Descendants of Silas FINLEY Breese

Descendants of Silas FINLEY Breese

Descendants of Silas FINLEY Breese

Silas Finley Breese, the 9th child of Henry and Phebe (Hayden) Breese, was born December 7, 1820. He was married to Maria (Mariah) Wolfe, daughter of Luther and Lockey Doty Wolfe, born June 15, 1826 and died September 22, 1874. He was a native of Morris Township, Greene County, Pennsylvania where he spent almost his entire life. He was a blacksmith and wagon builder by trade, but also devoted some time to farming. In his later years, beginning in 1905, he hosted the annual Breese Reunion at his home.

Silas died June 9, 1914 at the home of his daughter, Lockey Lenora Crumrine of Frederickstown, where he had made his home for about the last year of his life. He and his wife are buried at Beulah Baptist Church Cemetery, Morris Township, Greene County, PA. Silas and Mariah were the parents of thirteen children, all of whom lived to maturity and nine of whom survived him. They are:

  1. Luther M. b: 5/29/1843 d: 1919

m. Fannie Clark

  1. Martha Josephine b: 11/11/1844 d: 1898

m. James Coe

3. Elymus Finley b: 11/17/1846 d: 1/3/1930

m. Catharine Sarah Huffman b: 10/6/1850 d: 4/7/1940

  1. Phoebe Celinda b: 10/18/1848 d: 1914

m. James Kilgore

  1. Stephen A. b: 9/15/18501850 d: 1932

m. Debora Elizabeth Iams b: 1857 d: 1933

6. Israel Pierson b: 5/10/1853 d: 4/6/1940

  1. Jennie Phillips b: 1/29/1864 d: 2/1/1939
  1. Nancy Maria b: 12/23/1854 d: 1910

m. William Phillips b: 1851 d: 1895

  1. Henry Hershel b: 12/9/1856 d: 12/7/1934

m. Melissa Pettit b: 11/9/1857 d: 3/6/1926

  1. Lockey “Nora” Lenora b: 10/1/1858 d:

m. George Stillwell

m. David Crumrine

10. Sarah Elizabeth b: 11/18/1860 d: 1931

m. Wiley Phillips b: 1865 d: 1942

11. Silas Elsworth b: 12/24/1862 d: 1901

m. Nancy Caldwell b: 4/12/1868 d: 1/12/1948

  1. George Brinton b: 5/17/1865 d: 1940

m. Matilda Fisher

m. Rita Briggs

  1. Mary Louise b: 9/16/1868 d: 1932

m. Oliver Crawford

THE FAMILY OF ISRAEL PIERSON BREESE

Line of Silas Breese

Israel Pierson Breese is the 6th child born to Silas F. and Maria (Wolfe) Breese. He was born May 10th, 1853, in Greene County, Pennsylvania. In 1877, he married Jane “Jennie” Phillips, who was born January 29, 1863. She was the daughter of Alexander and Eliza Jane (Lindley) Phillips. They raised their family near Nineveh and Graysville in Greene County. He was a blacksmith, following the trade of his father and grandfather. In 1905, Israel moved his family to Bakers Station at Banetown, Washington County where he operated his own blacksmith shop. There he forged horse hitches, wagon wheels, sleds and other farm items. He also was a cabinetmaker. Some items made by him such as a corner cupboard and chairs remain in the family today. In later years he also operated a grocery store from his home.

Their home was a musical household. Israel played the fiddle and Jennie was accomplished on the parlor organ. They often entertained the family with lively tunes of the day. On Sundays their children and grandchildren would return home for Sunday dinner. In 1929 their son Charles lost his wife Velma during the birth of Lois, their only child. Israel and Jennie took in their baby granddaughter caring for her during her young childhood. Often, other grandchildren would spend their summers with their grandparents at Bakers Station.

Jennie died February 1, 1939, and Israel followed her in death in April 6th, 1940. He was the last surviving member of his siblings. They are both buried in the Prosperity Cemetery.

The house at Bakers Station still stands today and is occupied, looking much the same. Even the cave in the hillside remains, although the blacksmith shop has since been torn down.

Six children were born to this union:

  1. Lucy Louella b: October 17, 1879 near Nineveh, Greene Co. died December 24, 1956. Was married to William H. Sutton. They lived most of their lives in Waynesburg, Greene County, Pa. Lucy and William had eight children: Merle, Harold Lee, John Raymond, Ruth Mary, George Emerson, Roy Allen, Neva Zona, and Donald William.
  1. William Oliver b: September 18, 1881 in Greene County and died May 6, 1953 and is buried in Prosperity Cemetery. He married Laduska “Lola” Ann Sprowls of Greene County in 1906. Lola was born in 1886 and died May 4, 1917. She was the daughter of Stockdale and Cora Wallace Sprowls. She died May 4, 1917 and is buried in Fairmount Cemetery. Oliver and Lola had five children: Ethel Louella, Esther Laduska, Howard Oliver, Estelle Belle, and Lloyd Sprowls.
  1. Frank Israel b: October 10, 1885 near Nineveh in Green County and died January 13, 1985 at the age of 99 years. He spent his early life near Graysville and later lived near Time (Dogtown), also in Greene County. He married in 1908 to Eva Belle McAdams b: August 13, 1887 and died November 1982. She was the daughter of John and Anna Florence (Gromo) McAdams. Frank and Eva had four children: John Franklin, Clarence Raymond, Helen Florence, and Ralph Lloyd.
  1. Charles Finley b: May 13, 1891 and died July 16, 1971 and is buried in Prosperity Cemetery. In 1928 he married Velma Bonham who died in 1929 when their daughter Lois was just three weeks old.
  1. Zona was born December 24, 1892 and married Charles Bainer in Colby Kansas, in 1915. Charles is the son John and Mary (Weaver) Bainer. They had two children: John I., born July 25, 1916 and Donna Lucile, born December 27, 1917.
  1. Victoria was born June 10, 1898 and died November 11, 1963 and is buried in Washington Cemetery. She married Timothy Bennett. Tim is the son of William and Isabel (Ross) Bennett. To this union were born seven children: Ruth Isabel, Nellie Louise, Jennie Lucille, Mary Evelyn, William Israel, Louella, and Donna Mae.
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