Jessamine-Fayette County KyArchives Biographies.....Barry, William T. 1783 - 1835
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com August 6, 2007, 1:23 pm

Author: Bennett H. Young

William T. Barry

Was one of the most brilliant and eloquent men who made Kentucky so famous in
the first thirty years of its existence. He was in his childhood a resident of
Jessamine county. Born in Virginia in 1783, he came, with his father, when a
child to Kentucky, and lived for a short while in Fayette, and then moved to
Jessamine county, where he lived several years, when the family returned to
Lexington. After attending school at the Woodford Academy he graduated at
Transylvania University and commenced the practice of law when twenty-one years
of age, in Lexington.

   From 1805 to 1835, his life was a wonderful series of successes. Fortune
appeared to lavish upon him all of its choicest blessings.

   He was, very early in his professional career, appointed Attorney for the
Commonwealth in Fayette county. His learning, eloquence and industry at once
gave him both popularity and prominence. He was elected to fill a vacancy in the
Legislature from Fayette in 1807. He was again elected in 1809; chosen to
represent the Ashland district in Congress in 1810, he was again elected
representative in the Legislature in 1814. In the discussion of the matters
which led up to the War of 1812, no man was more eloquent, earnest or wise, and
by his brilliant, patriotic speeches he won the admiration and confidence of all
parties. In the war he exhibited a high degree of courage and gallantry while
serving on the staff of Governor Shelby, who, disregarding precedents, took the
field as the Commander-in-Chief of the Kentucky, forces. He was in the battle of
the Thames, which added such splendid lustre and renown to Kentucky and her
soldiers.

   He became Speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives, in 1814, and was
elected to the United States Senate while holding that place. He represented
Kentucky in the Senate for two sessions, and then resigned to accept the Circuit
Judgeship upon a meager salary. In 1817, he was forced to stand as a candidate
for the State Senate, and it was his magnetic power and influence which enabled
him while in the Kentucky Senate, to secure large aid to Transylvania University
and afterwards he became a lecturer in the Law Department. His name gave the Law
School prestige and magnificent success. In 1820 he was elected Lieutenant
Governor by an overwhelming majority of 11,000 votes in a total of 55,000; and
at this time was unquestionably the most popular man in Kentucky.

   Henry Clay, in 1825, accepted the place of Secretary of State and identified
himself with the Adams administration. This cost Mr. Clay many friends in
Kentucky, where the recollection of New England's opposition to the admission of
Kentucky into the Union, had left great prejudice against it. Barry sided with
those opposed to Mr. Clay.

   Mr. Barry was appointed Chief Justice of "The New Court" in January, 1825,
and held the place until a repeal of the New Court Act, in 1826. He was a
candidate for Governor in 1828, and was defeated by only 709 votes, but his
wonderful canvass and superb eloquence caused the state in the following year to
cast its vote for Andrew Jackson, by a majority of 7,934. Mr. Barry was
appointed Postmaster General by Jackson, and held the office until declining
health forced him to surrender it.

   In the hope that a change in location and a milder climate might restore his
health, the President nominated Mr. Barry to be Minister to Spain. He sailed for
his post, but died at Liverpool, England, in 1835.

   Nineteen years later (1854), by an act of the Legislature, the remains of Mr.
Barry were disinterred, brought to Kentucky and buried in the state lot, at
Frankfort. His friends erected a monument to his memory in the court house yard
in Lexington.

   Theodore O'Hara, the brilliant poet, delivered an oration upon this occasion
(Nov. 8, 1854), concluding with these thrilling words:

   "Let the marble like a minstrel rise to sing to the future generations of the
Commonwealth, the inspiring lay of his high genius and lofty deeds. Let the
autumn wind harp on the dropping leaves, her softest requiem over him. Let the
winter's purest snow rest spotless on his grave. Let spring entwine her
brightest garland for his tomb, and summer gild it with her mildest sunshine,
and let him sleep embalmed in. glory till the last trump shall reveal him to us,
all radiant with the halo of his life."

   Jessamine, as the scene of his earliest youth, claims a part in the history
of this child of most auspicious fate, whose career, for splendid achievement,
superb eloquence, courageous contest, unvarying success, unchanging popularity,
and wondrous influence has no equal in the past of Kentucky and will have none
in its future.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

A HISTORY OF JESSAMINE COUNTY, KENTUCKY,
FROM ITS EARLIEST SETTLEMENT TO 1898.
By BENNETT H. YOUNG,
PRESIDENT POLYTECHNIC SOCIETY; MEMBER FILSON CLUB; MEMBER CONSTITUTIONAL
CONVENTION, 1890; AUTHOR HISTORY OF THE CONSTITUTIONS OF KENTUCKY, OF "BATTLE OF
BLUE LICKS, ETC, ETC.

S. M. DUNCAN, ASSOCIATE AUTHOR.

Every brave and good life out of the past is a treasure which cannot  be
measured in money, and should be preserved with faithfullest care.

LOUISVILLE, KY.: COURIER-JOURNAL JOB PRINTING CO., 1898.


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