Robert T. Barton

Robert Thomas Barton (November 24, 1842 – January 17, 1917) was a Virginia lawyer and politician, the author of law and historical books and articles, and a president of the Virginia Bar Association.

Born in Winchester, Virginia he served in the Confederate Army, as did his five brothers, two of whom were killed in the War.[1] In 1865, he was admitted to the bar and became one of the leading lawyers in the state.[2] He was also author of some standard textbooks, Barton’s Law Practice[3] and Barton’s Chancery Practice,[4] and edited a two-volume set of the records of Virginia's colonial courts, Virginia Colonial Decisions: The Reports by Sir John Randolph and by Edward Barradall of Decisions of the General Court of Virginia, 1728-1741,[5] "which has been a landmark reference work for mid-eighteenth century Virginia since its first printing in 1909."[6]

Barton was also a member of the Virginia House of Delegates (1884-85), mayor of Winchester from 1899 to 1903, and sat as chair or president on several state and local organizations.[2] His term as president of The Virginia Bar Association was 1892-93.[7] He was made president of the Farmers and Merchants National Bank of Winchester in 1902.[1]

Barton married twice, first to Katie Knight (1868) and then to Gertrude W. Baker (1890). He had two children with Gertrude. He was buried in Mt. Hebron cemetery.[2]

Notes and references

  1. ^ a b "Robert Thomas Barton". Arlis Herring.com. http://arlisherring.com/tng/getperson.php?personID=I097266&tree=Herring. Retrieved March 7, 2008. 
  2. ^ a b c "Robert Barton Family Papers". Handley Regional Library. http://www.hrl.lib.state.va.us/Handley/Archives/Barton,%20Robert%201268.htm. Retrieved March 7, 2008. 
  3. ^ Barton, R.T. (1877). The Practice in the Courts of Law in Civil Cases, Founded on Conway Robinson's Practice (1832). J.W. Randolph & English. 
  4. ^ Barton, R.T. (1881, 1883). Pleading and Practice in the Courts of Chancery. J.W. Randolph & English. 
  5. ^ Barton, Robert, et al., eds. (2005). Virginia Colonial Decisions. The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd.(accessed via Google Books). ISBN 1584775106. 
  6. ^ "Virginia Books". The Genealogy Bin. http://www.genealogybin.com/virginia.htm. Retrieved March 7, 2008. 
  7. ^ "VBA History and Heritage". The Virginia Bar Association. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070927142907/http://www.vba.org/history.htm. Retrieved March 7, 2008.