New Book – Consider the Rock: An American Family, by Thaddeus Butler Reynolds; 2017; Perfect Bound; ISBN: 978-1537052083; Available from Thadeus B. Reynolds, 625 W 4th st., Marion, IN 46952-3900; CreateSpace (384 pp.) $28.00 paperback, $5.99 e-book.
Isaiah 51: 1 says “Consider the rock, from which you were hewn, the quarry from which you were mined.” Mr. Reynolds does just that, looking back at his ancestry – and writing a fascinating book about it all.
In 1840, sixteen year old John Butler stepped from his boyhood home in Maine. He changed his name, and started a new life and a new family. This book is his story – and the story of the family he founded. He was born as the son of John Butland IV, and Joanna Smith. Family tree charts for the John Butler and Abner Smith (Joanna’s father) are found early in the volume. Charts for the Wigmores and Flemings and many others make for easy visualization of the family ancestry. Whole chapters are found for the early families. Many pages of the book are dedicated to the Butler Music store, which had transitioned from a “cycle” company in 1901. Pictures of family, business operations, newspaper clippings, and magazine advertisements make the volume even more interesting. The business acumen of the Butler family is amazing! For a short history of the Butler/Reynolds music business, see: http://www.reynoldsorgans.com/?page_id=4
Heavily illustrated, the book tells the story of the Butler family – as well as families with names like Wigmore, Fleming, Ballard, and Riggs.
This is an excellent family history – very professionally written, and illustrated. I highly recommend the book to family members, and libraries with genealogical collections. $28.00 paperback, $5.99 e-book; Click here to order at Amazon.
