St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-07-08


Probably there are few. II any of the
gay pleasure seekers who every Sunday
fill every inch of room In the Fort Shell
ing cars, who have not noticed as they
whirled past Victoria and West Seventh
street, an old ruin standing doorless,
wlndowless and rooHess, in what seems
to have once been beautiful home
stead, Judging from the grand old forest
trees which still stand guard about 1t
and seem to try to shield the old house
from the pitiless storms of wind and
rain which sweep through Its roofless
arches. Choice shrubbery. grape vines
and old gnarled, broken and decaying
fruit trees still struggle to beautify the
desolate old homestead with fruit and
flowers In their season, in spite Of the
ever increasing onslaught of rank
weeds and brambles and the wanton
mischief and spoliation of boys.
Ruined, desolate and forsaken, nature
still strives to adorn the spot which was
once the happy home of one of St.PauI's
earliest settlers. There seems to be
something akin to human grief, some
thing pathetic In this weird old ruin.
shOrn Of all use and beauty. yet still
bravely holding its strong stone walls
upright as if bidding defiance to the
elements.
In 1S4S Thomas Barton, originally
from Ohio, and Jemima, his wife. came
to this the then much talked-of new
Northwestern territory. from Iowa. MIR.
Barton possessed the speculative and
enterprislng characteristics of the true
American, and found here wide scope
for his go-ahead faculties. First set
thing at Saltwater. he remained there
but short time. From there he moved
to farm at BisselPs Mound, between
st. Paul and Saltwater. He next
settled on Trout creek, In what Is now
lower town. He afterwards took up 100
acres in what is now the heart Of West
ST. Paul, on the river. between where now
stand the Wabasha and Robert street
bridges. This land he traded for one
half interest In the steamboat Tiger,
which ran up the Minnesota river. After
year or two he sold his interest in the
boat and purchased the old homestead
which forms the subject of this article.
1t was originally farm consisting of
100 acres. 1t extended from what is now
Victoria street west to what is now
ChatsWorth street. at the foot of the
hill, and from what is now Otto street
north to what is now Randolph street.
In addition to the 100 acres he bought a
triangular piece OF land. exte ending from
West Seventh and Victoria to the inter-
section of Chatsworth and West Seventh.
giving him frontage OH West Seventh
street, then known as the old Fort road,
where still staud the ruins of the old
house. THIS farm was claim originally
taken up by old John Irwin, and was
sold to Mr.. Barton for the sum of 5000.
In 1858 Mr.. Barton built a shanty on
the corner of what is now Milton and
Tuscarora streets. In this the family
lived one winter. A one-story frame
house was first erected on the present
site in 1854 A story and a half addition
of stone was added in front year or
two later, finished with coat of plaster,
which still ciingS tenaciously to the old
walls. In 1858 Mr.. Barton added to his
already large holdings some cottage lots
Ou Tic east >iuc VI OSfClltu Sttect.
Mr.. Barton was a miilwright. He
helped to erect several of the first mills
built IN this section. In 1857 he began
to speculate in real estate, also became
a dealer in horses and cattle, and was
breeder of fine horses. Mr.. Barton also
owned property on Dayton's bluff, on
the Hill, on the Fort road, near the res
ervatlon, and in various other parts of
the city, besides investing in pine lands,
copper mines, and real estate in West
Superior. His son says that his father
only escaped becoming millionaire by
not combining his investments to st.
Paul, instead of buying so much real
estate in other sections of the state.
Three children were born to Mr.. and
Mrs. Barton, two boys and one girl, and
two stepchildren on the mothers side
made uD the family. All the children
are yet living. Mr.. Barton's daughter
never married, and is now living in
Pittsburg with one of her stepsstsrs,
who is widow. The other stepsister
Is married and lives in Wyoming. j.
K Barton, the dentist, Is well-known IN
st. Paul. William Barton, TO whom the
reporter is indebted for most Of the in
formation for this article, resides on
James street, near the old home.
Mrs. Barton died in 1878 and Mr..
DdrtOu Ill 1909. DUH ulcu III Tie Ola
home, which their toll had beautified so
that 1t was at one time considered one
of the most beautiful hotnesteads in St.
Paul. A sparkling brook ran through
the yard from a spring whose fame still
extends far and wide among the old
settlers In the neighborhood. This
spring was cut off by the building of the
Tuscarora street sewer. Fine shade
and fruit trees. shrubbery and flowers
were planted and carefully tended by
Mr.. Barton. Mr. Barton's only daughter
was born In this old home, and she
grieves at its decay and ruin.
The homestead site was originally
very wet and swampy, and Mr.. Barton
was obliged to build corduroy road
for his stock etc. His son thinks that