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Descendants of Patrick Breen *
3.PATRICK3 BREEN * (EDWARD2, PATRICK1) was born 1795 in Barnahasken, Co. Carlow, Ireland, and died December 21, 1868 in San Juan Bautista, California.He married MARGARET BULGER * Abt. 1831 in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada.
Notes for PATRICK BREEN *:
1828 -- emig/ to Southwold, near St. Thomas, Elgin County, Ontario, Canada
ca. 1834 -- moved to Springfield, Illinois
1835 -- moved to Lee County, Territory of Iowa (Keokuk).On 1840 census.
5 Apr 1846 -- left for California.11 Nov 1846 snowed in, Donner Pass.
1844 -- Murphy ranch, 1847 Mission San Jose
Feb 1848 -- 1st Americans to settle in San Juan Bautista
served as postmaster and school trustee
(source:King, Joseph A., "Winter of Entrapment: A New Look at the Donner Party")
CALIFORNIA PIONEER REGISTER AND INDEX 1542 - 1848
page 69
Breen (Patrick), 1846, Irishman who came to Amer. in '28, and from Iowa overland in theDonner party (v. 530-44, where all the members of this family are named), with his wife Margaretand 7 children, the whole family surviving the perils of that terrible journey. Breen's original Diary of the Donner Party is one of the most highly prized treasures of my Library. The Breens lived at
Murphy's on the Cosumnes till Sept. '47, then at S. Jos‚ till Feb. '48, when they settled at S. Juan B. Here Patrick died in '68 and his widow in '74. Portraits and biog. sketches of the family inMcGlashan's Donner Party. The Breens have always been regarded as honest, hard-workingpeople. B. (Edward J.), 1846, son of Patrick. His sufferings on the overland trip were aggrayatedby a broken leg; living at S. Juan in '85 with 2d wife and 5 children. B. (Isabella), 1846, infant
daughter of Patrick; married Thos McMahon '69; at Hollister '85. B. (James F.), 1846, son of Patrick, b. in Iowa '41; educated at Sta Clara college; lawyer at S. Juan B. He has been district attorney, assemblyman, county judge, and from '79 superior judge of S. Benito. Married in '70, and living in '85 with wife and two children. B. (John), 1846, oldest son of Patrick, 14 years old, and strongest of the family except the mother, yet barely escaping death. In the mines at Mormon
Isl. '48, and in the winter built a house where Placerville stood later. Returning to S. Juan and buying the old residence of Gen. Castro, he married a daughter of Ed. Smith in '52, and in '85 still lived there with wife and 9 children. In his Pioneer Memoirs, Breen has contributed an interesting narrative of 80 p. to my collection. B. (Patrick, Jr), 1846, son of Patrick, 9 years old on arrival; a farmer at S. Juan, married in '65, and living in '85 with wife and 4 children. B. (Peter), 1846, son of Patrick, a child in '46; died unmarried in '70. B. (Simon P.), 1846, son of Patrick; living '85 at S. Juan with wife and 2 children. B. (Wm M.), 1848, son of Patrick, b. at S. Juan; died '74, leaving a widow and child.
(source:Bancroft, Hubert Howe, California Pioneer Register and Index 1542-1848, Including Inhabitants of California, 1769-1800 and List of Pioneers, extracted from Bancroft, Hubert Howe. History of California. San Francisco, CA: History Company, 1884-1890. )
Born in Ireland, Patrick Breen emigrated to Canada in 1828. There he married Margaret Bulger. They moved to Springfield, Illinois, about 1834, resided there briefly, and moved on Keokuk, Iowa. In 1835 they had a son, James, who died the next year, and six more children. Patrick worked for a time on a riverboat, but essentially a farmer and acquired a half-section of land about three miles northwest of Keokuk.
The Breens' reason for emigrating to California is uncertain, but religion may have been a factor. As foreign-born Roman Catholics, they were not welcomed by the Know-Nothing faction then agitating the political scene. There were few Catholics in Keokuk, and it was a difficult district--the town's priest wrote to his superiors requesting to be reassigned. On the other hand, California, with its chain of missions, had a strong Roman Catholic presence, as well as a reportedly delightful climate and cheap land. In any event, the family sold theirproperty, outfitted themselves for the journey, and set out in three wagons to rendezvous with other overland emigrants in the spring of 1846. They were accompanied by their friend and neighbor, Patrick Dolan.
Patrick Breen is famous for the diary he kept from November 20, 1846, to March 1, 1847, the only record we have of daily events at the mountain camps. After arriving at the lake, the Breens moved into a cabin constructed two winters previously by members of the Townsend-Murphy-Stephens Party. Later they took in Augustus Spitzer and the Reed family, who were without shelter. In February, the First Relief rescued two of the boys, Edward and Simon. In March, the Second Relief took the rest of the family out, but a blizzard came up andcaught the small party in the open. When the weather cleared, there was no food left and only a handful of the refugees were able to travel. Patrick and Margaret Breen, their five children, and members of the Graves and Jacob Donner families were left behind at what came to be called Starved Camp. The Breens and other survivors were rescued five days later by John Stark of the Third Relief.
After their rescue the Breen family stayed with the family of Martin Murphy near Sutters Fort until September 1847, when they relocated to San Juan Bautista. General Jose M. Castro allowed the Breens to live in his house on the plaza, the Castro Adobe, rent free; in 1849 they purchased it. Patrick Breen acquired a great deal of property and he and his sons became prominent early settlers of San Benito County.
(source:Kristin Johnson, New Light on the Donner Party, http://www.metrogourmet.com/crossroads/kjhome.htm)
More About PATRICK BREEN *:
Bapt/Christening: June 11, 1795, Barnahasken, Co. Carlow, Ireland
Burial: December 22, 1868, San Juan Bautista, California
Fact 5: 1828, emigrated from Ireland to Canada
Notes for MARGARET BULGER *:
1828 - emigrated to Southwold Township near St. Thomas, Elgin County, Canada ca. 1834 -- moved to Springfield, IL
1835 -- moved to Lee County, Territory of Iowa
(source:King, Joseph A., "Winter of Entrapment: A New Look at the Donner Party")
More About MARGARET BULGER *:
Bapt/Christening: March 01, 1806, Rathgeran, Co. Carlow, Ireland
Burial: San Juan Bautista, California
Children of PATRICK BREEN and MARGARET BULGER are:
7. | i. | PATRICK4 BREEN , JR. *, b. March 12, 1837, Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa; d. 1899. |
8. | ii. | JOHN BREEN, b. February 21, 1832, Ontario, Canada West; d. 1903. |
9. | iii. | EDWARD JOSEPH BREEN, b. 1833, Canada West; d. 1890. |
iv. | JAMES BREEN (1), b. 1835, Lee County, Territory of Iowa; d. 1836, Lee County, Territory of Iowa. |
10. | v. | SIMON PRESTON BREEN, b. 1838, near Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa; d. 1899. |
11. | vi. | JAMES FREDERICK BREEN, b. January 21, 1841, near Keokuk Iowa; d. 1899. |
vii. | PETER BREEN, b. July 03, 1843, near Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa; d. July 03, 1870, drowned, Pajaro Creek, near San Juan Bautista. |
Notes for PETER BREEN: Peter Breen attended Santa Clara College. He was engaged to be married when he was killed in a riding accident.(source:Kristin Johnson, New Light on the Donner Party) |
12. | viii. | MARGARET ISABELLA BREEN, b. 1845, near Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa; d. March 25, 1935, Hollister, San Benito, California. |
13. | ix. | WILLIAM MICHAEL BREEN, b. 1849, California; d. 1874. |
Notes for WILLIAM BREEN:
emigrated to Canada by early 1830s
1848 - on tax assessment list for Southwold, Elgin Co, Ontario
More About MARY ROCHE:
Burial: Holy Angels Cemetery, St. Thomas, Ont.
Children of WILLIAM BREEN and MARY ROCHE are:
i. | WILLIAM4 BREEN, b. 1827, Ireland; d. March 11, 1851. |
More About WILLIAM BREEN: Burial: St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada |
14. | ii. | PATRICK BREEN, b. 1829, Ireland. |
iii. | JOHN BREEN, b. Abt. 1831, Ontario. |
Notes for JOHN BREEN: 1871 Census of Ontario (see Breen probable matches...txt) Probable son of William not listed by King -- on census in same township with Paterick and William. More About JOHN BREEN: Occupation: farmer |
Notes for SAMUEL BREEN:
1826 -- emigrated to Canada
1833 -- moved to Burlington, Iowa
1837 -- moved to Tully, Missouri (near Canton)
1840&50 -- appear on census as residents of Jackson Twp, Clark Cnty, MO
1852 -- appears on Calif State census w/o family living with Patrick
1860 -- family on US census in San Juan
went to live with daughter Mary Daly in Placerville, leaving wife in Hollister
More About SAMUEL BREEN:
Fact 5: 1826, Emigrated from Ireland to Canada
Notes for MARGARET MURPHY:
photo King 189
More About MARGARET MURPHY:
Burial: Catholic cemetery at Hollister, Ca
Children of SAMUEL BREEN and MARGARET MURPHY are:
15. | i. | MARY4 BREEN, b. Abt. 1825, Ireland. |
16. | ii. | EDWARD BREEN, b. November 17, 1826, Canada; d. September 26, 1925, Monticello, Missouri. |
iii. | WILLIAM BREEN, b. February 07, 1830, Yarmouth, Ontario, Canada. |
More About WILLIAM BREEN: Bapt/Christening: May 26, 1830, Yarmouth, Ontario, Canada |
iv. | DAVID BREEN, b. January 01, 1832, Canada; d. November 11, 1868, died of smallpox. |
Notes for DAVID BREEN: 1860 - was working as blacksmith in San Juan bautista More About DAVID BREEN: Occupation: blacksmith Burial: San Juan Bautista (Catholic section) |
17. | v. | THOMAS BREEN, b. 1834, Lee County, Iowa; d. July 03, 1872, Ventura, California. |
18. | vi. | ANN BREEN, b. 1838; d. 1869. |
19. | vii. | ELIZABETH BREEN, b. 1840; d. 1929. |
20. | viii. | JAMES BREEN, b. Abt. 1842; d. 1887. |
ix. | JOHN BREEN, b. February 11, 1846; d. June 13, 1867. |
More About JOHN BREEN: Burial: San Juan Bautista District Cem (Cath) |
21. | x. | MARGARET BREEN, b. March 12, 1848; d. October 04, 1926. |
22. | xi. | CATHERINE BREEN, b. March 12, 1850; d. June 03, 1934. |
Children of CHARLOTTE BREEN and PATRICK BURNS are:
i. | THOMAS4 BURNS, b. 1831. |
More About THOMAS BURNS: Bapt/Christening: January 19, 1831, Southwold, Ont (St. Augustine's Parish) |
23. | ii. | CHARLOTTE BURNS, b. 1839. |