Rueben C. Butts, the son of Daniel and Ellen Butts was born April 7, 1874 at Austin, Minnesota. In 1882 his family settled near Sykeston. While attending school in Minneapolis, he met and married Nellie Eva Pebernat on December 6, 1904. She was born August 14, 1889 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The Butts family lived in Sykeston until 1916 when Mr. Butts operated a pool hall and movie theater. In 1916 he purchased a farm southwest of Sykeston. In 1935 the Butts family moved to a farm in Wyard Township where two sons, Earl and Lloyd had purchased land.
The couple were parents of six children: Sylvia, Earl, Lloyd, Mary Ellen, Genevieve and LeRoy. The couple moved to Carrington in 1954.
Mrs. Butts died August 7, 1961. Mr. Butts died May 2, 1968 aged 94. They are buried in the Carrington cemetery.
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 104B