Elizabeth Barstow was born on 25. Oct. 1906 at New Jersey. She was the daughter of
Harry Merrill Barstow and
Anna Olga Oglesby. Elizabeth Barstow died on 21. Dec. 2006 her last known address was at Egg Harbor Twp., Atlantic County, New Jersey, according to the Social Security Death Index.
Elizabeth Barstow Alton was the self-proclaimed “activist wife” who spent 20 years speaking at women’s clubs throughout New Jersey urging members to participate in major projects that would benefit the community. During her talks she often used Mabel Smith Douglass to illustrate what one woman with a vision could accomplish. In 1910, Douglass launched a campaign to establish a women’s college in New Jersey. That campaign led to the creation of Douglass College (part of Rutgers University) in New Brunswick. During her days as a speaker Alton never thought that she would match Mabel Smith Douglass’ accomplishment but in 1966 the state’s proposal to create two new colleges, one possibly to be located in south Jersey, changed Alton’s life forever. From February 1966,
when she spoke to the Kiwanis Club of Atlantic City mentioning the possibility of a local college to February 1969 when the first Board of Trustees met, Alton was the primary force that willed what was to
become Stockton College into existence. Alton’s personal papers from this era are now available for public use in the Archives of the Richard Stockton College Library. This collection includes personal
correspondence, early college history, publicity, and news clippings. Alton died on December 21, 2006 at age 100.