Barney (Bronislaw) Francis Spott was born in Milwaukee, January 14, 1898, the son of Albert and Veronica (or Verna) Spott. He attended local parochial schools prior to joining the Polish Army during World War I. Following his enlistment in November 1917, Spott left Milwaukee for the Polish Army camp at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario; from there he was sent to France, where he served as secretary and interpreter to General Archibald at the French-Polish mission in Paris. While attached to the mission, Spott became acquainted with General Charles de Gaulle. After the war's end, Spott traveled to Italy, Austria, and Poland, where he met the famed pianist Ignace Jan Paderewski and served as secretary to General Josef Haller in Krakow. In March 1920 Spott was discharged from the Army and returned to Milwaukee. His first job in Milwaukee was with the Mitchell Street State Bank, where he worked until 1922 when he opened a real estate office on the city's northeast side. Spott operated the business until his retirement shortly before his death in 1975.
Barney Spott was elected in 1927 to represent the Thirteenth District, Milwaukee County, in the State Assembly. He served one term in the Legislature, where much of his work was concerned with securing veterans' benefits for Americans who had served in the Polish Army during World War I. In private life, Spott was extremely active in veterans' affairs. He was a member of the American Legion and post commander of the Legion's General William G. Haan Post #234. In 1920 Spott organized Post #3 of the Polish Army Veteran Association; he later served as post commander and was awarded the title of Honorable State Commander for life. He was also a member and officer of the Polish Legion of American Veterans, Woodrow Wilson Post #11, the Americanization League of America, and other organizations. Throughout his lifetime, Spott was in great demand as a speaker and toastmaster at many civic and veterans' gatherings. In addition he did much to aid Milwaukee Polish Americans and Polish groups, by translating their letters, showing recording secretaries how to keep minutes of meetings (and apparently, occasionally composing the minutes himself), and preparing tax returns for the groups.
Albert Spott, father of Barney, Sr., was born in Prussian Poland, and became a citizen of the United States in 1906. Barney Spott's mother, Veronica Zajdowicz was born in the United States. Following Albert's death, she married Peter Kucharzak (1896-1944) in 1931. Vernonica Kucharzak died in 1953. Barney Spott married Olga Grochowski (d. 1963) in 1924; they had one son, Barney Spott, Jr.
