He was made a freeman in Massachusetts on May 14, 1634, and was a propenitor in Stratford, Connecticut sometime before October, 1651, at which time the General Court granted him liberty to prosecute the Indian named "Nimrod" at Pequannock who had "willfully killed some swyn of the said Butlers." He was a juryman in Hartford at "a Perticular Court", June 15th, 1643 and in his brother William's will, dated May 11, 1648, he says "I make my brother Richard Butler dwelling in Hartford, my whole executor" who appears to be his only heir with the exception of two sisters "now living in old England." He probably removed to Stratford, Connecticut soon after his brother's death. In 1649 he was appointed Custom officer in Stratford "for entry and recording such Goods as are subject to Customs" and was allowed for his services 2s. for every Butt of Wine entered and 12 pence for every Achor of Liquors, and in proportion for other casks. The first entry of his lands at Stratford is undated but appears to be not long after 1660. This consisted of "one house lott,***lieing by the harbor side." This lot is therein bounded on the north "upon a lott that was once Moses Wheeler now purchased by Richard Butler", but no record of this purchase has been found. He also owned two and a half acres in the "ould Feyld". The eight persons who were the minority in the division which finally went to Woodbury, Connecticut, who were all born in England, with only one exception, if any, and four of them --- Richard Butler, Henry, Wakelyn, Samuel Sherman and Daniel Titharton, has been, probably, communicants in the Church of England before coming to his country. The desired, which received under the Halfway Covenant, to be examined alone by the minister --- or minister and elder --- and to be allowed to partake of the Lord's Supper, and their children when baptized, to be members of the church in the sense entertained then in the English Church. Hence,, this church at Woodbury did admit the halfway convenant members to be communion for many years after its organization. Richard Butler died in Stratford on May 20, 1676, leaving an estate of 250 pounds. He joined the second church at Stratford soon after its organization in 1670 and may have removed to Woodbury. He appears to have had no male heirs and the name soon died out in Stratford.

On May 18, 1676, the agreement made by Thomas Hicks, Mary Hicks, Benjamin Peat, and Phebe Peat. Benjamin and Samuel Peat, Jr., of Stratford, conveyed 1713 land from grandfaher Richard Butler deceased. John Washbourne of Flushing, Long Island, Gentlemen, conveyed 1712 to Daniel Beardsley, right in Stratford land. John Hicks of Flushing, eldest son of Thomas Hicks by his wife Mary, daughter of Richard Butler of Stratford, with Samuel Simmons (now Seaman) and his wife Phebe, John Isman and his wife Elizabeth, and Sarah Rushmore, all of Flushing, three daughters of Thomas and Mary, appointed 1712 their brother Jacob Hicks to act as their attorney.