J. Benjamin Barton was born in Spartanburg District, South Carolina. He married Zilpha Baker, born in Pickens County, South Carolina. He was the son of Benjamin, born 1760 in Pendleton District, South Carolina, and Dorcas (Anderson) Barton. Dorcas was the daughter of John Anderson and Sarah (Carney) Anderson natives of South Carolina. Benjamin, born in 1760, was a Revolutionary soldier.

In 1840, Benjamin and Zilpha (Baker) Barton sold their land to a cousin and set out for Texas. They arrived near Henderson, TX, while it was still in Nacogdoches Co., buying six hundred and forty acres of land from Samuel Gholson, said land being a part of a league of land surveyed for Arthur Horn. Some of the other land owners in the area were: William Hall, John B. Hall, George English, and William McKinney.

It was a period of the Moderator-Regulator War when J. Benjamin Barton and Zilpha came to Texas. Families living in East Texas was dangerous. It was referred to as "The Wild Frontier." Benjamin lived west of Marshall, Texas, about three miles or more. Benjamin was clearing land, farming, and trading in horses.

According to family stories, J. Benjamin had been on a horse trading expedition in Louisiana when, upon his return, he was ambushed near his home by highwaymen. He had given the money to his sons for safe keeping. Since he had no money on him, he was hanged in a tree. His grave is near where he was killed and is marked only by a triangle which says "never to be disturbed" (from a land deed) at the present site of Highway 80 and Farm Road 968 (southeast corner) west of Marshall.
(Note: The sign has since been removed.)

NOTE From Cornelia Barton: Pendleon, Anderson, SC did not exist until 1826 when Pendleton District was subdivided into Anderson and Pickens Districts SC. Pendleton District was established after the Revolution as the are had been Cherokee Indian land until treaty in 1777 when the Indians released it. South Caroline used the term District in place of county from 1769 to 1868. Reporting Benjamin Barton born 1760 born Pendleton District SC is misleading as he lived in Pendleton District SC after the Revolution but he was born elsewhere.