BIOGRAPHY: Question: Stephen Barton's 1894 obituary states that he was elected Sheriff of
Baltimore County in 1875 on the "Potato Bug ticket." Do you have any information
on this group?
Librarian Reply:Dear Mr. Williams,BIOGRAPHY: According to "A History of Baltimore County" by Neal Brooks and Eric Rockel
(Friends of the Towson Library, 1979), Democrats disillusioned with their
party's leadership joined Republicans to form a fusion ticket called the "Potato
Bugs" in 1875. The party was named after the Colorado potato beetle that plagued
crops that year. The "Potato Bugs" held secret meetings and lulled the regular
Democrats into underestimating the demand for reform. As a result, the "Potato
Bugs" won most of the elections that year. Those elected on the ticket included
3 county commissioners, the judge of the orphans court, and the state's attorney
for the county.
Obit: Maryland Journal, Saturday, June 9, 1894; volume XXX, number 1537; page 2.Obit: Stephen Barton.
Monday, 4th inst., Mr. Stephen Barton, who was elected Sheriff of Baltimore County to 1875 on what was known as the "Potato Bug" ticket, died at his late residence In Woodberry. He was born in Baltimore county in 1818. In his early life he served as an apprentice under the late Horace Knight, a millwright. He helped to build the Druid and Park mills at Woodberry, and worked for H. N. Gambrill until he became Sheriff In 1875. Mr. Barton was a member of the First M. E Church at Woodberry. In 1841 be married Miss Rebecca Barnhart, who died in July, 1891. He leaves six children. who are Mrs. John Kuhn, Mrs. James W. Hughlett, Mrs. Frank Foreman, Messrs. George, Charles H. And James S. Barton.
DEATH: Baltimore Sun