Earl

Another mystery solved!

One of the early surprises in my genealogy quest was finding out that Earl Butler was born three years before his parents, William Butler and Ida Rene [Bryant], were married in 1895. At the same time, I learned that Ida Rene's last name was "Williams" when she married William Butler; she was widowed by age 27 from a first marriage (her children never knew this).  

I concluded that Earl must not have been Ida's son. My question then was, "Who was Earl's mother?"

I contacted someone on Ancestry -  M. Butler.  She had downloaded a photo that I had posted of the three Butler boys, so I figured she was researching that family too. Come to find out, M's husband Scott is Earl's grandson. I jokingly (sort of) said that he should get a DNA test done. Almost a year later, M. writes that they did the DNA test and I am indeed a genetic match with Scott.  

So Earl is Ida's son after all.  

Ok, so... I'm still digesting this new information...

Facts:1) Earl was three years old when Ida and William Butler married. 2) Ida Rene was widowed, age 27 when she married William Butler (her last name was Williams on the marriage certificate).

Why would Ida wait for three years to marry William after having his child out of wedlock? Is it possible that Earl was Ida's son from her first marriage to Williams? Maybe William Butler adopted him?

One question only leads to another and another...

Here is Earl's family tree, showing how my new-found cousin Scott fits in:

 1) William Brown Butler m. (1895) Ida Rene [Bryant] Williams
     2) Earl Charles, b. 1892
         m. Ellen (1911)
            3) Edna 
            3) Helen
         m. Agnes (abt 1925)
            3) William Earl
                   4) William Bryant 
                   4) Robert Scott 
                   4) Charles Earl
            3) Mary Ann
     2) William Bryant, b. 1895
     2) Rawley Martin, b. 1897

Earl Charles Butler, 1892-1962, son of Ida Rene Bryant

Ida Rene Bryant > Jacqueline Abbott > John Beverly Zaun > Teresa Zaun