Charles W. Butler

The above photograph shows the crew of Buffalo Lightship No. 82 (left to right), Capt. Hugh M. Williams, Seaman William Jensen, Mate Andrews Leahy, Engineer Charles Butler, Cook Peter Mackey and Assistant Engineer Cornelius Leahy. The boy is the Captain's son, who was not aboard when the lightship sank.

From the Ogdensburg Journal – October 30, 1914

Buffalo, October 30 – The body of Charles W. Butler, who was chief engineer on lightship 82, which foundered off Point Abino on the night of November 10, 1913, and who lived for years in Ogdensburg, was found floating in the river here at the foot of Ferry Street late Thursday. The body was moving rapidly down the river with the current. Medical examiner Stocker sent the body to the morgue, where it was identified by Frederick J. Boutet, secretary to Dr. Stocker, who was a friend of the Ogdensburg engineer.

Afterward, Mrs. Butler of 186 Virginia Street, Buffalo, made the identification positive and arranged with an undertaker to send the body early Saturday to all Ogdensburg for internment. Mr. Butler was 53 years old. His entire life he had been a Marine engineer, and he had served the government for many years in that capacity. The finding of Butler's body, the first recovered of the crew of six that perished when the steel lightship went down, leads lighthouse inspectors to believe that other bodies may be recovered now. Wreck inspectors believe that the Ogdensburg man's body remained in the boat until a few days ago when the high winds caused the boat to change its position on the bottom. Several attempts having failed to raise the boat, it was decided early this week to abandon further effort until spring. Mrs. Butler will arrive in Ogdensburg with the body Saturday at 11:58. The remains will be met at the train by undertaker Baker and will be taken at once to the Ogdensburg Cemetery, where internment will be made in the Butler lot.