipper Atterbury collection at https://sites.rootsweb.com/~momonroe/atterbury1.htm

The Vantine family in Los Angeles, CA; ca 1930.

Front row L-R: Darius McIntyre, Edwin R Vantine, Claire McIntyre Collins, Buddy Boy the family dog, Dewey H Collins, Maude Owen Vantine, and Fred Raymond Vantine.

Back row L-R: Bess Vantine McIntyre, Samuel D. Vantine, Lizzie Butler Wetmore Vantine, Vantine McIntyre Newton, and Hubert Newton.