Biography of
John Harris Barton
p. 1697
JOHN HARRIS
BARTON. If it be true that
death loves a shining mark, the invincible archer found the target he delights
in when, on March 15, 1911, his inevitable shaft pierced the armor of the late
John Harris Barton, long widely and favorably known as one of the most
capable, versatile, independent and resourceful newspaper men in Southern
Illinois. His life was an open book to the people of Carbondale, among whom he
lived and labored so long, and it may seem to some of them an unnecessary task
to chronicle it briefly here. But a work of the character of this, which is
designed as a perpetual record of what the builders and makers of the city and
county have attempted and what they have achieved, would be incomplete without
some account of his contributions to the efforts made and the results
accomplished.
John H. Barton was born in West
Carlisle, Coshocton county, Ohio, on January 2, 1837, and began his education in
the district schools. Their course of training and instruction was supplemented
in his case by an attendance of three years at an excellent academy in West
Bedford in his native state, At the age of fifteen years he began to learn the
printing trade under Joseph McDill late of the Chicago Tribune, who was
at that time editor and publisher of the Democratic-Whig of Coshocton,
Ohio. Afterward he passed two years in printing offices in Zanesville, where he
acquired a thorough mastery of the trade. During 1858, 1859 and 1860, like many
other men of his craft, he wandered from place to place, and worked in many of
the large printing offices of the west and south, in some of which he served as
superintendent or foreman. The war cloud of sectional strife was then darkening
on the horizon, and in October, 1860, Mr. Barton determined to halt on the
northern side of the sectional line until after the presidential election of
that year.
He secured
remunerative employment at Cairo, and a few months later went from that city to
Anna, where he took employment under
A. H. Marsehalk
in the publication
of the
Union Democrat. But his
stay in Anna was brief. Sterner duties than any pertaining to the font and
the case required his attention. The war cloud broke, and the governor of
the state issued a call for volunteers to aid in preserving the completeness
and integrity of the Union. Mr. Barton had considerable knowledge of
military affairs, and he at once responded to the call by recruiting a
company in Union and Jackson counties, which, on May 19, 1861, was mustered
into the service of the United States as Company I, Eighteenth Illinois
Infantry, of which he was in partial command as first lieutenant.
On November 17, 1861, he
resigned this position to accept on the following day a lieutenancy in the
secret service, offered him by General Grant on the recommendation of
General John A. McClernand. He was assigned to duty in Cairo, and there he
remained until July 1, 1865, when he was mustered out of the army. His
ruling passion for journalism was strong with him, however, even during his
military life. While living in Cairo he was associated for a, time with M.
B. Harrell on the Cairo Gazette, and afterward founded the Cairo
Daily News, which he eventually sold to a stock company.
Mr. Barton was accustomed to
date the beginning of his real newspaper life with the day when he and his
brother, David L. Barton, purchased the New Era and removed to
Carbondale. This was on September 12, 1866, and inside of one year the paper
had secured a wide circulation and risen to great influence in the political
affairs of the county. General John A. Logan was its friend, and his
friendship was a great bulwark of strength and of pronounced advantage in
many ways. Through him Mr. Barton came into acquaintance and close
touch with all the leading Republicans of Illinois of that period.
P. 1698
In 1872 the position of
postmaster of Carbondale was offered to him, and when he decided to accept
it he sold the New Era to
Rev. Andrew Luce, who rebaptized it as the
Carbondale Observer, and conducted it to its ruin, running it hard up
on the shoals of bankruptcy in less than two years. The discredited sheet
was then passed from hand to hand until 1883, when it again became the
property of the man who had made it strong and influential, and he once more
breathed into it the breath of vigorous and productive life.
Mr. Barton‘s term as
postmaster expired in 1876, and as he had not found the duties of the
position congenial, he did not apply for reappointment. On his
recommendation Captain Simeon Walker became his successor, and he
experienced great relief in freedom from the cares and responsibilities of
official life. For two years thereafter he worked as a journeyman printer in
Sedalia, Missouri, and Indianapolis, Indiana. while waiting for another
newspaper opening in Carbondale. This came on January 1, 1878, when the
Carbondale Free Press was established. With his strong hand on the
helm and his clear head directing the course of its problematical voyage on
the uncertain sea of journalism the paper very soon regained the patronage
and power that had been transferred to Mr. Luce five years before and
frittered away and lost by that gentleman.
In April, 1892, Mr. Barton’s health broke down, and he sold the business of the Free Press to
W.
H. Hubbard, who had entered the journalistic field a few months previous.
Then, on January 1, 1893, the Southern Illinois Herald, which had
been living a precarious life for six months, was purchased by new owners,
and by them Mr. Barton was employed as editor and business manager. In
November, 1894, he became its editor and proprietor, and he remained in
charge of it, wrote its editorials and directed its policy until August,
1910, when he sold the plant and retired altogether from the domain of
journalism, In the meantime, from 1896 to 1900, he was state expert printer,
but during this period continued to edit and publish his paper.
As an editor and writer Mr.
Barton was forceful, plain and sometimes even blunt. But he was never
evasive or equivocal, nor did he ever try to hide or soften the truth with
the flowers of rhetoric. He was a man of strong convictions and outspoken in
the expression of them— trenchant to the utmost keenness when occasion
required it, but overflowing with genuine human kindness at all other
times. While a Republican in political faith, he was not always in full
accord with his party, and he always fought corruption in high places
fearlessly and unmercifully, no matter what party was guilty of it, or who
was its beneficiary.
As a citizen he was
progressive, and at all times an earnest and active supporter of everything
that would contribute to the welfare and prosperity of Carbondale and
Jackson county. Not only did he use his influence as an editor and the
power of his paper on the side of all worthy projects for the improvement of
this locality, but he contributed liberally of his means to help them along.
The fraternal life of the community appealed strongly to him as replete with
benefits in many ways, and he gave it attention and service as a member of Shekinah Lodge, No. 241, Carbondale, from October 11, 1866, when he was
raised to the degree of Master Mason before its altar, until his death,
serving it as worshipful master two terms. He also belonged to Reynolds
Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, and to John T. Lawrence Post, Grand Army of
the Republic, in Carbondale.
In 1863 Mr. Barton was united
in marriage with Miss Joanna Meagher. They became the parents of six
children, David, John Logan, Flora,
P. 1699
Eugene, Josie and
Richard.
David lives in Washington, D. C. John Logan is a resident of Winona,
Mississippi. Flora died about eighteen years ago, in 1893. Josie, the wife
of F. C. Goodnow, has her home at Salem, Illinois, and Eugene and Richard
are in the Philippines. The father died, as has been stated, on March 15,
1911, after an acute illness of only three days, although he had long been
in failing health. His remains were laid to rest in Oakland cemetery with
every testimonial of esteem the community could bestow upon him, and amid
manifestations of universal grief.
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