CENTRE LINES

The BREON Family

This column is part of a feature series which focuses on a different Centre County family each week. Five new columns will be released each month unless some technical difficulty enters the picture.

This column's focus is on BREON. An effort has been made to identify all persons carrying that name in the 1890 U.S. Census, using the Centre County business directory which was formed from a preliminary review of that census before the larger set of 1890 U.S. Census records was destroyed by fire. (Sadly, the postal directory does not typically provide the ages of females, but it's the best record we've got).

One book (in three loose-leaf binders) in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte apparently deals in part with the Breon family. It is Gary Breon's Breon-Brion Families in America since 1741.

There are 10 different first-name entries for Breon in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County (1883). In addition, there are many references to the name in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898).

And, now, your ancestors' BREON neighbors in 1890:

In BELLEFONTE Borough:

Robert, 22--Valentine Annie

In BENNER Township:

John H., 40, farmer--Bellefonte Mary E. Mary J. William C. 13 Ann G. George E. 6 Sarah E. Samuel J., farmer--Bellefonte Ada

In COLLEGE Township:

Daniel F., 28, miller--Oak Hall Mollie--Oak Hall John 6 Annie William 2

In GREGG Township:

Abby S.--Spring Mills Benjamin, 45, lumberman--Spring Mills Sarah David D. 14 Emma E. Jacob J. 10 Calvin B. 8 Kate Willia 4 Sarah Benjamin, 46, farmer--Spring Mills Annie Ada Speer 12 Daniel, 60, laborer--Spring Mills Rachael George F., 21, laborer--Spring Mills Rebecca J. Reuben 2 mos. Jacob D., 54, retired--Spring Mills Lydia John T., 51, farmer--Spring Mills Mary A. Willis P. 23 Annie Ida Sadie Flora E. John F. 13 Maud--Spring Mills Elizabeth William O. 17 Samuel 14 Kate Herew 6 James 4 Homer 2 Harvey 1 William O., 18--Spring Mills

In MILES Township:

Benjamin, 24, laborer--Wolf's Store Elias, 45, laborer--Rebersburg Katie Ella B. Emma E. Orpha M. George W. 6 Samuel 4 Neda F. John, 50, farmer--Wolf's Store Mary J. William D. 16 Elsie R. Verbie--Rebersburg

In MILLHEIM Borough:

Ada M. Calvin H., 23, laborer Florence Robert H. 2 John, 40, miller Sarah Franklin 14

In PENN TOWNSHIP:

Henry, 50, farmer--Millheim Susan A. Daniel P. 21 Katie A. Magdalena I. Anna M. Ada E. Martin L. 4 Jacob G., 56, farmer--Millheim Mary S. Jennie S. Mazie E. Wallace E. 9 Charles H. 9 mos. William S.

In POTTER Township:

George, 22, laborer--Centre Hall Perry, 33, farmer--Centre Hall Emma S. Peter, 53, retired--Centre Hall Catharine Thomas P., 6--Centre Hill Bessie

In SPRING Township:

Ellen J.--Bellefonte Annie G. William 4 Noah, 42, laborer--Axeman Nancy Mary Elmer 10 mos. Elias 37 Harry E. 8 Bertha Reuben, 27, laborer--Axeman Mary Ann Charles F. 3 Maggie L. Robert P., 21--Bellefonte Wesley, 31, laborer--Axeman Ida I. Samuel R. 3 Calvin J. 7 mos.

In UNION Township:

George, 72, farmer--Fleming Mary M. John 26 Amanda