The Irish standard., 1914-01-24

Near the center of Liberty Square,
Philadelphia, and about one hundred
yards from independence Hall, stands
an imposing monument of polished
granite surmounted by heroic figure
in bronze. Upon the northerly side
of the pedestal the following inscrip-
tion is chiseled into the stone:
Commodore
John Barry, U. S. N.
Father of the Navy
of the
United States
Born in Wexford, Ireland
1745
Died in Philadelphia
1903
Presented to the
City of Philadelphia
by the
Friendly Sons of st. Patrick
1907
During the year 1906, Congress ap-
propriated the sum of fifty thousand
dollars for the purchase of site in
the city of Washington and the erec-
tion of "a statue to the memory of
Commodore John Barry, the money to
be expended under the direction Of a
commission composed of the Secretary
of War, the Secretary of the Navy, the
Chairman of the Committee of the Ii
brary of the Senate, and the Chairman
of the Committee of the Library of the
House of Representatives." -,------
This monument and statue are now
nearly completed, and will be unveiled
in 1914, thus giving tardy recognition
to one of the foremost men of all
time in the Navy and the United
States.
OF his parentage and the part he
took in helping to establish this free
government of ours, many beautiful
things are written and we take much
pride in presenting this brief story to
the readers of The Candlestick:
John Barry was born in Tacum-
shane, County. Wexford, Ireland, in
1745. His father was an Irish farmer
of the highest character, and he in
herited from him the many noble at
tributes which afterwards made him
loved and distinguished in public and
private life. He followed the sea from
his earliest years and made his home
in Philadelphia in 1850. He not only
applied himself with diligence to the
study of his profession, but he also
found time to store his mind with use.
full information. AS a result he rose
rapidly in the confidence of his en-
ployers and early acquired position
and wealth. He commanded ships be-
fore he was of age, and at thirty stood
at the head of his profession. He Of
fered his services to Congress at the
opening of the Revolutionary War,
abandoning, as he said himself, the
finest ship and the first employ In
America, to espouse the patriotic
cause. His services were gladly ac-
cepted, and he was appointed to the
command of the Lexington, the first
Continental vessel Of war that sailed
from Philadelphia, in which he made
the first capture of British war YES
sci accomplished by an American
cruiser-that of the tender Edward.
Preble, in his "Origin of the FLAG"
saws this Lexington of the Seas was
"the first vessel that bore the Amer
ican flag to victory, and we can proud
lv add that she was commanded by an
Irishman."
Barry cruised successfully. in the
Lexington until the fall of 1776, when
he was appointed to the command OF
the Effingham, one of the three large
frixates built in Philadelphia. In the
eventful winter of that year, the navi-
cation of the Delaware being impeded
bv ice and all naval employment sus-
pended, Barry's bold and restless
spirit could not remain inactive. SO
Jealous was he in his country's cause
that he volunteered his services in the
army and served with distinguished
reputation as aide-de-camp to Cen
eral Cadwalader in the important
operations around Trenton and COM
manded a company of volunteers and
some heavy guns during the most
or;tica1 mart Of the action.
During the year 1777 Barry was
senior commander of the American
Navy at Philadelphia, and for some
time prevented the capture OF the city
BY the enemy. In October Of that