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Statue of John Barry
The statue of John Barry commemorates the "Father of the United States Navy", Commodore John Barry (1745–1806). Barry was an Irish-born sailor who joined the American colonists in the fight for independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Barry became the first officer to be commissioned by the Second Continental Congress. He captained several ships during the American Revolutionary War, and fought not only in the Continental Navy, but also in the Continental Army as well. He was the first American to capture an enemy ship and was promoted to commodore by President George Washington in 1794. Barry's last ship, the United States, fought in the Quasi-War. He retired in 1801, but remained head of the United States Navy until his death in 1806.
Plans to build a memorial to Barry began in 1902. With assistance from members of Congress, a bill to install the memorial and the allocation of $50,000 (equivalent to $1,749,815 in 2024) to pay for it was approved in 1906. The National Commodore John Barry Statue Commission included government officials, veterans, and many Irish American groups. The person who won the commission to create the sculpture was John J. Boyle. Work on the sculpture and pedestal took place from 1911 to 1913.
A dedication ceremony for the memorial took place in 1914, and included a large parade through Washington, D.C. Over 10,000 people, including President Woodrow Wilson, members of Congress, military leaders, and Supreme Court justices, attended the ceremony. The unveiling of the statue was done by one of Barry's descendants. The bronze statue of Barry is located at the western edge of Franklin Square in downtown Washington, D.C. Barry is portrayed wearing a military uniform while his right hand is holding scrolls and resting on a sword. The female allegorical statue on the front of the pedestal represents Victory. She is holding a laurel wreath as an eagle rests below her right arm.
The memorial is one of fourteen statues listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites in 1978 and 1979, respectively. The memorial is also a contributing property to the L'Enfant Plan, listed on the NRHP in 1997.
John Barry was born 1745 in Ireland, and later worked as a cabin boy before immigrating to the British colonies in America at age 15. Fifteen years later, as the Thirteen Colonies began fighting for their independence in the American Revolutionary War, he joined the Continental Navy. Barry was named captain of USS Lexington in December 1775, the first commission by the Second Continental Congress. While commanding the ship, he became the first American to capture a Royal Navy ship.
Barry commanded Lexington for most of 1776. Not only did Barry serve in the Continental Navy, he also served in the Continental Army during the winter of 1776–1777, successfully fighting the enemy at the Battle of Trenton and Battle of Princeton. In 1777, he commanded USS Delaware, and was responsible for leading successful attacks on the Royal Navy. In 1778, he commanded the USS Raleigh, which ran aground and was repaired for use by British forces. In 1781, Barry commanded USS Alliance during a successful battle with the Royal Navy. He was seriously injured in the process, but it was the final naval battle of the war.
After the war ended and America had won its freedom, President George Washington issued Barry Commission Number 1. He was referred to as commodore from that point. His final ship was the United States which he captained during the Quasi-War with France. He retired after that war, but retained his role as head of the United States Navy until his death in 1803. Barry's contribution to American wars, including being the first American commissioned naval officer, earned him praise and admiration. He is referred to as the "Father of the United States Navy".
In early 1902, a social club in Washington, D.C., voted unanimously for a memorial to be placed in the city. Michael Francis O'Donoghue, husband of Marian Longfellow O'Donoghue, was an Irish American who was tasked with getting permission from Congress for the memorial. Representative Michael E. Driscoll and Senator Thomas Kearns agreed to introduce a bill in Congress that would result in the erection of the memorial. The first bill was written by O'Donoghue and was introduced in the House of Representatives and the Senate. With assistance from Senator Henry C. Hansbrough, the bill passed the Senate with an appropriation of $25,000 (equivalent to $908,558 in 2024) for the memorial to be built. Senator George P. Wetmore later increased the funding to $50,000 (equivalent to $1,817,115 in 2024).
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Statue of John Barry
The statue of John Barry commemorates the "Father of the United States Navy", Commodore John Barry (1745–1806). Barry was an Irish-born sailor who joined the American colonists in the fight for independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Barry became the first officer to be commissioned by the Second Continental Congress. He captained several ships during the American Revolutionary War, and fought not only in the Continental Navy, but also in the Continental Army as well. He was the first American to capture an enemy ship and was promoted to commodore by President George Washington in 1794. Barry's last ship, the United States, fought in the Quasi-War. He retired in 1801, but remained head of the United States Navy until his death in 1806.
Plans to build a memorial to Barry began in 1902. With assistance from members of Congress, a bill to install the memorial and the allocation of $50,000 (equivalent to $1,749,815 in 2024) to pay for it was approved in 1906. The National Commodore John Barry Statue Commission included government officials, veterans, and many Irish American groups. The person who won the commission to create the sculpture was John J. Boyle. Work on the sculpture and pedestal took place from 1911 to 1913.
A dedication ceremony for the memorial took place in 1914, and included a large parade through Washington, D.C. Over 10,000 people, including President Woodrow Wilson, members of Congress, military leaders, and Supreme Court justices, attended the ceremony. The unveiling of the statue was done by one of Barry's descendants. The bronze statue of Barry is located at the western edge of Franklin Square in downtown Washington, D.C. Barry is portrayed wearing a military uniform while his right hand is holding scrolls and resting on a sword. The female allegorical statue on the front of the pedestal represents Victory. She is holding a laurel wreath as an eagle rests below her right arm.
The memorial is one of fourteen statues listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites in 1978 and 1979, respectively. The memorial is also a contributing property to the L'Enfant Plan, listed on the NRHP in 1997.
John Barry was born 1745 in Ireland, and later worked as a cabin boy before immigrating to the British colonies in America at age 15. Fifteen years later, as the Thirteen Colonies began fighting for their independence in the American Revolutionary War, he joined the Continental Navy. Barry was named captain of USS Lexington in December 1775, the first commission by the Second Continental Congress. While commanding the ship, he became the first American to capture a Royal Navy ship.
Barry commanded Lexington for most of 1776. Not only did Barry serve in the Continental Navy, he also served in the Continental Army during the winter of 1776–1777, successfully fighting the enemy at the Battle of Trenton and Battle of Princeton. In 1777, he commanded USS Delaware, and was responsible for leading successful attacks on the Royal Navy. In 1778, he commanded the USS Raleigh, which ran aground and was repaired for use by British forces. In 1781, Barry commanded USS Alliance during a successful battle with the Royal Navy. He was seriously injured in the process, but it was the final naval battle of the war.
After the war ended and America had won its freedom, President George Washington issued Barry Commission Number 1. He was referred to as commodore from that point. His final ship was the United States which he captained during the Quasi-War with France. He retired after that war, but retained his role as head of the United States Navy until his death in 1803. Barry's contribution to American wars, including being the first American commissioned naval officer, earned him praise and admiration. He is referred to as the "Father of the United States Navy".
In early 1902, a social club in Washington, D.C., voted unanimously for a memorial to be placed in the city. Michael Francis O'Donoghue, husband of Marian Longfellow O'Donoghue, was an Irish American who was tasked with getting permission from Congress for the memorial. Representative Michael E. Driscoll and Senator Thomas Kearns agreed to introduce a bill in Congress that would result in the erection of the memorial. The first bill was written by O'Donoghue and was introduced in the House of Representatives and the Senate. With assistance from Senator Henry C. Hansbrough, the bill passed the Senate with an appropriation of $25,000 (equivalent to $908,558 in 2024) for the memorial to be built. Senator George P. Wetmore later increased the funding to $50,000 (equivalent to $1,817,115 in 2024).