John Buttrey was a resident of Martin County, where in 1777 he and his brother Silvanus became members of the Gourd Patch Conspiracy. Richard Fagan approached both brothers about taking the first oath and urged them not to swear an oath of allegiance to the State of North Carolina, but there is no evidence of the Buttrey brothers' further involvement in the plot. Both later submitted sworn depositions against Richard Fagan. Later in 1779 he either volunteered or was drafted into the Martin County Regiment of the North Carolina Militia.