Ben Barton (June 8, 1823 – January 1, 1899), often erroneously referred to as Benjamin Barton,
was a prominent landowner and
white settler
Settler colonialism is a structure that perpetuates the elimination of Indigenous people and cultures to replace them with a settler society. Some, but not all, scholars argue that settler colonialism is inherently genocidal. It may be enacted b ...
of the
San Bernardino Valley
The San Bernardino Valley ( es, Valle de San Bernardino) is a valley in Southern California located at the south base of the Transverse Ranges. It is bordered on the north by the eastern San Gabriel Mountains and the San Bernardino Mountains; ...
in southern California. Educated as a doctor in
the East, he migrated to
Southern California
Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most po ...
in 1854. A few years later, he purchased a large tract of land in
Rancho San Bernardino
Rancho San Bernardino was a Mexican land grant in present-day San Bernardino County, California given in 1842 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to José del Carmen Lugo, José María Lugo, Vicente Lugo, and Diego Sepulveda. The grant included a la ...
. He served various political roles in state and local government. After retiring from his medical practice, he became a rancher and
vintner
A winemaker or vintner is a person engaged in winemaking. They are generally employed by wineries or wine companies, where their work includes:
*Cooperating with viticulturists
*Monitoring the maturity of grapes to ensure their quality and to deter ...
, and had
a large mansion built for his family. His sons also became prominent local politicians and businessmen.
After Barton's death, his land holdings were split into
lots
Lot or LOT or The Lot or ''similar'' may refer to:
Common meanings Areas
*Land lot, an area of land
*Parking lot, for automobiles
*Backlot, in movie production
Sets of items
*Lot number, in batch production
*Lot, a set of goods for sale together ...
and sold for development; the area eventually became the city of
Redlands. Barton built some of the earliest buildings in Redlands and neighboring
San Bernardino
San Bernardino (; Spanish language, Spanish for Bernardino of Siena, "Saint Bernardino") is a city and county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. Located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, the city had a ...
, and his villa is now listed as a historic site. Barton was also a
philanthropist
Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...
and social host. He and his family were well-known and influential in the San Bernardino area during its
pioneer
Pioneer commonly refers to a settler who migrates to previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited land.
In the United States pioneer commonly refers to an American pioneer, a person in American history who migrated west to join in settling and dev ...
era.
Early life and family
Barton was born in
South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
in 1823 to a family descended from European colonists of the area.
[ He studied medicine in Lexington, ]Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
, which he moved to in 1845. He lived and worked as a doctor in Texas and Alabama after his time in Kentucky.[ He met and married his wife, Eliza Brite, in Texas, and they resided in ]El Paso
El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the seat of El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the 23rd-largest city in the U.S., the s ...
until 1854.[ In that year, he moved west with his wife to El Monte, California.][ The Bartons had two sons during this time, John H. Barton (b. 1855) and ]Hiram Barton
Hiram Barton (1810–1880) was mayor of the city of Buffalo, New York, serving 1849–1850 and 1852–1853. He was born in Hebron, New York on May 20, 1810. He attended Middlebury College in Vermont, where he studied law. He moved to Buffalo in ...
(b. 1856).[
]
Career
In the late 1850s, Barton was able to purchase large amounts of land from members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
in Rancho San Bernardino
Rancho San Bernardino was a Mexican land grant in present-day San Bernardino County, California given in 1842 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to José del Carmen Lugo, José María Lugo, Vicente Lugo, and Diego Sepulveda. The grant included a la ...
at low prices due to Brigham Young
Brigham Young (; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second President of the Church (LDS Church), president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), from 1847 until his ...
's recalling the Mormon outpost in San Bernardino
San Bernardino (; Spanish language, Spanish for Bernardino of Siena, "Saint Bernardino") is a city and county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. Located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, the city had a ...
. From Charles C. Rich and Amasa Lyman
Amasa Mason Lyman (March 30, 1813 – February 4, 1877) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and was an apostle. He was also a counselor in the First Presidency to Joseph Smith.
Early life and conversion
Lyman was born in Lyman, ...
, leaders
Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets view ...
of the Mormon settlement in the area, he purchased, for $5,000 (approximately $ today), of property around the San Bernardino Asistencia, land known as Old San Bernardino due to its status as a late 17th-/early 18th-century outpost of Mission San Gabriel Arcángel
Mission San Gabriel Arcángel ( es, Misión de San Gabriel Arcángel) is a Californian mission and historic landmark in San Gabriel, California. It was founded by Spaniards of the Franciscan order on "The Feast of the Birth of Mary," September ...
.[ His purchases also included a number of properties within San Bernardino proper.] Barton was appointed the city's postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office, responsible for all postal activities in a specific post office. When a postmaster is responsible for an entire mail distribution organization (usually sponsored by a national government), ...
, and built a building in 1858 in San Bernardino out of adobe
Adobe ( ; ) is a building material made from earth and organic materials. is Spanish for ''mudbrick''. In some English-speaking regions of Spanish heritage, such as the Southwestern United States, the term is used to refer to any kind of e ...
to house a post office, doctor's office, and pharmacy.[ Due to Barton's other commitments, the post office was effectively overseen by John P. Barton, his brother. Also in 1858, Barton was elected ]school superintendent
In the American education system, a superintendent or superintendent of schools is an administrator or manager in charge of a number of public schools or a school district, a local government body overseeing public schools. All school principa ...
for the recently formed county of San Bernardino.[
]
In 1859, Barton and his family moved to the Asistencia and sold their San Bernardino home. Around this time, Barton shifted his focus from medicine to ranching and farming.[ Some sources report that he gave up medicine entirely,][ while others state he maintained a home office for some time.][ Barton had the Barton Villa, now the oldest extant house in the city of Redlands,][ built as a home for him and his family. He served as a member of the ]California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature, the upper house being the California State Senate. The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento.
The A ...
in the early 1860s, representing what was then the first district. He died in 1899.[
]
Legacy
Barton Road, which runs between Redlands and Grand Terrace
Grand Terrace is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 12,040 at the 2010 census, up from 11,626 at the 2000 census. Grand Terrace is located between Highgrove and Colton, along the I-215 and Agua Mans ...
, is named after him. Barton and his sons' real estate holdings would come to be known as the Barton Ranch or Barton Tract, and after being subdivided and sold off into individual house lots, would eventually become the land incorporated as the city of Redlands.[
]
See also
*History of Redlands, California
Redlands ( ) is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 73,168, up from 68,747 at the 2010 census. The city is located approximately west of Palm Springs and east of Lo ...
References
Further reading
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barton, Ben
1823 births
1899 deaths
People from Redlands, California
History of San Bernardino County, California
History of San Bernardino, California
People from San Bernardino County, California
Politicians from San Bernardino, California
People from South Carolina
History of Redlands, California
Members of the California State Assembly
California postmasters
Physicians from California
Physicians from Kentucky
People from El Monte, California
People from San Bernardino, California
19th-century American politicians