Gaston, Joseph. "Oregon Pictorial and Biographical." Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing, Co., 1912. p. 227. JOSEPH BARTON A most interesting life history is that of Joseph Barton, whose experiences from early boyhood in England to his present association with engineering and railroad projects in the northwest have been of a most varied character. He was born July 25, 1848, at St. Helens, Lancashire, England, the sixth son of John and Elizabeth (Bell) Barton. On his fathers' side he is descended from almost pure Anglo-Saxon ancestry. The name is derived from Beretone, an Anglo-Saxon word meaning manor house. John Barton's mother belonged to the Winstanley family and was born and reared in the parish of that name, as was her son John and also William and Josiah Barton, the grandfather and the great-grandfather of Joseph Barton of this review. The old family home was near Winstanley Hall and there is a tradition that the Winstanley family once owned this hall and all the land in the parish of that name. Among Joseph Barton's earliest recollections were his visits to his grandmother Barton, who was such a grandmother as you sometimes read about a fine looking old lady, kind, generous and loving. She lived to be eighty-four years of age. She had four sons and a daughter, John, William, Josiah, Peter and Ann, In the maternal line Joseph Barton of this review came of Norman blood. Family tradition has it that the progenitors went to England with William the Conqueror. The maternal grandfather was born in Dublin, Ireland, to which country his father had gone from England as a young man. Upon the death of his parents grandfather Bell left Ireland for England to find his father's people but was not successful. His daughter Elizabeth became the wife of John Barton, who was superintendent, or foreman, of a shop. The great machines were always a matter of deep interest to his son Joseph, who being privileged as the son of the foreman, was often allowed by workmen to run the big machines. His deep interest in anything mechanical led to more than one scolding, for when sent on an errand he would frequently stop and look in the shop windows until he had satisfied himself how some mechanical toy would operate. His father, his grandfather and his great-grandfather be-fore him had all been inventors and his father was one of the first to use high pressure steam and high speed engines. The school days of Joseph Barton were much like those of other boys. At first he seemed slow of learning, so much so that his mother was frequently discouraged, but he had the assistance and encouragement of a teacher, Mr. Lacey, who seemed to understand the boy and always told the mother that her son was learning although not giving expression to what he learned. That this was actually the fact was shown on one occasion when visitors were present at the school. It was the custom in those days for a teacher to have a pupil point out on the map any place that the visitor might suggest. At this time Joseph Barton, much to the surprise of the school, who considered him very backward in his studies, volunteered and did thus go over a map of Ireland. He did so without faltering and thereafter was always called upon when the teacher wished to exhibit a particularly bright pupil in geography. When he left England for America in his fourteenth year he had largely mastered the various branches of mathematics, had done something in land surveying, was a good Latin student and also displayed considerable skill in freehand drawing. The family were of the Mormon faith and suffered not a little persecution on this account because of the open opposition and hostility manifest in England toward the followers of Joseph Smith. The eldest son of the family, William Barton, married Ellen Birchall and with his wife and his two brothers, James and John, sailed from Liverpool for America and made their way to Utah. Later another brother, Isaac, joined them in that state and early in the spring of 1862 the parents decided that the remainder of the family would emigrate to the new world. They had with them in England four children, Peter, Hyrum, Bertha and Joseph, and on the trip they were also accompanied by a cousin, Eliza Barton. After holding a public sale of the household furniture, much of which was old fashioned and today would bring fancy figures as antiques, the family left St. Helens and started out on their long journey, taking passage on the Manchester, ten hundred and sixty-five tons, commanded by Captain Trask. This vessel had been chartered by the Mormon church to bring people of that faith to the new world. There were many incidents of the voyage most interesting to the boy, Joseph Barton, who had never been far from home before: the porpoises seen when a day or two out, the finding of the stowaway and on one occasion a cry of fire. The amusements on shipboard were dancing on the main deck, concerts in the cabin and the marching and drilling of the men. When it was learned that Mr. Barton possessed some artistic skill he was requested as a favor to paint the ship's flag, a white cross on a red ground, on the bows of all the ship's boats and paint a blue ribbon around the captain's and mates' gigs. Thirty-eight days had been passed and the Manchester landed its passengers without a single death occurring during the entire voyage. Neither had any serious accidents occurred, although the ship saw many icebergs and barely escaped colliding with one of them. They were so close that the thermometer dropped several degrees. On the 13th of June the Bartons with the other passengers were landed at Castle Garden and the following day took a train for Albany. They proceeded by slow stages westward and for the first time saw houses built of lumber and logs, those in England having been stone or brick. At length they reached Chicago, proceeded by train to Quincy, Illinois, and by steamer to Hannibal, Missouri, starting the next morning for St. Joseph, Missouri, The road was lined with soldiers, who were guarding the road from attack by the Confederates. On the 23d of June the party started up the Missouri river on the steamer Omaha for Florence, Nebraska, which was the place that all Mormon emigrants outfitted for the west, while those of another religious faith started from Omaha. The Mormon church was doing all it could to aid its people, furnishing many teams and supplies on credit with the understanding that payments were to be made after reaching Utah. At Omaha Joseph Barton saw for the first time an American Indian people of the Pawnee tribe. When the party were at Florence a train of some fifty ox teams arrived from Utah to carry the emigrants who had not sufficient means to purchase teams and outfit. The Bartons were delighted to find that James, who had preceded them, had been sent with one of the teams. The family, however, purchased their own outfit two yoke of oxen and a Schuttler wagon. Soon the start westward was made and the trip brought the usual experiences, hardships and incidents of such a journey. At night the wagons would be placed in a semi-circle or a circle and thus form a corral for the oxen. At times, too, through the Indian country all fires were made and all cooking done inside the corral and the stock was let out only for a short time under a strong guard to feed. On the 1st of August, 1862, the party started from Florence for Salt Lake. Fifty-two wagons were sent upon the road. They had to ford the streams and at times used their wagon beds to ferry over. There were steep mountains to climb, long slopes to descend. Day after day the journey proceeded and at times they encountered Indians but had no serious difficulty with them. There was the usual difficulty in obtaining good water and some of the oxen died from drinking the alkali water. Many new experiences came to the party. Mr. Barton on the trip saw a beaver for the first time. He did his first hunting and first tasted a peach, which the father bought at a certain camp, paying ten cents each for peaches. On the 5th of October the family were greatly surprised to see William Barton walk into camp. They were not only glad to meet this member of the family but it also indicated that they were nearing the end of a long journey. Proceeding on through Emigration Canyon they passed over the Hog Back and caught their first glimpse of Salt Lake City the place for which they had left their England homes and traveled nearly eight thousand miles to reach. The Barton family took up their abode at the little town of Kaysville and again in this wild western life the family had many new experiences. Joseph was first employed in a molasses mill, carrying cane and removing it from the mill after it was crushed. Up to that time he had never had anything to do with horses nor did he know how to harness or unharness one, but the family left the city for a farm near Eaysville, where they went through all of the experiences and hardships of pioneer life. There was little money in circulation in the west in those days and all labor was paid for in wheat, and supplies were purchased in the same manner. When but fifteen years of age Joseph Barton was made teacher of a school, in which most of his pupils were older than himself, but after a little preliminary difficulty he succeeded in maintaining order and instructing the pupils in reading, spelling, the multiplication table and in geography, but nothing more was attempted to be taught in those primitive schools of the west than the names of the states and their capitals. Writing, arithmetic, history and grammar were not taught. When the school work was over Mr. Barton aided in the labors of the farm, including irrigating and harvesting, all gram being cut with scythe and cradle. As the work of development and progress was carried on the comforts and conveniences of the older civilization were added. The first home of the family was a dugout made in the side of a hill. This crude home contained three rooms, which were comfortable most of the year but during the spring rains everything in the house was thoroughly soaked. At length, however, a brick residence was erected the first in Kaysville and as the work of civilization progressed Joseph Barton took an active part in the public life of the community. He filled the office of county surveyor of Davis county, Utah, from 1869 until 1890. He was county clerk from 1874 until 1888 and was county attorney from 1884 until 1890. He was also county engineer from 1883 until 1888 and was city auditor and recorder of Kaysville from 1880 until 1888 and city councilor from 1888 until 1890. He was also a member of the Utah legislature in the sessions held in 1884,1886, and 1890. His long continuance in office is proof of his capability and fidelity. He was made a member of tile board of trustees of the Utah Reform School and was superintendent of construction from 1888 until 1890. At the formal opening of the school he was made superintendent of that institution and so continued from 1889 until 1891. In the meantime he had been closely associated with business interests and public affairs of a still different character than that of office holding. In 1875 be became manager of the Kaysville Flour Mills, having a capacity of one hundred barrels daily, and in 1875 he also became a member of the firm of Barton & Company, dealers in general merchandise, clothing, agricultural implements, etc., at Layton and at Salt Lake City. He was thus connected with commercial interests until 1885 and was a director of the Utah Loan & Trust Company from 1888 until 1891, while during the succeeding two years he was superintendent of the building of that company. He supervised the installing of the heating and lighting system, which he had purchased, having made a trip to Chicago to secure dynamos, engines, elevator, etc.; in fact, everything needed for the construction and equipment of the building save the lumber and stone. He was furthermore interested in public affairs as captain and leader of the Kaysville Brass Band from 1867 until 1888, as chorister of the Kaysville Mormon church from 1890 until 1896 and as president and manager of the Kaysville Dramatic Association from 1875 until 1890. He was very heavily interested financially in the Utah Loan & Trust Company building when in 1893 it was destroyed by fire, causing him great losses. About the same time his wife died and Mr. Barton to occupy his time and fight off the feeling of loneliness that engulfed him turned his attention to the work of the fraternal orders, becoming interested in the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Knights of Pythias, the Select Knights, the Order of Chosen Friends, the Foresters of America and the Degree of Honor. By the year 1895 he had filled the chairs in the different organizations, becoming the highest officer in several of them, and on some occasions being presiding officer in two or three at the same time. He became deputy supreme counsellor of the Chosen Friends and in 1895 was grand lecturer for the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In that capacity he visited lodges in Idaho, building up these organizations and instituting and organizing Degree of Honor lodges at Pocatello, Hailey and Glenns Ferry and also instituting lodges of the Ancient Order of United Workmen at Glenns Ferry, Mountain Home and Rocky Bar. In February, 1896, he resigned as grand lecturer of that order having accepted service with the Sumpter Valley Railway Company, with headquarters at Baker City, Oregon, where he arrived February 17, 1896. He was general passenger and freight agent and assistant chief engineer until 1905. His first work was locating and constructing an extension of the line from McEwen to Sumpter, a distance of six and nineteen hundredths miles. His responsibilities were gradually increased and added to until he was not only general passenger and freight agent but also assistant chief engineer, performing the duties of chief engineer and claim agent and tax agent. He had charge of all matters for the railway and for the Oregon Lumber Company, and was also land and tax agent. In 1905 he was furthermore appointed general superintendent of the railway and as such had supervision of the road bed structures, car and machine shops and, in fact, filled almost every office save that of president and general manager. On the 30th of June, 1907, because of ill health he resigned. After a few days, however, President Eccles asked Mr. Barton to assist the secretary in checking up land of the Oregon Lumber Company and later in making out railway commission reports. He was also called in consultation by President Eccles, who in the spring of 1909 requested him to run some primary lines for a proposed extension of the road from Austin to Prairie City. His route up Bridge Creek was approved by Mr. Eccles, who then gave Mr. Barton engineering charge for the first six and a half miles. He only had one day's start ahead of the construction gang and the steel gang followed closely. With a small crew of five men he kept ahead and by the 30th of September had the distance assigned him covered with steel. On again reaching Baker Mr. Eccles requested Mr. Barton to go back to the extension and secure the notes connecting the alignment of the road with the United States section lines and surveys. He was afterward given charge of the construction in Dadd's creek and on the 2d of April, 1910, he went on to the extension as chief of construction. During 1909 about half of the work had been completed, the distance between Austin and Prairie City being twenty-one miles. In order to be entitled to a forty thousand dollar bonus which had been offered, the company must have its train at Prairie City at noon of the 15th of June, 1910. Mr. Eccles asked Mr. Barton if he could do this and he replied that he could if he was not hampered in the work. He had only two and a half months to accomplish the task. He made camp in a blinding snow storm and within that period almost literally lived in the saddle, superintending the construction from every possible point. The line crossed Dixie mountain at an elevation of fifty-two hundred and fifty feet and at Prairie at thirty-four hundred and twenty-five feet, over eighteen hundred feet drop in about twelve miles. Mr. Barton worked day and night but had the supreme satisfaction of running a train into Prairie on the 13th of June, two days ahead of the time limit set. All this time Mr. Barton was known as assistant chief engineer. With the completion of the road he returned to Baker and gradually drifted back into looking after land, taxes, law, etc., but on the 1st of July, 1911, Mr. Eccles made him assistant superintendent, which to all intents and purposes was superintendent as there is no such official of the road. He has, indeed, been actively connected with the upbuilding of the west since his arrival from England in 1862, He has performed almost every kind of work necessary in the development of a new locality and his labors have, indeed, constituted a valuable contribution to the building of an empire in this section. On the 5th of April, 1869. Mr. Barton was married to Miss Mary Ann Allen, a native of London, England, and unto them have been born six children as follows: May, who died in 1906 in Chicago; Charles Hannon, born in 1871, who is cashier of the Ogden Savings Bank, of Ogden, Utah; Clarence Elmer, born in 1874, who is a leading physician of Baker, Oregon; Hattie Josephine and Edna M., both at home; and Roy Allen, born in 1889, who is assistant to the manager of the Columbia Mines of Sumpter. Mr. Barton has always been most devoted to his home and family finding his greatest happiness at his own fireside. The promises of his youth have reached their fulfillment in later manhood. He seems to have learned from each experience the lessons therein contained and, never wasteful nor neglectful of time, talents and opportunities, he has steadily worked his way upward, winning a substantial measure of success, but more than that an honorable name. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2011 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.