Patrick Breen was born in Ireland circa 1805. In 1828 he emigrated to Canada and some time thereafter moved to Iowa territory, where he became the owner of a farm. In about 1831 he married Margaret (maiden name unknown). Breen was naturalized in 1844. Patrick and Margaret had 7 seven children – John, Edward, Patrick, Simon, Peter, James and Isabella. In the spring of 1846, the Breen family joined a party of emigrants bound for California. The party’s ill-fated journey across the Sierra Nevada Mountains was partially documented in the diary Breen kept while stranded in a mountain camp at Donner (then called Truckee) Lake. After their rescue, the family arrived at Sutter’s Fort, New Helvetia, in March of 1847. The Breens then lived for a short time on the Consumnes River and then in San Jose. In February of 1848 they settled in San Juan Bautista – becoming its first non-Spanish-speaking residents – where Breen would live as a rancher for the remainder of his life. Patrick Breen died in 1868. Though of little formal education, Patrick Breen was able to read and write – abilities which were considered a mark of distinction for an Irishman of his time in this country – and thus could document one of the more tragic events of the nineteenth century overland journeys.
My child is now studying the Donner Party at school. I worked at the Washoe County Courthouse for about 10 years. I worked with a Peter I. Breen. Is there any relation to the Breen’s in the Donner Party? Any information would be grateful.
Thank you
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
A biographical sketch of Peter I. (Ingram) Breen, compiled by the State Bar of Nevada, seems to imply that there is no direct connection this side of the Atlantic:
http://www.nvbar.org/nevadalawyerarticles3.asp?Title=The+Breen+Family%3A+Legal+Pioneers
The sketch describes the immigration of Peter Breen’s grandfather (also Peter Breen) to the United States from Ireland. According to the information provided he traveled independently, entered North America by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and took up temporary residence in San Francisco before making the the trek out to Eureka. No citations are provided; presumably the source was his grandson, the Peter I. Breen who you remember from the Washoe County Courthouse.
In contrast, Patrick Breen emigrated from Ireland to Canada in 1828, and resided there until traveling to the United States six years later, settling first in Illinois, and then Iowa.
Hope this helps.