Private Thomas Galloway Barton (1837-1891)

Private Thomas Galloway Barton, 2nd great-grandfather of brother Steve von Hitritz, was born 31 October 1837 in Little York, Warren County, Illinois to James Galloway Barton and Nancy McCoy.

Thomas enlisted in the Union Army on 1 May 1861 at the age of 24 with several brothers and cousins at Young America, Warren County, Illinois and placed into Company C, 36th Illinois Infantry Regiment. He was mustered into service on 23 September 1861. On September 24, the unit moved via Quincy, Illinois to St. Louis, Missouri. On September 28, they left St. Louis by rail for Rolla, Missouri, leaving the Cavalry at Benton Barracks. The 36th Illinois went into camp at Rolla, September 29, remaining there until January 14, 1862, the time being taken up with severe drill, camp and post-guard duty, and an occasional scout.

The 36th Illinois left Rolla on January 14, 1862, for Springfield, Missouri. They halted on the 22nd and remained for a few days near Bentonville, Arkansas. They were engaged in the battles at Leetown on March 7 and Pea Ridge on March 8 before going into camp at Keltsville, Missouri. The 36th broke camp on April 5 and started for Batesville, Arkansas, reaching that point on May 3. Here the Regiment was transferred to the command of General Asboth, who started with his command from Batesville for Cape Girardeau, Missouri, May 11, arriving on the 22nd. On the 23rd they embarked on a boat for Hamburg Landing, Tennessee, marching out to Corinth, Mississippi, on the 29th.

On evacuation of Corinth, the regiment marched to Booneville, and from there to Rienzi, Mississippi. Somewhere along these marches, Pvt Barton was stung/bitten by a mosquito and subsequently experienced numerous seizures and fits. He was deemed disabled and was discharged for disability on 31 Jul 1862.

Thomas Barton returned to his home in Warren County Illinois and on 28 September 1865 he was married in Yellow Springs, Greene County, Ohio to his distant cousin Charlotte "Lottie" Ann Barton. In 1884, they moved to Belle Plaine, Sumner County, Kansas to help with the farm of his parents-in-law William and Hannah Barton. In 1887, a prairie fire raged on the farm and during the fire, while attempting to put it out, Thomas Barton had another seizure and ultimately lost his right hand and his left arm in the blaze. To make matters worse, his wife Charlotte went almost completely blind due to cataracts.

Thomas Barton died 19 July 1891 and was given a soldiers funeral in the small town of Belle Plaine.