Evening journal., 1919-04-24
JANITOR EMERITUS OF
DELAWARE COLLEGE

+. n. Nallsndgham. magazine and
newspaper writer and former professor
OF Delaware College, contributed the
following interesting "Story Of Jani-
Tor Emeritus" 10 the Philadelphia
Record on Sunday:
William Barton, ianitor emeritus at
Delaware College, is at once a living
and functioning official and an aca-
demic tradition. When he was called
10 his post. % years ago, some per-
sons in authority objected that he was
loo old, but now, at Sc, and still on
duty. he has outlived some Of the OBJ
iectors, who were probably younger
than himself. There came time, five
years ago, when Jantor Barton him
self thought he had erown too old for
his task. lie asked TO be retired. upon
the ground that he could no longer
climb the dizzy heights Of the stair
ways at Old College. He soon found,
however, that he could breathe with
comfort none other than academic air.
Within a few days of his voluntary re-
tirement he began again TO haunt the
academic shades. He would climb the
great stairway Of Old College, which
had seemed before a somewhat serious
obstacle. and seat himself on the win
dow sills Of the hallway. where the
sun fell in genially upon the bare mon
astio floor Of the building as IL then
was. and as 10 no longer Is since its
happy Transformation. After a few
weeks Janitor Barton asked the priyi-
lege Of returning TO duty, and most OF
the time since then he has given his
octogenarian energy to the care Of
Purnell Hall.
From birth William Barton was
marked out for an academic career, for
he was born appropriately at Sheakes-
peare's Mills, a mile and a half south
Of Newark, on the historic Welsh tract,
in Pencader hundred, and almost in the
shadow Of Iron Hill. lie Is the last Of
IS brothers and sisters, some Of whom
lived into their eighties. Doubtless his
forebearers were among those early
eighteenth century Welsh Baptists who
settled this tract. as it Is believed were
those Of jefferson Davis.
Many descendants Of the Welsh tract
settlers, whose patent was granted by
the Penns in 1901, have been content 10
live and die within sight Of Iron Hill +;
10 attend the tiny little Baptist Church,
with its gable date-stone bearing the
figures i7i7, and its lovely and peace
ful graveyard, flanked by a noble oak |
grove, edging the tuneful, infant Chris !
iiana. Janitor Barton. however. has !
his days Of wandering far afeld. He is !
one Of the few who now survive Albert /
Sidney Johnston's military expedition /
into the Mormon country after the |
Meadow Mountain massacre Of Sep |
iember fl, 1851. At p, Janitor Barton, !
as a private soldier, started with John |
ston's expedition, driving a team OF |
six mules.
Brigham Young was then, in effect =,
dictator Of Utah. lie was excluding |
GENTLE immigrants. and his people |
had been destroying United states |
property looting army wagon trains /
and defying the United states Govern
nent and army. The Meadow Noun |
tain massacre, IN which about 40 4
"gentiles," men, women and children,
were treacherously killed, and for shar-
ing in which murderous adventure /
John D. Lee, a Norman leader, was
executed 20 years later, made 10 more
than ever necessary that the MormOns
should be brought 10 terms, and
Colonel Johnston was chosen 10 lead
the expedition.
When Janitor Barton is warned that