Charles Edward Butler, merchant and citizen of Fulton, holding an interest in
the firm of A. C. Lea & Co., was born in Hallowell, Me., October 16, 1826, and
is a son of Elijah and Lou (Kersey) Butler. His father was born in Maine, and
died in 1846, and his mother was also a native of that State, but died in
Aberdeen, Miss., about 1864. Our subject is of English-Scotch descent. Until
twenty-four years of age, he was in the school-room all of the time,
graduating at Bowdoin College. In 1851 he came South and commenced teaching at
Trenton, Tenn., and continued there until 1859, when he moved to
Crawfordville, Miss., and taught one year, and then taught at Carrollton,
Ala., until the war, when he enlisted in the Confederate service, in what was
known as Picken’s Grays, but in a short time was transferred to Gen.
Tilghman’s staff as an aide-de-camp, staying with him until his death, when he
was transferred to Gen. Lorring’s staff, where he remained until just before
the surrender, when he was discharged by petition in order to return to his
school, which his wife had attended during his absence. He resumed his duties
as teacher there until 1865, when he moved to Gainesville, Ala., and took
charge of the female institute there until 1867, when he moved to Fulton,
Tenn., and became a member of the firm of A. C. Lea & Co., and is now the
senior partner of the firm. August, 1852, he was married to Mary L. Lea, a
daughter of Dr. W. W. Lea. The have had seven children — five boys and two
girls — Charles E., Mattie L., who died December 24, 1882; William W., Albert
L., Joel L., Edward I., and Myra L. Mr. Butler is a Democrat, and is a member
of the I. O. O. F. He has been very successful in business and has accumulated
his property by his own efforts. He is a man of fine social standing, is
highly cultured and is scrupulously honest in every transaction.

Goodspeed’s Biographies of Lauderdale Co., TN