Gone To Texas: September 2025

Saturday, September 20, 2025

Napoleon B. Breeding & Family - Part 3

♦ 28 December 1843 – Napoleon’s father David W Breeding passed.

⚭ 14 March 1844 – Richard Landy, Napoleon's brother, married Miss Artimecia Ware, in Colorado, Texas (4). The lady was born on 17 November 1827, in Gwinnett, Georgia. She was the daughter of Thomas Ware and Phoebe Peeler, sister of Louisa, John’s wife. Richard Landy ran a mercantile business.

🔹Alexander was born to the couple in about 1846.

⇒ 1847 – Fidelio, Napoleon’s brother, sold his share of the father’s estate to brother Benjamin, and in 1848, served with the U.S. Army in the Mexican.

🔹Josephine came to this world in abt. 1848.

👉 1848 – Napoleon owned 1376 acres of land (value $1376) in Colorado County (5).

♦ 1849 – Napoleon’s brother Fidelio passed in San Antonio. Together with his brother Benjamin, the man was going to go to California to look for gold.

🔹Cornelia M was born on 9 September 1850.

👉 About 1850 – Charlotte’s brother Alfred left Texas. Alexander, the oldest brother of Charlotte’s came to Texas and settled with his family on the land that belonged to his mother Mary.

🏠 Census 1850 – 29 August – the family of Napoleon B. Breeding was recorded in Fayette County. Napoleon was a farmer. The value of his real estate was given as $2000. Mr. R Wilson, blacksmith, age 37, lived with the family (6).

Among the children registered by the clerk was also Mary Elizabeth, born on 20 January 1836, in Alabama. It seems, she was the first child of Charlotte’s, from her previous marriage to Mr. Temple (7).

⚭ 20 January 1853 – Mary Elizabeth married James L Harwell (8).

1853 – Benjamin paid taxes in Fayette County for 3 horses and 60 heads of cattle (9).

In about ♦ 1854 – Napoleon’s mother Sally died.

♦ 1 November 1856 – Charlotte’s brother Alexander left this world.

18 July 1859 - Sarah Jane, age about 17, married Mr. Sidney S. Pollard in La Grange, Fayette, TX (10). He was born in about 1834, in Gonzales County, TX to William Roy Pollard, Sr. and Elvira Smith Pollard.

♦ Daughter Josephine died by 1860.

🏡 Census 1860, 15th June – Napoleon (age 46), his wife Charlotte (age 40), and children, David (age 20), Benjamin (age 16), Alexander (age 14), and Cornelia (age 9) lived in Fayette County, TX, Post Office Fayetteville. Napoleon was a farmer. His real estate was worth $1000, and his personal estate value was estimated for $4000.

⇒ Napoleon’s brothers – John (age 52) and Benjamin Wilkens (age 40) lived with their families in the same area, not far from each other (11). John’s wife was Louisa (age 36), the children who lived with them were Columbus (age 16), Sarah (age 14), David (age 12), John (age 10), Thomas (age 8), Josephine (age 6), Arthie (age 3), and Robert (age 2). A Mr. W. J. Shakelford (age 25, born in Georgia), a superintendent, lived in the household as well. John’s real estate value given in the record was $5000 and the personal estate was worth $14000.

⇒ John was the County Sheriff until 1840. Following that, he took part in the three month-long campaign against Comanche Indians serving under Colonel John Henry Moore. John and Louisa Park Ware (born on 6 July 1824, born in Gwinnett, Georgia) were married on ⚭ 10 February 1842, in Colorado City, Mitchell, TX (12). John was 34 on the day of their marriage. Louisa was about 16 year younger.

⇒ Benjamin Wilkens fought in the Texas Revolution when he was 16. In 1840, together with Napoleon, he was part of the Comanche campaign. Two years later, Benjamin participated in the Vasquez and Woll Campaigns.

Benjamin Wilkens Breeding was 32 when he married Miss Catharine Mayhar on 2 February 1850, in Colorado, Texas (13).

From census 1860: Benjamin W.’s Catherine (age 26) and their kids (according to the 1860 record) were Don R (age 6), Ada (age 5), Fidelio (age 2), and Mary (3 months). Ben was a farmer as well. His real estate was worth $12000 and his personal estate value was given as $10000.

Clipping source: The True Issue. (La Grange, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 41, Ed. 1 Saturday, July 23, 1859, newspaper, July 23, 1859; La Grange, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1294586/: accessed September 20, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Fayette Public Library, Museum and Archives.

👉 It seems by the end of 1660, Napoleon’s wife had been registered as the owner of their property as it was her name only that appeared in the County taxes records. Perhaps, Napoleon’s health deteriorated (?). Anyhow, by then, the number of their cattle had risen to 75 heads. They also had 5 horses (14).

♦ Napoleon Bonaparte (Pole) Breeding passed on 22 January 1861 (15).

TBC

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Sunday, September 14, 2025

Napoleon B. Breeding - Part 2

In 1843, Napoleon was part of Snively Expedition.

The note you can read below was posted by the Expedition participants (including napoleon and his uncle Benjamin Wilkens) to clear misconceptions that arose around the Expedition purpose/circumstances.

Source: Cruger & Moore. Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 8, No. 44, Ed. 1, Wednesday, October 18, 1843, newspaper, October 18, 1843; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth48256/: accessed September 12, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

TBC

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Friday, September 12, 2025

Napoleon Bonaparte & Charlotte Breeding + Family

I learned about the couple from a history piece on the pavement when we visited La Grange, Fayette, Texas. I thought I would find out more about the couple. The research brought six pages of information related to Napoleon, Charlotte, and their relatives. I decided to break it into a series of posts, and here is the first one.

Napoleon Bonaparte Breeding came to this world in 1815, in Christian County, Kentucky. He was the third son of David W Breeding (born in 1776 in Virginia) and Sally Davis (born in abt. 1771 in Virginia).

His brothers were

John, born on 16 October 1807, in Virginia

Richard Landy, born on 15 October 1810 in Kentucky,

Fidelio Sharp, born in 1818 in Kentucky,

Benjamin Wilkens, born on 10 January 1820, in Kentucky,

and Davis, born/died in 1828, in Kentucky.

👉 Mr. David W Breeding his wife and five sons came to Texas in 1832/1833. Napoleon was about 18 then. The family found his home in Mina Municipality along Cummins Creek.

⇒ In the second half of the year 1833, Napoleon’s cousins joined the family in Texas. They were George W., Edward Judson, James, and Gustavus, the sons of John breeding and Elizabeth Russell. John Breeding, the brother of David W., passed on 16 July 1833, his wife Elizabeth died earlier, in about 1827.

The boys attended the only school in the area – run in a log cabin on the land that belonged to the breeding family.

👉 In December 1835, Napoleon Bonaparte Breeding was a second sergeant and, together with Thomas Alley’s Company, he fought in the siege of Bexar. Both Napoleon and his brother John served as Texas Rangers. Later, from 1835 to 1836, the man served in the Texas Army. At first, he was with Capt. William J. E. Heard’s company, however, due to an illness the man did not fight in the Battle of San Jacinto (*). John, his brother was ill then as well, they both stayed in the camp. In the next year, Napoleon was with Steven Thousand’s company.

⇒ 14 December 1837 – Fayette County was created. Mr. David breeding served on the first Board of the Land Commissioners and was a juror during the first session of the District Court.

Clipping source: Cruger & Moore. Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 3, No. 1, Ed. 1, Saturday, December 16, 1837, newspaper, December 16, 1837; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth47965/: accessed September 12, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

⇒ 1 January 1838 – John, Napoleon’s brother, was elected the first Fayette County Sheriff and soon received 1/3 league of land there.

⚭ On 19 January 1838, 23 year-old Napoleon B. Breeding married Miss Charlotte O’Bar (born on 7 May 1818, in Alabama). It happened in Fayette County, Texas. Their marriage was the first one recorded in the county (1). Charlotte was the daughter of John O’Bar (native of Ireland, born in 1778) and Mary E Reed (born in Virginia in 1782).

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John O’Bar, Charlotte's father, passed before 1837. In September 1837, Ms. Mary O’Bar came to Fayette County area, Texas with her children (Lucinda + husband Thomas Hodges, John + wife Nancy, Carson, Alfred, and Charlotte) and grandchildren.

Charlotte stayed at home with her mother Mary who was granted 1280 acres of land in Warrenton Community.

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⇒ In 1837, Richard Landy, Napoleon's brother, hauled lead for the government. On 2 February 1838, he received payment from the land Commissioners – 1/3 league of land in the Fayette County.

🔹1838 - on 5th August, Napoleon and Charlotte’s first son, David S. was born.

👉 22 October 1838 – Napoleon breeding served as a juror during the first session of the District Court. Later, he was also was part of the first Grand Jury.

👉 1838 – Napoleon paid taxes (2) in Colorado County for 1 horse (worth $40) and 7 heads of cattle (worth $100).

🔹Sarah Jane was born to Napoleon and Charlotte a year later, in 1839.

In the same year, Napoleon had 4 tracts of land in Fayette County (3).

Clipping source: Cruger & Moore. Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 7, Ed. 1, Wednesday, July 31, 1839, newspaper, July 31, 1839; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth48064/: accessed September 12, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

♦ 1840 – Lucinda, Charlotte’s sister died.

♦ July 1842, her brother John passed.

🔹In 1843, the second son, Benjamin J. , was born to the family of Napoleon and Charlotte's.

TBC

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More about the Family

N B Breeding - Snively Expedition

Napoleon Bonaparte Breeding and Family - Part 3

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This post is part of our series "They Lived in Texas"

Sources:

"Daugthers of Republic of Texas. Patriot Ancestor " Album vol.1 - Turner Publishing Company, 1995

• Fayette County Founders

1. "Texas, Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F6YT-RTG : 22 January 2020), Napoleon B. Breeding, 1838.

2. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ8P-S3RM : Sun Mar 10 14:13:48 UTC 2024), Entry for Napolean B Breeding, 1838.

3. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ85-WYZN : Sat Mar 09 09:51:28 UTC 2024), Entry for Napoleon B Breeding, 1839.

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This post is part of our series "They Lived in Texas" dedicated to those ones (their families and descendants) who at some point in their lives relocated to Texas/lived in Texas.

Wednesday, September 3, 2025

V-J Day at Local Museum

on 2 September, we attended a very interesting V-J Day Commemorative Event at the local museum - National Museum of the Pacific War. We were glad we had found out about it and were able to participate.

With the buffet treats and drinks, in a way, it was as if we had celebrated the end of the war 80 years ago (considering that, according to quantum physics, past, presence, and future happen at the same time, now).

The program of the commemoration, with the national Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance was quite patriotic.

The presence of the two WWII made it all quite special.

From the right (in white shirts) - Mr. Donald Graves and Mr. Ken Jones (USS Colorado veteran).

Introduction by Mr. David Shields, the Museum Director,

was followed by the lecture delivered by Mr. Jonathan Parshall.

During the event, I thought about my grandfather Józef, who was a POW and then a labor camp for five years of WW2.

We were honored to meet Mr. Donald Graves - Iwo Jima survivor.

Corporal Graves was a flamethrower of the 5th Marine Division, 28th Regiment, 2nd Battalion Dog Company. He was 17 when he joined the US Marine Corps in 1942.

An expected survival time of a flamethrower at Iwo Jima was 4 minutes. Miraculously, Mr. Graves lived through the battle with no harm to his body. You can learn more about the man from the interview with Mr. Graves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=N6naKvmyWAw

Listening to the lecture mentioned above, I realized that at the history classes I had attended in my childhood (Easter European block), it was never mentioned the Soviet entered Japan after the A bombs were dropped on the country by the US. I thought I might be wrong so asked my sister about that. She confirmed that she had not been taught about that either.

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