Santa Clara County
Biographies
Joseph Barton
SURNAMES: JOHNSON, McCLELLAN, PALMER
JOSEPH BARTON, deceased. The Bartons were a military race of people, brave and
honorable in all their dealings. In the early settlement of the country, when
wild animals were plentiful, and the Indians troublesome, many times have they
been annoyed by them, and on certain occasions have been in places of imminent
peril and danger to their lives.
Joseph Barton was born in Wilson County, Tennessee, December 17, 1820. His
great-grandfather came over from England, and bound out his two boys, who were
half-brothers, returned to England, and was never heard from since. One of these
sons married and reared a family of seven children, four sons and three
daughters, of whom one, Gabriel Barton, was the father of Joseph Barton. Gabriel
Barton was commonly called Colonel Barton, and at one time he was sheriff of
Wilson County. He was an intimate friend of Samuel Houston, and during one of
the unpleasant affairs in which Houston became implicated, -a duel,- Barton
acted as Houston's second and manager of the affair.
Mr. Barton married Jane Johnson, a Tennessee lady, and native of Wilson County,
who reared a family of eight children- five sons and three daughters. Mr. Barton
died July 8, 1962, and his wife in 1857.
Joseph Barton was the eldest child of his father's family. He was reared in his
native county, and received such education as he could from the district
schools, which, in those days, were primitive. He lived with his parents until
he was twenty-one years of age, when he went to live with his grandmother, who
had a large plantation and a number of slaves, and no one to manage the estate
for her. Mr. Barton did this in a very creditable manner, and remained with his
grandmother until 1850. He then started for the Golden State, making the journey
across the plains, packing their luggage on the backs of mules; and, after being
on the road for about four months, landed within the lines of California. He
went into the mines of Yuba County, where he remained one winter, but was taken
with the rheumatism and compelled to leave the place. He went to Sacramento, and
came from there to the Santa Clara Valley, where he engaged in gardening with
William T. McClellan, afterward his father-in-law. After working at this for a
short time, he removed to Stevens Creek, and settled on a strip of land which he
pre-empted from the government. He afterward purchased 160 acres more adjoining
the claim he had; also another piece of 50 acres, making in all 320 acres.
He was married in 1859, on the second day of December, to Lavinia C. McClellan,
who was born in Cass County, Missouri, January 22, 1840, and came to California
with her parents in 1849. At the time Mr. Barton moved upon his place it was as
nature made it. He went to work cutting down the trees and brush that covered
the land in great abundance, and commenced making other improvements. In 1872
the house that was first erected was moved to the site of the present house, and
was remodeled, with extensive improvements and additions. The place has at the
present time 109 acres, which is all under cultivation. Twenty acres of it are
in vineyard. There is a small orchard of various kinds of fruit, which is
twenty-two years old, and is one of the first orchards set out in the section of
the country. Mr. Barton's death occurred February 5,1883. He left a widow and
five children: Jennie E., wife of W. L. Palmer of San Jose, Alice M., Annie,
Grant, and Ruth. There are also three children deceased. Frank died June 1,
1868, at the age of two and a half years. Kate died July 13, 1881, nearly
nineteen years old, and Florence died December 5, 1881, in her third year.
Joseph Barton was a man highly respected by the community, and greatly admired
by his many friends. He was a very industrious man and sacrificed his life for
the good of his family. He was a devoted member of the Advent Church of Santa
Clara, and in former years, while in Tennessee, was a member of the Masonic
order, but during his residence in California never renewed his relations with
it. Although a Southern man by birth, yet, during the late war, while he had
brothers in the Conferderate Army, he was a firm Union man and a devoted
supporter of the national government. He was outspoken in his manner. He at one
time, together with others in his neighborhood bought a cannon and afterward a
national flag, which were placed at Mountain View. He took a great interest in
educational matters. As his own education was somewhat limited, he have greatly
educated himself, he was much interested in the district school, and endeavored
to give his children the best education his means permitted.
Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California,
Illustrated. - Edited by H.S. Foote.- Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company,
1888. page 266-267 transcribed by Carol Lackey-
James Birney Burrell
SURNAMES: CAMPBELL
JAMES BIRNEY BURRELL was born August 4, 1840, and was married June 18, 1871, to
Mary L. Campbell, a native of California. After his marriage he built his
present house on that portion of his father's estate where he resided until
November 18, 1882, when he went to Southern Mexico and took up 5,000 acres of
land under the Mexican Colonization Company, and returned January 31, 1883. In
April of the same year he went back to Mexico and remained eleven months. In
December, 1884, he made a third trip to Mexico, returning to California in May,
1886. He made the journey again the same year, remaining until April, 1888. He
has forty acres of land on his home place, and about 300 acres on the Los Gatos
Creek. His first vineyard was planted in 1856. From that time to 1876 he raised
good crops of peaches, there being no failure during that time. Many trees are
still strong that were planted in 1856 and 1857. Mr. Burrell's two children are:
Frank, born September 1, 1873, and Willie, May 27, 1880.
Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California,
Illustrated. - Edited by H.S. Foote.- Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company,
1888. page 266 transcribed by Carol Lackey-