John Barry (March 25, 1745 – September 13, 1803) was an Irish-American officer in the Continental Navy during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

and later in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

. He has been credited as "The Father of the American Navy" (and shares that moniker with

John Paul Jones John Paul Jones (born John Paul; July 6, 1747 July 18, 1792) was a Scottish-American naval captain who was the United States' first well-known naval commander in the American Revolutionary War. He made many friends among U.S political elites ( ...

and

John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before his presidency, he was a leader of t ...

) and was appointed a captain in the Continental Navy on December 7, 1775. He was the first captain placed in command of a U.S. warship commissioned for service under the Continental flag. After the war, he became the first commissioned U.S. naval officer, at the rank of

commodore Commodore may refer to: Ranks * Commodore (rank), a naval rank ** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom ** Commodore (United States) ** Commodore (Canada) ** Commodore (Finland) ** Commodore (Germany) or ''Kommodore'' * Air commodore ...

, receiving his commission from President

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

in 1797.

Early life and education

Barry was born on March 25, 1745, in Ballysampson,

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 Coimseáin'' (House of Seán). Th ...

, County Wexford,

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

to a

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

family. When Barry's family was evicted from their home by their English landlord, they moved to Rosslare on the coast, where his uncle worked a fishing skiff. As a young man, Barry determined upon a life as a seaman, and he started out as a cabin boy.

Career

Barry received his first captain's commission in the Continental Navy on March 14, 1776, signed by

John Hancock John Hancock ( – October 8, 1793) was an American Founding Father, merchant, statesman, and prominent Patriot of the American Revolution. He served as president of the Second Continental Congress and was the first and third Governor of t ...

, president of the Second Continental Congress. Barry was a religious man and began each day at sea with a reading from the Bible. He had great regard for his crew and their well-being and always made sure they were properly provisioned while at sea. During his naval career Barry commanded the U.S. warships ''Delaware'', ''Lexington'', ''Raleigh'', ''Alliance'' and ''United States''.

Command of ''Lexington''

Captain Barry was given command of , of 14 guns, on December 7, 1775. It was the first commission issued by the Continental Congress. 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 , and after a desperate fight of one hour and twenty minutes captured her and brought her into Philadelphia. On June 28, Pennsylvania's brig ''Nancy'' arrived in the area with 386 barrels of powder in her hold and ran aground while attempting to elude British blockader . Barry ordered the precious powder rowed ashore during the night, leaving only 100 barrels in ''Nancy'' at dawn. A delayed action fuse was left inside the brig, which exploded the powder just as a boatload of British seamen boarded ''Nancy''. This engagement became known as the

Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet The Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet (June 29, 1776) was an important, early naval victory for the Continental Navy and the future "Father of the American Navy", Captain John Barry. It was the first privateer battle of the American Revolutionary War. ...

. Barry retained command of ''Lexington'' until October 18, 1776, and captured several private armed vessels during that time.

Command of ''Delaware''

In 1777, Barry commanded the ship , a brig sailing under a letter of marque and capturing British vessels in the Delaware River.

Command of ''Raleigh''

In 1778, Barry assumed command of , capturing three prizes before being run aground in action on September 27, 1778. Her crew scuttled her, but she was raised by the British, who refloated her for further use in the Royal Navy. Barry authored a signal book published in 1780 to improve communications at sea among vessels traveling in formation.

Command of ''Alliance''

He was seriously wounded on May 29, 1781, while in command of ''Alliance'' during her capture of HMS ''Atalanta'' and ''Trepassey''. He and his crew of the USS ''Alliance'' fought and won the final naval battle of the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...

south of Cape Canaveral on March 10, 1783. Barry was successful in suppressing three

mutinies Mutiny is a revolt among a group of people (typically of a military, of a crew or of a crew of pirates) to oppose, change, or overthrow an organization to which they were previously loyal. The term is commonly used for a rebellion among members ...

during his career as an officer in the Continental Navy.

Commodore commission

On February 22, 1797, he was issued Commission Number 1 by President

, 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.

Command of ''United States''

Appointed senior captain upon the establishment of the U.S. Navy, he commanded the frigate ''United States'' in the

Quasi-War The Quasi-War (french: Quasi-guerre) was an undeclared naval war fought from 1798 to 1800 between the United States and the French First Republic, primarily in the Caribbean and off the East Coast of the United States. The ability of Congress ...

with

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

. This ship transported commissioners

William Richardson Davie William Richardson Davie (June 20, 1756 – November 29, 1820) was a Founding Father of the United States, military officer during the Revolutionary War, and 10th Governor of North Carolina, from 1798–1799. A member of the Federalist Part ...

and

Oliver Ellsworth Oliver Ellsworth (April 29, 1745 – November 26, 1807) was a Founding Father of the United States, attorney, jurist, politician, and diplomat. Ellsworth was a framer of the United States Constitution, United States senator from Connecticut ...

to France to negotiate a new Franco-American alliance. Barry's last day of active duty was March 6, 1801, when he brought into port, but he remained head of the Navy until his death on September 13, 1803, from asthma. Barry died childless.

Later life and death

Barry died at Strawberry Hill, in present-day

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

on September 13, 1803, and was buried in the graveyard of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church. The executors of his estate were his wife Sarah, his nephew Patrick Hayes and his friend John Leamy.

Personal life

On October 24, 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 Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

. Barry had no children, but he helped raise

Patrick Patrick may refer to: * Patrick (given name), list of people and fictional characters with this name * Patrick (surname), list of people with this name People * Saint Patrick (c. 385–c. 461), Christian saint *Gilla Pátraic (died 1084), Patrick ...

and Michael Hayes, children of his sister, Eleanor, and her husband, Thomas Hayes, who both died in the 1780s.

Commemorations

* The U.S. Revenue Cutter ''Commodore Barry'', captured off Maine in the War of 1812 * Commodore Barry Park in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, New York. 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, which Barry helped found. * Four U.S. Navy ships ** USS ''Barry'' (DD-2) (1902–1920) ** USS ''Barry'' (DD-248) (1921–1945) ** USS ''Barry'' (DD-933) (1956–1983) ** USS ''Barry'' (DDG-52) (1992–present) * * There is a large portrait of Commodore Barry at the Rhode Island State House in Providence; and Title 16 of the Rhode Island Statutes (§ 16-20-3 – Days of special observance) requires observing September 13 as Commodore John Barry Day. *

Commodore Barry Bridge The Commodore Barry Bridge (also known as the Commodore John Barry Bridge or John Barry Bridge) is a cantilever bridge that spans the Delaware River from Chester, Pennsylvania to Bridgeport, in Logan Township, New Jersey. It is named after the A ...

, which crosses the Delaware River from Chester,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

Bridgeport Bridgeport is the most populous city and a major port in the U.S. state of Connecticut. With a population of 148,654 in 2020, it is also the fifth-most populous in New England. Located in eastern Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonnoc ...

. * John Barry Hall at

Villanova University Villanova University is a private Roman Catholic research university in Villanova, Pennsylvania. It was founded by the Augustinians in 1842 and named after Saint Thomas of Villanova. The university is the oldest Catholic university in Penns ...

* Commodore Barry Club (Philadelphia Irish Center) Emlen Street and Carpenter Lane, Mount Airy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania * Barry Township, Schuylkill County,

* 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 * Commodore John Barry Division of Ancient Order of Hibernians, National Park, New Jersey * 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 * A new plaque with a cannon was dedicated on March 10, 2007, in Port Canaveral. * A plaque stands in the city of Boston on Boston Common. * 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 Canaveral, Florida. * A stone plaque commemorating his grave site is located at Old St. Mary's Church in Philadelphia, PA. * A six-foot bronze statue of '' Commodore John Barry'' stands in Franklin Square (between I and K streets on 14th St. N.W.) in Washington, D.C. * Barry Hall is one of six military barracks facilities at the

United States Merchant Marine Academy The United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA or Kings Point) is a United States service academy in Kings Point, New York. It trains its midshipmen (as students at the academy are called) to serve as officers in the United States Merchant ...

in commemoration of him. * The visitor entrance to the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

, from Downtown Annapolis to the Visitor's Center, commemorates Commodore John Barry. Inside the entrance is a monument to Commodore Barry with a plaque with an image of his commission, Number 1 in the United States Navy. Both the gate and the monument were erected by the

Ancient Order of Hibernians The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH; ) is an Irish Catholic fraternal organization. Members must be male, Catholic, and either born in Ireland or of Irish descent. Its largest membership is now in the United States, where it was founded in N ...

* A large statue of Barry stands directly in front of the formal entrance to

Independence Hall Independence Hall is a historic civic building in Philadelphia, where both the United States Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were debated and adopted by America's Founding Fathers. The structure forms the centerpi ...

in Philadelphia, PA. * A statue of Barry overlooks the Crescent Quay in

Wexford Wexford () is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the island of Ireland. The town is linked to Dublin by the M11/N11 ...

town in Ireland. It was a gift to the town from the United States and was delivered by a

destroyer, USS ''John R. Pierce'' (DD-753). 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 Service and the Minister for Defence. *A statue of Barry by

Eugene Kormendi Eugene Kormendi (1889–1959) was a Hungarian sculptor. He studied at the Academy of Budapest before moving to Paris to collaborate with Auguste Rodin and Jean Paul Lorenz. Kormendi first came to the United States in 1939 along with his wife, ...

is placed in the west court of

Dillon Hall Dillon Hall is one of the 32 Residence Halls on the campus of the University of Notre Dame and one of the 16 male dorms. It is located directly west of Alumni Hall and is directly adjacent to South Dining Hall on the west. Dillon was built in 1 ...

at the

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic university, Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend, Indiana, South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin fo ...

. File:Independence Square.jpg, Statue at

File:JFK-John Barry Memorial.jpg,

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...

visiting the John Barry Memorial at Crescent Quay in

, Ireland File:Statue of Commodore Barry, Wexford - geograph.org.uk - 1249171.jpg, 1956 statue of Barry in Wexford File:John_barry_stamp.JPG, Barry and

on a U.S. postage stamp File:Irish Stamp John Barry.jpg, Barry on an Irish postage stamp

References

Footnotes

Bibliography

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External links

*

Barry-Hayes Collection
papers at

Independence Seaport Museum The Independence Seaport Museum (formerly the Philadelphia Maritime Museum) was founded in 1961 and is located in the Penn's Landing complex along the Delaware River in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The collections at the Independence Seaport Muse ...

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, digitized by

's Digital Library,

Villanova, Pennsylvania Villanova is a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It straddles Lower Merion Township in Montgomery County and Radnor Township in Delaware County. It is located at the center of the Philadelphia Main Line, a series of Philadelphia suburbs l ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Barry, John 1745 births 1803 deaths 18th-century American naval officers 18th-century Irish people 19th-century American naval officers 19th-century Irish people American Catholics American military personnel of the Quasi-War Continental Navy officers Irish-American history Irish sailors in the United States Navy Irish sailors Kingdom of Ireland emigrants to the Thirteen Colonies People from County Wexford People of colonial Pennsylvania People of Pennsylvania in the American Revolution United States Navy commodores