James M. Butler was born in 1846 in Alabama as the fourth child of James M. Butler and Sarah Crawford. He moved to Winston Co. MS a short time later (around 1847) along with the James M. Butler family. Jimmy's Mother died after his brother, William was born in 1852. In 1857, Jimmy moved with his father and step-mother Amanda Bishop to Walker Co. AL to live on a land patent purchased by his father. In 1861, Jimmy moved with the family to northern Alabama.
About 1867, Jimmy married Sarah Elizabeth Handley in Alabama and moved to Decatur Co. TN. They were living in Madison Co. TN by 1880. They continued the family journey to Arkansas and were living in Clay Co. AR by 1900. There seems to have been some contact between the Arkansas and Tennessee branches of the Butler family during this time. Family tradition is that Jimmy had a brother Billy who was a Methodist minister in Tennessee.
Jimmy and Sarah had eight children. The oldest, Noah Athleen was born in Scotts Hill, TN. Moses was born in Alabama with the other seven being born in Tennessee. Their children were Noah Athleen, Moses, Austin, James Asbury, Marion, Crawford C., John W., Alabama. All survived to adulthood except for John W. and Alabama.
Jimmy and Sarah both died before 1907 near St. Francis and are buried in the Gravel Hill Cemetery in Clay Co. AR.