Barton Hirst Lippincott, 82, formerly of Chestnut Hill, retired chairman of J.B. Lippincott Co., died of pneumonia March 25, 2008 at Cathedral Village in Andorra, Pennsylvania.  Mr. Lippincott was a great-grandson of Joshua Ballinger Lippincott, who established a publishing company in Philadelphia in 1836. He was also a great-grandson of Joseph Wharton, who founded the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Barton graduated from William Penn Charter School. During World War II, he served in the Navy in the states and in the Canal Zone. After his discharge, he earned a bachelor's degree from Yale University.  In 1947, Mr. Lippincott joined his family's publishing business as a copywriter in the mail-order department. During his 40-year career with Lippincott, he was an executive for the firm's nursing publications division and helped establish Lippincott as a major medical publisher; founded a subsidiary, Ballinger Co., to publish books on public policy issues; and launched a non-print department to produce films, slides, tapes and discs.

In 1978, when the firm became a subsidiary of Harper & Row, he became Lippincott's president. He was chairman when he retired in 1987.  In Toward a Third Century of Excellence, a history of the firm, Mr. Lippincott stated, "We will publish what we want to publish - you can buy it or not buy it, read it or not read it. We are the Lippincott Company and we will do what we think is right."

He loved books, said his daughter, Elizabeth Rosen, especially biographies, non-fiction, Shakespeare and poetry.  An enthusiastic sailor, Mr. Lippincott participated in many Bermuda Races and loved the waters of Narragansett Bay, R.I., where he spent many summers.  He served on the board of the Chestnut Hill Hospital and the Center for Literacy in West Philadelphia, and was a founding board member of the William Jeanes Memorial Library in Whitemarsh.  He helped assemble and install the outdoor sculpture garden at Morris Arboretum and donated one of the sculptures.

In addition to his daughter, Mr. Lippincott is survived by his wife of more than 35 years, Carol Helms Lippincott; and his daughters Louise, Deborah and Frances; and his stepchildren Frances Newbold, Elizabeth Miller, James Earle and Murray Earle; a brother; a sister; 15 grandchildren; and his former wife, Beatrice Garvan.

A memorial service was held at the Greene Street Friends Meeting, 45 W. School House Lane.