Family:Joseph Barton and Ruth Cready (1)

 A Century and a Half of Pittsburg and Her People, John Newton Boucher, John Woolf Jordan 1908, V3, p252-253

JOSEPH BARTON, one of Sharpsburg's most venerable citizens, was born in Pittsburg January 6, 1823, a son of Robert Barton, who was born about 1779 in Dumfries, Scotland, where he received his education and was fitted for the profession of a civil engineer. After residing some time in England he came, in 1816, to the United States, settling in Pittsburg, near the spot where the courthouse now stands. He entered the service of James Ross, Jr., a lawyer of Pittsburg, attending the courts in the capacity of librarian. He retained this position until 1823, when he moved to what is now Harmarsville, and there for the remainder of his life followed agricultural pursuits on Deer creek, two miles from Harmarsville. He was a Democrat politically and was reared in the faith of the Presbyterian church.   Robert Barton married, in England, in 1816, Mary Percival, a native of that country, having been born in 1787 in Cumberland. Her father accompanied her to the United States, but soon returned to his native land. Her brother Robert, who was a millwright, remained in this country two years, and then went to Missouri, where he built by contract a large number of mills. In 1849 he raised a company and crossed the Rocky mountains to California, but after remaining a few years returned to Missouri, where he raised another company and prepared for a second passage of the Rockies, in the course of which he died on the mountains at Fort Laramie at the advanced age of seventy-eight. Robert and Mary (Percival) Barton were the parents of the following children: James, married Jane McGregor; William, married Mary Armstrong; John, married Rebecca Leitner; Joseph; Edward, married Sarah A. Booth; and Peter, who remained unmarried. The death of Robert Barton, the father of the family, occurred in 1849 on the Twelve Mile island, and he was survived by his wife ten years.

Joseph Barton, son of Robert and Mary (Percival) Barton, received his education in such schools as his native township afforded, attending before the public school was instituted, when the teachers were hired by subscriptions. On reaching manhood he adopted agriculture for his life work. He resided on a farm near Harmarsville and also cultivated Twelve Mile island, of which he was the owner. In 1861 he moved to Unity Mills, Westmoreland county, six miles from Latrobe, which he owned in connection with a large farm, and carried on a milling business and dealt in live stock. He remained there five years, returning to Harmarsville.

In 1890 he moved to Sharpsburg, where his time has since been occupied in building on his property and in otherwise developing its resources. In 1893 he sold his farm. In 1842 he made a trip to Texas, and when the Lone Star state was battling for her independence served in the ranks of its defenders. When called upon by the authorities, as all men were entitled to vote, he voted for the annexation of Texas to the Un1ted States. His first vote was cast for James K. Polk, the annexation of Texas being the issue, and he has since voted for every Democratic candidate for president. He is a Protestant in religious belief.

Mr. Barton married, January 9, 1847, Ruth A., daughter of John and Sarah ( Hickey) Cready, and granddaughter of John Cready, who settled at Six Mile ferry on the Monongahela river and was one of the pioneers of Allegheny county. Mr. and Mrs. Barton were the parents of the following children: Mary A., born October 19, 1847, wife of Frank P. Kohen; '

• Catharine, born May 9, 1849, married, first, Henry Wilson, second, John R. Hawkins

John C., born November 2, 1850, died November 18, 1862; Charles B., born May 

10, 1852, died October 28, 1862; Peter B., born March 6, 1854, died November 9, 1862;

• Ella A., born November 9, 1855, died December 31, 1882, wife of John R. Hawkins

Emma J., born April 25, 1857, died October 27, 1862; Elizabeth F., born June 29, 1859, wife of H. L. Hetherington; Anna A., born December 27. 1860, wife of James L. Lowry; William R., born September 6, 1863, married Mary Glesencamp: Irene V., born March 14, 1866, wife of Cornelius Casey; and Emma J., born January 8, 1869, died February 7, 1873. Mrs. Barton was a Roman Catholic, a member of St. Paul's Cathedral, Pittsburg. She died August 6, 1903.