Details For Cover ID# 29408

1890 2c carmine Small Bank Note (220) strip-of-three tied on cover by "Washington, D.C. Oct 10, 1894" machine cancel to "Hon. John Barrett, U.S. Minister Resident and Consul General, Bangkok, Siam". Corner card of "Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary, Division of Appointments." Reverse: "New York, N.Y. Oct. 11, 1894" transit marking, "London Oc 19, 94" red transit marking, "Bangkok 15/11 94" arrival marking. 1c convenience overpayment of 5c UPU rate.

John Barrett (1866-1938) was a U.S. diplomat and and one of the most influential early directors general of the Pan American Union. On his death, the New York Times commented that he had "done more than any other person of his generation to promote closer relations among the American republics". From 1889 to 1894, he worked as a journalist on the west coast.  While working as a journalist, he so impressed President Grover Cleveland during a meeting that he was appointed as the United States Minister to Siam (now Thailand) in 1894. He served in that country for four years working to improve trade relations, before returning to life as a journalist, working as a war correspondent during the Spanish-American War and then as a diplomatic adviser to Admiral George Dewey.

Barrett was later appointed minister to Argentina, Panama and Colombia. In 1907, he was appointed at the first Director General of the Bureau of American Republics, an international organization that was renamed as the Pan American Union in 1910. He served in that capacity for fourteen years.

John Barrett (State of Residence: Oregon) was appointed Feb. 14, 1894 as Minister Resident/Consul General to Siam. Presentation of Credentials occurred on Nov. 15, 1894. Source: Office of the Historian, United States Department of State.