John Barrett (diplomat)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| John Barrett | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 28, 1866 Grafton, Vermont |
| Died | October 17, 1938 Bellow Falls, Vermont |
| Occupation | American diplomat |
| Spouse | Mary Tanner Candy |
John Barrett (November 28, 1866-October 17, 1938) was a United States diplomat and one of the most influential early directors general of the Pan American Union. On the death, the New York Times commented that he had "done more than any other person of his generation to promote closer relations among the American republics".
[edit] Biography
Barrett was born in Grafton, Vermont. He studied at both Vanderbilt University and Dartmouth College, eventually graduating from the latter with a Bachelor of the Arts degree in 1889. From 1889 to 1894, he worked as a journalist on the west coast (especially Tacoma, Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco). While working as a journalist, he so impressed President Grover Cleveland during a meeting that he was appointed as the United States Minister to Siam (now Thailand). He served in that country for four years working to improve trade relations before returning to life as a journalist, working as a war correspondent during the Spanish-American War and then as a diplomatic adviser to Admiral George Dewey. (He would write a biography of Dewey in 1899.) Finally, he was appointed as a delegate to the second Pan-American Conference in 1901 through the following year.
In 1903, he was appointed as the Minister to Argentina, and though he only served in that position for one year, President Theodore Roosevelt later remarked that he had began a "new United States-Argentine era". He was then appointed as Minister to Panama and then to Columbia.
In 1907, he was appointed at the first Director General of the Pan American Union. (It had been known in its previous incarnation as the Bureau of American Republics.) He served in this capacity for fourteen years. During that period, he also founded the Pan-American Society of the United States, was Secretary General of 1916's Pan-American Scientific Congress, and presideded over the Pan-American Commercial Congresses of 1911 and 1919.
In 1924, he briefly entered politics by running for the United States Senate as a Republican, but withdrew from the race before the election.
In his life, Barrett received honorary doctorates from Tunane University, the University of Southern California, the National University of Bogota, and the Panama National University. He also received state decorations from Venezuela and China.
He died of pneumonia in 1938.
| Preceded by Sempronius H. Boyd |
United States Minister to Siam 1894–1898 |
Succeeded by Hamilton King |
| Preceded by Sempronius H. Boyd |
United States Minister to Argentina 1903–1904 |
Succeeded by Hamilton King |
| Preceded by William I. Buchanan |
United States Minister to Panama 1903–1904 |
Succeeded by Charles E. Magoon |
| Preceded by William W. Russell |
United States Minister to Columbia 1905–1906 |
Succeeded by Thomas C. Dawson |
| Preceded by none |
Director General of the Pan-American Union 1907–1921 |
Succeeded by Leo S. Rowe |
[edit] References
- "Dr. Barrett, Envoy to Four Nations, Dies", The Washington Post, 1938-10-18, p. X5.
- "John Barrett, 71, Trade Developer", New York Times, 1938-10-18, p. 25.
