John Barry was born in Ireland in 1745, went to sea while still a young boy and in 1760 adopted Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as his permanent residence. Remaining active in the seagoing trade, he had command of the merchantman Black Prince in 1775 and assisted in her entry into the Continental service under the name Alfred. He commanded the Continental brig Lexington during the first part of 1776, capturing several British vessels. Later in the year, he received the rank of Captain in the Continental Navy and was appointed Commanding Officer of the new frigate Effingham. Though his ship was unable to get to sea, Barry used her armament and men effectively during the long campaign to defend the Philadelphia region against greatly superior British forces.
In 1778, Captain Barry commanded the frigate Raleigh. Barry's gallant conduct at the time of her loss in September 1778 ensured that he received further active employment. After a time as captain of a privateer, in 1780 he was given the frigate Alliance, in which he captured three enemy privateers and three Royal Navy warships during 1781-1783. Alliance also carried American diplomats across the Atlantic to France and performed valuable services in the Caribbean area.
Following the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783, Barry returned to the merchant service. In 1794 he was appointed the senior Captain of the newly established United States Navy and subsequently was in charge of constructing the large frigate United States. Captain Barry commanded the new ship in the West Indies during the 1798-1801 Quasi-War with France, including a period as Commodore of U.S. Navy forces in the region. He served ashore at Philadelphia for the remainder of his life. Commodore John Barry died there on 13 September 1803.
The U.S. Navy has named four destroyers in honor of John Barry, including: USS Barry (Destroyer # 2), 1902-1920; USS Barry (DD-248, later APD-29), 1920-1945; USS Barry (DD-933), 1956-____; and USS Barry (DDG-52), 1992-____.
For more information on John Barry, see his entry in the online series "Biographies in Naval History".
This page features all the portraits we have of Commodore John Barry, USN, (1745-1803) and provides links to other views related to him.
For additional images related to John Barry, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 1883 Commodore John Barry, USN Portrait by Gilbert Stuart, circa 1801. This painting, owned by Peter Brady, was on indefinite loan to the White House in 1972. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 67KB; 585 x 675 pixels Note: See Photo # K-18537 for a color reproduction of this painting. |
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Photo #: K-18537 (Color) Commodore John Barry, USN (1745-1803) Portrait by Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828), circa 1801. In 1972 this painting was on indefinite loan to the White House. It was then owned by Peter Brady. Courtesy of the White House, Washington, D.C. Official U.S. Navy Photograph. Online Image: 76KB; 580 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 56856 Commodore John Barry, USN (1745-1803) Stipple engraving by Edwin, after the painting by Gilbert Stuart, published in the "Port Folio" magazine, 1813. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 144KB; 530 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 56857 Commodore John Barry, USN (1745-1803) Engraving by J.B. Longacre, after the painting by Gilbert Stuart, published in "National Portrait Gallery of Distinguished Americans", by James Herring and James Longacre, 1859. The print includes a facsimile of Barry's signature. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 108KB; 480 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 51521 Commodore John Barry, USN (1745-1803) Portrait by Albert Rosenthal, after Gilbert Stuart, 1920. This artwork was presented by the artist to USS Barry (DD-248). U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 120KB; 530 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 76537-KN (Color) Commodore John Barry, USN Painting by V. Zveg, 1972, after the portrait by Gilbert Stuart. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 70KB; 585 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: KN-10909 (Color) Commodore John Barry, USN (1745-1803) Oil on canvas, 76.5" x 56", by Robert Hinckley (1853-1941). Painting in the U.S. Naval Academy Museum Collection. Gift of Rear Admiral Pierce Crosby, USN, 1890. Official U.S. Navy Photograph. Online Image: 54KB; 535 x 765 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system as Photo # 428-KN-10909 |
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Photo #: NH 66641 Captain John Barry, Continental Navy (1745-1803) Engraved portrait by J. Rodgers, published during the 19th Century by Virtue, Emmins & Co., New York, as part of a print entitled "American Naval Commanders". U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 132KB; 530 x 765 pixels Note: See Photo # NH 316 for the full original print from which this image is copied. |
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Photo #: NH 316 "American Naval Commanders" of the Revolutionary War era Engraving by J. Rodgers, published during the 19th Century by Virtue, Emmins & Co., New York. It contains portraits of Esek Hopkins, Silas Talbot, John Paul Jones, Richard Dale and John Barry, all of whom were prominent officers of the Continental Navy and the early United States Navy. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 98KB; 510 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 51515-KN (color) John Barry (1745-1803) Minature portrait painted in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, possibly by Gilbert Stuart. It appears to show Barry as a young man. Courtesy of Dr. Padraig Quinn, Newry, Ireland. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 61KB; 600 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 56859 John Barry (1745-1803) Portrait by Matthew Pratt. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 68KB; 500 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 61140 John Barry (1745-1803) Portrait in oils, by an unidentified artist, depicting the subject as a relatively young man. The identification of this portrait as a likeness of John Barry is somewhat uncertain. The original painting was in the Hepburn collection when photographed, probably in the late 19th or early 20th Century. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 131KB; 570 x 765 pixels |
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For additional images related to John Barry, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 13 September 2002
New image added 17 September 2002