BREEN. BREEN. 79 recovered without additional expense to the owner. Until sixty years ago, Mr. Breck, as was the custom of the time, was addicted to the use of rum and tobacco. Then he abandoned their use altogether, and thinks he has lived longer and been able to do more and harder work without them than would have been possible by their aid. Valuable personal experience has made him an absolute temperance advocate, and he says of these principles that one thing, at least, is sure — if they have not pro- longed his life, they have not killed him. BREEN, JOHN, son of Patrick and Margaret (HelTernan) Breen, was born in Tipperary, Ireland, June 20, 1842. His parents were in comfortable circumstances at the time of his birth, but four years later were evicted from their farm, owing to religious and political disturbances that were presaging the troublous times of the Irish movement of 1848. The family came to America in 1S47, and after a few years' residence in other places, settled in Lawrence, April, 1853. Mr. Breen attended the public schools, and subsequently fitted for college in a private school. He entered St. Charles College, Ellicott Mills, Maryland, but on account of ill health he was forced to leave college without completing his course. He made subsequent attempts to retrieve what he had lost, by attending another private school, and finally took a course in Comer's Commercial College in the city of Boston. He has since done what he could to supplement his school work, by study and application. He was an enthusiastic Fenian, and after his graduation from Comer's, while em- ployed as book-keeper in the commission house of E. H. Walker & Co., he was ordered to Ireland by General Thomas F. Burke, a leader in Fenian circles. He went in December, 1867, and evading the strict surveillance of the detectives, reached Liverpool in safety. He followed his instructions faithfully, there, in Manches- ter, and in Dublin, where he went to pre- pare the people of Ireland for their part in the insurrection already planned. The treachery of Corydon, the informer, ren- dered all his plans abortive, and after per- sistent efforts and man)- dangerous devices to release a companion imprisoned in Dub- lin (Daniel Donovan of Lawrence), he gave up the fruitless attempts and returned to America in 1868. Soon after his return he entered the undertaking business with a very limited capital, but he had determination and integrity. These have in the end proved paying capital, and he enjoys a compe- tency he has justly earned. Mr. Breen was married at Boston, April 1, 1872, to Nancy Jane, daughter of Daniel G. and Roxanna (Tuttle) Brackett of Danville, N. H. Of this union are three children : Charles Francis, John Joseph, and Margaret Mary Breen. Mr. Breen's interest in public affairs soon brought him into the domain of poli- tics. He was a member of the common council in 1876 and '77, but resigned the latter year to take an appointment on the JOHN BREEN board of fire engineers. He was elected mayor of Lawrence for the years 1882, '83, and '84, thus enjoying the distinction, it is claimed, of being the first Catholic or Irish-born mayor of any city in New England. Notwithstanding many adverse circumstances causing a general business depression during his term of service, Mayor Breen's three years of administra- tion were marked by ability, and have left their traces on the city's growth and pros- perity that will long proclaim him one of the city's most energetic and praiseworthy public servants. Mr. Breen is one of the vice-presidents of the Irish National League in this state ; chairman of the
