Paying Homage to History: The Legacy of Jorie Butler Kent
By Hinsdale Magazine Group staff
This past October 6, in an event sponsored by the Oak Brook Historical Society, some 50-plus history buffs gathered at the Oak Brook Library to hear Reute Butler, granddaughter of Paul Butler, share what it was like to grow up and watch her mother, Jorie, establish her own legacy. This, in turn, led to Jorie: The Extraordinary Life of Jorie Butler Kent, the book she co-produced with her mother, which was introduced to the gathering.
To set the stage, Reute shared some early history of the family. William Butler was the first Butler in this country. He came from England in 1653 and helped settle in Roxbury, Massachusetts. He started a paper mill in Vermont. Descendants were involved in the Revolutionary War to escape British rule. Eventually, in the 1830s, Oliver Butler moved to St. Charles on the Fox River. He then moved to Chicago, bought out a printing partner, and installed better equipment to produce newsprint.
An early customer was the Chicago Daily Tribune. Oliver’s brother Julius joined him in 1848. In 1871, the Chicago Fire destroyed the plant. The plant was rebuilt, and plants around the country were opened under the leadership of F.O. Butler, son of Julius. They were a great success. Eventually, the family moved from Hinsdale to the farmland that would become Oak Brook.
At this point, F.O. took great interest in polo, as did his son Paul. Paul also started to have the foresight to see the potential of the land for a community that would be carefully planned, from winding roads, spacious housing developments, and land set aside to attract companies and their leaders to locate their businesses and homes in the area.
His daughter Jorie became very involved with the Oak Brook Polo Club and helped develop the Hunter Trails subdivision. In 1971, Jorie married Geoffrey Kent, and they developed a successful photography safari business together.
Like her dad, Jorie also became very committed to conservation efforts, which led to her establishing the Friends of Conservation. Originally, FOC was dedicated to preserving the Maasai Mara territory in Kenya and endangered wildlife. Today, under Jorie’s leadership, the effort has also evolved into raising education standards for young women in the territory. Reute concluded, “All told, Jorie, indeed, has earned her own considerable personal legacy.”
Dr. Elizabeth Arts introduces Reute Butler at the event
