Butler photographer’s logo that appears at the bottom right of the “Salinas California Couple” photo.
George R. Butler (1861- c. 1935) California-born photographer, active in counties of San Francisco, San Benito, Monterey and San Mateo. This post refers back to the photo of the Salinas, CA couple posted earlier on this site. It’s uncertain without the photographer’s first name being given, but I believe George R. Butler to be the likely photographer for that photo, as records substantiate the fact that he did work and live in Salinas for part of his career.
What we learn from the various census, voter registration and city directory records is that George R. Butler was born about September 1861 in California. The 1870 Federal Census taken in San Francisco, shows George to be the youngest of five children born to Miner Butler and Anna M. (Anna Mary Eves Bennet per unsourced Ancestry trees. 1880 census shows Anna’s sister Maria Bennett, single and living with then widowed Anna, so it would appear Anna’s maiden name is Bennett.) The 1880 shows George at the start of his career, listed there as Photo Apprentice, age about 18, and living with his mother, three of four siblings, and aunt. The 1882 San Francisco voter reg shows George and older brother Charles, both photographers and living at 212 Octavia, which is either their mother’s address or right next door. The 1886 – 1892 voter reg records show George living in San Francisco still, but at 305 Polk.
George married Sadie (Sarah, Sallie, born CA about October 1869) in about 1892. The couple is residing in Hollister in 1894 and by at least 1897 they are in Salinas (voter reg records.) The 1900 census shows that the Salinas address is possibly 240 Main St., though the street number is not recorded there; boarding with them is James W. Church, occupation Constable. By 1910 George and Sadie had moved up to San Francisco and are shown on that census as staying with George’s mom. The 1920 shows that the couple had moved to San Mateo; with them is Margret Blattner[?], listed as sister-in-law to George. There is a California Death Index record that shows a George R. Butler, born approximately 1863 with a death date of June 14, 1930 in San Mateo County. However, there is a 1935 city directory record for Hillsborough, San Mateo County, showing a George R. Butler and wife Sarah. So, George’s date of death is uncertain.
The above is a pretty good rundown of biographical information from online sources, which of course, are always good to check into, in order to corroborate, clarify and sometimes even offer corrections to existing career info. But, career-wise, besides the Salinas CA couple photo example on this website, (surmised to be George R.’s work) other examples can be found at the excellent website California Views: The Pat Hathaway Photo Collection; see the last source listed below for that web address which has a link for George R. Butler and some of wonderful examples of his Monterey County and San Benito County landscape and building photos.
Sources: Year: 1870; Census Place: San Francisco Ward 11, San Francisco, California; Roll: M593_84; Page: 565A; Image: 290; Family History Library Film: 545583. Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.
“United States Census, 1880,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M6PX-YMG : accessed 29 Dec 2013), George Butler in household of Anna M. Butler, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States; citing sheet 275A, family 3, NARA microfilm publication T9-0079
Year: 1900; Census Place: Alisal, Monterey, California; Roll: 94; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 0002; FHL microfilm: 1240094. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
Year: 1910; Census Place: San Francisco Assembly District 37, San Francisco, California; Roll: T624_99; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 0169; FHL microfilm: 1374112. Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
Year: 1920; Census Place: San Mateo, San Mateo, California; Roll: T625_145; Page: 15A; Enumeration District: 72; Image: 563. Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.
California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Ancestry.com. California, Voter Registers, 1866-1898 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
Ancestry.com. California, Death Index, 1905-1939 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.Original data: California Department of Health and Welfare.
http://caviews.com/A_1.html