STILL TO BE EDITED
11. Pleasant Burnell4 Butler ["Pleas"] (Burnell, 2). Born, 13 Sep 1848, in
Scott Co., MS57. Died, 17 Aug 1930, in Karnes Co, TX58. Burial: 19 Aug 1930, in
Kenedy Cem #1, Karnes Co., TX59. Prob of Est: 20 Sep 1930, in Karnes Co., TX60.
Occupation: Cattle&Farming.

Pleas is in the 1860 & 1870 census of Helena, Karnes County TX with his
parent(s) (1870 with mother as head of house). In the 1880 census he is with
his own family (p030 Hs #26/#26) Stock raiser and 2 children.

Pleas life story is in "The Trail Drivers Of Texas" p479-484. He came with his
father from Mississippi in 1852 as a four year old. His father started him
early in the Karnes area with one heifer and by 1862 he had 18 head which
diminished in the 1863 drouth to one small steer.

Pleasant Butler had few oppotunities to attend school as the conditions of the
time provided inadequate education for the children. Growing up as he did gave
a good pratical education. He was the one in the family chosen to write the
family names, dates, etc in the Butler bible in 1871 - it is legible.

In 1868 W. G. Butler, now home from the war drove a herd to Abilene KS - Pleas
helped as far as Gonzales. In 1870 (with W G B) he made his first trip through
to Alilene with fired up ambition. They went through Austin, Belton, Cleburne,
Ft Worth, Gainesville, Indian Territory (where bounty was demanded), the
Chisholm Trail, the Arkansas river and Osage country to Kansas. Pleas killed
four Buffalo on the trip with only his six shooter. In 1871 Pleas started for
Abilene in charge of his own outfit. They reached Kansas in May but grazed them
until September when they were ready for market. Pleas made other trips to
market in 1877, 1878 & 1879 - in all four trips over the trail to market his
own steers.

Pleas B Butler was a member of the famous "Old Time Trail Drivers Association".
There is a 1915 photograph of this group meeting in San Antonio. Pleas is in
the picture. {Anna Jobes has copy}

There were two cattle brands registered to P B Butler 14 March 1872 in Karnes
County brand book #1 page B9 #813: 1. The old BB brand with an arch over the
B's and 2. a B with an upside down P, letters back to back (B on the right
side, P on the left). Some of Pleas Butlers letter head stationary shows he had
"Registered Red Polled Durham Cattle" and noted is an emblem of a bull which
has the 33 cattle brand with the 3's back to back. The 33 brand was registersd
to his wife in 1881.

In 1874 Pleas purchased his first ranch and put cattle on it the next year. At
the same time with his brother, William Green,they operated on "the range"
during 1874, 1875 and 1876. In 1876 Pleas sold his ranch and range cattle. He
then traded in cattle and delivered them to the markets north for the years
1877-79.
A photograph of Pleas Butler (paternal Great-grandfather to Anna Russell Jobes)
as a young man (estimated date 1885) was located in an old family album of the
Bracht family in Rockport (Anna's maternal grandmother). How did the families
know each other? Conjecture has it that the Brachts being in the mercantile
business and the Butlers in the cattle business in some way were trading with
each other and Pleas's photograph found its way to Rockport. Incidentaly,
Elizabeth Ingram Sutton has a painting of Pleas that was a copy of this same
photograph. Bigger Mystery!

Part of Anna Jobes' Polish ancestor's (the Michael Fryday's) were Helena residents
in 1858 where he was a butcher. They move to Rockport in 1867 where Friday
continued his trade and brokered cattle and other stock. He was known to move
some of them by steamship to Corpus Christi and possibly elsewhere, - he must
have known the Butlers?.

Pleas built Sarah a big town house in Kenedy between 4th & 5th streets where
she lived to her death. Their daughter Bertha Ruhmann and grand-daughter Valda
lived with Sarah, to the end. Their grandson Gail Ruhmann was dragged to death
by a horse, in the corral adjacent to the big house, when his foot got caught,
at age 12, in 1936.

At one time P. B. Butler advertsed for sale "7000 Acres of Fine Farming Land",
in one lot or in small tracts.

P B Butler's obituary states he "was to be one of the largest cattlemen in this
entire section, and the largest individual land owner in Karnes county." He was
a member of the Methodist Church and member of the Masons for sixty years.

"The Trail Drivers of Texas" by Marvin Hunter 1925 p479 & p484 give reference.
Also "A Twentieth Century History of SOUTHWEST TEXAS" 1907 by Lewis Publishing Co p332-334.

"Pleas" married Sarah Jane Elizabeth Ammons "Sis", daughter of Hamilton R. Ammons and Martha Louise Davis 14 Feb 1871, in Old Ammons Ranch, 3mi No Kenedy, TX. Born, 14 Feb 1853, in near Helena, Goliad Co, (Karnes). Died, 10 Jun 1940, in Kenedy, Karnes Co, TX. Burial: 11 Jun 1940, in Kenedy Cem #1, Karnes Co., TX.


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by / Anna Russell Jobes / g-grandaughter
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