San Benito-Santa Clara-Sacramento County CA Archives Biographies.....Breen, Patrick ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 28, 2007, 9:39 pm Author: Luther A. Ingersoll, Editor (1893) PATRICK BREEN, deceased.—This family name is a most familiar one to the residents of Monterey and San Benito counties. It also has an honored place in the early annals of California's history. Patrick Breen was born in Ireland. He came to America in 1828. He lived for a time and married in Upper Canada. In 1834 he removed to Iowa and located near Keokuk, where he engaged in farming, and where several of his children were born. In the spring of 1846 he decided to emigrate to California, and with his family, then consisting of his noble helpmate, Margaret, and John, Edward J., Patrick, Jr., Simon P., James F., Peter and one daughter, Isabella M., took up the journey and proceeded as far as Independence, Missouri. Here they joined the historic Donner party, a train made up of about 250 wagons, making one of the largest and best-equipped trains that ever left that frontier town for the overland trip to this coast. The party proceeded on their journey across the plains, was without notable happenings as far as Fort Bridger in the valley of Salt Lake. Eighty-seven of the party there determined to leave the established route over the Rocky mountain range and took a more recently explored trail known as Hastings' cut-off, a portion of which lay through the Weber canon, which was thought to intersect the old road again on the Humboldt, making a cut-off of about 300 miles. Patrick Breen and his family cast their lot with this ill-fated party. The new route proved to be in poor condition, the journey slow and their ox teams became wearied and exhausted, and their stock of provisions ran low. They became apprehensive of serious troubles and delays, which soon proved well founded. They pushed on under various difficulties. Hungry and footsore they felt compelled to take a few days' rest at the point where now stands the town of Reno, Nevada. During the four days' delay here storm clouds were seen to gather and the party resumed their journey. The storm came, and on October 28, 1846, they found themselves about three miles below Truckee, on Prosser creek, in about six inches of snow. They were dismayed, but faltered not, and in a somewhat disorganized condition they reached Donner lake. All attempts to make further progress were baffled by the storm and camp was struck at this point. The storm raged in relentless fury for days; three ox teams were frozen and other stock were buried beneath the snow and frozen to death. The details of the starvation and suffering that this party endured during their long, tedious and cold weeks of confinement beggars description. The Breen family found and occupied a rude cabin standing about one-fonrth mile distant from the lake, which they occupied. The Murphys built another about 300 yards distant, and the Groves family built theirs near Donner creek and about 150 yards distant from the lake, and the Donners constructed a brush shed in Alder Creek valley, seven miles from the lake. About six weeks passed in these terrible prisons, when a party of five women, eight white men and two Indians started out on snowshoes over the mountains to obtain a relief if possible. Of this party one only succeeded in reaching Johnson's ranch on Bear river, and this on his thirty-second day after leaving Donner lake. The others, save four, who were rescued a day or two later, perished on the way. From Johnson's ranch the story of distress flew swiftly down the Sacramento valley and Captain Sutter fitted out a relief train of men with mules and provisions. San Francisco city raised a fund of $1,500 and fitted out a second expedition, and the naval commander of the port of San Francisco started out a third. It was this last party that, late in April, 1847, found and rescued the Breen and Graves families from the clutches of death by starvation in an icy prison of a full six months' confinement. One John Stark, a brave, true-hearted and conscientious man, stood firm for a complete rescue against the judgment of a possibility of two other members of the rescuing party of three. John Stark piloted this famished party out of danger, carrying all the provisions, blankets and utensils on his back and at times one or two of the weaker children. The names of this company were Patrick and Margaret Breen, John Breen, Patrick Breen, Jr., James F. Breen, Peter Breen, Isabella M. Breen, Nancy Graves and Mary Donner. Stark was a man of great physical power and endurance: he also had a stout heart and an abiding sense of duty. Thus he was the only one of this rescuing party who had the bravery to undertake the great task of taking this cold and starving company out of their bondage. The others of the rescuing party strongly favored taking a portion of the party first and leaving the Breens for another expedition, which meant certain death to all who were to be left. All finally arrived at Sutter's Fort in safety, however, James F. Breen having had his feet badly frozen. Patrick Breen lived at Sutter's Fort from March until September, 1847, and at San Jose until February, 1848, when he located with his family at San Juan, where he reared his family, took an active and honorable part in local affairs. He died at his home in 1868, and Margaret, the widow, who was a woman of great force of character and Christian fortitude, died in 1874. Portraits of these esteemed pioneers appear in "McGlashan's Donner Party." The Breen family in San Benito is honored and influential. John Breen, the oldest of the children of Patrick and Margaret Breen, is a resident of San Juan, a prosperous farmer and stock-raiser. He was born in Upper Canada, February 21, 1832. In June, 1848, he, in company with James Enright, of San Jose, engaged in placer mining at Mormon island on the south fork of the American river. He spent the fall and winter of 1848-'49 at Hangtown, now Placerville, in El Dorado county. He there witnessed the lynching of three men, the first occurrence of the kind in the mines, which affair gave the mining town its early-day name. In March, 1849, he returned to San Juan, where he has, for the greater part of the time, since lived. He married at Monterey, in October, 1852, Miss Leah Margaret Smith, who came with her parents across the plains in 1848, from Illinois. A sketch of her father, Judge E. Smith, who was the first Postmaster at San Juan and held other local offices, appears elsewhere in this work. Mr. and Mrs. John Breen have eight children. In 1860 Mr. Breen held the office of "Supervisor at Large" of Monterey county before its segregation, when each supervisor district had a representative on the County Board, and one at large was elected, and as such was ex-officio Chairman of the Board. He has for thirty years continuously served on the Board of School Trustees of San Juan district. He has cast his vote at every general election in San Juan since he was twenty-one years of age. He voted the Democratic ticket until Lincoln's second candidacy for the presidency, since which time he has voted with the Republican party. He was elected to a seat on the Board of Supervisors of San Benito county at the last election (1892). John Breen is a man of broad intelligence, practical sense and good judgment. Bancroft mentions his "Pioneer Memoirs," of eighty manuscript pages, as among the most valued in his extensive collection Edward J. Breen, deceased, the second oldest of the family, was known throughout Monterey and San Benito counties as an energetic and successful business man. He was born in Upper Canada, September 3, 1833, and was consequently thirteen years of age when the family came to the coast. He spent his youth in the valleys and the mountains of Monterey and San Benito counties, where he gained a practical knowledge of stock-raising. His industry, frugality and aptness for business were potent factors in his early success, and in due time found him in possession of bands of sheep and cattle of his own on the open ranges. He married Kate Sullivan, in 1856; she survived only until 1862, leaving him three sons. Mr. Breen was married again October 25, 1881, to Mary J., a daughter of Patrick and Mary Burns, pioneers of San Francisco, where Mrs. Breen was born. Mr. Breen was an active, thoroughgoing business man. He was generous and open-hearted, and very social in his nature, consequently widely known and had an army of followers who were proud to claim him as a personal friend. By his last marriage there are three sons, William A., James Edwin and Henry J. He died August 3, 1890, leaving a valuable estate and an honorable name to the widow and his sons. The family home, one of the most substantial in San Benito county, is located at San Juan. Patrick Breen, the third son of Patrick and Margaret Breen, was born at Keokuk, Iowa, March 12, 1837, and came overland with the family, as heretofore stated, and suffered with them the excruciating mental and physical torture that fell to the lot of the Donner party. He was then ten years of age and has spent his youth and early manhood in San Benito county. He early took up farming and has continuously pursued the same. In 1863 he married Miss Amelia Anderson, a native of Australia, a lady of domestic tastes and social culture. They reside in the city of Hollister. Mr. Breen's farm, consisting of several hundred acres of the choicest soil of the San Juan valley. Like all others of this pioneer family he is esteemed for his sterling traits of character. Hon. James F. Breen, Superior Judge of San Benito county, is one of the most earnest men in law and literature in the State. He was born at Keokuk, Iowa, January 21, 1841, coming overland to California with his parents in 1846, as before stated; he was a small boy when they located at San Juan, where he grew up and received the rudiments of his education. In 1857 he entered Santa Clara College, graduating in 1861. He then entered the law office of Clark & Carpentier, in San Francisco, and in 1862 was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court. He then returned to San Juan and engaged in the practice of his profession. In 1864 he was elected District Attorney of Monterey county, and was re-elected in 1866. In 1870 he was elected Judge of Monterey county, which position he held till 1874, when San Benito county was carved from Monterey, when he resigned to cast his lot with the county which included his home, San Juan. He was appointed Judge of the new county by Governor Booth, but at the end of his term of office, declined re-election, and resumed the practice of law in Hollister. In 1877 he was elected Assemblyman, and while representing this county, served on the Judiciary, Public Lands and Labor Investigation Committees of the House. In 1879, after the adoption of the "New Constitution," Judge Breen was almost unanimously elected Superior Judge, there being but thirteen votes cast against him. He was re-elected in 1884, and again in 1890, which position he now (1892) holds. Judge Breen is a Republican in politics, a student of the law, an impartial and able jurist and with all a popular citizen. He is married and has for years resided in Hollister. Isabella Breen, the only daughter of Patrick and Margaret Breen, married Thomas McMahon, Esq., a well-known citizen of Hollister. Peter Breen, a member of this family, died, and the writer believes, next younger than James F., arrived safely in California. He died single in 1870. Simon P. Breen, Bancroft mentions as being the next younger than Patrick, Jr., or the fourth born. The writer is lacking data concerning him. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Memorial and Biographical History of the Coast Counties of Central California. Illustrated. Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the Earliest Period of its Discovery to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of its Auspicious Future; Illustrations and Full-Page Portraits of some of its Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers, and Prominent Citizens of To-day. HENRY D. BARROWS, Editor of the Historical Department. LUTHER A. INGERSOLL, Editor of the Biographical Department. "A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants."-Macaulay. CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY. 1893. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/sanbenito/bios/breen845bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/cafiles/ File size: 12.9 Kb