C. Boyd Barrett Biography This biography appears on pages 1282-1283 in "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. C. BOYD BARRETT, of Aberdeen, South Dakota, is descended on the paternal side from one of the old families of Maryland, while on the maternal side from the old Carr family, of Virginia. His family experienced in full the vicissitudes and misfortunes which fell so heavily upon so many of the sterling old families of the south during the period of the Civil war, but they were willing to make all these sacrifices, though theirs was to become eventually the "lost cause." Major Barrett was born on the ancestral plantation, in Loudoun county, Virginia, on the 22d of May, 1838, being a son of John F. and Caroline (Wade) Barrett, both representatives of prominent old families of that commonwealth. The father of the subject followed the vocation of a planter until he was summoned from the scene of life's labors and was a man of prominence and influence in the community, having been a captain in the state militia and having held various local offices of public trust. Both he and his wife were devoted members of the Presbyterian church, in which he served as elder for many years. Major Barrett was reared under the gracious influences of the old homestead and received a good academic education. As a youth he became a member of a cavalry company in the state militia, and was in active service with his command in guarding the Potomac at the time when John Brown made his famous raid. At the outbreak of the Civil war this company became a part of the Sixth Regiment of Confederate Cavalry, and later was assigned to the Thirty-fifth Virginia Battalion, under General E. V. White. It was the portion of our subject to take part in thirty-eight of the pitched battles incidental to the progress of the great internecine conflict, and he was in active service during practically the entire period of the war. His command was in service in northern Virginia,. being for much of the time in the Shenandoah valley and the Piedmont region, under "Stonewall" Jackson. He also took part in the Pennsylvania campaign, participating in the battles of the Wilderness, Antietam, Sharpsburg and in the Gettysburg campaign, under command of the gallant General Wade Hampton, and he was with his regiment at Appomattox at the time of General Lee's surrender. For some time he was assigned to detail duty on the staff of General Lawton, of Georgia. Major Barrett was three times wounded in action, and thrice had his horse killed from under him. He was captured in a skirmish in Clark county, Virginia, in 1862, and was confined for four months in the federal prison in the city of Washington, being one of the one hundred and thirty-five prisoners who were the last to be exchanged before the close of the war. His widowed mother, in the midst of alarms and menacing turbulence, had bravely remained on the old homestead, in company with one devoted old slave. The fortunes of the family fell to the lowest ebb and the beautiful old plantation was a scene of havoc at the time when our subject returned. He had been reported killed in the battle of the Wilderness, and his mother had been bowed under this additional sorrow, knowing not that he was still living until he put in his appearance at the old home. He devoted four years to endeavoring to restore the prestige and prosperity of the plantation, but was eventually compelled to abandon this devoted service. He removed to Alexandria, Virginia, where he was engaged in the hotel business for five years and then took up his residence in Washington, D. C., where he engaged in mercantile business, continuing this enterprise until 1883, when impaired health, resulting from the injury received in a wound through the right lung while in service, compelled him to seek a change of climate. He accordingly came to South Dakota and located in the village of Aberdeen, Brown county, where he continued in the hotel business until 1884, and he then purchased the Aherdeen Republican, now known as the Aberdeen Democrat. He retained the original name, but changed the political policy of the paper, making it an excellent advocate of the principles of the Democratic party, and he successfully conducted the paper until 1893, when President Cleveland conferred upon him the office of receiver of the United States land office in Aberdeen. He continued incumbent of this position four years, after which he again became editor of the Republican, having retained possession of the property. He sold the plant and the business in 1902, after having been closely identified with its fortunes for more than a decade and a half. He is a vigorous and able writer, and made the paper a force and power in the political affairs of the state. He has ever been a stalwart advocate of the principles of the Democracy and has been prominent in its councils and formed the acquaintanceship of its leading men. In 1894 5 he was a member of the Democratic congressional committee. Mr. Barrett is an elder in the Presbyterian church and is a Mason. He married Mollie D. Fadeley, of the same county in Virginia, and they have two children: C. Boyd, Jr.. and Caroline B. Mr. Barrett is also engaged in the real- estate and insurance business, the firm being Barrett & Son.