Barton entered Lloyd's Register in 1801 with J. Wilson, master, Seller & Co., owner, and trade Liverpool–Africa.

[2] First voyage transporting enslaved people (1801-1802): Captain John Wilson sailed from Liverpool on 19 November 1801, bound for West Africa.

[4] Barton started acquiring captives on 12 December 1812 in the area between Rio Nuñez and the Assini River.

[3] Second voyage transporting enslaved people (1802-capture): Captain Wilson sailed from Liverpool on 23 December 1802, with 21 crew members, bound for West Africa.

Seven of the losses occurred in the Middle Passage as the ships sailed from Africa to the West Indies.

When Rockland struck the "French people of colour" who were aboard her jumped overboard, drowning themselves.

[13] On 27 April 1819, Barton, Sampson, master, was driven onshore on a bank at the entrance to the Sierra Leone river.