John Barry (1745–1803)

John Barry
An 1801 Gilbert Stuart portrait of Barry.
Born	(1745-03-25)March 25, 1745 Tacumshane, County Wexford, Ireland
Died	September 13, 1803(1803-09-13) (aged 58) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Buried	St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	Continental Navy  United States Navy
Years of service	1775–1783, 1797–1803
Rank	Commodore
Battles/wars	American Revolutionary War Lexington vs. HMS Edward Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet Alliance vs. HMS Atalanta and Trepassey Alliance vs. Sybil

American Revolutionary War

John Barry (March 25, 1745 – September 13, 1803) was an officer in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War and later in the United States Navy. He came to be widely credited as "The Father of the American Navy" (and shares that moniker with John Paul Jones and John Adams) and was appointed a captain in the Continental Navy on December 7, 1775. He was the first captain placed in command of a U.S. warship commissioned for service under the Continental flag.

After the war, he became the first commissioned U.S. naval officer, at the rank of commodore, receiving his commission from President George Washington in 1797.

Barry was born on March 25, 1745, in Tacumshane, County Wexford, Ireland. When Barry's family was evicted from their home by their British landlord, they moved to Rosslare on the coast, where his uncle worked a fishing skiff. As a young man, Barry determined upon a life as a seaman, and he started out as a ship's cabin boy.

Barry received his first captain's commission in the Continental Navy on March 14, 1776, signed by John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress. Barry was a religious man and began each day at sea with a reading from the Bible. He had great regard for his crew and their well being and always made sure they were properly provisioned while at sea.

During his naval career Barry commanded United States Ships Delaware, Lexington, Raleigh, and Alliance.

In 1777 Barry commanded the ship USS Delaware, a brig sailing under a letter of marque capturing English vessels in the Delaware River.