Bolling Barton Family Collection

1423 WFCHS

SCOPE AND CONTENT: The collection is primarily correspondence between Barton family members. The bulk of correspondence is to Bolling W. Barton while he was a student at Virginia Military Institute in 1862 and 1863. An abbreviated genealogy, memorial service programs, and Major Randolph Barton’s reminiscences give additional information about civilian and military activities during the Civil War. Of particular note are two handwritten letters from Barton family slaves and a note from Mrs. Robert E. Lee dated December 22, 1869 regretting that her daughters were not able to attend a wedding. Itemized list of family correspondence follows the inventory.

(1 box) Last updated 11/11.

Note: All correspondence has been transcribed. It is available in that form for researchers' use. Researchers may also wish to consult Defend the Valley: A Shenandoah Family in the Civil War by Margaretta Barton Colt (New York: Orion Books, 1994), call number 975.5 COL, in the Archives Reading Room. These letters were used in the writing of this book.

BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL: Richard P. Barton (1750-1821) came to Frederick County in 1802 from Lancaster, PA. He named five sons in his will, one of whom, David W. Barton (1800-1863) was a lawyer and farmer in Frederick County, VA. David and his wife, Frances L. Barton were the parents of Bolling W. Barton and Randolph J. Barton as well as seven other children. The family lived on Cameron Street, and owned the farm at Springdale. Frances Barton’s mother, Ann Cary Randolph Jones, lived at Vaucluse near Middletown, VA. All six sons were members of the Confederate Army, and two were killed as a result of combat during the war, and another died shortly after the war from the effects of a battlefield wound.

Bolling, the youngest son, was a cadet at VMI during the war, and was called up for duty three times during the war, including the Battle of New Market in May, 1864 where he participated in the charge of the cadets at the battle. After the war, he settled in Baltimore, MD where he became a successful physician. He died in 1924.

Randolph served as the Sergeant Major of the 33^rd Virginia Infantry, Stonewall Brigade and was wounded at the First Battle of Manassas. Captured at the First Battle of Kernstown, he enlisted in the 2^nd Virginia Infantry after being exchanged. Rising to the rank of Major during the war, he surrendered with his regiment at Appomattox on April 9, 1865. Following the war, he, like Bolling, settled in Baltimore, MD, where he became a lawyer. He died in 1921.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Colt, Margaretta Barton, Defend the Valley, A Shenandoah Valley Family at War, New York: Orion Books, 1994

CITE AS: Bolling Barton Family Collection, 1423 WFCHS, Stewart Bell Jr. Archives, Handley Regional Library, Winchester, VA, USA. Do not publish without permission of donor.

ORGANIZATION: Correspondence Series
Genealogy Series
Randolph J. Barton Series

Correspondence Series

BOX 1

Barton, Bolling -- correspondence, 1862, 35 leaves, typescript
Barton, Bolling -- correspondence, 1862, 20 items, manuscript
(first folder contains manuscript and second folder contains typescripts)

(?) Fragment, from William S. Barton, at (?)
January 18, 1862, from William S. Barton, at Camp Winder
October 4, 1862, from Randolph J. Barton, at Winchester
October 11, 1862, from David W. Barton and F.L.B. (mother), at Winchester
November 2, 18--, from Frances J. Barton, at [Winchester]
November 5, 1862, from Randolph J. Barton, at Winchester
November 5, 1862, from Ann C. R. Jones, at Winchester
November 12, 1862, from Randolph J. Barton, at Winchester
November 14, 1862, from Frances L. Barton, at [Winchester]
November 18, 1862, from Randolph J. Barton, at Winchester
November 24, 1862, from Anna M. Jones, at Winchester
November 27, 1862, from Frances J. Barton, at Winchester
December(?), 1862, from Frances J. Barton, at Winchester
December 3, 1862, from Ann C. R. Jones, at [Vaucluse]
December 7, 1862, from Sukey (slave), at Winchester
December 8, 1862, from Randolph J. Barton, at Camp G.S.
December 13, 1862, from Frances J. Barton, at Winchester
December 14, 1862, from David W. Barton, at Winchester

Barton, Bolling -- correspondence, 1863, 41 items, manuscript
Barton, Bolling -- correspondence, 1863, 73 leaves, typescript
(first folder contains manuscript and second folder contains typescripts)

January 5, 1863, from Cousin Jennie, at (?)
January 16, 1863, from William L. Baldwin, at Hampden-Sydney
January 23, 1863, from Ann C. R. Jones, at Vaucluse
January 24, 1863, from William L. Baldwin, at Hampden-Sydney
February 2, 1863, from Randolph J. Barton, at Camp Winder
February 5, 1863, from Robert R. Barton, at Camp King William Co.
February 7, 1863, from William L. Baldwin, at Hampden-Sydney
February 13, 1863, from Randolph J. Barton, at Camp Winder
February 13, 1863, from Beverly R. Jones, at Camp Winder
February 18, 1863, from William S. Barton, at Camp Winder
February 27, 1863, from Robert R. Barton, at Culpeper CH
March 3, 1863, from Randolph J. Barton, at Staunton
March 5, 1863, from Frances J. Barton, at Winchester
March 8, 1863, from Thomas Marshall, at Edinburgh
March 9, 1863, from Robert R. Barton, at Culpeper CH
March 15, 1863, from Randolph J. Barton, at Camp Winder
March 27, 1863, from Robert T. Barton, at Staunton
March 29, 1863, from Randolph J. Barton, at Camp Winder
March 30, 1863, from Robert R. Barton, near Culpeper
April 8, 1863, from Randolph J. Barton, at Camp Winder
April 15, 1863, from William S, Barton, at Camp Winder
April 29, 1863, from Randolph J. Barton, at Camp Winder
May 21, 1863, from Randolph J. Barton, at Staunton
June 9, 1863, from Ann C. R. Jones, at Vaucluse
June 11, 1863, from Randolph J. Barton, at Goshen
June 15, 1863, from Randolph J. Barton, at Staunton
June 25, 1863, from Robert T. Barton, at Keezletown
June 27, 1863, from Robert R. Barton, at Winchester
August 26, 1863, from Frances L. Barton, at Winchester
August 26, 1863, from William L. Baldwin, at Winchester
August 28, 1863, from Robert T. Barton, at Middletown
August 31, 1863, from Frances J. Barton, at Winchester
September 23, 1863, from Randolph J. Barton, at Mortons Ford
September 30, 1863, from Randolph J. Barton, near Rapidan

Barton, Bolling -- correspondence, 1864, 9 items, manuscript
Barton, Bolling -- correspondence, 1864, 2 leaves, typescript

January 3, 1864, from David B. Marshall, at Springdale
January 15, 1864, from Randolph J. Barton, at Headquarters StB

Barton, Frances L. (Mrs. David Walker Barton) correspondence, 1861, 1882-1883, 5 items, manuscript
Barton, Frances L. (Mrs. David Walker Barton) -- correspondence, 1861, 1882-1883, 10 leaves, typescript

February 25, 1861, from Rosa Ascelie Togno at (?)
August 18, 1882, from Bolling Barton at [Middleburg]
December 18, 1882, from Robert Bolling, at [Baltimore]
December 24, 1883, from W. S. Jones, at New York
October 25, 18--, from M. W. Shield, at Staunton

Barton, Major Randolph J. -- correspondence, January 13, 1918, 1 item, manuscript
Barton, Major Randolph J. -- correspondence, January 13, 1918, 2 leaves, typescript

January 13, 1918, from Bolling W. Barton, at [Middleburg]

Barton, Robert T. -- correspondence, 1863-1864, 1895, 3 items, manuscript
Barton, Robert T. -- correspondence, 1863-1864, 1895, 7 leaves, typescript
(first folder contains manuscript and second folder contains typescripts)

June 4, 1863, from Mary B. Jones, at (?)
August 2, 1864, from Thomas Marshall, at Headquarters 7th Va Cav
March 14, 1895, from Flora B. Turner (former slave), at Stephens City

Barton, William Strother -- correspondence, 1867, 3 items, manuscript
Barton, William Strother -- correspondence, 1867, 6 leaves, typescript
(first folder contains manuscript and second folder contains typescripts)

September 25, [1867], from Randolph J. Barton, at Baltimore
(?, first page missing) [1867], from Randolph J. Barton, at [Baltimore]
November 13, 1867 , from Randolph J. Barton, at Baltimore

Jones, Ann Cary Randolph -- correspondence, 1863, 1871, 2 items, manuscript
Jones, Ann Cary Randolph -- correspondence, 1863, 1871, 6 leaves, typescript

November 23, 1871, to Robert and Agnes K. Barton and from Ann C. R. Jones, at (?)

Kirkland, Agnes P. -- correspondence, 1869, 3 items, manuscript
Kirkland, Agnes P. -- correspondence, 1869, 2 leaves, typescript

October 25, 1869, from Frances L. Barton, at Washington City
October 25, 1869, from Martha W. B. Baldwin, at Washington

Lee, Mary Custis (Mrs. Robert E. Lee) - correspondence, 1869, 1 item, manuscript
Lee, Mary Custis (Mrs. Robert E. Lee) - correspondence, 1869, 1 leaf, typescript

December 22, 1869, from Mary C. Lee (Mrs. Robert E. Lee), at Lexington

Slave correspondence, 1862, 1895, 2 items, manuscript (photocopy)
Slave correspondence, 1862, 1895, 4 leaves, typescript

December 7, 1862, to Bolling W. Barton from Sukey
March 14, 1995, to Robert t. Barton from Flora Turner

Genealogy Series

Barton genealogy (abbreviated), 1 item, 3 leaves, typescript

Randolph Barton Series

Barton, Major Randolph J. -- address to VMI graduating cadets, 1 item, 47 leaves, typescript

Barton, Major Randolph -- memorial services, 1921, 1 item, 9 pages, printed

Barton, Major Randolph -- reminiscences, 1919, in "Lawyers' Roundtable," 1 item, 30 pages, printed

Barton, Major Randolph J. -- speech, to be delivered in Winchester, c. 1908, 1 item, 28 leaves, typescript