Edward C Butler was born on January 1, 1867, the son of Preston and Elizabeth Cavanaugh Butler, and died on December 29, 1952 at the age of 85. He served thirty-four years in the army and practiced dentistry for twenty years. Butler retired from the Army in 1918 and attended Northwestern University and received his doctor of medicine degree. He saw action in the Spanish American War, race riots in Springfield, the big railway strike, the stock yards riot in Chicago, and several mine strikes in Southern Illinois.
Butler married Lillian Cauliflower who preceded him in death. He then married Ella Mae Brewer who also preceded him in death. In 1952 Ed Butler was survived by his son, Edward C. Butler Jr., and his two daughters, Mrs. Dorothy E. Lee and Mrs. George Ostrom, and four grandchildren.