Biographical Sketches
PROF. STEPHEN M. BARRETT
County school superintendent of Jackson county, Missouri, is a young man who has for some years given his whole time and attention to educational work, and was elected to his present position in the Spring of 1895.
He was born in Nebraska City, Nebraska, March 3, 1865, and a year later his parents returned to Jackson county, Missouri, where they had formerly resided. His father, the late Robert W. Barrett, was one of the respected farmers of this county; was a native of Tennessee and came when a boy to this state, locating near Independence, where he grew up and married Miss Julia Perry, a native of Franklin county, Missouri, who survives him. He died at his home near Independence, June 11, 1880. They were the parents of 12 children - 9 sons and 3 daughters, Stephen M. being their 6th born and 1 of the 6 who are living, the others having died in infancy. Two of the sons are ministers of the gospel.
Stephen M. Barrett was reared on his father's farm. He received his early education in the common schools and later was a student in the Normal School at Valparaiso, Indiana. Of a studious nature, his time even when not in school has been given chiefly to his books. In 1885 he began teaching, and since 1888 taught continuously up to the time he was elected superintendent of schools of Jackson county, in April, 1895. As a teacher he gave the best of satisfaction, and to his new position he brings the same untiring energy and zeal for the advancement of educational interests that characterized his labors elsewhere. Believing in keeping abreast with the times and the progress made in other parts of the country, he has already pushed out in lines of work new to the schools of this county. To him are the schools of Jackson county indebted for their first regular course of study, and in his earnest efforts to bring the common schools up to a higher standard of excellency, he has to a great extent the cooperation of the teachers throughout the county.
December 24, 1889, Professor Barrett was united in marriage with Miss Dolly S. Cassell, daughter of George W. Cassell, of Brooking township, this county. They have 2 children, Edith and Bertha.
Fraternally Mr. Barrett is identified with the Knights of Pythias. Religiously he is a Baptist, and both in church and Sabbath school work he takes a deep interest, at this writing being superintendent of the Sabbath school.
This page was last updated August 2, 2006.