The Gem of Norfolk County

Foxborough Historical Society, Inc. - P.O. Box 450 - Foxborough, Massachusetts 02035

P R E S I D E N T :B o b H i c k s8 4 M i l l S t r e e tF o x b o r o u g h , M A 0 2 0 3 5

E - M A I Lbob.h icks@me.com

May 2012

Foxborough Historical Society Presents

“America’s Bartons and their Foxboro Connections”

By Jack Authelet

From%Program%Chairman%Patrick%LyonsRev. Dr. William E. Barton, one of the country’s foremost scholars on the life and times of Abraham Lincoln, and his wife Esther, whose charitable efforts reached around the globe, established Foxboro connections early in Dr. Barton’s ministry while at Shawmut Church in Boston when they purchased property in Foxborough for a summer escape from the city.

Other family members, which would include authors, advertising pioneers, politicians, diplomats, advisors to presidents and individuals showered with national, regional, state and local recognition, would also follow the path to Foxboro. Some came as visitors, others as summer or full-time residents who participated in a host of local activities. The story of the Bartons and their impact upon the broader world will be highlighted during the May 22 program of the Foxborough Historical Society.

The first to follow Rev. Barton and his wife to Foxboro was their son Bruce, an advertising pioneer who made GM and GE household initials and was a public relations guru to presidents Coolidge, Hoover and Eisenhower and served two terms in the Senate during FDRs presidency. He also penned the 1925 best seller on the life of Jesus, The Man Nobody Knows. 

Robert S. Barton, born when his father was serving the Boston church, also became a Lincoln scholar of national reputation. His business career included working with major advertising agencies here and abroad before making his permanent home in Foxboro with his wife Agnes. 

Barton edited numerous publications for The Foxboro Co. as well as the VTY (Very Truly Yours) newsletter sent to Foxboro servicemen and women throughout WWII. His wife Agnes brought the local Barton gardens to national prominence and also designed the outdoor garden at Bethany Congregational

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FOXBOROUGH HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Foxborough Historical Society, Inc. - P.O. Box 450 - Foxborough, Massachusetts 02035

Church, the chapel of which is named for Esther Barton and the pastor’s study for Rev. Barton.

Fred Barton also made his mark, first as a war correspondent in China during WWII and then as the author of such well-received books as How to Stay Fit and Photography as a Hobby.  The list of accomplishments goes on generation to generation. 

America’s Bartons and their Foxboro connections will spring to life in a Foxborough Historical Society presentation by Town Historian Jack Authelet. The local historian will not only share details of the lives and influence of the distinguished Barton family, but also the carefree summer days of the children on the shores of both Cocasset and Sunset Lakes, Dr. Barton’s wigwam in which he sought seclusion to continue his scholarly pursuits as a leading author and Lincoln authority, and the evolution of the Barton State Park which is open to the public.

Rev. William Barton and his wife Esther are seen enjoying the woodland solitude on the shores of Sunset Lake just outside the Wigwam to which he added a new room to house his Lincoln collection and research papers.   (Photo from the Barton family album)

Foxborough Historical Society OrganizationPresident: Robert Hicks 543-5436 Vice President: Charles Clifford 543-8403Clerk: Mary Anne Baker 543-8945 Treasurer: Ralph Guimond 543-8270Newsletter/Membership: Paul Godin 543-7945 Programs: Patrick Lyons 543-3728

Directors: Jean Prendergast; Charles Kastrenos and Janet Roxborough

Memberships: Family - $10.00 Individual - $8.00

Memorial Hall is open every Wednesday evening, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on the 2nd Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. til noon

Additional Barton Activities in Foxboro

Barton family connections to Foxboro will also be featured Sunday, May 20, as the Massachusetts Dept. of   Natural Resources hosts an Open House at Pine Knoll Cottage in Barton State Park (noon to 2 p.m.).  

The cottage, on the shores of Sunset Lake on Granite Street, was occupied by noted Lincoln Scholar Rev. Dr. William Barton and his wife Esther for many years and is now part of the state park which features woodland trails around Sunset Lake and access to the beach.

Several state facilities will be open that day to highlight state preservation efforts through the Curator Program under which selected individuals occupy historic structures such as Pine Koll under an agreement to maintain, restore and preserve the property. 

The Sunday program will also afford the public an opportunity to visit the Barton Gardens on the premises currently being restored as a council-wide project of Foxborough Girl Scouts.   Initially created by Esther Barton and further beautified by her daughter-in-law, Agnes Barton, the restoration is an ongoing project for the Girl Scouts intent on restoring the woodland retreat’s natural beauty and splendor. 

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Spring Cleaning at Memorial Hall with Invensys

Invensys (formerly The Foxboro Company) remains involved in community activities. In November of last year they teamed with Foxboro Rotary to help clean, repair and repaint the Steamer Shed that houses the Town’s historic fire apparatus.

This year they instituted a new volunteer program called Invensys Involved. Approximately 15 teams of employees volunteered to take on projects to help the community including the elderly, Recreation Department, the Historical Commission and many others performing tasks that would be of benefit to many. While the program is intended to be an ongoing activity, the kick-off the week of April 30 focussed the groups on a series of major activities.

In the case of the Historical Commission two different groups volunteered for two projects. The first group worked in the basement of Memorial Hall to construct a new enclosed storage area. In preparation members of the Commission worked a number of Saturdays by clearing, cleaning and sorting items stored in the area.

For nearly eight hours 6 Invensys volunteers worked to frame, panel and run electrical wiring throughout the new area. At the end of the day, the room was fully enclosed and awaiting paint, shelving and finalizing of the electrical work.

Another team of volunteers worked on the main level during several morning and afternoon sessions to help digitize various documents for our new electronic archive called “HAMS” (Historical Asset Management System). Of particular interest were documents that relate to the history of Invensys/Foxboro involving employees and members of the Foxborough community. Invensys points out that they feel very good about this as, in many ways, we help serve as an archive to their history as well as the Town’s.

Pine Knoll Cottage on the shore of Sunset Lake in Barton State Park as seen in the 89-page biographical sketch written by Rev. William Barton in tribute to his wife, Esther Barton.