| Notes |
- Ira McL. Barton, being deprived of a mother by her death, was cared for in infancy by his father's sister, Mrs. Lucinda J. Kidder. At the age of 17 years he commenced teaching school. He prepared for college at Kimball Union Academy and entered Dartmouth College in 1858, and at the same time began the study of law with his father, and was admitted to the bar in 1863.
While a member of college in 1861, at the first call for men in the opening of the rebellion, when he was not yet 21 years of age, he was the first man in Sullivan County to enlist and was appointed recruiting office and immediately enlisted 40 men in Newport, NH, and was commissioned Captain of Co. D, 1st Reg. N.H. Vols., under Col. M. W. Tappan. After this company returned, Capt. Barton raised another company and was commissioned Captain of Co. E., under Col. Edward E. Cross of the 5th Reg. N.H. Vols., called the "Fighting Fifth." Capt. Barton led his company in the battles of Rappahannock Station, siege of Yorktown, Fair Oaks, Savages Station, Peach Orchard, White Oak Swamp, Charles City Cross Roads, and Malvern Hill. He was afterwards appointed United States Recruiting Office and raised a battalion of heavy artillery in 1863, and was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the same, and was stationed in the defenses about Washington, D.C., where he remained on duty until the war closed. He was then appointed a Captain in the regular Army and was stationed at Pine Bluffs, Arkansas. He was afterwards appointed Provost Marshal of Arkansas, and soon after Attorney General of the Tenth District of the state, and soon after, Judge of the Criminal Court of Jefferson County of the same state.
He became part owner and Chief Editor of the Jefferson Weekly Republican, published at Pine Bluffs. In the contest between Brooks and Baxter for the governorship of Arkansas, Col. Barton was appointed General and Commander of Baxter's forces, and when Baxter was declared Governor, General Barton returned home and entered into partnership with his father in the practice of law at Newport.
He died and was buried Jan. 21, 1876. At his funeral, his Masonic Brethren passed the following merited resolution: "Resolved, that in the death of Col. Ira McL. Barton, this lodge has lost an earnest member, the Boys in Blue a brave, faithful, and true friend ,and in the community a generous and whole-hearted man."
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1840 - 1876 (35 years)
