Background

he was born in 1803 in Philadelphia, the only son of Dr. Benjamin Smith Barton and Mary Pennington, a daughter of Edward Pennington, of Quaker stock. He was named for the Welsh naturalist, Thomas Pennant, a correspondent of his father.

Education

He was educated in Philadelphia.

Career

After the death of his father in 1815, he went to France, where he remained for a considerable period. When Livingston was sent as minister to France for the purpose of securing a settlement in 1833 of the French Spoliation Claims, Barton accompanied him as secretary of legation. His knowledge of French, and the charm of Mrs. Barton made his life in Paris socially brilliant. Political conditions caused the path of negotiations to be thorny, and in May 1835 Livingston demanded his passports, leaving Barton behind as chargé d'affaires.

The Chamber of Deputies finally voted to pay the claims, but attached such conditions, that, acting under instructions, Barton in turn asked for his passports and sailed for home, landing in New York early in January 1836. His duty completed by rendering a report to the government, he retired with his father-in-law to the beautiful family estate, Montgomery Place, near Barrytown on the Hudson. He devoted himself to forming an arboretum and to collecting the great library which still bears his name and which was his controlling interest for more than thirty years. Most of it was left in his winter house, 8 West Twenty-second St. , New York City. He had collected books when a young man, and while in Paris was already devoting special attention to the English drama. He formed close relations with scholarly booksellers in Europe, and became a connoisseur of fine bindings.

By 1860 his library already contained 16, 000 volumes, and was widely known as one of the great private libraries of the country. Barton was the first important American collector of Shakespeare, of whose works he possessed all the folio editions, and eighteen quartos published before 1623; but his library was also rich in other departments, especially in original editions of Elizabethan authors and in all branches of French literature. Barton was an exact bibliographer, and left elaborate catalogues in his own handwriting, showing the most minute pains in preparation. He loved his books, and no one else was ever permitted to dust them even in his later days when he was a sufferer from gout. He directed that on his death the collection should be kept intact until its sale to some public institution. His widow disposed of the whole to the Public Library of the City of Boston for $34, 000; her death occurred two days after the delivery of the books was completed. A catalogue of them was published in 1888.

Achievements

• He is primarily remembered for the collection of books by and relating to William Shakespeare and English drama that he amassed between 1834 and 1869. Four years after his death, Barton's collection was acquired by the Boston Public Library, where it has remained ever since.

Works

More photos

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  • The Second Part of The Iron Age: Which Contayneth the Death of Penthesilea, Paris, Priam, and Hecuba; the Burning of Troy; the Deaths of ... King Diomed, Pyrhus, Cethus, Synon, Thers

    ( This work has been selected by scholars as being cultur...)

  • Semaine Litteraire: Journal Paraissant Le Samedi. Arts, Sciences, Litterature; V.3 (French Edition)

    ( This work has been selected by scholars as being cultur...)

  • An Elegie upon the death of the noble and vertuous Douglas Howard

    (This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curat...)

  • Annette Laïs Volume v.5 (French Edition)

    (This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)

  • La Vénus de Gordes (French Edition)

    (This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)

  • L'infame (French Edition)

    (This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)

  • Description Of A Copy Of The First Folio Edition Of The Plays Of Shakespeare: Now In The Collection Of T.p. Barton...

    ( This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923....)

  • Fovvre hymnes,

    (This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)

  • Catalogue of the Barton Collection, Boston Public Library: In Two Parts: Pt. I. Shakespeare's Works and Shakespeariana; Pt. Ii. Miscellaneous

    (This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)

Personality

Barton was a man of great refinement, high character, and fastidious taste. A miniature of him, painted in Paris in 1835 by Étienne Bouchardy, shows a young man of marked elegance, mild in expression, with a face framed in handsome brown hair and beard.

Connections

In April 1833 he married Cora Livingston, daughter of the Hon. Edward Livingston.

Father:

Benjamin Smith Barton

Mother:

Mary Pennington

Wife:

Cora Livingston

References

• Private Libraries of New York (Classic Reprint)
• Memoir Of Mrs. Edward Livingston: With Letters Hitherto Unpublished...