Frank A. Barrett

Frank Aloysius Barrett
United States Senator from Wyoming
In office January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1959
Preceded by	Joseph C. O'Mahoney
Succeeded by	Gale W. McGee
21st Governor of Wyoming
In office January 1, 1951 – January 3, 1953
Preceded by	Arthur G. Crane
Succeeded by	Clifford Joy Rogers
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wyoming's At-large district
In office January 3, 1943 – December 31, 1950
Preceded by	John J. McIntyre
Succeeded by	William Harrison
Member of the Wyoming Senate
In office 1933-1935
Personal details
Born	November 10, 1892 Omaha, Nebraska
Died	May 30, 1962 (aged 69) Cheyenne, Wyoming
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Alice Catherine Donoghue Barrett and Augusta K. Hogan Barrett
Children	James Emmett Barrett and Francis Anthony Barrett
Alma mater	Creighton University
Profession	Soldier, lawyer and politician
Religion	Catholic
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1917–1919
Rank	sergeant
Unit	Balloon Corps
Battles/wars	World War I

Frank Aloysius Barrett (November 10, 1892 – May 30, 1962) was an American soldier, lawyer and politician. He served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and as the 21st Governor of Wyoming.

Biography

Barrett was born in Omaha, Nebraska, to a family of eight. His parents were Patrick J. Barrett and Elizabeth A. Curran Barrett. He studied law and science at Creighton University,^[1] and worked as a postal employee at the same time. During World War I, Barrett joined the Balloon Corps of the United States Army for a two-year enlistment. He married Alice Catherine Donoghue on May 21, 1919, and they moved to Lusk, Wyoming.

After arriving in Lusk, Barrett put his law degree to good use, acting as county attorney for Niobrara from 1922 until 1934. He served in the Wyoming Senate from 1933 until 1935,^[2] then served on the Board of Trustees of the University of Wyoming. He first ran for Federal office in 1936, but lost out to Paul Greever. He stood for Congress again in 1942, and won, serving there until 1950.^[3] Among his appointments to the United States Naval Academy was future Wyoming state Senator and the 1978 Republican gubernatorial nominee John C. Ostlund (1927–2004). In 1951, Barrett was elected Governor.^[4] He resigned in 1953 after he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1952, when he unseated three-term incumbent Joseph C. O'Mahoney.^[5] He was defeated after only one term by one of O'Mahoney's former aides, Gale McGee.

Family life

On February 17, 1956, his wife Alice died of cancer. They had had four children together, one of whom had died in infancy. On April 4, 1959, he remarried, to Augusta K. Hogan. Barrett completed his term in the Senate in 1958, and narrowly lost his re-election bid. In 1959 he was appointed Chief Counsel of the Department of Agriculture. His son, James Emmett Barrett, was a senior judge of the United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit and former judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review in Washington, D.C.^[6]

Death

Barrett was diagnosed with leukemia on May 15, 1962, and died just fifteen days later, at the age of 69. He was interred at Lusk Cemetery in Lusk.^[7] Barrett was a devout Catholic, and a member of the Knights of Columbus.

References

1. "Wyoming Governor Frank A. Barrett". National Governors Association. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
2. "Barrett, Frank Aloysius (1892-1962)". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
3. "Sen. Frank Barrett". Govtrack.us. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
4. "Wyoming Governor Frank A. Barrett". National Governors Association. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
5. "Sen. Frank Barrett". Govtrack.us. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
6. "Judge James E. Barrett". Find A Grave. Retrieved November 15, 2012.

External links

• Frank Barrett's Gravesite
• Wyoming State Archives biography. Accessed 2005-11-10.
• "Frank Barrett Dies Memorial Day, Last Rites Saturday Morning at 10:00 in High School Auditorium", The Lusk Herald, May 1962. Accessed 2005-11-10.
• Congressional biography. Accessed 2005-11-10.
• HistoryBuff.com State Facts - Wyoming. Accessed 2005-11-10.
• The Political Graveyard
• National Governors Association: Wyoming Governor Frank A. Barrett