James Nelson Barker (17 June 1784 – 9 March 1858) was Mayor of Philadelphia (DR) from 1819 to 1820, interrupting Robert Wharton's terms.
Biography[]
James Nelson Barker was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1784, the fourth son of previous mayor John Barker, and he distinguished himself as a playwright (The Indian Princess, Superstition) before serving as a US Army major during the War of 1812. In 1817, he was elected to the Board of Aldermen, and he served as Mayor from 1819 to 1820. He returned to writing after leavng office, and he died in 1858.