Arthur B. Barret (August 23, 1836 – April 24, 1875) was the 22nd mayor of
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, but died of an illness only 11 days after taking office.
Barret was born on his family farm in
Sangamon County, Illinois
Sangamon County is located in the center of the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it had a population of 197,465. Its county seat and largest city is Springfield, the state capital.
Sangamon County is included in the Sp ...
, near the state capital of
Springfield.
He was educated at various private schools including
Phillips Academy and
Saint Louis University.
As he reached adulthood, he moved to a farm across the
Missouri River from
Hermann, Missouri
Hermann is a city in and the county seat of Gasconade County, Missouri, United States. It has been the county seat since 1842. It is near the center of the Missouri Rhineland and south of the Missouri River. The population was 2,185 at the 202 ...
, to raise cattle. A few years later, he moved to St. Louis where he met and married his wife, Miss Anna F. Swerengen, in June 1859 with whom he had three children. Shortly after the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
, Barret succeeded his cousin, Colonel J. Richard Barret, to become president of the St. Louis Agricultural and Mechanical Association, a group that organized many large fairs held on the lands that would become
Fairground Park
Fairground Park is a municipal park that opened in 1908 in St. Louis, Missouri. It was originally a privately owned facility, first used by the St. Louis Agricultural and Mechanical Association for the St. Louis Exposition from 1856 through 1902 ...
in St. Louis. He resigned from the post in 1874.
He was a candidate for mayor several times before the St. Louis Democratic Convention: he was defeated three times in 1869, 1871, and 1873, the latter two which he was defeated by 3 votes and 1 vote, respectively. Finally, in 1875, Barret was nominated by the Democratic Convention without any opposition. On April 6, he was elected mayor of St. Louis having defeated Henry Overstolz with a large majority of the vote.
Barret was inaugurated as mayor of St. Louis on April 13, 1875. Four days later, he fell severely ill. The illness proved fatal and he died on April 24, 1875, having served only 11 days as mayor.
Barret was buried at
Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis.
References
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External links
Arthur B. Barretat the St. Louis Public Library: St. Louis Mayors Online Exhibit.
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Barret, Arthur B.
1836 births
1875 deaths
Mayors of St. Louis
19th-century American politicians
People from Springfield, Illinois