Windham

BARRETT, John

1st Biography of John BARRETT 

Men of Vermont: an Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters and Sons of 
Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro, VT: Transcript Pub. Co., 1894, part III, p 1-2 
of 20 unpaginated leaves

John BARRETT, U. S. Minister and Consul General to Siam, was born 28 November 
1866 in Grafton [Windham County, Vermont], youngest son of Hon. Charles and 
Caroline (SANFORD) BARRETT. His grandfather, Capt. John BARRETT, was one of 
the conspicuous men of Grafton for many years, and his father, Hon. Charles 
BARRETT, who died in 1892, had served both Grafton, as its representative in 
the Legislature, and the county [Windham], as State Senator, with honor and 
distinction. From his father, Mr. BARRETT inherited the gift of ready speech 
and argumentative ability, and at an unusually early age he had given 
evidence of great facility in public debate. Leaving the public schools at 
Grafton, young BARRETT attended Vermont Academy several terms and then went 
to the Worcester Academy [Massachusetts], fitted for Dartmouth, and graduated 
from that college in 1889.

Then Mr. BARRETT went to California and taught for a short period in Hopkins 
Academy, at Oakland [Alameda County]. His next position was that of 
associate editor of the "Daily Astonrian," at Astoria [Clatsop County], 
Oregon, for a few months. He finally located at Portland [Multnomah County], 
Oregon, where he was city editor of the "Evening Telegram" up to the time of 
his appointment as Minister of Siam. Mr. BARRETT is looked upon as the 
leading young Democrat of Oregon. He was one of the organizers of the Young 
Men's Democratic League, of Oregon, was its secretary for two years, and 
afterward its vice president. He has been president of the Democratic League 
of Portland, and was a delegate to two Democratic State conventions, once 
serving as secretary of that body. He is one of the alternate delegates from 
Oregon to the Democratic National convention that nominated CLEVELAND, and 
during this campaign was very active in behalf of the Democracy and made many 
stump speeches for the party. For his political work he was honored by Pres. 
CLEVELAND with the appointment of U. S. Minister to Siam, for which country 
he sailed in April 1894, receiving just before his departure a complimentary 
banquet by the Democratic League of Portland. While in Portland Mr. BARRETT 
was a member of several social and fraternal organizations, among them the 
Assembly Club, the Royal Arcanum, and the Knights of Pythias. He was 
extremely popular in Portland and is esteemed very highly by everyone there, 
irrespective of party affiliations. He bears the distinction of being the 
youngest man appointed by President CLEVELAND to an important foreign post. 
His mother and an elder brother are now residents of Freeport [Stephenson 
County], Illinois.



2nd Biography of John BARRETT

Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography: A Series of Authentic Biographical 
Sketches of the Representative Men of Vermont and Sons of Vermont in Other 
States. Dodge. Burlington, Ullery, 1912, pp 110-111

John BARRETT, Director-General, Pan-American Union, Washington, D. C., was 
born 28 November 1866 in Grafton [Windham County, Vermont], son of Charles 
and Caroline B. (SANFORD) BARRETT. He is unmarried. Graduated from 
Worchester Academy [Worcester County, Massachusetts] 1884; Dartmouth College 
(A. B.) 1889, A. M. 1899; LL. D., Tulane University, 1910. Taught in Hopkins 
Academy, Oakland [Alameda County], California; assistant editor 
"Statistician," San Francisco; on editorial staff newspapers, San Francisco, 
Tacoma, Seattle; associate editor "Telegram," Portland, Oregon, 1891-1894; 
American minister to Siam 1894-1898; settling by arbitration claims involving 
$3,000,000; undertook special diplomatic and commercial investigations in 
Japan, Siam, Korea, Siberia, and India; war correspondent in Philippines 
1898-1899; American plenipotentiary to International Conference American 
Republics, Mexico, 1901-1902; commissioner general of foreign affairs for St. 
Louis Exposition 1902-1903; American minister to Argentina 1903-1904; to 
Panama 1904-1905; to Columbia 1905-1906; director-general Bureau of American 
Republics, now the Pan-American Union, since 19 Dec 1906. Elected honorary 
member American Asiatic Association for service in developing American 
commercial interests in Asia. Has contributed articles for magazines and 
reviews on Asiatic and Latin-American subjects. Given special diploma by 
National University of Bogota, Columbia, for services in international 
diplomacy; decorated with Order of Bolivar, Venezuela, 1910, in recognition 
of services in behalf of South American countries. Author of "Admiral Dewey" 
1899; "Pan-American Union--Peace, Friendship, Commerce" 1911; is preparing 
other books on Asia and South America. Member of University, Lotus (New 
York), University (Chicago), University (San Francisco), Metropolitan, Chevy 
Chase, University (Washington) Clubs. Address: Pan-American Union, 
Washington, D. C.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly