The Butterworth family is first known as owning property near Rochedale, Lancashire, England, in Saxon times.1 Family genealogist Ivan Butterworth quotes The Name and Family of Butterworth, compiled by The Media Research Bureau, Washington DC: "It appears that they and their descendants have been largely of the landed gentry and yeomanry. Earliest mention of the name appears to be that of Reginald de Boterworth, who was living in the reign of Henry II." [Ed: Henry II lived between 1133-1189, and was King of England between 1154-1189.]

Reginald de Boterworth built Butterworth Hall. [Ed: we went to see Butterworth Parish, Rochedale, Lancashire, England — a remnant of which was a farm house in 1961.2]

The Butterworths embraced Protestantism as early as Henry VIII's and Elizabeth I's reigns. Sir Randall Butterworth [1437-1500] of Belfield, was one of the "builders" (patrons) of the existing Rochedale Parish church.3 In his lifetime, Henry VII, a kinsman of the House of Lancaster, became king, establishing the Tudor succession that gave us Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. Given the Butterworth's assumed allegiance to their Lancasterian lord's interests, it's not surprising that they were quick to adopt Anglican Church dogma.

Ivan Butterworth writes, "Sir Randall Butterworth helped found Trinity Chapel in Rochedale Parish that was dedicated to its three founders, but finally passed to the Butterworths. One Edward Butterworth, at (age) 44, in 1557, helped found Rochedale School."4

The Butterworth Patriarchs held great sway over the practice of the local parish pulpit well into the 1700s. When one early Alexander Butterworth took umbrage at the parish vicar's handling of his pew seat, he locked the church doors and decreed the vicar would not preach. Alexander was a very large man and may have misjudged the resourcefulness of the much smaller vicar who crawled through a window and preached from the pulpit in defiance of his powerful late-1600s/early-1700s parishioner. Not to be undone, Alexander commissioned "massive" silver flagons for the holding of the Eucharist wine, bearing the Butterworth "Blazon of Arms," donating them to be used at the altar where all could admire his generous patronage.5

~ || ~

During the English Civil War, in the mid-1600s, most Butterworths were not only learned men of the Enlightenment, but they joined the conflict as "Roundheads," or followers of Oliver Cromwell's [1599-1658] anti-Royalist movement.6 Cromwell was a Calvinist — a particularly severe Protestant school of thought that informed the nascent Puritan* and Scottish Presbytery movements.

Some time around Nicholas Butterworth's emigration to Virginia in 1700, a branch of the family followed Roger Williams' radical writings about the lack of scriptural foundation for infant baptism and on the desirable separation of Church and State, and became early adherents of the "Dissenter," Baptist [see "Baptist" and Roger Williams], doctrine.

Henry Butterworth, of Rochedale, fathered three Baptist ministers in the early 1700s. One, the Reverend John Butterworth [1727-1803], wrote the scholarly New Concordance and Dictionary to the Holy Scripture, an important tome of his time.7 Another, the Reverend John Butterworth "heard John Wesley preach at 5:00 AM in 1800 at Rochedale on the text Romans III, 22: "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference;."

Many early Virginia Butterworths were Baptists, and presumably shared the freedom of conscience values of that sect, though, from the first generations, the Virginia Butterworths were well-set landowners and prosperous businessmen.

The first of our line did not arrive quite so well set up, however. On 19 November, 1700, a nineteen-year-old Nicholas Butterworth of Yorkshire embarked from Liverpool on the Elizabeth & Judeth for Virginia, "bound to Mr. William Part" for seven years' service8 — a common period of indenture. By 1725, Nicholas was the owner of 150 acres "on Gravelly Run," a well known stream in Dinwiddie County (then Prince George County), Virginia. On December 6, 1727, Nicholas added 100 acres in Bristol Parish to his holdings.9 From these beginnings, the Butterworths of Dinwiddie County prospered and multiplied.

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Descendants of Nicholas Butterworth of Virginia

1 Nicholas Butterworth 1681 - Aft 1730
...+Ann
.... 2 Charles Butterworth 1721/22 -
.... +Elizabeth
........ 3 Charles Butterworth 1744 - 1802
.... .... +Sarah Price

............ 4 Jeremiah Butterworth 1766 - 1844
...............+Martha Cotten Abt 1770 -
................ 5 Charles Butterworth Abt 1785 - 1831
..................+Tabby Cates
.................... 6 John Jeremiah Butterworth
................ 5 Unknown Butterworth Abt 1785 -
..................+Chappell
.................... 6 J. R. Chappell Abt 1805 -
................ 5 James W. Butterworth Abt 1785 -

............ 4 Littleberry Butterworth Abt 1771 - 1839
...............+Francis L. Gee 1795 - 1871
................ 5 Robert Littleberry Butterworth 1821 - 1874
..................+Martha Jane Perkins
.................... 6 William Littleberry Butterworth 1844 -
.................... 6 Robert Leroy Butterworth 1846 - 1934
..................... +Cordelia Annis Murray 1849 - 1911
........................ 7 Ida Lee Butterworth 1867 - 1881
........................ 7 James Robert Butterworth 1874 - 1943
........................ 7 William Blondville "Pete" Butterworth 1878 - 1957
........................ +Nancy Ellen "Nannie" Rakestraw 1881 - 1950
............................ 8 Jessie Mae Butterworth 1899 - 1954
........................... +Zina Edmond Moore 1896 - 1984
................................ 9 Elva Viola Moore 1919 -
................................ +George Louis Templeton 1920 -
.................................... 10 Gary Wayne Templeton 1948 -
.................................... 10 Roger Mark Templeton 1950 -
.................................... 10 Don Eric Templeton 1952 -
.................................... 10 Craig David Templeton 1958 -

............................ 8 Wiliam Clarren Butterworth 1901 - 1985
............................ 8 Walter Leroy Butterworth 1903 - 1986
........................... +Mary Elizabeth Ratliff
............................ 8 Anna Cordelia Butterworth 1905 - 1959
........................... +Newton Rector Knowles
............................ 8 Mildred Elizabeth Butterworth 1908 -
........................... +Orvile Parks
........................... *2nd Husband of Mildred Elizabeth Butterworth:
........................... +Ralph Payne
............................ 8 Bess Ellen Butterworth 1911 -
........................... +Frederick Martin
................................ 9 William Martin
................................ 9 Thomas Martin
........................... *2nd Husband of Bess Ellen Butterworth:
........................... +Lawrence Motti
............................ 8 Elva Arletha Butterworth 1914 -
........................... +Herbert Maack
................................ 9 Richard Maack
................................ 9 John Maack
................................ 9 Katherine Maack
............................ 8 Lois Maxine Butterworth 1921 -
........................... +James Bohrer
............................ 8 Mary Marceil Butterworth 1923 - 1994
........................... +Melvin Adam "Bud" Hull, Jr. 1924 - 2001
................................ 9 Guanda Lee Hull
.............................. +Robert David Kenney
.............................. .....10 Teri
................................ 9 Dorothy Ellen "Dodi" Hull
.............................. +Dennis __
................................ 9 Melvin Alan Hull
.............................. +Cheryl __

........................ 7 Jessie Dianna Butterworth 1880 - 1971
........................ +Dell Godfrey
........................ 7 Kathryn Emma Butterworth 1883 -
........................ +Unknown - Bef 1961
.................... 6 George W. Butterworth 1849 - 1849
.................... 6 Mary F. Butterworth 1850 - 1932
.................... 6 Martha A. E. Butterworth 1852 - 1929
..................... +Robert Ramsey
.................... 6 Benjamin E. Butterworth 1855 - 1922
.................... 6 Adelbert A. Butterworth 1857 - 1900
.................... 6 Newton Howard Butterworth 1863 - 1943
..................... +Lula E. Gray
........................ 7 Ray Butterworth 1907-
........................ 7 Mary Elizabeth Butterworth 1908 - 1952
........................ +Benjamin Snadon
............................ 8 Betty June Snadon 1930 -
........................... +James Safeels
................................ 9 Richard Eugene Safeels 1949 -
.............................. *2nd Husband of Betty June Snadon:
.............................. +Thomas Rathman
................................ 9 Martha Blaine Rathman 1953 -
................................ 9 Robert Wayne Rathman 1955 -
................................ 9 Jackie Ray Rathman 1956 -
............................ 8 Annice Darlene Snadon 1936 -
........................... +David Martin
................................ 9 Mary Lyna Martin 1954 -
................................ 9 David Allen Martin 1957 -
........................ 7 Howard Newton Butterworth 1911 -
........................ +Juanita Long
............................ 8 Howard Leon Butterworth 1939 -
........................ 7 Hazel Marie Butterworth 1917 - 1920
........................ 7 Delbert Butterworth 1917 -
........................ +Mary Nell Horton
............................ 8 William Allen Butterworth 1940 -
............................ 8 Joe Robert Butterworth 1943 -
............................ 8 John Charles Butterworth 1948 -

................ 5 Pinky Abt 1825 -
.................. +J. P. Shields Abt 1825 - 1860
.................... 6 Unknown Shields
................ 5 Susan H. E. Butterworth 1829 - 1878
..................+William P. Griggs 1816 - 1875
.................... 6 John P. Griggs 1846 -
........................ 7 Kate Griggs
........................ +Edd Shaw
............................ 8 Beatrice Virginia(?) Shaw
........................... +Elmer Scott
........................ 7 Sallie Griggs
........................ +J. B. Tomkins 1868 - 1956
............................ 8 John E. Tomkins
........................ 7 Lizzie Griggs
........................ +McCrea
............................ 8 __ McCrea
........................ 7 Adelia Griggs 1882 - 1901
.................... 6 Nancy Griggs 1848 -
.................... 6 L. J. Griggs 1849 - 1926
..................... +Adelia Wetzel 1853 - 1887
........................ 7 Hattie Griggs 1888 - 1958
........................ +Lee Roundtree - 1932
........................ 7 W. L. Griggs 1890 -
........................ +Zetta McLemore
............................ 8 Bettie May Griggs 1920 -
........................... +Fred Anselment
................................ 9 Sharon Anselment 1951 -
.................... 6 Sarah Virginia "Jennie" Griggs Abt 1851 -
..................... +T. J. Cox
........................ 7 Orville Cox Abt 1875 -
........................ 7 William Edward Cox Abt 1877 -
........................ 7 Thomas Berry Cox Abt 1880 -
.................... 6 Joseph J. Griggs 1856 -

............ 4 Benjamin Butterworth 1774 - 1848
...............+Nancy Temple

............ 4 Williamson Butterworth 1783 - 1814
...............+Elizabeth Whitehead

............ 4 John Butterworth 1785 - 1840
...............+Joyce F. Billups 1787 - 1863

............ 4 Stith Butterworth Abt 1788 - 1832

........ 3 Mary Butterworth 1744/45 -

........ 3 Nicholas Butterworth Abt 1750 -

........ 3 (Isaac Butterworth?) Abt 1750 -

Go to "Biographies" for more Templeton/Streator family members and their stories.

* "Puritan" - [Edited from Wikipedia]: The theological (movement) most consistently (associated with) the term "Puritan" was Reformed or Calvinist, and led to the founding of the Presbyterian, Baptist, and Congregationalist churches. In the United States, the ... religious culture of the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony formed the basis of [the] post-colonial ... Congregational Church proper. The term "Puritan" was used by the group itself mainly in the 16th century, though it seems to have been used often and, in its earliest recorded instances, as a term of abuse [by others]. By the middle of the 17th century, the group had become so divided that "Puritan" was most often used by opponents and detractors of the group, rather than by the practitioners themselves. As Patrick Collinson has noted, well before the founding of the New England settlement “Puritanism had no content beyond what was attributed to it by its opponents.” The practitioners knew themselves as members of particular churches or movements, and not by the simple term.

NOTES:

1. Butterworth, Ivan, The Butterworths of Dinwiddie County, Virginia, 1961. The author cites Lionel M. Angus-Butterworth of Ashton New Hall, Cheshire, England, a Butterworth genealogist: "They were extensive landowners in Saxon times, and at the Conquest, part of their lands were promptly handed back to them." p. 6. [Ed: The Norman Conquest occurred in 1066 A.D. It is supposed that Angus-Butterworth found evidence of this property ownership in the Domesday Book, the tabulation of property ownership and de facto census ordered by William the Conqueror, completed about 1086.]

2. ibid. p. 7.

3. op. cit. p. 10.

4. op. cit. p. 10.

5. op. cit. p. 10.

6. op. cit. p. 10.

7. op. cit. p. 11.

8. French, Elizabeth, List of Emigrants to America From Liverpool, 1697-1707, Genealogy Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1962. p. 31.

9. Butterworth, op. cit. p.31.

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