Gone To Texas: Napoleon B. Breeding & Family

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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Saturday, September 20, 2025

Napoleon B. Breeding & Family - Part 3

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