John Hunter Barton was born  in Parowan, Iron County, Utah, the fifth child of William and Ester West Barton. Joseph Alan Barton was born in Lebanon, Illinois, 1848 - 1895); William Penn Barton (1853-1853), Daniel King Barton (1854-1917), and Esther Jane Barton (1854-?) were born in Parowan, Iron County, Utah; Stephen Rollins Barton (1860 - 1944) was born in Minersville, Beaver County, Utah; Phillip Jackson Barton (1864-1947), Stonewall Barton (1864 - Stillborn), and Hugh Jones Barton (1868 - 1946) were born in Beaver City, Beaver County, Utah.

He married Eliza Jane Morgan on October 27, 1878 in Greenville, Beaver County, Utah. The marriage was solimized by his father, William Barton who was the Justice of the Peace in Greenville, Beaver County, Utah at the time.

John was interested in farming until 1905 when he was elected as Sheriff of Beaver County where he was elected for three consecutive terms.

In 1907 he was elected as Mayor of Beaver City.

Under the administration of then Governor, John C. Cutler, John Hunter was appointed to be Chief Provisional Juvenile Officer to serve over the counties of Beaver, Juab, Iron, Millard and Washington.

Governor John C. Cutler

He continued to serve under the administrations of the Governors, William Cory, Simon Bamberger, Charles W. Maybe and George H. Dern. Governor Dern elevated John Hunter to the position of Juvelile Judge. John Hunter still held this position when John and Eliza Jane celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1928.

Eliza Jane Morgan was born in Paragonah, Iron County, Utah on April 8, 1861. She was the fifth child of David and Jane Lewis Morgan.

They had seven children, Eva Jane Barton (1879 - 1960), Ray Hunter Barton (1881 - 1957), John Penn Barton (1883 - 1975), David Chesley Barton (1885 - 1967), Nina Ester Barton (1887 - 1974), Ezra Cooper Barton (1894 - 1959) born in Greenville, Beaver County, Utah and Kenneth Asa Barton (1899 - 1992). All of the children were born in Beaver City, Beaver County, Utah.

John Hunter Barton served as Sheriff of Beaver County for a number of years beginning prior to 1900 and ending an unknown number of years after 1900 according to his son Kenneth Asa Barton and the 1900 US Census.

John Hunter Barton died in Beaver City, Beaver County, on December 16, 1934 at the age of 76.