John Cornelius Butler (1887–1953) was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the state of New York. A staunch union supporter, he served five terms from 1941 to 1949 and again from 1951 to 1953.
Early Life
John was born on July 2, 1887, in Buffalo, New York to George Butler (1857–1930) and Agnes McMullan (1856–1921), both natives of Ireland. He was educated in the Buffalo public school system and received his diploma from Central High School.
After finishing high school, John worked manual labor jobs in and around Lake Erie in Buffalo. He was a strong supporter of unions and was a member of a union for longshoremen and another one for workers at grain elevators. He eventually became an electrician and joined the electrical workers’ union, serving in several leadership positions.
Election to Congress
In 1941, Pius Schwert, a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York’s 42nd district, died of a heart attack after making a political speech. John ran as a Republican against Schwert’s widow, Harriet, in a special election to fill his seat. He won and filled the remainder of Schwert’s term in the 77th Congress, becoming one of 26 people with the Butler Surname in Congress.
John was re-elected to the House of Representatives for the 78th (1943-1945), 79th (1945–1947), and 80th (1947–1949) congresses. After losing a bid for re-election to the 81st Congress, he returned to Buffalo and worked as a sales manager for Fire Equipment Sales Co., and as an estimator for Beacon Electrical Engineering and Construction Co.
Reigniting his political career, John returned to Washington for the 82nd congress from January 1951 to January 1953. He lost re-election to the 83rd Congress and died in August 1953.
Opposition to the Saint Lawrence Seaway
In Congress, John was known for his fierce opposition to the St. Lawrence Seaway. The binational system of locks, canals, and channels in the United States and Canada was intended to allow shipping vessels to reach ports in all five of the Great Lakes.
Proponents of the seaway believed it would lead to the development of communities in the Great Lakes region. John believed it would hurt the shipping and cargo handling industries in Buffalo, which would hurt his fellow union workers. After many years of wrangling, the proponents won, and the St. Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959, six years after John’s death.
John Cornelius Butler Family
In 1908, John married Frances T. Pachowiak (abt. 1891-1971). They had three boys: George, John (1910-2002), and Henry. The younger John retired as principal of the Sherman Central School in Sherman, New York.
Primary Sources:
- BUTLER, John Cornelius | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives. (n.d.).
- Bioguide Search. (n.d.). Bioguide Search; bioguide.congress.gov.
