Tryon County legal will document signed twice by Walter Butler (1752-81) Loyalist

[1775]. Autograph Document Signed twice, once in the text and once at the end, by Walter Butler as attorney for the defendant in a case before the County of Tryon Inferior Court of Common Pleas, 8-1/2 x 7-1/2 inches. Walter studied law in Albany and was admitted to the bar in 1775 shortly before the start of the American Revolution in upper New York state. Very good condition.

County of Tryon Inferior Courrts of Common Pleas. Hendrich Mathys, Harme Gornswont , Girvit Von Sant and Jane Von Derkiden Executors of the last will and testament of John Von Derkidenin

And the said Hindwich by Walter Butler his attorney comes and defends the force and injury when ?? and says that he is not instructed by his client Henderich Mathys to give any answer for him to the said Harme Garnworth, Gerrit Von Sant and Jane Von Derkidenin the friends nor doth in say anything in bar or irroclution of the action of him the said Harme, Gerrit or Jane

(SIGNED) Walter Butler for def Lifferty for pcts

Walter Butler (1752-81) Loyalist who became a captain in Butler's Rangers, formed by his father, John. He was captured in 1777 by Continental Army troops commanded by Lt. Col. Marinus Willett, but escaped after a few months. He was probably the most hated Loyalist in America, amongst other things, because he commanded the Loyalist raiding party (which included Joseph Brant, a Mohawk chief) that attacked Cherry Valley on November 11, 1778 and the massacre after the battle. Ironically, it was Lt. Col. Willett, who, on October 30, 1781, came across Butler again while pursuing Major John Ross' forces after the Battle of Johnstown. Unfortunately for Col. John Butler, his son Walter was killed with a musket ball to his head, fired randomly from across the river. News of this came to the inhabitants around the same time Cornwallis' surrender was reported, but the Whig inhabitants seemed more pleased with the news of Butler's demise. However, it is said, the news of his death caused great rejoicing in New York's Mohawk Valley.

"So feared was the Butler name," George Francis Gilman Stanley has said, "that the rebels of the Mohawk valley rejoiced more over the news of his death than they did at the surrender of [Charles] Cornwallis at Yorktown.".