Nathaniel A. Barrett (1861-1933) was an American physician and politician. He was born on January 16, 1861, in

Lawrence County, Alabama Lawrence County is a county in the northern part of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 33,073. The county seat is Moulton. The county was named after James Lawrence, a captain in the United States Navy from ...

, to David B. Barrett and Charlotte Wilson Aldridge Barrett. His father was a carpenter and contractor. Barrett attended public schools in Lawrence County and a private school run by C.G. Lynch. He began to study medicine under Dr. C.A. Crow at Moulton, then spent one year in the medical department of the

University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, the Capstone, or Bama) is a Public university, public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of ...

and later attended the medical department of

Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private university, private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provide ...

, where he earned an

M.D. A Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated MD, from the Latin ) is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the ''MD'' denotes a professional degree of physician. This ge ...

in 1886. Upon getting his degree, Barrett began practicing in

Danville, Alabama Danville is an unincorporated community in Morgan County, Alabama Morgan County is a county in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, its population was 123,421. The county seat is Decatur. On June 14 ...

. There, he served as president as the Morgan County Medical Society and also as chairman of the county democratic executive committee. In 1891, he moved to East Lake, which was at that time not a part of

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

. There, he built a large and lucrative practice. Barrett was active in the incorporation of East Lake as a municipality and served as its first and last mayor. East Lake adopted the code form of municipal government in 1910 during Barrett's last term as mayor. Barrett was elected president of the Birmingham Commission (a position equivalent to that of a mayor) in 1917 after a hotly contested race against George B. Ward, the incumbent. As head of the city's finance department, he brought the city's expenditures within its income. He also served as a member of the Jefferson County Democratic Committee. He was a member of the Knights Templar, the Shrine, Knights of Pythias, and the Junior Order of United American Mechanics. He was a Baptist and was active in church affairs. He married Annie P. Troup of Danville on May 5, 1891. Barrett died on September 12, 1933, in

Decatur, Alabama Decatur () is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County, Alabama, Morgan County (with a portion also in Limestone County, Alabama, Limestone County) in the U.S. state of Alabama. Nicknamed "The River City," it is located in North Alabam ...

.'Funeral Services For Dr. Barrett,' Decatur Daily (Alabama), September 12, 1933

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barrett, Nathaniel 1861 births 1933 deaths 20th-century mayors of places in Alabama People from Lawrence County, Alabama People from Morgan County, Alabama Physicians from Alabama Mayors of places in Alabama