Arthur Barret

Who was Arthur Barret?

Arthur B. Barret was the twenty-second mayor of St. Louis, Missouri, but died from an illness only 11 days after taking office.

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.