Meet J.M. Gunther

[61Cadillac]

This, ladies and gentlemen, is Mr. J.M. Gunther, the soldier whose collection I recently purchased from an estate sale. Mr. Gunther changed his name to Butler after the war to have a more "American" sounding name. His family said he was a sharpshooter during his service in the war, but didn't know any more about him. Not what unit he served in, or what state he enlisted in. I find it interesting that I purchased the collection in Rochester, NY and on the back of the black and white portrait it says he was in Rochester, Minnesota. Could he have been one of Berdan's Sharpshooters??? I have been in contact with the Gettysburg Foundation who run the museum. I was asked to send photos of everything, and they would see if they can give me any information on him. I will pass along anything I am about to learn.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Did he change his first and middle names too after the war?

Thought the uniformed subject in the image appears to be wearing a bugle badge on the front of his kepi, as well as officer shoulder straps (with three insignia shown within each strap), indicating he might have been a senior infantry officer. (Interesting, as he would have been aged around 19 years at the start of the war, given he was shown as being aged 37 years in 1879).

In relation to the family commenting he was a sharpshooter during his wartime service. He may have been an assigned sharpshooter in a regular infantry unit, rather than belonging to Berdan's sharpshooters.

 

[RedRover]

Mr. Butler was a well known judge in Minnesota, native of New York.

History of Olmsted County, Minnesota

www.google.com

History of the Town of Perry, New York

www.google.com

From the Princeton, Minnesota Union of 8-29-1895:

During the Civil War I see that H.C. Butler acted as the draft commissioner for Fillmore County in 1862.

Weekly Pioneer and Democrat, St. Paul, 8-22-1862.

 

[61Cadillac]

Did he change his first and middle names too after the war?

Thought the uniformed subject in the image appears to be wearing a bugle badge on the front of his kepi, as well as officer shoulder straps (with three insignia shown within each strap), indicating he might have been a senior infantry officer. (Interesting, as he would have been aged around 19 years at the start of the war, given he was shown as being aged 37 years in 1879).

In relation to the family commenting he was a sharpshooter during his wartime service. He may have been an assigned sharpshooter in a regular infantry unit, rather than belonging to Berdan's sharpshooters.

The one number is really hard to make out but I read his age as 57 in the post war image which would have made him about 40 in 1862.

 

[61Cadillac]

Mr. Butler was a well known judge in Minnesota, native of New York.


View attachment 552536

History of Olmsted County, Minnesota

www.google.com

View attachment 552537

History of the Town of Perry, New York

www.google.com

From the Princeton, Minnesota Union of 8-29-1895:
View attachment 552542

During the Civil War I see that H.C. Butler acted as the draft commissioner for Fillmore County in 1862.

View attachment 552543
Weekly Pioneer and Democrat, St. Paul, 8-22-1862.

Very interesting. I wish the family had a better knowledge of him. I was able to find this Henry Butler but I don't believe him to be the same Henry. J.M. Gunther's first name was Jonathan. I'm not thinking Henry is the soldier in my photo now.

SGT Henry Butler (unknown-1894) - Find a Grave...

Born abt 1820 Married 16 September 1842 in Erie Co., OH Served in Company I, 16th Illinois Cavalry from 14 November 1862 to 20 August 1865 (same company and service dates as his brother Garrett) Imprisoned 8 months at Andersonville Children not on Find A Grave: Ellen G J Ella Butler m. Jerome B...

www.findagrave.com

 

[RedRover]

Very interesting. I wish the family had a better knowledge of him. I was able to find this Henry Butler but I don't believe him to be the same Henry. J.M. Gunther's first name was Jonathan. I'm not thinking Henry is the soldier in my photo now.

Here's some more on him.

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.319510012042617&seq=127

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.319510012042617&seq=126&view=1up

 

[61Cadillac]

Here's some more on him.

View attachment 552552
View attachment 552553

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View attachment 552554

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.319510012042617&seq=127

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.319510012042617&seq=126&view=1up

Wow!!! Thats is definitely the Butler in my photo! This just leads me to further believe he isn't the soldier in my ambrotype photo. Maybe they were related in some way. I know this is a mystery I likely will never unravel, but I'm looking forwards to the new things I'll learn trying to!

 

[Nathan Stuart]

The one number is really hard to make out but I read his age as 57 in the post war image which would have made him about 40 in 1862.

Yes, that would make more sense. if he is the uniformed officer in the first picture.

I'm not thinking Henry is the soldier in my photo now.

Would tend to agree.

 

[tony_gunter]

This, ladies and gentlemen, is Mr. J.M. Gunther, the soldier whose collection I recently purchased from an estate sale. Mr. Gunther changed his name to Butler after the war to have a more "American" sounding name. His family said he was a sharpshooter during his service in the war, but didn't know any more about him. Not what unit he served in, or what state he enlisted in. I find it interesting that I purchased the collection in Rochester, NY and on the back of the black and white portrait it says he was in Rochester, Minnesota. Could he have been one of Berdan's Sharpshooters??? I have been in contact with the Gettysburg Foundation who run the museum. I was asked to send photos of everything, and they would see if they can give me any information on him. I will pass along anything I am about to learn.

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Sounds a little daft. What's wrong with Gunther / Gunter as a last name?

 

[CWdiaryPA]

Sounds a little daft. What's wrong with Gunther / Gunter as a last name?

One idea is during that period, some wanted to get away from Germanic sounding names (for a variety of reasons) & go toward more English, Irish, French, etc. I know this is what my family did going way back. Burkhardt was too much. Take out a few letters, add an "e" and you get to a more anglicized version Burket.

 

[tony_gunter]

One idea is during that period, some wanted to get away from Germanic sounding names (for a variety of reasons) & go toward more English, Irish, French, etc. I know this is what my family did going way back. Burkhardt was too much. Take out a few letters, add an "e" and you get to a more anglicized version Burket.

He could have just dropped the H and claimed he was from Whales.