Robert Barton Robert Childers Barton ( 4 March 1881 – 10 August 1975 ) was an Irish nationalist , politician and farmer who participated in the negotiations leading up to the signature of the Anglo - Irish Treaty . His father was Charles William Barton and his mother was Agnes Childers . His wife was Rachel Warren of Boston , daughter of Fiske Warren . His double first cousin and close friend was Robert Erskine Childers . Early life . He was born in County Wicklow into a wealthy Irish Protestant land - owning family ; namely of Glendalough House . Educated in England at Rugby and Oxford , he became an officer in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers on the outbreak of the First World War . He was stationed in Dublin during the 1916 Easter Rising and came into contact with many of its imprisoned leaders in the aftermath while on duty at Richmond Barracks . He resigned his commission in protest at the heavy - handed British government suppression of the revolt . He then joined the Republican movement Family . Charles William Barton ( father ) was born on 13 July 1836 . He married Agnes Alexandra Frances Childers , daughter of Rev . Canon Charles Childers , on 26 October 1876 . He died on 3 October 1890 at age 54 . Robert ' s two younger brothers , Erskine and Thomas , died in the British Army during the First World War . Politics . At the 1918 general election to the British House of Commons Barton was elected as the Sinn Féin member for West Wicklow . In common with all Sinn Féin members , he boycotted the Westminster parliament and instead sat in Dáil Éireann ( the " First Dáil " ) . Arrested in February 1919 for sedition , he escaped from Mountjoy Prison on St . Patrick ' s Day ( leaving a note to the governor explaining that , owing to the discomfort of his cell , the occupant felt compelled to leave , and requesting the governor to keep his luggage until he sent for it ) . He was recaptured in January 1920 and sentenced to three years ' imprisonment , but was released under the general amnesty of July 1921 . In May of that year , prior to his release , he was elected as a Sinn Féin member for Kildare – Wicklow in the 1921 Irish election to the House of Commons of Southern Ireland . Once again all Sinn Féin members boycotted this parliament , hence Barton sat instead in the " Second Dáil " of Dáil Éireann . He was appointed Minister for Agriculture of the Irish Republic , then of Economic Affairs . Barton was one of the Irish delegates , along with his cousin , to travel to London for the legendary Anglo - Irish Treaty negotiations . He reluctantly signed the Treaty on 6 December 1921 , defending it " as the lesser of two outrages forced upon me and between which I had to choose . " He nevertheless was firmly committed to the Irish Republic and despite signing the Treaty rejected it . He won re - election to Dáil Éireann in June 1922 ( the " 3rd Dáil " ) as the only signatory of the Anglo - Irish Treaty to stand for the Sinn Féin ( Anti - Treaty ) party , but did not take his seat . After being defeated at the 1923 general election , he retired from politics for the law , practicing as a barrister . He later became a judge . He was chairman of the Agricultural Credit Corporation from 1934 – 1954 . Barton died at home in County Wicklow on 10 August 1975 , at the age of 94 , the last surviving signatory of the Anglo - Irish Treaty . Éamon de Valera , who was also heavily involved with the Treaty , died only nineteen days later , on 29 August 1975 . Interview . In 1969 , RTE Television interviewed Barton , alongside Ernest Blythe and James Ryan about the 1918 general election . Glendalough House . Glendalough House , run by Barton for over 70 years right up until his death , is still considered one of Ireland ' s most notable properties ; alongside nearby Powerscourt Estate . The house was the center of numerous political meetings and gatherings from 1910 to 1922 . It ' s also been featured as a location in many large Hollywood films including Excalibur Saving Private Ryan and Braveheart . Barton ' s great - great - grandfather , Thomas Barton , also of Glendalough House , was the founder and owner of the award winning Langoa & Barton vineyards in France . Since 1836 , the vineyards have been under the control of the Barton family . The Châteaux Langoa & Léoville Barton passed to the Straffan branch of the Barton family and are currently managed by Anthony Frederick Barton and his daughter , Lilian Anna Barton . He was preceded by his uncle , Major Hugh Ronald Barton ( " Ronald " ) , Chairman , Barton & Guestier , wine shippers , Bordeaux . The Straffan Estate was sold by Captain Frederick Bertram Barton ( " Derick " ) in 1949 , a father to Anthony Frederick and brother to Ronald . He lived in Blackrock , Co . Dublin thereafter .