JN’s cremated remains were not initially taken after his death and for many years were available at the Oregon State Hospital to be claimed by anyone who was related. In September 2015 his ashes were received by James' 2nd cousin 1X removed.

His first name was James but almost all documents and news articles throughout his life referred to him as JN. He was born in 1872 in Texas to Hiram Franklin Butler and Zelia Ann Smith. His father was a native of Texas (born in 1851) while his mother was born in South Carolina in 1854. They were married in 1871. His siblings included Andrew Dudley (born in 1877), Daisy Ann (born in 1879), Daniel Franklin (1882), Monroe (1885), Sam Early (in 1885), CC (born 1889, probably named for Clarinda C. Jones, her maternal grandmother), Jessie Eaden (in 1889), Margaret J (1891) and Maude R (1895). The youngest 3 were born in Oklahoma and the older ones were born in Texas. JN’s mother had 11 children with 10 being alive in 1900.

At the time of the 1880 census he was 8 years old, living with his parents and siblings in Collin County, Texas where his father was a farmer. The 1900 census listed JN’s parents and 7 youngest siblings were living in the Chickasaw Nation Indian Territory (Oklahoma). JN was not living with them. His father was a farmer. Everyone in the home was listed as white (not Indian).

It is believed his mother died near the turn of the century. His father remarried about 1905. His step-mother, Millie, was JN’s age. She had been married twice before and had 3 children from those marriages. She and Hiram had three more children. JN’s half-siblings included Timothy (born in Oklahoma about 1906), Charley (Oklahoma about 1908) and Katie (Texas 1909).

During the census of 1910 JN was living in a lodging house in Denver, Colorado and working as a waiter. He was widowed and reportedly 37 years old. He was deeply involved as an officer in the Mixer & Server’s Union in Pueblo Colorado. By the time of the 1920 census JN’s father had died.

Before the 1920 census was taken, JN moved to Portland, Oregon where he was actively involved the cooks’/waiters’ union in 1920 & 1921. In fact he was elected president of the waiters & waitresses union in Jun 1920. Then he was expelled for the union in 1921 and reinstated on appeal. He lived in a small lodging house and waited tables in a restaurant. While in Portland he contracted tuberculosis. His medical records indicate he also had epilepsy. In fact both JN and his mother suffered from seizures. He had been found in wandering the streets after a particularly bad episode. On 12/22/1922 he was admitted to the Oregon State Hospital, a residential facility in Salem, Oregon for the treatment of people with mental illness. The reason for his commitment was epilepsy. He lived there for a year and nine moths then died of TB at the asylum on 9/28/1924. He was 52 years old and was reported to be divorced.

His brother Sam died in 1923. (Find-A-Grave memorial #107551298). Jesse died in 1927 (#69390870). Andrew died in Texas in 1948 (#70167262). Monroe died in 1953. His half-brother Timothy died in 1957 (#62222921). Daisy married James W. Boyd. She died in Texas in 1965. (#44485899). Frank died in 1970. Maude died in 1977. Margaret died in 1879. Half-brother Charley died in 1980 (#75340772).

More information about unclaimed cremains at OSH is available at http://www.oregon.gov/oha/amh/osh/pages/cremains.aspx A book by David Maisel and a documentary by Ondi Timoner & Robert James, both entitled "Library of Dust" also provide more information.