Originally published on May 9th 2024
In every generation, there are standout figures who leave a lasting mark on their era. The 19th century was epitomized by Eli Whitney’s cotton gin, which sparked the first Industrial Revolution. This innovation revolutionized cotton production, particularly in Lowell, which was built as a planned urban center.
After the death of his father from yellow fever, Benjamin Franklin Butler (Ben), his six siblings, and now single mother relocated to Lowell. Though born in New Hampshire, Ben was part of the influx of Irish Catholics (even though he kept his faith secret) who found work in the burgeoning textile factories. Cotton was big business in Lowell, so much so that by 1860, Lowell had more cotton than all 11 Confederate states combined. Ben’s relentless pursuit of knowledge drove him to pursue a legal education. This determination propelled him into successful careers in law, politics, the military, and business.
Transitioning from representing primarily criminal clients to advocating for mill workers and specializing in bankruptcy law, Butler made significant investments in Lowell’s Middlesex Mill Company, foreseeing their future success. His commitment to workers’ rights led him to champion labor causes.
Initially a Democrat, Butler, recognizing the pivotal role of cotton in Lowell’s industrial dominance, opposed the abolition of slavery. He first ran (unsuccessfully) for governor of Massachusetts in 1859 on a pro-slavery platform. Known for his sharp intellect and impatient demeanor, he was a man of action, unafraid to confront established norms and uphold his convictions.
“I was always a friend of southern rights, but an enemy of southern wrongs.”
This is a quote from Butler as he petitioned to become a military leader for the Union forces.
He first served in Baltimore and Virginia, where he became the first leader to treat escaped slaves as war contraband, which was an early blueprint for the Emancipation Proclamation. He commanded the capture of, and became the military governor of New Orleans.
He was very unpopular in the south, in which they nicknamed him “Butler the Beast” because of his unattractive looks: he had a large bald head, a lazy eye, an overpowering voice, and an impatient spirit. His other nickname was “Spoons Butler” after seizing a 38-piece set of silverware from a New Orleans lady as war contraband.
In 1862, while serving as military governor of New Orleans, Butler issued a controversial order known as the “Bachelder Letter,” declaring that any woman who insulted Union soldiers could be treated as a woman of the streets. While this decree was met with criticism from some quarters, it was hailed by others as a bold step toward asserting the rights and dignity of women in a time of war. This was actually an early step toward women’s suffrage.
In response to violence against newly freed slaves in the deep south, Butler drafted the Ku Klux Klan Act, or the Civil Rights Act of 1871, to give the president the power to deploy troops to prevent private citizens from interfering with voters’ rights or the rights of any person to hold office. Butler went on to appoint the first African-American and Irish Catholic judges during his time as governor.
Butler made a fortune from wartime production at his Lowell factory, and his seizure of property in New Orleans left him as one of the commonwealth’s wealthiest residents. He was known as General Butler for the rest of his life, before his death at the age of 74 in 1893.
His most lasting mark may be, however, the large pyramid-type structure that was built at the end of the 117-mile Merrimack River. The Black Rocks Day Beacon 10 was built on a spur on top of granite blocks that were mined at Butler’s Granite quarry in Rockport. Originally 35-feet-by-20 feet of shingled slats, and painted red, it was designed to warn vessels to stay away from Black Rocks at Salisbury Beach. Those rocks were hidden at high tide, and there was constant danger at the unpredictable mouth just a mile downriver.
At the end of the 19th century, Salisbury had become a popular destination: a train to Haverhill, then a steamer ride downriver to a left at the “toothpick” into Black Rocks Creek and the docks at Salisbury. This was the beginning of a tradition for families making Salisbury their summer home. This voyage downriver was a favorite of the General, who often led large groups to picnic at the summer resort. He also passed this way on his way to his summer home in Gloucester, just south of the inlet in Salisbury. During his campaigns for Congress and Governor of the Bay State, the General stumped to have this navigational marker built. Upon completion, it was remarked that finally a toothpick large enough to fit in General Butler’s big mouth. That is how it got the nickname of “Ben Butler’s toothpick.”
Ben Butler always found a way to make money out of a problem. Workers’ rights started his fortune, and with that fortune, he invested in mills, which became a windfall for Ben during the Civil War as the Union relied on his goods. His granite provided a base to build one of the first river navigation markers that allowed his steamers to safely land in Salisbury packed with visitors.
Butler was an opportunist, and “The Black Rocks Day Beacon 10,” AKA “Ben Butler’s Toothpick,” is a monument to one of Massachusetts’ greatest sons.
Curious Traveler 
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