Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/227

BARRINGER, Daniel Laurens, representative, was born in Mecklenburg county, N.C., Oct. 1, 1781; eldest son of John Paul Barringer, a native of Würtemberg, Germany, who came to America in 1742, and removed from Philadelphia to North Carolina in 1743, becoming the progenitor of the Barringers of that state; and brother of Gen. Paul Barringer of the war of 1812. He was well educated and became a lawyer in Raleigh, N.C. He was a representative in the North Carolina legislature, 1813–’14, and 1819–’23; a representative from the Raleigh district in the 19th–31st congresses, 1825–53, and a presidential elector, 1844. He died in Tennessee, Oct. 16, 1852.

BARRINGER, Daniel Moreau, diplomatist, was born in Cabarrus county, N.C., in 1806; son of Gen. Paul and Elizabeth (Brandon) Barringer; and a brother of Gen. Rufus, of the Rev. William, and of Judge Victor C. Barringer. He was graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1826 and was admitted to the bar in 1829, practising in Concord, N.C. He was elected a representative in the state legislature in 1835 and served several terms. He was a member of the state constitutional convention of 1835; a Whig representative from the Concord district in the 28th, 29th and 30th congresses, 1843–49, and was appointed minister to Spain by President Taylor, serving, 1849–53. He was re-elected to the state legislature; a delegate to the peace congress of 1861; a brigadier-general in the Confederate service and a delegate to the Union convention in 1866. He died at White Sulphur Springs, Va., Sept. 1, 1873.

BARRINGER, Rufus, soldier, was born near Concord, N.C., Dec. 15, 1821; son of Paul and Elizabeth (Brandon) Barringer. He was graduated at the University of North Carolina in 1842. He read law with his brother at Concord, N.C., finished his legal training under Chief Justice Pearson at Mocksville, N.C., and opened a law office at Concord. He was Whig in politics, and in 1848 was elected to the lower house of the state legislature, where he urged the construction of a railroad from Charlotte to Danville, and otherwise advocated a progressive system of internal improvements, including the North Carolina railroad. The following session he represented his district in the state senate. His growing practice claimed his entire attention until 1860 when, as a Whig elector, he made an energetic canvas in behalf of Bell and Everett. He opposed secession, but when war became inevitable, he prepared to assist in the defence of his native state, raised a company of cavalry, afterwards Company F, 1st North Carolina cavalry, was commissioned captain May 16, 1861; major, Aug. 26, 1863, and three months later he was promoted lieutenant-colonel. In June, 1864, he was commissioned brigadier-general, and was promoted to the command of the North Carolina cavalry brigade consisting of the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, and 5th regiments. General Barringer was seventy-six actions, received three wounds, and had two horses killed under him. He was taken prisoner at Namozine church, Va., April 3, 1865, and held until August, 1865. On returning to North Carolina, he engaged in the practice of law until 1884, and advocated qualified negro suffrage as a southern policy co-operating with the Republican party until 1888, when he supported the nomination of Grover Cleveland on the ground of tariff reform. He was a member of the state constitutional convention in 1875; Republican candidate for lieutenant-governor of North Carolina in 1880, and engaged in agricultural pursuits in 1884. He is the author of “A History of the 1st North Carolina,” and of other war articles. He died Feb. 3, 1895.

BARRINGER, Victor Clay, jurist, was born near Concord, N.C., March 29, 1827; son of Gen. Paul Barringer. He was graduated at the University of North Carolina in 1848; served as private secretary to his brother Daniel Moreau Barringer at Madrid, 1849–’53, and on his return practised law in North Carolina. He was a member of the commission to adjust the code of civil procedure to the former laws of the state, in 1868, and of that to reduce the U.S. statutes at large into the compact form of the revised statutes in 1870. He was appointed an American member of the International court of appeals at Alexandria, Egypt, by President Grant, serving, 1874–’94. He received the highest honor conferred by the Khedive, the third class of the order of Osmanieh, in 1894. He died at Washington, D.C., May 27, 1896.

BARRON, James, naval officer, was born in Virginia in 1769. He began his career in the navy of his native state during the war of the revolution, entered the navy of the United States in 1798 as a lieutenant, and was promoted to a captaincy in the year following, for important services on board the United States, under Commodore Barry, to the command of which frigate he afterwards succeeded. After an active and useful service of nine years, during