The History of Thurber in 12 Photographs: A Candid Look at the Life of Joe Butler
by Lea Hart
In the early 1900s, Thurber saw a rise in candid photographs. Funny moments and snapshots of everyday life became increasingly popular, and remain so today. These moments captured by Thurber locals show us a much different story than factual census records; these photographs show us their personalities. This month we are focusing on an image of Joseph “Joe” Washington Butler. Joe was born to John Martin Butler and Marguerette Angie Washburn in April of 1885 in Stephens County Texas. How or why Joe ended up in Thurber is unknown to us; we can infer that he needed a job and found one as a coal miner. According to his family, Joe was a great man with a sense of humor who worked hard between his days off as a miner in Thurber.
This photograph of Joe and two friends after a long day in the mines is from around 1910. His slight form and boyish looks originally made us wonder about underage drinking in Thurber. However, Joe would have been in his mid-twenties when this photograph was taken. Despite the constant state of flux in drinking laws in Texas, Joe would have legally been enjoying his after work beverage. The second photograph shows even more of Joe’s charm as he slightly smirks leaning against a Thurber building.
While Joe is listed as living in Mingus in the 1910 and 1920 censuses, we have little information about his life between these years. We have found his draft cards from World War One and World
War Two though during WWII he lived in Stephens County. In a letter from the photograph’s donor regarding the collection, she recalls a few facts about Joe from family members who knew him. Her letter recounts that Joe served in World War II, never married, and took care of his mother until her death. After his time in Thurber, Joe went on to work on a farm in Stephens County and later owned a gas station in Caddo, Stephens County.
While researching Joe’s life our staff submitted an archival request with the National Archives in order to learn more about Joe during this time in his life. Specifically, we are looking for Joe’s public military records to have a fuller picture of his life. We have his draft registration cards but hope that the extensive military records at the Nation Archives could shed more light on Joe’s life. This research could potentially take several months. However, even if the archivists do not find information on Joe’s service that does not necessarily mean that he did not complete military service. In 1973 a fire destroyed roughly 16-18 million Official Military Personnel Files. Losing this much historical data is a great loss for historians, genealogists, and family members hoping to piece together stories of the past.
Legal documents such as birth and death certificates, census records and marriage licenses all prove a person’s existence. Semi-stoic family portraits, school, and license photos add more tangibility to a person’s presence. All of these help historians build a picture of a person’s life. However, historians love finding candid photographs like this one of Joe Butler. They help us get a glimpse into the personalities of people who are long gone, adding life to what can sometimes seem like dry vital statistics. Photographs like this one help us realize we have more in common with people in the past than we realize while opening up new avenues for research.
In the early 1900s, Thurber saw a rise in candid photographs. Funny moments and snapshots of everyday life became increasingly popular, and remain so today. These moments captured by Thurber locals show us a much different story than factual census records; these photographs show us their personalities. This month we are focusing on an image of Joseph “Joe” Washington Butler. Joe was born to John Martin Butler and Marguerette Angie Washburn in April of 1885 in Stephens County Texas. How or why Joe ended up in Thurber is unknown to us; we can infer that he needed a job and found one as a coal miner. According to his family, Joe was a great man with a sense of humor who worked hard between his days off as a miner in Thurber.
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| Joe Butler (far right) having a beer, ca. 1910 Copeland Collection |
While Joe is listed as living in Mingus in the 1910 and 1920 censuses, we have little information about his life between these years. We have found his draft cards from World War One and World
War Two though during WWII he lived in Stephens County. In a letter from the photograph’s donor regarding the collection, she recalls a few facts about Joe from family members who knew him. Her letter recounts that Joe served in World War II, never married, and took care of his mother until her death. After his time in Thurber, Joe went on to work on a farm in Stephens County and later owned a gas station in Caddo, Stephens County.
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| Joe Butler, Thurber, Texas Copeland Collection |
Legal documents such as birth and death certificates, census records and marriage licenses all prove a person’s existence. Semi-stoic family portraits, school, and license photos add more tangibility to a person’s presence. All of these help historians build a picture of a person’s life. However, historians love finding candid photographs like this one of Joe Butler. They help us get a glimpse into the personalities of people who are long gone, adding life to what can sometimes seem like dry vital statistics. Photographs like this one help us realize we have more in common with people in the past than we realize while opening up new avenues for research.
