From NKAA, Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (PIONEERS & PATRIOTS: Anderson County Military Servicemen, Revolutionary War - WWI)

Reuben Butler, known as "Uncle Rube," was born a slave, the son of James Butler, in Franklin County in October 1842. (Other sources report his birth year as 1844; see notes at the Woodlawn Cemetery, link available below.) He died July 13, 1933 in Anderson County. He spent his youth on the Plantation Blakemore near the community of Alton.

Butler was 21-years old when he volunteered for service in the Union Army, enrolled as a private and was later promoted to corporal in Company F of the 119th U.S. Colored Infantry USA at Camp Nelson.

The war was already over during Rubin's service, so he was assigned primarily to garrison duty at various locations throughout the state until April 27, 1866, when he was honorably discharged and mustered from Federal service. His name appears on Plaque D-121 on the African American Civil War Soldiers Monument in Washington, DC.

Butler returned to Blakemore then, where he married to Lou; they raised a family of 8 children (including Jim, Perce, Mary A., Pearl , and Beulah S.), residing there for the remainder of his life. He applied for an army pension June 5, 1912, but was denied because his service occurred after the war was brought to a close.

Butler lived his life in Anderson County. He died July 13, 1933 and is buried at Woodlawn Hills Cemetery. On May 18, 1936 his daughter Beulah Butler of 202 Court Street in Lawrenceburg applied for a government headstone for Reuben, and on September 23, 1936 one was shipped to Lawrenceburg to mark his grave as a veteran of the Civil War.