John Butler | |
|---|---|
&sq=Google&lang=en&file=File:John_Butler.jpg) Portrait of John Butler, date unknown | |
| Born | c. April 28, 1728 New London, Connecticut |
| Died | May 12, 1796 Newark, Upper Canada |
| Allegiance | Great Britain |
| Service | British Indian Department Tryon County militia British Army |
| Years of service | 1755–1784 |
| Rank | Lieutenant-Colonel |
| Unit | Butler's Rangers |
| Battles / wars | French and Indian War |
Lieutenant-Colonel John Butler (c. April 28, 1728 – May 12, 1796) was a British Indian Department officer, landowner and merchant. During the American Revolutionary War, he was a prominent Loyalist who commanded Butler's Rangers. Born in New London, Connecticut, he moved to New York with his family, where he learned several Iroquoian languages and worked as an interpreter in the fur trade. He was well-prepared to work with the Mohawk and other Iroquois nations who became allies of the British during the rebellion.
During the Revolutionary War, Butler persuaded the Seneca and Cayuga to participate in the St. Leger's Expedition in New York. Afterwards he was given permission to raise a "corps of rangers" to work closely with Britain's Indigenous allies. Butler's Rangers participated in raids in New York and Pennsylvania, including the Battle of Wyoming and the Cherry Valley massacre. After the war Butler resettled in Upper Canada, where he was given a grant of land by the Crown for his services. Butler continued his leadership in the developing colony, serving in public office, and helping to establish the Anglican Church and the Masonic Order in what is now Ontario.