Important Lot Major Archibald Willingham Butt Titanic

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Up for exclusive auction is this Lot of Major Archibald Willingham Butt Memorabilia. Major Butt was First Aide to Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Henry Taft. He was a passenger on the Titanic w he lost his life. These items are from the estate of Clara Doughty Butt, to whom the Intimate Letters of Archie Butt were written. The Following excerpt is from Time Magazine published September 15, 1930: ..... Major Archibald Willingham Butt , military aide to Presidents Roosevelt and Taft . More than a decorative figure, Major Butt was also political counselor, social manager, playmate and secret chronicler about the White House. Shrewd enough to know the advantage of his confidential position and with a sharp eye on posterity, he wrote (sometimes from quotations jotted down on his immaculate cuffs) almost daily letters to " Dear Clara," his sister-in-law, Mrs. Lewis F. Butt of Augusta, Ga . In these, he gave a continuous account of private life in the White House. Six years ago was published the first series of the Butt letters covering the last year of the Roosevelt Administration. The death of Chief Justice Taft opened the way for the publication last week of the second series dealing with his occupancy of the White House.* Archie Butt was born in Augusta in 1865 of good but impoverished family. By working as librarian at the University of the South, Sewanee, Tenn., his mother managed to give him an education at that institution. After the Spanish War he secured a captain's commission in the Army Quartermaster Corps, distinguished himself only by transporting 557 horses and mules from Portland, Ore. to Manila without the loss of an animal. He was recalled from Cuba by President Roosevelt in 1908 to begin his White House service. A bachelor with gayety, tact, discretion, he gave himself up entirely to his President for work or play. Of major historical importance is the fresh light Major Butt's letters throw on the breach between Roosevelt and Taft which culminated in 1912 with the formation of the Bull Moose party and the election of Woodrow Wilson. The Butt letters brim with fascinating Washington chitchat, never mean, never bitter, which brings Taft more to life than any formal biography. But Major Butt, loyal to each, never saw the end of the Taft-Roosevelt feud. In March 1912, he sailed for a European holiday. In April he returned on the Titanic, was lost with the ship. President Taft ordered all flags half-staffed for him throughout the land. Augusta built a $40,000 Butt memorial bridge across its yellow canal. Included in this auction: 1. Original 8" x 10" photo of Major Archibald Willingham Butt . The photo is authenticated on the back with the following inscription: Major Archibald Willingham Butt First Aide to Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. This photograph has some loss around the perimeter which does not greatly affect the image. I have done some research and have not as of yet seen this photo widely published. 2. Original Photograph of Louis Butt, Archie Butt's brother. The inscription on the back reads "Mr. Louis F. Butt, 1001 Hickman Road. Eyes - Brown. Hair - Real Dark Brown. Coat - Black. Deliver (?) 15th January. Husband of Clara Doughty Butt, No Children. 3. The Letters of Archie Butt. Inscription and Signature of Clara Butt. The inscription reads "To Lucy Doughty Dargan from her ever loving sister, Clara Doughty Butt. Xmas 1925." Clara Butt is the recipient of the letters written and compiled in this book. 4. Taft and Roosevelt: The Intimate Letters of Archie Butt , Military Aide. This book has the personal Book Plate of Major Archibald Willingham Butt. The inscription on the inside reads "Andrew Jefferson Berry, Jr. From his Aunt Clara Doughty Butt to whom the letters were written by Major Archibald Willingham Butt, Aide and personal friend to Theodore Roosevelt and Wm. H. Taft, Presidents of the United States." T are several areas of inscriptions in pencil by ... read more

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