Life and Politics in Michigan
In 1831, he moved to White Pigeon, Michigan where he became a merchant and was active in politics. In 1834, Barry moved to Constantine, Michigan and opened a general store in that village's first frame-built building. He became Justice of the Peace in 1831 while in White Pigeon and continued until 1835. Barry was a prominent participant from the 13th district in the 1835 convention that drafted Michigan's first constitution.
When Michigan became a state of the Union in 1837, Barry was a State Senator (1836, 1840) and was recognized as a leader of the state Democratic party. In 1840, Barry became deeply interested in the cultivation of the sugar beet and visited Europe to obtain information in reference to its culture.
Read more about this topic: John S. Barry
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