John Barry : Short Biography

Born in Tacumshane, Co. Wexford, John Barry and his family were evicted from their land. They then moved to Rosslare where John decided upon a life at sea, begininning his career as a ship's cabin boy. He began working for on his Uncle's ships trading across the Atlantic. He appears in Philadelphia, where he would eventually settle, around 1762 as the fist mate of a trade vessel. 

John Barry's career in the American Navy was prestigious to say the least. He was appointed a captain in the Continental Navy on December 7th 1775 and received his first captain's commisssion in the Continental Navy on March 14th 1776. He served as Commander of four U.S. naval war ships, The Alliance, The Delaware, The Lexington, and The Raleigh. He is often regarded as the father of the American navy. On February 22nd 1797, Barry was issued Commission Number 1 by George Washington, an event which rose his rank to that of Commodore. 

John Barry married Mary Cleary on the 24th of October, 1768 at Old St Joseph's Chapel. Mary died in 1774 and John married Sarah Austin on the 7th of July 1777, who outlived him. 

There are three statues of John Barry. They are located at; Franklin Square, Washington D.C., in front of Independence Hall, Philadelphia P.A., an overlooking Cresecent Quay Wexford town in his ancestral county. 

His obituary states,

To his valor was owed much of the honor acquired on the seas during the revolution