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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Clark County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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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. O. 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 months' 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 timber 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 the peace for years after the war. He is now the postmaster of Clear Springs and sells general merchandise. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., and he and Mrs. Barton belong to the Missionary Baptist Church.

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This family biography is one of 99 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Clark County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Clark County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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