Seeking information on great great grandfather Michael Butler who emigrated to the U.S in 1848.

Michael Butler emigrated to the U.S. , arriving in the summer of 1848 probably in New York, where he headed for Rhode Island.  When he landed on Block Island, he asked for the closest Roman Catholic Church, which was St. Mary's in Newport.  Michael helped build the new St.  Mary's, met Mary Slaven, and the two were the first to be married in the new church in 1852.  One hundred and one years later, Jack Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier were married in the same church.  

Michael and Mary had at least four children, three of whom lived to adulthood.  Michael earned his living as a gardener and soon expanded his business to landscape gardening.  He became a leader in the Father Mathew Abstinence Society, the Prohibition Party, the Hibernian Society and the Land League. In addition, Michael was a poet who wrote about his beloved Ireland and County Kilkenny.  He wrote about the Nore, Dangan, Mount Juliet, Maidenhall, etc., all in beautiful English which leads us to believe his education included some instruction, including religious education, from his uncle.  We believe the parents had both died before Michael's emigration in 1848.  

Murphy relatives pointed to Blackwell in Bennettsbridge as the homestead, and specifically the current day Drea residence.  Other possibilities include Thomastown, Pleberstown, and environs, based on descriptions in his poetry and the fact that there were Butler families in the vicinity.   Apparently, Michael had two sisters who settled with their share of the uncle's money in a nice house in Thomastown and one of the sisters, we believe Mary, married a Murphy.  Michael also wrote about a brother in his poetry, lamenting that the brother died enroute to visit him in America.  

Michael maintained strong ties to Ireland but never returned as far as we know.  He met Parnell's mother on her visit to the U.s., and ran on the Prohibition ticket for Vice President of the U.S.  Michael died in January, 1900, of complications .  His grave is in the old St.Mary's cemetery in Newport, Rhode Island.  

We recently visited the Thomastown area and it was suggested to us that we contact Mr. Michael  Butler of Pleberstown, but he was not home on the Sunday we were there.  My brother has visited Maidenhall in the past but we don't believe Michael is directly related to Hubert's family.  Fr. William Butler is buried in the Belfry graveyard, Thomastown.  He may be the generous uncle.  There are other Butlers in that graveyard, along with a Thomas and a Martin in the Bennettsbridge  RC Church graveyard.  We would love to pin down Michael's origins-both his heritage and location of the family cottage.

Thank you!  Paula Lader