This history of one of Hay’s founding fathers was penned by Ian Beissel.

A former Hay student, Ian entered this tale in The Riverine Grazier’s 150th anniversary writing competition, taking out the major prize in the open category.

Read on to learn all about George Butterworth.

Armed stand-offs over establishing the town of Hay NSW, pulling down buildings as they were being constructed, and shallow graves for the unfortunate are all tales from the town’s early history, when Lang’s Crossing Place was the domain of a few determined people.