Library of Congress

BARRY, William Taylor, a Representative and a Senator from Kentucky; born near Lunenburg, Lunenburg County, Va., February 5, 1784; moved to Fayette County, Ky., in 1796 with his parents; attended the common schools, Pisgah Academy and Kentucky Academy in Woodford County, Ky., Transylvania University at Lexington, Ky., and graduated from William and Mary College at Williamsburg, Va., in 1803; studied law; admitted to the bar in 1805 and commenced practice at Lexington, Ky.; appointed Commonwealth attorney; member, State house of representatives 1807; elected as a Democratic Republican to the Eleventh Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Benjamin Howard and served from August 8, 1810, to March 3, 1811; served in the military during the War of 1812; member, State house of representatives 1814 and was chosen speaker; elected as a Democratic Republican to the United States Senate on December 16, 1814, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of George M. Bibb, and served from February 2, 1815, until his resignation effective May 1, 1816, having been appointed to a judicial position; appointed judge of the circuit court for the eleventh district of Kentucky 1816-1817; member, State senate 1817-1821; elected lieutenant governor of Kentucky in 1820; professor of law and politics at Transylvania University 1822; secretary of State of Kentucky 1824; appointed chief justice of the State court of appeals 1825; unsuccessful Democratic candidate for election as Governor of Kentucky in 1828; appointed Postmaster General by President Andrew Jackson March 9, 1829, and served until April 10, 1835, when he resigned; appointed Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Spain May 1, 1835; died in Liverpool, England, August 30, 1835, while in route to Madrid, Spain; interment in England; reinterment in the State Cemetery at Frankfort, Ky., 1854.