William P. Barton is well and favorably known to the majority of the residents of this
section, for he was born here, his birth occurring in 1845, one year after the
location of his parents, John W. and Susan Barton. the father was born in Wilson county,
Tenn., and the mother in Dallas County, Ala., their marriage taking place in the
latter state in 1843. Soon after this event they started for Texas, but in 1844
stopped in the neighborhood of clear Springs, Ark., and were so much pleased with
the country that they decided to make this their future abiding place, the father
dying here in 1877 and the mother in 1886. They were members of the Missionary
Baptist Church, and the father was a prosperous husbandman and filled a number of
local offices in this section, and socially was a member of the A. F.& A. M., and
the I. O. F. F. Jesse Ross, the maternal grandfather, came from his native state
of Alabama to Clark County, Ark., during the early history of this state, and prior
to the war passed from life at Clear Springs. William P. Barton was the eldest of three
children and is the only one living. His attention was given to farming until the opening
of the war, when he joined Company B, Twelfth Arkansas Infantry, and during his ten month's
service he was in the engagements at New Madrid and Island No. 10. Although captured in the
last named engagement he made his escape and rejoined his command at Memphis, being soon
after discharged at Tupelo, Miss. He then came home and before long joined Col. Newton's
cavalry, and was soon after placed in charge of the courier line from Washington to Old
Rockport until the close of the war. Since then he has devoted his attention to farming
and is now the owner of about 5,000 acres of valuable land, about 400 under cultivation,
this land lying in Clark and Pike counties. In 1874 he was married to Miss Roxie, a daughter
of William and Brady Johnson, who came from Alabama to Hempstead County, Ark., where
the mother died in 1882, her husband still surviving her. Mrs. Barton was born in
Hempstead County, Ark., and she and Mr. Barton are now the parents of four children---three
sons and one daughter. Although Mr. Barton was reared a Whig, he is now a Democrat in his
political views, and filled the office of justice of peace for years after the war. He is
now the postmaster of the Clear Springs and sells general merchandise. He is a member of
the A. F. & A. M., and Mrs. Barton belongs to the Baptist Church.
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