BUTLER, Marion, a Senator from North Carolina; born near Clinton, Sampson County, N.C., May 20, 1863; graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1885; taught school for three years; moved to Clinton, N.C., in 1888 and became editor and publisher of the Clinton Caucasian; moved to Raleigh in 1894, but continued the publication of the paper; elected to the State senate in 1890; president of the National Farmers’ Alliance and Industrial Union in 1894 and 1895; chairman of the People’s Party State committee in 1894; trustee and member of the executive committee of the University of North Carolina 1891-1899; studied law; admitted to the bar in 1899 and commenced practice in Raleigh, N.C.; elected as a Populist to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1895, to March 3, 1901; unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1901; chairman, Committee on Organization, Conduct, and Expenditures of Executive Departments (Fifty-fourth and Fifty-fifth Congresses); chairman of the Populist National Executive Committee 1896-1904; affiliated with the Republican Party in 1904; assisted in organizing the Cotton and Tobacco Cooperative Marketing Association of the South in 1923 and 1924; resumed the practice of law in Washington, D.C.; died June 3, 1938, in Takoma Park, Md., where he had been confined in a hospital; interment in Clinton Cemetery, Clinton, N.C.
(Source: Biographical Directory of the United States 1774-present.)

BUTLER, Marion, senator, was born in Sampson county, N. C, May 20, 1863, son of Wiley and Romelia (Ferrell) Butler. His great-grandfather was a soldier in the revolutionary war, while his father served in the Confederate army throughout the civil war. He was reared on his father's farm, and was graduated at the University of North Carolina in 1885. He commenced a course in law with an intention to follow that profession, but the death of his father threw upon him, the oldest son, the support of the family, and in addition to managing the estate, he accepted the principalship of the academy where formerly he had been a pupil. In 1888 lie purchased the Clinton "Caucasian," making it the organ of the Farmers' Alliance, of which lie was elected county president. He was elected to the state senate as an alliance Democrat in 1890, was made the leader of the Alliance forces in that body, and under his management the movement rapidly advanced, acquiring the balance of power m North Carolina. In the legislature he was appointed chairman of the joint committee on railroad commission, and succeeded in passing the present railroad-commission law of North Carolina, helped to establish the State University for girls and secured other needed reforms. He was president of the State Farmers' Alliance in 1891 and 1892, and in 1894 was chosen president of the National Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union. Immediately after the adjournment of the Chicago convention of 1892, he publicly declared himself against Grover Cleveland, and after withdrawing from the Democratic party, he organized and built up the People's party, canvassing the state as a Weaver elector for the state at large. He planned the campaign of 1894, organizing a co-operation of all who opposed the Cleveland Democracy and carrying the state by a large majority. He was made chairman of the People's party state committee and established a state edition of the "Caucasian" at Raleigh. In 1896 he was made chairman of the national executive committee of the People's party, and supported William J. Bryan for president" He was a trustee and member of the executive board of his alma mater, 1891-99, and in May of the latter year, re-entered the University Law School, receiving his license to practice, Sept. 26th. In 1895 be was elected to the U. S. senate, and served from Mar. 4th of that year, to Mar. 3, 1901. What will ever stand as a monument to Sen. Butler is his success in establishing the free rural mail delivery system. He fought singlehanded and alone for this expansion of the postal system and at first he succeeded in getting only an appropriation of $50,000 for an experiment. The experiment proved so successful and popular that the system has grown rapidly and been gradually extended to every portion of the United States. He also strongly advocated postal saving banks, a postal telegraph, and penny postage. After retiring from the senate he engaged in the practice of law, having established offices in Raleigh, N. C, and in Washington, D. C. He is also connected with several large mining corporations in New York, with valuable properties in California, Arizona, Mexico and Alaska. He was married Aug. 31, 1893, to Florence, daughter of Captain E L. Faison and has three sons and two daughters

(Source: National cyclopedia of American Biography. Vol. XIII. Published 1906.)