ISRAEL BREESE. Prominent among the retired men of Morris township, who have made life a success, is the subject of this memoir, so well and favorably known in the community. Israel Breese was born near Sparta, in Morris township, Washington Co., Penn., January 20, 1817. His father, Henry Breese, was born near Mendham, Morris Co., N. J., December 2, 1783, and emigrated to Washington county, Penn., about the beginning of the present century. Phoebe Breese, mother of our subject, who was a daughter of Jonathan Hayden, was born near the place of her husband's nativity, November 15, 1785, and married in 1804. Henry Breese removed to Washington county to look after the large estate of his father-in-law, near Sparta; but after a time resumed work at his trade, blacksmithing, which he followed the greater part of his life. He died in 1870; his wife surviving him six years. To them were born twelve children, five of whom are now living: Mary Ann (wife of Henry Brown), now residing in Athens county, Ohio; Phoebe Jane (wife of Joseph Vauscyoe, of East Finely township, Washington county); Silas F. (now a resident of Greene county, near Beulah); Henry (who has for thirty years resided in Iowa), and Israel, the subject of this sketch. After receiving but limited educational advantages, Israel, at the age of fourteen years, left home and started out to face the "stern realities of life" without a trade or other advantages, save his character and energy, to commend him. He was not long in gaining a foothold, and his prosperity has been marked. In addition to a comfortable home in the town of Prosperity, where he resides, he owns a well-improved farm. He at one time conducted a successful mercantile business at Nineveh, Greene Co., Penn. His business capacity, integrity and genial disposition have commended him as a fitting subject for trusted public positions, which he has often been solicited to accept; but save one term of service as auditor of Greene county, he has refused to be an office holder, except in his own township. Through his business efforts, while serving as auditor, $16,000 of back taxes were collected, and methods were instituted which resulted in a reduction in the rate of taxation. Many attempts were made to persuade him to accept other trusts, but he steadfastly refused. His political views accord with those of the Democratic party. Mr. Breese was married in 1842 to Miss Charlotte, daughter of Stephen Cooper, of Franklin township, and to this union ten children were born, viz.: Leroy Woods, William Cooper, Lavina, Mary Louisa, Silas Finley, Clara, James, Henry, Lewis Campbell, Forest Adams and Charles Weaver, of whom the first five are deceased; Clara married, G. M. Wilson, of Morris township; James Henry married Bell Conger; Lewis Campbell married Florence Andrew; Forest Adams married Bertha Hayden, of Prosperity; Charles Weaver is unmarried and resides with his father. The mother of this family died in 1884, and October 14, 1886, Mr. Breese married Amanda J., daughter of George F. Wolfe, of Greene county, Penn., whose father, Christopher Wolfe, emigrated from near Morristown, N. J., about the beginning of the present century.

Text taken from page 494 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed January 1997 by Karen Souhrada of Pittsford, NY as part of the Beers Project. Published January 1997 on the Washington County, PA pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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