"The last of the county judges of Buchanan county was born in Sheffield, Berkshire county, Massachusetts December, 1802. His father was Roger Barton, a farmer who emigrated from Connecticut. Being in moderate circumstances, he could give his children only a common school education. In 1818 he removed to Genesee county, New York, and there died. William H. Barton was married at Java, now Wyoming county, New York, in 1821, to Abigail Lane. He continued to reside in different parts of western New York, till about the year 1854, having served as justice of the peace in Erie county sixteen years next previous to leaving the State. From New York he went South, and was there engaged six years as railroad contractor-three years in Missouri and three in Texas. Warned by the muttering thunders of
the rebellion to avoid the coming storm, he returned North in 1860, and settled in Independence. The very next year he was elected county judge, and was reelected to the same office three times, making in all eight years of service in that capacity. He also held the office of justice of the peace part of the time during his judgeship, and when the latter terminated he continued to hold the former down to the first of January, 1881.
"He was admitted to the bar by Judge Wilson, of the district court, soon after coming here, but never has attempted to do much in the way of practice, having held some judicial position nearly all of the time. But
now, in his seventy-ninth year, he has hung out his 'shingle' anew, which reads as follows:
W. H. BARTON,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
NOTARY PUBLIC
AND
COLLECTION AGENT.
"This means courage whether it means success or not.
"Judge Barton has had six children, four of them (two sons and two daughters) having lived to maturity and married. The Hon. John Hallet (sic), recently Mayor of Independence, is one of his sons-in-law. All of his children, that lived to be married, have had large families; and his descendents are numerous--both grandchildren and great-grandchildren."
From "History of Buchanan County, Iowa"
the rebellion to avoid the coming storm, he returned North in 1860, and settled in Independence. The very next year he was elected county judge, and was reelected to the same office three times, making in all eight years of service in that capacity. He also held the office of justice of the peace part of the time during his judgeship, and when the latter terminated he continued to hold the former down to the first of January, 1881.
"He was admitted to the bar by Judge Wilson, of the district court, soon after coming here, but never has attempted to do much in the way of practice, having held some judicial position nearly all of the time. But
now, in his seventy-ninth year, he has hung out his 'shingle' anew, which reads as follows:
W. H. BARTON,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
NOTARY PUBLIC
AND
COLLECTION AGENT.
"This means courage whether it means success or not.
"Judge Barton has had six children, four of them (two sons and two daughters) having lived to maturity and married. The Hon. John Hallet (sic), recently Mayor of Independence, is one of his sons-in-law. All of his children, that lived to be married, have had large families; and his descendents are numerous--both grandchildren and great-grandchildren."
From "History of Buchanan County, Iowa"
"The last of the county judges of Buchanan county was born in Sheffield, Berkshire county, Massachusetts December, 1802. His father was Roger Barton, a farmer who emigrated from Connecticut. Being in moderate circumstances, he could give his children only a common school education. In 1818 he removed to Genesee county, New York, and there died. William H. Barton was married at Java, now Wyoming county, New York, in 1821, to Abigail Lane. He continued to reside in different parts of western New York, till about the year 1854, having served as justice of the peace in Erie county sixteen years next previous to leaving the State. From New York he went South, and was there engaged six years as railroad contractor-three years in Missouri and three in Texas. Warned by the muttering thunders of
the rebellion to avoid the coming storm, he returned North in 1860, and settled in Independence. The very next year he was elected county judge, and was reelected to the same office three times, making in all eight years of service in that capacity. He also held the office of justice of the peace part of the time during his judgeship, and when the latter terminated he continued to hold the former down to the first of January, 1881.
"He was admitted to the bar by Judge Wilson, of the district court, soon after coming here, but never has attempted to do much in the way of practice, having held some judicial position nearly all of the time. But
now, in his seventy-ninth year, he has hung out his 'shingle' anew, which reads as follows:
W. H. BARTON,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
NOTARY PUBLIC
AND
COLLECTION AGENT.
"This means courage whether it means success or not.
"Judge Barton has had six children, four of them (two sons and two daughters) having lived to maturity and married. The Hon. John Hallet (sic), recently Mayor of Independence, is one of his sons-in-law. All of his children, that lived to be married, have had large families; and his descendents are numerous--both grandchildren and great-grandchildren."
From "History of Buchanan County, Iowa"
the rebellion to avoid the coming storm, he returned North in 1860, and settled in Independence. The very next year he was elected county judge, and was reelected to the same office three times, making in all eight years of service in that capacity. He also held the office of justice of the peace part of the time during his judgeship, and when the latter terminated he continued to hold the former down to the first of January, 1881.
"He was admitted to the bar by Judge Wilson, of the district court, soon after coming here, but never has attempted to do much in the way of practice, having held some judicial position nearly all of the time. But
now, in his seventy-ninth year, he has hung out his 'shingle' anew, which reads as follows:
W. H. BARTON,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
NOTARY PUBLIC
AND
COLLECTION AGENT.
"This means courage whether it means success or not.
"Judge Barton has had six children, four of them (two sons and two daughters) having lived to maturity and married. The Hon. John Hallet (sic), recently Mayor of Independence, is one of his sons-in-law. All of his children, that lived to be married, have had large families; and his descendents are numerous--both grandchildren and great-grandchildren."
From "History of Buchanan County, Iowa"
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No dates on actual headstone just "WHB"
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