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Frank Elliott Barnett (July 20, 1933 – July 15, 2016) was the governor of American Samoa from October 1, 1976, to May 27, 1977. Before becoming governor, he was a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent and a Tennessee attorney. He served as the first lieutenant governor of American Samoa for two years prior to his governorship. While Governor, a number of Samoans signed a petition accusing him of abusing local officials; others signed a counter-petition supporting him, and the charges were eventually dropped. This arose from his firing of Mere Betham, a native who had been serving as Samoan Director of Education, an action he defended as necessary to improve education on the island, but others decried as racist; Barnett reinstated Betham one week after dismissing her.

Barnett graduated from Knoxville High School in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1950. He served in the United States Marine Corps. Barnett went to University of Tennessee and later received his law degree in 1959 from University of Tennessee College of Law. He practiced law in Knoxville, Tennessee and was involved with the Republican Party.

Barnett's wife was Carolyn Barnett. They had two children.

References

1. Inc Marquis Who's Who (1971). Who's who in the South and Southwest: 1971-1972. Vol. 12. Marquis Who's Who, Inc. ISBN 9780837908120. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
2. National Conference of Lieutenant Governors (U.S.); Council of State Governments; National Conference of Lieutenant Governors (U.S.). Meeting (1976). The National Conference of Lieutenant Governors ... Biographical Sketches and Portraits. The Conference. ISSN 1046-1841. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
3. Sorensen, Stan; Joseph Theroux (2007). "The Samoan Historical Calendar, 1606-2007" (PDF). Government of American Samoa. p. 129. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2009. Retrieved 12 June 2010.
4. ^ Associated Press (8 January 1977). "People in the News". The News and Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. p. 27. Retrieved 12 June 2010.
5. Binder, David (14 December 1976). "Samoans in Debate as Home Rule Nears". The New York Times. New York City. The New York Times Company.
6. ^ "Frank Barnett, former governor of American Samoa, dies". www.knoxnews.com. Retrieved 2016-07-18.
7. Ashe, Victor (April 1, 2014). "When Frank Barnett met the queen". shoppernewsnow.com. Archived from the original on 2016-05-03. Retrieved 2016-07-18.

v t e Governors of American Samoa
Commandant (1900–1905)	Tilley Sebree Minett Underwood
Naval (1905–1951)	Moore Parker Crose Post Stearns Post Woodruff Poyer Terhune Evans Pollock Kellogg Bryan Graham Lincoln Spore Emerson Lincoln Landenberger Latimore Dowling Fitzpatrick Milne Hanson Wallace Wild Larsen (alongside Wild) Moyer Hobbs Hungerford Canan Houser Huber Darden
Civil (1951–1978)	Phelps Elliott Ewing Judd Lowe Coleman Lee Aspinall Haydon Mockler Ruth Barnett Lee
Elected (since 1978)	Coleman Lutali Coleman Lutali Sunia Tulafono Moliga Mauga Pula (elect)

• 1933 births
• 2016 deaths
• Republican Party governors of American Samoa
• Federal Bureau of Investigation agents
• Lieutenant governors of American Samoa
• Tennessee lawyers
• Military personnel from Georgia (U.S. state)
• Military personnel from Tennessee
• Politicians from Atlanta
• Politicians from Knoxville, Tennessee
• University of Tennessee College of Law alumni
• Tennessee Republicans
• 20th-century American lawyers