Arthur Buckner Barret
Born – August, 1836, Kentucky, U.S.A.
Died – April 24, 1875, Saint Louis, Missouri
Burial – Calvary Cemetery and Museum, Saint Louis
Spouse – Annie Farrar Swerengen
The listing on the 1875 Compton and Dry map Plate 71, lists Mrs. Arthur B. Barret. This is one of those occasions when she is listed because she is the widow of her recently deceased husband at the time the maps were published. No historical documentation is available on Mrs. Barret, so we are looking at the short, tragic life of Arthur Barret.
Arthur Buckner Barret was born on his family farm in Sangamon County, Illinois near the state capital of Springfield. He was educated at various private schools including Phillips Academy and Saint Louis University. As he reached adulthood, he moved to a farm across the Missouri River from Hermann, Missouri to raise cattle. A few years later, he moved to St. Louis where he met and married his wife, Miss Anna F. Swerengen, in June 1859 with whom he had three children. Shortly after the American Civil War, Barret succeeded his cousin, Colonel J. Richard Barret, to become president of the St. Louis Agricultural and Mechanical Association, a group that organized many large fairs held on the lands that would become Fairground Park in St. Louis. He resigned from the post in 1874.
He was a candidate for mayor several times before the St. Louis Democratic Convention: he was defeated three times in 1869, 1871, and 1873, the latter two which he was defeated by 3 votes and 1 vote, respectively. Finally, in 1875, Barret was nominated by the Democratic Convention without any opposition. On April 6, he was elected mayor of St. Louis having defeated Henry Overstolz with a large majority of the vote.
Barret was inaugurated as mayor of St. Louis on April 13, 1875. Four days later, he fell severely ill. The illness proved fatal and he died on April 24, 1875 having served only 11 days as mayor. Barret was buried at Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis. Wikipedia.
A more comprehensive biography of Arthur B. Barret from St. Louis History of the Fourth City by Walter B. Stevens.
Mayor – City of St. Louis
