Ovid Butler was an attorney

Lawyer

A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...

, newspaper publisher, and university

University

A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...

 founder from the state of Indiana

Indiana

Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

Personal life

Ovid Butler was born in Augusta, New York

Augusta, New York

Augusta is a town in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 1,966 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is believed to be derived from Augusta, Maine.The Town of Augusta is in the southwest part of the county.- History :...

. His father, Chancey Butler, moved the family west to Jennings County, Indiana

Jennings County, Indiana

Jennings County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 28,525. The county seat is Vernon.-History:...

, in 1817. The elder Butler became one of the first Restoration Movement

Restoration Movement

The Restoration Movement is a Christian movement that began on the American frontier during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century...

 or Stone

Barton W. Stone

Barton Warren Stone was an important preacher during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century. He was first ordained a Presbyterian minister, then was expelled from the church after the Cane Ridge, Kentucky revival for his stated beliefs in faith as the sole prerequisite for salvation...

-Campbell Movement preachers in Indiana. Ovid studied law and practiced as an attorney in Shelbyville, Indiana

Shelbyville, Indiana

Shelbyville is a city in Addison Township, Shelby County, Indiana, United States. The population was 17,951 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Shelby County...

, from 1825-1836. During this time he married Cordelia Cole.

In 1836, the entire family moved to Indianapolis

Indianapolis, Indiana

Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...

. Soon after, Ovid's wife, Cordelia, died in 1838. He remarried to a widow, Mrs. Elizabeth A. Elgin, daughter of one Thomas McQuat.

Career

In Indianapolis, Ovid established a law firm with partners Calvin Fletcher

Calvin Fletcher

Calvin Fletcher was an attorney and legislator from Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.-Early life:Fletcher was born in Ludlow, Vermont to Jesse and Lucy Keyes Fletcher. He started out for Urbana, Ohio in 1817 where he studied law in Urbana under James Cooley and was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1820...

, Simon Yanders and future Indianapolis mayor, Horatio C. Newcomb

Horatio C. Newcomb

Horatio C. Newcomb was an attorney and judge from Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.-Early life:Newcomb was born in Wellsborough, Tioga County, Pennsylvania. At some point the family moved to Cortland County, New York and in 1833 the family moved to Vernon, Jennings County, Indiana...

. Butler became interested and active in political and social issues. In 1849, Butler established the political and abolitionist newspaper Free Soil Banner. Due to bad health, Butler gave up his law practice in 1849 seeking retirement.

Butler University

As a member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

The Christian Church is a Mainline Protestant denomination in North America. It is often referred to as The Christian Church, The Disciples of Christ, or more simply as The Disciples...

, Butler sought to establish a university for that Christian movement. On January 15, 1850, the Indiana General Assembly

Indiana General Assembly

The Indiana General Assembly is the state legislature, or legislative branch, of the state of Indiana. It is a bicameral legislature that consists of a lower house, the Indiana House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Indiana Senate...

 approved the university. On November 1, 1855, the North Western Christian University opened. Ovid Butler served as the head of the Board of Directors until 1871. He became Chancellor of the University and, in 1877, the school became Butler University

Butler University

Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...

. Butler is also the namesake of the Ovid Butler Society, a recognition society for Butler University's most generous donors.

Recreation

Butler's summer months were spent at Indiana's Lake Wawasee

Lake Wawasee

Lake Wawasee, formerly Turkey Lake, is a natural lake southeast of Syracuse in Kosciusko County, Indiana, United States. It is the largest natural lake in Indiana. It is located just east of Indiana State Road 13.-History:...

 where he had a residence in the vicinity of Vawter Park.

Sources

• The Restoration Movement: Ovid Butler