John Barbee
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John Barbee | |
|---|---|
| 10th Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky | |
| In office 1855–1857 | |
| Preceded by | James S. Speed |
| Succeeded by | William S. Pilcher |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 16, 1815 Pewee Valley, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | December 22, 1888 (aged 73) |
| Resting place | Cave Hill Cemetery Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Political party | Know Nothing Democratic |
| Children | Alice Barbee Castleman |
John Barbee (September 16, 1815 – December 22, 1888) was the tenth Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky from 1855 to 1857 and chiefly remembered for his part in the anti-immigrant riots known as "Bloody Monday".
Life
He was born in
Bloody Monday
The most notable event of his term was "Bloody Monday", an uprising against (mostly Catholic) German and Irish immigrants on August 6, 1855. The day was election day, and despite the likelihood of riots, Barbee would not provide any security at voting booths. Know-Nothings prevented naturalized German and Irish from voting, and riots erupted on the streets of the Butchertown district of Louisville. Germans were beaten and some were killed as the riots spilled into the Irish-dominated Eighth Ward, burning a large row of houses (Quinn's Row). Barbee finally intervened to prevent rioters from destroying the city's Catholic cathedral. Officially, 22 people were killed in the riots, although some sources place the number of deaths at 100 or more. [1]
After Barbee's term as mayor, he served again on the city council from 1858 to 1861. He became a Democrat after the Civil War. He is buried in Cave Hill Cemetery.
References
- ISBN 9781598842227.
- Yater, George H. (1987). Two Hundred Years at the Fall of the Ohio: A History of Louisville and Jefferson County (2nd ed.). ISBN 0-9601072-3-1.