Starting about 1885 there was an organized singing class at the Brush College School House a little over a mile north of Bethel Church. Many from Bethel joined the group called The Brush College Musical Union". These singing classes continued for about ten years with as many as 87 members. Starting in the fall and continuing until Memorial Day, it was a weekly ritual for the neighborhood people, and people from miles around, to come to Brush College School for Saturday night singing lessons.

There were some very fine singers who learned from the classes. There were male quartettes, mixed quartettes and choruses. These singers provided the very best singing at Bethel church functions. At the end of each season there was a "Decoration Day" program with the finest music anywhere. Henry Butterfield who lived just southeast of Griggsville, was the groups singing teacher. He was a good tenor who also played the flute and violin. He played chords on the piano to accompany the singers.

Henry Butterfield kept a herd of dairy cattle and operated a dairy route. He picked up fresh cream from area farmers and delivered it to the Simpkin Creamery in Griggsville. In the interest of history, it should be noted that Henry's father Leonard Butterfield was a former missioary to the Cherokee Indians. During 1838 - 39 he traveled with them on the Trail of Tears from North Carolina through Tennessee, the southwest part of Kentucky and as far as southern Illinois.

The missionary, Leonard Butterfield, was born in New Hampshire and moved to Boston to do carpent work at the age of 21. He joined the Baptist Church there and was later sent by the church as a missionary to the Indians in Valley, N. C. by the Smokey Mountains (later known as Cherokee Valley). He had been with the Cherokee families for five years when the government took possession of their land forcing them to travel to Arkansas and Oklahoma. Although Mr. Butterfield had fulfilled his five year obligation as a missionary, he accompanied the Indians as far as Illinois. Travelling with him were his wife and small son name Roger. Their intentions were to travel to Griggsville where they knew relatives of his mother, by the name of Blood had immigrated earlier. They were almost turned away when they arrived at the Blood residence at dark. Amos Blood was explaining he had a small house and would not be able to accommodate them when his wife Susan recognized their voices as family members. She picked up a lamp and rushed to the door.

The Butterfields stayed with the Bloods until Mr. Butterfield homesteaded his first 120 acres and built a brick home. President William Henry Harrison signed on sheepskin the documentation of acquiring the property. The cost per acre was $1.25. The son Henry was born September 12, 1841. Henry grew up to fight in the Civil War. He was wounded in battle, causing him to walk with a slight "halt" the rest of his life.

From the 1998 Bethel Church Reunion Program