Alfred Constantine Barry (July 15, 1815 – March 5, 1888) was an American educator, politician,Universalist minister, andWisconsin pioneer. He was Wisconsin's 4thsuperintendent of public instruction (1855–1858) and served one term in theWisconsin State Assembly, representingKenosha County during the1864 term. During theAmerican Civil War he served as aUnion Armychaplain and recruiter. His name was generally abbreviated asA. Constantine Barry.

A. Constantine Barry was born atWalton, New York, and moved with his parents toVictor, New York, when he was a child. He was raised there and educated by private tutors.^[1] He was ordained aUniversalist minister in 1836 and pastored for ten years at various locations around New York before bringing his ministry toRacine,Wisconsin Territory, in 1846.^[2] In Racine, he started atemperance magazine, theOld Oaken Bucket, and became involved in local education matters, serving as the first supervisor of the public schools in Racine from 1849 through 1853.^[1]

In June 1855, he was appointedSuperintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin by GovernorWilliam A. Barstow, to fill the vacancy caused by the death ofHiram A. Wright. Later that year, he went on to win a full term as Superintendent in the Fall general election. He did not run for re-election in 1857. He was an advocate of the educational theories ofHorace Mann, and supported the creation of district normal schools and teacher's institutes, and the consolidation of school districts.^[1]

He was a member of theDemocratic Party and was a guest at theinauguration of James Buchanan in 1857. During his visit toWashington, D.C., he was one of several dozen guests stricken by the "National Hotel disease"—which some suspected was an attempted poisoning—and suffered from after-effects of the disease for the rest of his life.^[2]

At the outbreak of theAmerican Civil War, hevolunteered for service in theUnion Army and was enrolled as chaplain of the4th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, serving one year in that role.^[3] On his return to Wisconsin, he served on the local recruiting board.^[2]

In the 1863 general election, he was elected to theWisconsin State Assembly, representingKenosha County in the17th Wisconsin Legislature. In April 1864, after the end of the legislative session, he returned to active duty as chaplain for the19th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment,^[4] and served ten months with that regiment before receiving an appointment from PresidentAbraham Lincoln to serve as chaplain of the United States Hospitals.^[2]

He mustered out of federal service in August 1865.^[2] After the war, Barry and his family resided atFond du Lac, Wisconsin, for four years, then moved toElkhorn, Wisconsin, where he established a church. He finally moved toLodi, Wisconsin, in 1878, where he resided for the rest of his life.

He died at his home in Lodi on March 5, 1888.^[5][6]

• Rev Alfred Constantine Barry atFind a Grave

• People from Walton, New York
• People from Racine, Wisconsin
• Clergy of the Universalist Church of America
• Educators from Wisconsin
• People of Wisconsin in the American Civil War
• Members of the Wisconsin State Assembly
• 1815 births
• 1888 deaths
• Superintendents of public instruction of Wisconsin
• Educators from New York (state)
• 19th-century American educators
• 19th-century American clergy
• 19th-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature

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