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John Barry (naval officer)
Encyclopedia
John Barry was an officer in the Continental Navy
during the American Revolutionary War
and later in the United States Navy
. He is often credited as "The Father of the American Navy". Barry was born in Tacumshane
, County Wexford
, Ireland
and appointed a Captain in the Continental Navy
on December 7, 1775.
. Barry had no children, but he helped raise Patrick
and Michael Hayes, children of his sister, Eleanor, and her husband, Thomas Hayes, who both died in the 1780s.
Barry died at Strawberry Hill, in present-day Philadelphia on September 13, 1803, and was buried in the graveyard of Old St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Center City, Philadelphia
.
, Raleigh
, and Alliance
. He and his crew of the Alliance fought and won the final naval battle of the American Revolution
off the coast of Cape Canaveral
on March 10, 1783. He was seriously wounded on May 29, 1781, while in command of Alliance during her capture of HMS Atalanta and Trepassey. Barry was successful in suppressing three mutinies
during his career as an officer in the Continental Navy.
Captain Barry was given command of Lexington, of 14 guns, on December 7, 1775. The Lexington sailed March 31, 1776. On April 7, 1776, off the Capes of Virginia, he fell in with the Edward, tender to the British man-of-war HMS Liverpool (1758)
, and after a desperate fight of one hour and twenty minutes captured her and brought her into Philadelphia. Barry continued in command of Lexington until October 18, 1776, and captured several private armed vessels during that time.
John Barry was once offered $100,000 British pounds and command of any Frigate in the entire British navy if he would desert the American Navy. Outraged at the offer, Captain Barry responded that not all the money in the British treasury or command of its entire fleet could tempt him to desert his adopted country.
He was still in command of the Alliance when it participated in the last battle of the Revolutionary War.
Appointed senior captain upon the establishment of the U.S. Navy, he commanded the frigate
United States
in the Quasi-War
with France
. Barry authored a Signal Book published in 1780 to improve communications at sea among vessels traveling in formation.
On February 22, 1797, he was issued Commission Number 1 by President George Washington
, backdated to June 4, 1794. His title was thereafter "Commodore." He is recognized as not only the first American commissioned naval officer but also as its first flag officer.
Barry's last day of active duty was March 6, 1801, when he brought the USS United States
into port, but he remained head of the Navy until his death on September 12, 1803, from asthma.
Continental Navy
The Continental Navy was the navy of the United States during the American Revolutionary War, and was formed in 1775. Through the efforts of the Continental Navy's patron, John Adams and vigorous Congressional support in the face of stiff opposition, the fleet cumulatively became relatively...
during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
and later in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. He is often credited as "The Father of the American Navy". Barry was born in Tacumshane
Tacumshane
Tacumshane is a small village in the southeast of County Wexford, Ireland. It is located 15 km south of Wexford town.-Name:The official name of the village is Tacumshane. In Irish it is called Teach as Sheáin, which means "Seán's House" or literally "House of Seán". The name of the village is...
, County Wexford
County Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and appointed a Captain in the Continental Navy
Continental Navy
The Continental Navy was the navy of the United States during the American Revolutionary War, and was formed in 1775. Through the efforts of the Continental Navy's patron, John Adams and vigorous Congressional support in the face of stiff opposition, the fleet cumulatively became relatively...
on December 7, 1775.
Personal life
On October 34, 1768, Barry married Mary Cleary, who died in 1774. On July 7, 1777, he married Sarah Austin, daughter of Samuel Austin and Sarah Keen of New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. Barry had no children, but he helped raise Patrick
Patrick Hayes (mariner)
Patrick Hayes , was an Irish-born American seaman and businessman.-Biography:Patrick Hayes was born to Thomas Hayes and Eleanor Barry in County Wexford, Ireland, most likely in or near Tacumshane...
and Michael Hayes, children of his sister, Eleanor, and her husband, Thomas Hayes, who both died in the 1780s.
Barry died at Strawberry Hill, in present-day Philadelphia on September 13, 1803, and was buried in the graveyard of Old St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Center City, Philadelphia
Center City, Philadelphia
Center City, or Downtown Philadelphia includes the central business district and central neighborhoods of the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. As of 2005, its population of over 88,000 made it the third most populous downtown in the United States, after New York City's and Chicago's...
.
Naval service
Barry's name does not appear on the first list of Rank. Fortunately the Navy found more ships and posted a new list in which Barry was 7th out of 24. He commanded the LexingtonUSS Lexington (1776)
The first USS Lexington of the Thirteen Colonies was a brigantine purchased in 1776. The Lexington was a 86-foot two-mask wartime sailing ship for the fledgling Continental Navy of the Colonists during the American Revolutionary War....
, Raleigh
USS Raleigh (1776)
USS Raleigh was one of thirteen ships that the Continental Congress authorized for the United States Navy in 1775. Following her capture in 1778, she served in the Royal Navy as HMS Raleigh.-As USS Raleigh:...
, and Alliance
USS Alliance (1778)
The first USS Alliance of the United States Navy was a 36-gun sailing frigate of the American Revolutionary War, notable for having fired the last shot of the war....
. He and his crew of the Alliance fought and won the final naval battle of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
off the coast of Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral, from the Spanish Cabo Cañaveral, is a headland in Brevard County, Florida, United States, near the center of the state's Atlantic coast. Known as Cape Kennedy from 1963 to 1973, it lies east of Merritt Island, separated from it by the Banana River.It is part of a region known as the...
on March 10, 1783. He was seriously wounded on May 29, 1781, while in command of Alliance during her capture of HMS Atalanta and Trepassey. Barry was successful in suppressing three mutinies
Mutiny
Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
during his career as an officer in the Continental Navy.
Captain Barry was given command of Lexington, of 14 guns, on December 7, 1775. The Lexington sailed March 31, 1776. On April 7, 1776, off the Capes of Virginia, he fell in with the Edward, tender to the British man-of-war HMS Liverpool (1758)
HMS Liverpool (1758)
HMS Liverpool was a 28-gun sixth-rate frigate launched in 1758. She served during the American Revolution and was wrecked in 1778 off Long Island.-Construction:...
, and after a desperate fight of one hour and twenty minutes captured her and brought her into Philadelphia. Barry continued in command of Lexington until October 18, 1776, and captured several private armed vessels during that time.
John Barry was once offered $100,000 British pounds and command of any Frigate in the entire British navy if he would desert the American Navy. Outraged at the offer, Captain Barry responded that not all the money in the British treasury or command of its entire fleet could tempt him to desert his adopted country.
He was still in command of the Alliance when it participated in the last battle of the Revolutionary War.
Appointed senior captain upon the establishment of the U.S. Navy, he commanded the frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
United States
USS United States (1797)
USS United States was a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy and the first of the six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794...
in the Quasi-War
Quasi-War
The Quasi-War was an undeclared war fought mostly at sea between the United States and French Republic from 1798 to 1800. In the United States, the conflict was sometimes also referred to as the Franco-American War, the Pirate Wars, or the Half-War.-Background:The Kingdom of France had been a...
with France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Barry authored a Signal Book published in 1780 to improve communications at sea among vessels traveling in formation.
On February 22, 1797, he was issued Commission Number 1 by President George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, backdated to June 4, 1794. His title was thereafter "Commodore." He is recognized as not only the first American commissioned naval officer but also as its first flag officer.
Barry's last day of active duty was March 6, 1801, when he brought the USS United States
USS United States (1797)
USS United States was a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy and the first of the six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794...
into port, but he remained head of the Navy until his death on September 12, 1803, from asthma.
Commemorations
- The US Revenue Cutter Commodore BarryUSRC Commodore Barry (1812)USRC Commodore Barry was a vessel that the US Revenue Cutter Service bought in 1812, before the outbreak of the War of 1812. The British captured her in August of the same year. She served briefly in November as a privateer for Saint John, New Brunswick under the name Brunswicker before being laid...
, captured in the War of 1812 off Maine - The Commodore Barry BridgeCommodore Barry BridgeThe Commodore Barry Bridge is a cantilever bridge that spans the Delaware River from Chester, Pennsylvania to Bridgeport, in Logan Township, New Jersey, USA...
over the Delaware River - Commodore Barry ParkCommodore Barry ParkCommodore Barry Park is an urban park in the Fort Greene neighborhood of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The park is operated by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. It encompasses an area of and holds baseball, basketball, football, and playground fields/facilities...
in BrooklynBrooklynBrooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
It is the oldest park in the borough. It was renamed for Commodore Barry in 1951, due to its location next to the Brooklyn Navy Yard that Barry helped founded. - Four U.S. Navy shipsUSS BarryFour ships of the United States Navy have been named Barry in honor of Commodore John Barry.* The , a Bainbridge-class destroyer, commissioned 1902, decommissioned 1919* The , a Clemson-class destroyer, commissioned 1920, sunk in action 1945...
- USS Barry (DD-2)USS Barry (DD-2)USS Barry , a Bainbridge-class destroyer, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for Commodore John Barry .-Construction:...
(1902–1920) - USS Barry (DD-248)USS Barry (DD-248)Barry was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the second ship named for Commodore John Barry....
(1921–1945) - USS Barry (DD-933)USS Barry (DD-933)USS Barry was one of eighteen Forrest Sherman-class destroyers of the United States Navy, and was the third US destroyer to be named for Commodore John Barry. Commissioned in 1954, she spent most of her career in the Caribbean, Atlantic, and Mediterranean, but also served in the Vietnam War,...
(1956–1983) - USS Barry (DDG-52)USS Barry (DDG-52)USS Barry is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, commissioned in 1992. Barry is the fourth United States Navy ship named after the "Father of the American Navy", Commodore John Barry . Barry is homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. Several improvements over exist on this...
(1992– )
- USS Barry (DD-2)
- John Barry Hall at the US Merchant Marine Academy
- John Barry Hall at Villanova UniversityVillanova UniversityVillanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
- Commodore Barry Club (Philadelphia Irish Center) Emlen St & Carpenter Lane, Mt Airy, Phila Pennsylvania
- Barry Township, Schuylkill CountySchuylkill County, Pennsylvania-Notable people:*Boxing heavyweight great Muhammad Ali had his training camp in Deer Lake.*Charles Justin Bailey, commanding general of the 81st Division in World War I, was born in Tamaqua on June 21, 1859....
, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to... - Commodore John Barry Elementary School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Commodore John Barry Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois
- Commodore John Barry Division of Ancient Order of Hibernians, Annapolis, Maryland
- John Barry Bar, Grand Hyatt Muscat, Muscat, Oman
- September 13, Commodore John Barry Day in New Jersey public schools
- Commodore John Barry Memorial Plaque at Staten Island Borough Hall
Statues
- Commodore John BarryCommodore John Barry (Boyle)Commodore John Barry is a bronze statue of John Barry, by John Boyle.It is located at Franklin Square , 14th Street and K Street N.W. Washington, D.C.It was dedicated on May 16, 1914.The inscription reads:J.J...
stands in Franklin Square (Washington, D.C.)Franklin Square (Washington, D.C.)Franklin Square is a square in downtown Washington, D.C.. Named after Benjamin Franklin, it is bounded by K Street Northwest to the north, 13th Street NW on the east, I Street NW on the south, and 14th Street NW on the west. It is served by the McPherson Square station of the Washington Metro,...
. - A large statue of Barry stands directly in front of the formal entrance to Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA.
- A statue of Barry overlooks the Crescent Quay in WexfordWexfordWexford is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. It is situated near the southeastern corner of Ireland, close to Rosslare Europort. The town is connected to Dublin via the M11/N11 National Primary Route, and the national rail network...
town in Ireland. It was a gift to the town from the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and was delivered by a United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
frigateFrigateA frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
. The statue was unveiled in 1956, and each year a parade and wreath-laying ceremony takes place at the statue to celebrate "Barry Day", commemorated by the Irish Naval ServiceIrish Naval ServiceThe Naval Service is the navy of Ireland and is one of the three standing branches of the Irish Defence Forces. Its main base is in Haulbowline, County Cork....
and the Minister for Defence. - A plaque commemorating Barry and his crew of the Alliance for the final naval battle of the American Revolution is located at Jetty Park in Cape CanaveralCape CanaveralCape Canaveral, from the Spanish Cabo Cañaveral, is a headland in Brevard County, Florida, United States, near the center of the state's Atlantic coast. Known as Cape Kennedy from 1963 to 1973, it lies east of Merritt Island, separated from it by the Banana River.It is part of a region known as the...
, Florida. - A new plaque with a cannon was dedicated on March 10, 2007 in Port Canaveral.
- A plaque stands in the city of Boston at Boston Common
- A stone plaque commemorating his grave site at Old St. Mary's Church in Philadelphia, PA.
See also
- List of people on stamps of Ireland
- William Brown (admiral)William Brown (admiral)Admiral William Brown was an Irish-born Argentine Admiral. Brown's victories in the Independence War, the Argentina-Brazil War, and the Anglo-French blockade of the Río de la Plata earned the respect and appreciation of the Argentine people, and today he is regarded as one of Argentina's national...
, "Father of the Argentine Navy" - Irish military diasporaIrish military diasporaThe Irish military diaspora refers to the many people of either Irish birth or extraction who have served in foreign military forces, regardless of rank, duration of service, or success....
Sources
- Tim McGrath, John Barry: An American Hero in the Age of Sail, Westholme Publishing, 2010, ISBN 9781594161049
External links
- Barry-Hayes Collection, papers at Independence Seaport MuseumIndependence Seaport MuseumThe Independence Seaport Museum is a museum dedicated to the maritime history of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley. It is located in the Penn's Landing complex along the Delaware River in Philadelphia. The museum was founded in 1961 by J...
, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, digitized by Villanova UniversityVillanova UniversityVillanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
's Digital Library, Villanova, PennsylvaniaVillanova, PennsylvaniaVillanova is a community in the United States Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It straddles Lower Merion Township of Montgomery County and Radnor Township of Delaware County. It is located at the center of the Pennsylvania Main Line, a series of highly affluent Philadelphia suburban towns located...
. - John Barry: True Father of the American Navy - New American