William Barry was born on January 10, 1805 in Boston, Massachusetts.

In 1853 his health compelled him to cease work again, and he removed to Chicago, Illinois.

Here he organized the Chicago Historical Society in 1856, and was its secretary and librarian until 1868.

It was in his office that President Abraham Lincoln obtained the data for his memorable address at the Cooper Institute in New York.

Among his publications are Rights and Duties of Neighboring Churches; Thoughts on Christian Doctrine (Lowell, Mass., 1845); History of Framingham (Boston, 1847); Antiquities of Wisconsin (in Wisconsin Historical Collections, vol.