Samuel Ringgold Ward was born to slave parents who settled in New York where Samuel received an education and became licensed to preach. He came to South Butler in February 1841 to lecture at the Congregational Church. Church leaders were impressed and invited him to become Pastor of the church which he accepted. In 1843, he resigned his post and moved to Geneva.

You can watch a video about his life: https://youtu.be/DzI5mmFwesQ

On July 4, 1853, Antoinette Brown (Blackwell) was in South Butler to give an Independence Day speech. In September of that year, she was ordained in our town to serve at the Congregational Church and became the first woman minister in the United States.

You can watch a video about her life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qfL5lXlPkE 

You can watch them put up the mural: You can watch them put up the mural by clicking the link below (Putting up the Mural):