Tobias Barry
{{Short description|American politician (1924–2017)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Tobias Barry
|image =
|alt =
|caption =
|birthname =
|birth_date = {{birth date|1924|4|12}}
|birth_place = Chicago, Illinois
|death_date = {{death date and age |2017|04|04|1924|04|12|mf=yes}}
|death_place = LaSalle, Illinois
|restingplace =
|restingplacecoordinates =
|nationality =
|office3 = Member of the
Illinois House of Representatives
|term_start3 = {{start date|1961|01}}
|term_end3 = {{end date|1974|12}}
|predecessor3 = William C. Hollerich
|successor3 = Richard Mautino
|party = Democratic
|otherparty =
|partner =
|relations =
|residence = Ladd, Illinois
|alma_mater = {{nowrap|Marquette University {{small|(B.Phil.)}}
Notre Dame Law School {{small|(J.D.)}}}}
|occupation =
|profession = Attorney
|committees =
|signature =
|signature_alt=
|website =
|footnotes =
|allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
|branch = {{flag|United States Navy}}
|serviceyears = 1942–1945
|rank =
|unit =
}}
Tobias G. Barry, Jr. (April 12, 1924 – April 4, 2017) was an American politician in the state of Illinois.{{cite web|title=Tobias "Toby" Barry|url=http://www.hurstfuneralhomes.com/notices/TobiasToby-Barry|publisher=Hurst Funeral Homes|accessdate=7 May 2017}}
Early life
Barry was born in Chicago on April 12, 1924, to Tobias Barry Sr. who represented the area in the Illinois House of Representatives until his death in 1958. Barry is an alumnus of St. Bede Academy, LaSalle-Peru-Oglesby (LPO) Junior College, Marquette University, and the University of Notre Dame School of Law. His studies were interrupted by three years of service with the United States Navy where he served in the Pacific theatre and participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa. Barry passed the bar in 1952 and began practicing law in 1953.{{cite book|title=Illinois Blue Book 1973–1974|page=128|accessdate=December 20, 2020|url=http://www.idaillinois.org/digital/collection/bb/id/36845}} He started his own law firm in 1958.{{cite journal|editor-last=Laughlin|editor-first=John F.|title=Class Notes: Class of 1952|journal=Notre Dame Alumnus|volume=41|issue=4|page=50|accessdate=December 21, 2020|url=http://www.archives.nd.edu/Alumnus/VOL_0041/VOL_0041_ISSUE_0004.pdf}}
Legislative career
In the 1958 general election, Barry, self-identifying as a Democrat, ran for the Illinois House of Representatives as an independent.{{cite news|title=Son of Barry Files for Seat Held Father Held|date=August 19, 1958|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|page=10 }} After an initial loss to Democratic incumbent William C. Hollerich, a recount put Barry ahead of Hollerich. Ultimately a House Committee opted to keep Hollerich as the elected representative when it met to resolve the elections of the 40th district and 46th district.{{cite news|title=House Groups Act in Dispute Over 2 Contested Seats|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=June 30, 1959}} In 1960, Barry was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives from the 40th district. He was credited with laying the legislative groundwork for the construction of Interstate 39 and a section of it is named in his honor.{{cite web|last=Madigan|first=Michael|title=House Joint Resolution 127 – Toby Barry Highway|date=May 4, 2006|publisher=Illinois General Assembly|access-date=January 8, 2023|url=https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=0127&GAID=8&DocTypeID=HJR&LegID=25856&SessionID=50&SpecSess=&Session=&GA=94}}
Judicial career
In the 1974 general election, he opted to run for a position as an Appellate Judge on the Third Judicial Court in lieu of running for reelection to the House.{{cite journal|author= |title=Democrats easily re-elect Stevenson, Dixon, and win majority of legislative seats|journal=Illinois Issues|volume=1|issue=1|page=18|publisher=Sangamon State University|accessdate=December 21, 2020|url=https://www.lib.niu.edu/1975/ii750118.html}} He was succeeded in the Illinois House by Richard Mautino.'State Rep. Richard A. Mautino, 53,' Chicago Tribune, Rick Pearson, August 30, 1991 In 1990, Barry ran against fellow Appellate Judge and Republican candidate James D. Heiple for the vacancy created by the retirement of Howard C. Ryan.{{cite journal|last=Burleigh|first=Nina|title=Election of three justices: the importance of the 'third branch' of state government|journal=Illinois Issues|volume=16|issue=8|publisher=Sangamon State University|accessdate=December 20, 2020|url=https://www.lib.niu.edu/1990/ii900816.html}} Heiple won by a margin of only 2,827 votes (50.33% to 49.67%). Each candidate won a large plurality in his home county, while the vote in other counties closely followed party lines.{{cite journal|last=Williams|first=Jackson|title=Irreconcilable Principles: Law, Politics, and the Illinois Supreme Court|journal=Northern Illinois University Law Review|volume=18|year=1998|page=272|accessdate=December 21, 2020|url=https://huskiecommons.lib.niu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1458&context=niulr}} Barry retired from the bench in 1994.
During his time on the bench, Barry served on the Administrative Committee{{cite journal|title=Names: The Judiciary|journal=Illinois Issues|volume=17|issue=7|page=37|publisher=Sangamon State University|accessdate=December 21, 2020|url=https://www.lib.niu.edu/1991/ii910733.html}} and the Illinois Supreme Court's committee on legislative affairs.{{cite journal|first1=Margaret S.|last1=Knoepfle|first2=Jennifer|last2=Smith|first3=Dawn|last3=Seifman|first4=F. Mark|last4=Siebert|title=Names: Illinois Judiciary Committees|journal=Illinois Issues|volume=17|issue=12|page=31|publisher=Sangamon State University|accessdate=December 21, 2020|url=https://www.lib.niu.edu/1991/ii911231.html}} He also served as Presiding Judge of the Third District and of the Appellate Court's Industrial Commission Division.{{cite journal|editor-last=Gherardini|editor-first=Caroline|title=Names: The Judiciary|journal=Illinois Issues|issn=0738-9663|volume=13|issue=2|page=33|accessdate=December 21, 2020|url=https://www.lib.niu.edu/1987/ii870232.html}}
In 2001, Governor George Ryan appointed Barry to the Illinois Gaming Board. Later that year, Barry was appointed as one of the commissioners of the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.{{cite web|url=http://www.state.il.us/court/media/PressRel/2001/122001.pdf|title=Tobias G. Barry Named Commissioner of the ARDC|date=December 20, 2001|publisher=Illinois Supreme Court|accessdate=December 21, 2020}} In 2002, Barry was appointed to serve on the Illinois Appellate Court for a two-year term to fill the vacancy left by Thomas Homer's retirement.{{cite web|url=http://www.state.il.us/court/media/PressRel/2002/110402c.pdf |title=Illinois Supreme Court Returns Tobias Barry to Appellate Bench |publisher=state.il.us|accessdate=11 February 2015}} He retired from law practice in 2006.{{cite journal|last=Jambor-Smith|first=Carol|title=Building for the New Millennium: A Progress Report|journal=Notre Dame Lawyer|volume=27|page=40|publisher=Notre Dame Law School|accessdate=December 21, 2020|url=http://scholarship.law.nd.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1027&context=nd_lawyer}} Barry died April 4, 2017, at age 92.
References
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Category:Judges of the Illinois Appellate Court
Category:Democratic Party members of the Illinois House of Representatives
Category:People from Bureau County, Illinois
Category:Politicians from Chicago
Category:Military personnel from Illinois
Category:Illinois Valley Community College alumni
Category:Marquette University alumni
Category:Notre Dame Law School alumni
Category:20th-century Illinois state court judges
Category:United States Navy personnel of World War II
Category:20th-century members of the Illinois General Assembly