Religion played a major role in the lives of the Butt families. They were originally members of the Primitive Methodist faith, in both Australia and Canada, and later when it became known as the Wesley Methodist Church, they continued to follow that faith.

After George Butt and part of his family moved to Albury, he became involed in the formation of the Methodist Church in that area, and the first Methodist services at Albury were held at his home. Subsequently a Methodist Church was built in Albury and various Butt family members are honoured by memorial windows in the church that serves Albury today.

George, Charlotte and many of the original Butt members of the Methodist Church in Albury are interred in the Pioneer Cemetery, a short distance from their original home near the present location of the Albury Railway Station.

Isaac Butt did not accompany his parents to Albury, but stayed in Camden after his marriage to Margaret Pollard (who was English born and only 16 years of age) and in 1855 he and his large family moved to Dalton, near Yass. He and his wife stayed in Dalton for the rest of their lives and again we see that all of the family were involved with the Methodist Church, and most of the family upon their deaths, were buried in the Methodist section of the Cemetery.

Stephen Butt did not leave Camden until about 1863, fourteen years after his brother George. 1861 to 1863 were very difficult years for settlers in the Camden area. The plant disease 'rust' had ruined all the cereal crops and a depression had set in force many families to leave the area. Stephen and his family settled at Pejar, which is between Goulburn and Crookwell, and it was there that he embraced The Salvation Army. Together with three others, they formed a Corp of The Salvation Army in 1884. He personally corresponded with the founder of The Salvation Army, General William Booth.

Historical Notes on The Salvation Army at Crookwell

The Hall and quarters were built by Stephen Butt, George Gilby, Abel Arnold and John Gibson. They purchased the land and built the buildings. When the Corps was opened as such, these men donated the buildings and premises to the Army.

Captains Jeffries (later Commandant) and Purnell, both just out from England, came from Sydney with Major Lindsay for the opening on 10 May 1884. All around were tree stumps and Captain Purnell stood on one and sang Army choruses including 'Down Where the Living Waters Flow'. Amongst those present was Captain (the jolly) Miller from Goulburn.

When the Corps first opened, it belonged to the Bathurst Division, but was later changed to the present division of Goulburn-Riverina. Whilst the early history of the Corp is not recorded, we do know that Brigadier R Copp of Hurstville was converted in the Crookwell Hall on 13 May 1900. We also know that at a later date Commander Bramwell Booth visited Crookwell and asked for a £10 donation and got it, and that by not applying when the Corp was first formed, it was allocated flag number 60, when it should have been number 7 or 8.

In 1913 General Booth sent the seed of a sycamore tree from London in a courier's packet, and subsequently a seedling was planted at the back of the Hall and living quarters, where it thrived until the area was sold in 1996 for use as a private home. The Army officers at that time were Lieutenant and Mrs Townsend. Their only method of transport was a horse and sulky, which they used in their annual collecting trip, which sometimes lasted for weeks, because of the distance to be travelled over rough, unmade roads.

Another important event which occurred in that year was the swearing in of Cecil John Butt (a grandson of Stephen) as a soldier in the Corp. He was commissioned as Bandmaster in 1925 and served in the position until 1966, when ill health caused his retirement.

Notes from the Crookwell Corps History Book
Compiled by Mrs Lt. Pack
Nestled in an uplands cradle where the Great Dividing Range sends streaming to the western rivers, the waters from the winter snows and the never failing showers of spring, lies the picturesque tablelands town of Crookwell. Reminiscent of the downs of England, the undulating emerald hills roll towards the horizon on every hand. Upon the verdant pastures where once the forest grew, graze the flocks which have made the surrounding plateau into a land of fortune.
In the middle of this wonderful district we find The Salvation Army. 'Grandfather' Stephen Butt, some years before the Army 'opened fire' in Australia, corresponded with General William Booth in London and asked him to send Officers to Crookwell. The General wrote back that Crookwell would be one of the first Corps opened when the Army commenced in Australia. (General Booth changed his mind and sent the first officers to South Australia. He obviously considered that there was more sin amongst the tin miners, than the farmers of Crookwell). ⁶

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