He married Mary Jane Parker on February 15th, 1835 in Farmington, ME when he was twenty three and she was fifteen. They had ten children together, Mary Jane, Eliza Ann, Martha, Almon, George, Sarah, Olive, Thomas, Samuel, and Hannah. Eight of their children lived to adulthood.
Their first child, Mary Jane, was born ten months after their marriage in Farmington, ME, on January 18th, 1836.
They moved to Missouri by 1836, then moved on to Kirtland, OH by 1838.
Their second child, Eliza Ann, was born on August 4th, 1839 in Nauvoo. She died in Nauvoo on July 27th 1841, just a month shy of her second birthday.
They were back to Far West, Caldwell, Missouri, in 1840.
Their third child, Martha, was born on November 27th, 1842 in Nauvoo. She died on August 25th, 1843, just nine months old.
Their fourth child, Almon, was born on July 14th, 1844 in Nauvoo.
Their fifth child, George, was born on March 23rd, 1847 in Nauvoo.
Their sixth child, Sarah, was born on March 13th, 1849 in Kanesvill, Iowa, about three hundred miles west of Nauvoo.
Thomas and Mary Jane traveled overland with the Allen Taylor Company. They left the mid-west on the 4th or 5th of July, 1849 and arrived in Salt Lake City between the 10th and 20th of October, 1849 with four children, Mary Jane, Almon, George and Sarah. They eventually settled in what later became Herriman, UT. He was the founder of Fort Herriman.
In 1850 they lived in Salt Lake City with five children. He was listed as a farmer.
Their seventh child, Olive, was born on February 5th, 1851 in West Jordan, UT.
In 1851 He discovered Butterfield Canyon and Butterfield Creek.
Their eighth child, Thomas, was born on April 23rd, 1853 in Herriman, UT.
Their ninth child, Samuel, was born on February 27th 1855 in Herriman, UT.
He married Mary Jane Farmer (plural) on March 15th, 1857 when he was forty five years old and she was twenty seven.
Thomas and Mary Jane's tenth and last child, Hannah, was born on February 1st, 1858 in Herriman, UT.
Thomas and Mary's first child, Richard, was born on April 18th, 1858 in Salem, UT. He died just twenty five days later.
Thomas and Mary's second child, John Morris, was born on July 11th, 1859 in Herriman, UT.
In 1860 the family lived on their farm in Salt Lake City with eight children. The property was valued at $800.
Thomas and Mary's third child, Elizabeth Morris, was born on Jully 20th, 1861 in Herriman.
On November 21st, 1861, John Morris died when he was only sixteen months old.
Thomas and Mary's fourth child, Zachariah, was born on January 4th, 1864 in Herriman.
Thomas and Mary's fifth child, Emma Eliza, was born on January 3rd, 1866 in Herriman.
Thomas and Mary's sixth child, Edwin James, was born on March 4th, 1867 in Herriman.
In 1870 Thomas and Mary (Farmer) lived in West Jordan, UT with four children on a farm valued at $400. Mary Jane (Parker) lived in a house next door with three children. Their son George and his wife lived in the house next to that one, and their son Almon lived in the next house with his wife and one young son.
Thomas and Mary's seventh and last child, Lyman Thomas, was born on December 28th, 1872 in Herriman.
Thomas and Mary's daughter, Emma Eliza, died on July 30th, 1875 at the age of nine.
In 1880 Thomas and Mary Jane lived on a farm in Herriman with four children. Their sons, Thomas and Almon, lived on nearby farms with their families. There is no mention of Mary (Farmer) in this census.
His grave marker lists two additional wives, Mary Densley and Lucinda Wood. I can't find records of their marriage dates, or any listings of children with them.
From "Thomas Jefferson Butterfield 1811-1890"
Thomas Butterfield was born June 17, 1811 in Farmington, Maine to Zachariah Butterfield and Martha Hiscock. He married Mary Jane Parker on February 15, 1835. He is remembered as being a rather large man, weighing about 180 pounds, dark hair and blue eyes that reflected his kind nature and sense of humor.
Thomas Butterfield joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1835. He then moved to Kirtland, Ohio, was ordained a member of the 3 rd Quorum of Seventy, and served a mission. In 1839 he had to leave Missouri because of mobs and persecution and later had to leave Nauvoo for the same reason. After many hardships he entered the Salt Lake Valley in 1849 with the Allen Taylor Company.
In 1850 Thomas Butterfield was living in West Jordan. In the spring of 1851, while searching for fresh water and a place to raise their livestock and families, he and Samuel Egbert found a small stream of water flowing from a canyon. He later returned and further explored the area, then moved his family, sheep, cows, oxen, horses and bees to the site he had chosen. With the help of his family, he plowed a ditch, erected a cabin, planted crops and cut firewood to prepare for the coming winter. In the next few years the Thomas Butterfield family was joined by others. The area became known as the Butterfield Settlement. After Henry Herriman, Thomas Butterfield was called to be the second presiding authority of the area until he left on a mission to the Salmon River area in 1855. After coming home, he married his second wife, Mary Farmer.
When the Young Men’s Improvement Association was formed in 1879, Thomas served as its first President. Thomas Butterfield was a very industrious man. As the years went by, he added to the variety and amount of crops planted until the family produced most everything they needed or cared for. His herds grew large and prosperous. He was known for his generosity, always giving to those in need or less fortunate. He was a friend to the Native Americans in the area. He gave them food and a place to camp. Thomas Jefferson Butterfield left a legacy of community, family, faith and kindness. He was the father of 12 children, 60 grandchildren, 174 great-grandchildren and 21 great great grandchildren. Many families in our community can trace their heritage to this honorable man.
Thomas died on april 2nd, 1890 in Herriman, UT at the age of seventy eight. He was buried in the Herriman Cemetery.
Do you know anything about Thomas? Do you have any memories, photos or information to add? I would absolutely love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below to add your information. If you have photos to share, please send them to me along with any other information at tomebug (at) gmail (dot) com.
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