Barrett, George J

Barrett, George J.

a Methodist Episcopal minister, was born in Mechanicsville, N. Y., Feb. 22, 1818. He professed religion in early life; became a teachler among the Chippewa Indians at Green Bay, Wis., in his eighteenth year; and in 1839 entered the Illinois Conference. Ten years later ill-health obliged him to locate. On recovering, he began preaching for the Congregationalists, and remained with them fifteen years. In 1863 he re-entered the Illinois Conference. and continued zealous and faithful until his death, Feb. 19, 1877. Mr. Barrett won the reputation of being the wittiest man ever connected with the Illinois Conference. Always cheerful and buoyant, he scattered sunshine wherever he went. He was conscientious and strong in all his convictions; was brave, and wielded a scathing irony against all that he thought to be wrong; was generous and eloquent. See Minutes of Annual Conferences, 1877, p. 134.