Charles Butler signed St. Louis, Alton and Terre Haute Railroad Co. - Autographed Stock Certificate

Cherry colored red with orange imprinted revenue Stock signed by Charles Butler. The color and extraordinary graphics of a sweeping vignette along the bottom of this stock are extremely exciting.

Charles Butler (1802-1897) was a prominent American attorney and philanthropist. He was born in Kinderhook Landing, Columbia County, New York, and pursued his legal studies in the office of Martin Van Buren in Albany, New York, gaining admission to the bar in 1824. Butler amassed considerable wealth through the acquisition of land in Chicago, Illinois, and Toledo, Ohio. Additionally, he invested in the Michigan Southern, Rock Island, and Chicago & Northwestern railroads. His strategic investments in land and rail infrastructure significantly contributed to the transformation of Chicago into a major urban center. In 1835, Butler played a key role in establishing the Union Theological Seminary in New York City. The following year, he was appointed to the council of New York University, where he also served as an instructor and held the position of Council President for an extended period. He was related to William Butler Ogden, the first mayor of Chicago, both by blood and marriage, and they were also business partners.