John Wesley Butts, local freight agent for the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad, at Topeka, Kan., was born in a log cabin on a farm in Knox county, Illinois, Aug. 29, 1870. His parents, Stewart M. and Margaret (Hickey) Butts, were both natives of Knox county, Illinois, where the former was born Feb. 22, 1850, and the latter Sept. 5, 1849. Both the Hickey and Butts families were among the pioneers of Knox county. The parents of Mr. Butts are now retired residents of Kansas City, Kan.

John Wesley Butts removed with his parents to Bedford, Taylor county, Iowa, when he was four years old, and spent his boyhood there until fifteen years of age, or in 1885, when the family removed to Dodge City, Kan. He received a common school education, which was supplemented by a course in telegraphy at Campbell University, Holton, Kan., and at the age of twenty he became an operator for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad, at Williamsburg, Iowa, since which time he has been continuously employed in railroad work. He remained in his first position two years, after which he entered the employ of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company, as an operator, and was successively employed as operator and agent, relief agent, train master's clerk, and in other capacities until February, 1906, at which time he entered the employ of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad as freight agent, first at McFarland, then at Herington, and finally at Topeka, where his service at the last named place begun Sept. 15, 1910.

On Dec. 18, 1895, Mr. Butts was married to Miss Mabel Richards, daughter of Judge Oscar G. Richards, of Eudora, Kan., who is one of the pioneer citizens of that place. Three sons have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Butts: Oscar Stewart, born May 21, 1901; John Wesley, Jr., born Dec. 10, 1906; and Richard Dale, born March 14, 1910. Mr. Butts is a Republican in his political views and he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church. Fraternally he is a Royal Arch Mason and an Odd Fellow.