Charles David Breeze was born on September 21, 1881 in Walnut Hill, Jefferson County, Illinois. The eldest of eleven children born to John David Breeze and Cassie Cruzen. On October 6, 1905 Charles married Leslie Irene Ross in Yale, Oklahoma. Charles and Leslie were the parents of five sons and a daughter. In the 1920 census Charles is living at 916 Dewitt Street, Mattoon City, Coles County, Illinois and his occupation is listed as a Carpenter. Charles died on June 11, 1925 in Mattoon, Coles County, Illinois. His cause of death was acute myocarditis, with a contributory factor of arthritis.

This obituary for Charles appeared in The Daily Journal Gazette on June 12, 1925 in Mattoon, Coles County, Illinois. Charles D. Breeze Dies at his Home Charles David Breeze, 44, passed away at his home, 916 DeWitt Avenue, at 4:10 o'clock Thursday afternoon of heart trouble. He had been ill for nine months and began to sink Thursday morning. The funeral will take place from the Christian church at 3:30 o'clock on Sunday afternoon, Rev. R. F. McMahan officiating. Mr. Breeze was born at Walnut Hill on September 21, 1881, son of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Breze. He was reared at Walnut Hill. On October 6, 1906 he married Miss Leslie Irene Ross, of Yale, Okla. Six children were born, all of whom survive. They are Garland, Dorothy, Billie, Beryl, Charles and Paul, all living at home. Mr. Breeze is survived by his wife, his parents, who live at Dix; three sisters, Mrs. Lilly Barton of Walnut Hill, Mrs. Nan Bullock of Mt. Vernon, and Mrs. May Clabourn of Dix, and four brothers, Ernest Breeze and Lester Breeze of Walnut Hill, Frank Breeze of Duquoin and Heber Breeze of Mt. Vernon. Mr. Breeze came to this city in 1915, and almost all the time since then had been employed in the car shops of the Big Four. He was a member of the Car Men's Union, Modern Woodmen and Christian church. Mr. and Mrs. John D. Breeze, the parents, arrived here on Thursday evening from Dix to attend the funeral.

Charles also had a burial notice in the Mount Vernon Register News on June 16, 1925 in Mount Vernon, Jefferson County, Illinois. Oldest Son of John D. Breeze Buried Sunday Charles D. Breeze, oldest son of John D. Breeze of Dix was buried Sunday at Dodge Cemetery in Mattoon. Mr. Breeze had been a resident of Mattoon ten years, and was very popular in fraternal and Big Four shop circles, and had many friends in all classes. He is survived by his wife and six children. He was employed in the Big Four shop ten years. The funeral was one of the largest ever held in Mattoon, and the crowd at Dodge Cemetery is estimated at 3,000. Two services were held, one at the First Christian Church and the other at the cemetery. Mr. Breeze was an Odd Fellow and Modern Woodsman and belonged to other organizations. He was a member of the Christian church. He was popular in labor circles and secretary-treasurer of one of the unions. Death was due to blood poison which developed from typhoid malaria contracted in early life, the heart finally being affected. Mr. & Mrs. John D. Breeze are the parents of ten children, all of whom safely passed the years of childhood and early life with practically no ailments, but three have died in the last three years.

Charles was buried on June 14, 1925 in Section 13, Div. E, Lot 18 of Dodge Grove Cemetery, Mattoon, Coles County, Illinois. His tombstone Inscription reads Charles D. Breeze Sept. 21, 1881 - June 11, 1925.

John David Breeze was born on July 27, 1861 in Farrington Township, Jefferson County, Illinois. He was the eldest son of Cornelius Newkirk Breeze and Margaret Lucinda Underwood. In Jefferson County, Illinois John married Cassie Cruzen at the home of Franklin Cruzen, on November 29, 1880. They were married by James Snow, Magistrate in the presence of J. H. Dewkes, Theodore Smith and others. John and Cassie were the parents of Charles David, Lilly Maud, Heber Erman, Grace, Franklin Cornelius, Olive Myrtle, Lester William, Ernest Vernon, an unnamed girl, Nancy Zetta and Anna May. John, Cassie and family appear in the Illinois census of 1900 in Grand Prairie Township, Jefferson County; 1910 in Rome Township, Jefferson County and 1920 in Village of Rome, Jefferson County. John had a long work history with many postions held including assistant cashier at the Walnut Hill Bank for several years prior to moving to Dix in 1915. He owned and operated a grocery store at Dix and Belle Rive at one time. John was a notary public and justice of the peace. He was not a lawyer but did acquire a great amount of law knowledge and helped others with his advice. He was on the Jefferson County Board of Supervisors and served as Chairman of the Board in 1917. He was superintendent of highways in Jefferson County from just after the first World War until the early thirties. He was a real estate and insurance businessman. He also had a business called Breeze & Watts located at 321 South Locust Street in Centralia, Marion County, Illinois. John died on September 5, 1955 in Mount Vernon, Jefferson County, Illinois.

The following obituary appeared in the Mount Vernon Register News on September 6, 1955 in Mount Vernon, Jefferson County, Illinois.

John D. Breeze; Dies At 94; Had 133 Descendants
John D. Breeze died at 12:35p.m. Monday in Mt. Vernon. He was 94 years, 2 months and 4 days of age. Mr. Breeze was born in Farrington township July 27, 1861, the son of Cornelius and Lucinda (Underwood) Breeze. He made his home in Dix from 1915 until about 10 years ago when he went to live with his children. For many years he was in the real estate and insurance business and he served as Jefferson county superintendent of highways for 12 years. He was a member of the Little Grove Christian church near Walnut Hill, and the Rome Masonic Lodge No. 721, A. F. and A. M.. On November 29, 1880 he was married to Miss Cassie Cruzen who died November 29, 1933 on their 53rd wedding anniversary. He is survived by 133 descendants. There are four sons, Frank and Ernest of DuQuoin; Heber of Mt. Vernon and Lester of Bluford; three daughters, Mrs. Lilly Barton of Walnut Hill, Mrs. May Harvey and Mrs. Nan Bullock of Mt. Vernon; one sister, Mrs. Alice Jackson of Dallas, Tex.; one brother, Edgar Breeze of Merkel, Tex.; 43 grandchildren, 75 great grandchildren, nine great great grandchildren. Four children preceded him in death. Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 2p.m. at the Little Grove Christian church, conducted by the Rev. J. G. Parsons. Burial will be in Little Grove cemetery. Friends may call at the Osborn Funeral Home in Dix, where the body will remain until the funeral hour.

John was buried on September 7, 1955 in Little Grove Cemetery, Walnut Hill, Jefferson County, Illinois.

Cornelius Newkirk Breeze was born on February 20, 1826 in Orange County, Indiana. He is one of eight children born to John Breeze and Sarah Hollowell. In 1850 Cornelius appeared in the Jefferson County, Illinois census living in the household of Gideon Gore 23, born in Illinois and Pamela E. 19, born in Indiana. Cornelius married first, Sarah Jane Wright on December 24, 1850 in Washington County, Illinois. Cornelius was a member of the Christian Church. He was married second to Margaret Lucinda Underwood on February 21, 1856 in Richview, Washington County, Illinois. They were married by Zelah R. Piercy, Magistrate. The marriage certificate was returned and filed February 25, 1856. Cornelius and Margaret were the parents of an unnamed infant, Roselda Jeanette, John David, Sarah Lucinda, Reuben Lemuel, Mary Isabell, Ann Rebecca, Aretha Alice and Edgar Austin. Cornelius was a Blacksmith in Farrington Township, Jefferson County, Illinois. When Cornelius joined the military to serve in the Civil War, he was described as being 5' 10" tall with a fair complexion and black hair and black eyes. Cornelius served in Company G, 60th Regiment of the Illinois Volunteer Infantry between 1862 and 1865. Cornelius died on August 30, 1885 in Jefferson County, Illinois. He was buried in Little Grove Cemetery, Walnut Hill, Illinois. His tombstone reads "Lieut. C.B. Breeze Co. C (or G), 60 ILL. Inf."

---

John Breeze was born on May 5, 1790 in Orange County, North Carolina. He is the youngest child of Robert Breeze and Hannah Donaldson. John married first Sarah Hollowell on September 17, 1810 in Harrison County, Indiana. John and Sarah were the parents of Jesse, Richard, Thomas, David S., Jonathan H., Cornelius Newkirk, Reuben Allen and Mary Jane. A widowed John Breeze would marry Martha McCormick about 1840 and they were the parents of James Porter. John was a member of the Christian Church. According to Goodspeed's 1884 History of Orange County (Indiana), page 400: a John Breeze is on record as having a land entry in 1818 in Greenfield Township, Orange County, Indiana. According to the 1830 Marion County, Illinois census, a John Breeze was living in this county with one female between the age of 30 and 40, one male noted as age 40 to 50; 2 males 15 to 20; 2 males 10 to 15 and 3 males under 5. This is verifiable to John, his wife and their family. John died on November 26, 1870 in Walnut Hill, Marion County, Illinois and was buried in Fulton Cemetery, Haines Township, Marion County, Illinois. By 1996 Fulton Cemetery was almost inaccessible and the stones were disappearing so the family removed the stone for John Breeze and his two wives had it relettered and placed it in Little Grove Cemetery. Their bodies however are still in Fulton Cemetery.

---

Robert Breeze was born about 1754 near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He was one of six children born to Thomas Breeze/Brees and Martha unknown last name. Robert married Hannah Donaldson. Robert and Hannah were the parents of James, Martha, Robert and John. Robert served in the Revolutionary War as a member of Captain Donald Smiths Company. Robert died between 1820 and 1830 in Orange County, Indiana.

---

Thomas Breeze\Brees was born in 1710 in Long Island, New York. He was the child of Cornelis Bries and Sara Petit. Thomas was christened on August 2, 1710 in Raritan, Somerset County, New York. He was married to Martha unknown last name. Thomas and Martha where the parents of Thomas, Richard, John, Robert, William and Janett. Thomas served in the Revolutionary War as a member of the 6th Regiment, Childs 5 Company. Thomas died in 1784 in Orange County, North Carolina.

The following will for Thomas was recorded in the Orange County, NC Court Minutes,1777-1778, pages 33-183.

In the name of God, Amen, I Thomas Breese of the county of Orange and state of North Carolina, being sick of body but in my purfict sence and sound memory do make this my last will and testament revoking all other will or wills by me made. First I recommend my soul to almighty God who gave it to me trusting in the merits of my redeemer, and as to what worldly substance I have, I give in the following manner. viz: Item I leave unto my beloved wife Martha Breese the one half of the plantation I live on with all the stock and household furniture during her natural lifetime, and at her death the half of the land to my son Richard and the half of the stock if he is alive and in case he is dead, to my son John I appoint heir of the whole land and stock. Item, I give unto my son John Breese the one half of the land or plantation I now live on and all other lands or possessions I have a right to, and all the household furniture and stock in case Richard is dead, if he is alive to be as above, to him his heirs and assigns forever. Item, I give to my son Robert and William Breese and to my daughter Jannet Robeson, to each 20 shillings current money of this state to them their heirs forever. Item, in case John and Richard Breese is dead, I leave and bequeath my whole estate both real and personal at my wifes deceased to be divided equally, James Breese and his sister Martha and Williams son Thomas Breese and Martha Robison and Rachel Robison to them and their heirs forever, and I appoint my son John and my wife to be executors of this my last will and testament revoking all other will or wills by me made. In witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal this first day of June 1783. Signed sealed and delivered in presence of Joseph Allison, John Berks, Seal Thomas Breese (his mark).

The last will of Thomas Breeze deceased was proved by Joseph Ellison, John Parks, John Breeze qualified as executor therein and on page 41-198 the inventory of Thomas Breeze, deceased was returned by John Breeze May 26, 1784.

Home
Updated March 2010
Copyright 2006-2010 Tricia Breeze Maguire. All rights reserved.
Commercial use of material on this website is prohibited.