David, Elizabeth, and Lillian Barton were three of six children born to Winfield Decatur Barton and Beechie Norvell. Married in 1888, Winfield and Beechie Barton were able to trace their family tree back to the elder David Barton, who served in the American Revolutionary War.

Lillian Barton was born in December of 1901. She excelled in school as a child and went on to earn a Licentiate Instructors degree from Arkansas State College in 1926. Shortly after, Lillian attended George Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, TN and graduated in 1935. She taught in Jonesboro for several years before obtaining her master’s degree in 1951 from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. After receiving her master’s degree she returned to Jonesboro where she taught at Arkansas State College training school and served as a Sunday school teacher at First Baptist Church. Lillian was also active in community groups such as the Daughters of the Revolution (DAR), the American Association of University Women (AAUW), the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, and after her retirement, the Retired Teachers Association. Lillian was the recipient of many awards and honors. She was named an outstanding Educator of America and the ASU Student National Education Association chapter chose to name their chapter after her. Lillian never married and died at the age of 78 in 1979.

Her older sister Elizabeth Barton, born in 1899, was also active in the Jonesboro community. Elizabeth graduated from the Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union Training School in 1926 and then continued her education at Arkansas State College where she earned a Licentiate Instructors degree in 1928. Similar to her sister, Elizabeth obtained her master’s degree in teaching from Washington University in 1953. Both Elizabeth and Lillian received their teaching licenses from Arkansas State College. She was honored in the 1970 edition of “Personalities of the South” as a distinguished community leader in Arkansas. Elizabeth never married and died at age 82 in 1981.

Their older brother, David Arthur Barton was born in 1891. He attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville where he was a part of the ROTC program. Upon graduating, he was commissioned as an officer in the Army in 1910.