The Breckinridge family is a family of public figures from the United States. The family has included six members of the United States House of Representatives, two United States Senators, a cabinet member, two ambassadors, one United States Vice President, and one unsuccessful candidate for United States President. Breckinridges have served as college presidents, prominent ministers, soldiers, and theologians and in important positions at state and local levels. The family was most notable in Kentucky and most prominent during the 19th century, during nearly one third of which a member of the family served in the United States Congress.

Prominent members

edit

Prominent non-family members

edit
  • Francis Preston (1765–1836), Virginia House Delegate 1788–1789 1812–1814, U.S. Representative from Virginia 1793–1797, Virginia State Senator 1816–1820. Cousin of John Brown, John Breckinridge, and James Breckinridge, Grandson of Robert Preston.[28]
  • William Campbell Preston (1794–1860), South Carolina State Representative 1828–1834, U.S. Senator from South Carolina 1833–1842. Son of Francis Preston.[29]
  • William Ballard Preston (1805–1862), Virginia House Delegate 1830–1832 1844–1845, Virginia State Senator 1840–1844, U.S. Representative from Virginia 1847–1849, U.S. Secretary of War 1849–1850, Delegate to the Confederate States Congress from Virginia 1861–1862, Confederate States Senator from Virginia 1862. Nephew of Francis Preston.[30]
  • William Preston (1816–1887), delegate to the Kentucky Constitutional Convention 1849, Kentucky State Representative 1850 1868–1869, Kentucky State Senator 1851–1853, U.S. Representative from Kentucky 1852–1855, delegate to the Democratic National Convention 1856, U.S. Minister to Spain 1859–1861. Nephew of Francis Preston.[31]
  • John Brown (1757–1837), Virginia State Senator 1784–1788, Delegate to the Continental Congress from Virginia 1787–1788, U.S. Representative from Virginia 1789–1792, U.S. Senator from Kentucky 1792–1805. Brother of James Brown, Cousin of John Breckinridge, James Breckinridge, and Francis Preston.[32]
  • B. Gratz Brown (1826–1885), Missouri State Representative 1852–1858, delegate to the Republican National Convention 1860, U.S. Senator from Missouri 1863–1867, Governor of Missouri 1871–1873, candidate for Vice President of the United States 1872. Grandson of John Brown.[33]
  • James Brown (1766–1835), U.S. District Attorney in Kentucky 1791, Kentucky Secretary of State 1792–1798, Secretary of the Territory of Orleans 1804, U.S. District Attorney in Louisiana 1805–1808, U.S. Senator from Louisiana 1813–1817 1819–1823, U.S. Minister to France 1823–1829. Brother of John Brown, Cousin of John Breckinridge, James Breckinridge, and Francis Preston.[34]
  • Thomas H. Clay (1803–1871), U.S. Minister to Nicaragua 1863, U.S. Minister to Honduras 1863. Father-in-law of William Campbell Preston Breckinridge.[35]
  • Henry Donnel Foster (1808–1880), U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania 1843–1847 1871–1873, Pennsylvania State Representative 1857, candidate for Governor of Pennsylvania 1860. Cousin of John C. Breckinridge.[36]

NOTE: Peter B. Porter was also uncle of U.S. Senator Augustus S. Porter.[37] Thomas H. Clay was also son of Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Henry Clay,[38] brother of U.S. Representative James Brown Clay,[39] third cousin of U.S. diplomat Brutus Clay,[40] fourth cousin of U.S. Senator Clement Claiborne Clay Jr.,[41] first cousin twice removed of U.S. Representative Matthew Clay[42] and Kentucky State Senator Green Clay,[43] third cousin once removed of U.S. Senator Clement Comer Clay,[44] and second cousin once removed of Alabama State Senator Matthew Clay,[45] U.S. Representative Brutus J. Clay,[46] and U.S. diplomat Cassius M. Clay.[47]

Family tree

edit

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ GENEALOGY – Robert Breckinridge. The Breckinridge Clan (2020). Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  2. ^ Black, George Fraser (February 24, 2005). Scotland's Mark on America. Britannica Online Encyclopedia and Project Gutenberg Consortia Center. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  3. ^ Preston Papers (April 1919). The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography (Vol. 27, No. 2). Virginia Historical Society (on JSTOR). Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e Woodworth, Robert Bell. The descendants of Robert and John Poage, Volume I. Published: Staunton, Virginia, Priv. print. by the McClure Print. Co., 1954. Page 695.
  5. ^ a b c America's political dynasties – Stephen Hess . Google Books. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  6. ^ Index to Politicians: Breckinridge. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  7. ^ BRECKINRIDGE, John – Biographical Information. Bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  8. ^ Index to Politicians: Breckinridge. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  9. ^ Index to Politicians: Porter, O to R. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  10. ^ Index to Politicians: Breckinridge. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  11. ^ a b c d The Cabells and their kin: A ... – Alexander Brown – Internet Archive. Books.google.com (July 19, 2007). Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  12. ^ Index to Politicians: Breckinridge. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  13. ^ a b c d Breckinridge Biographies 1 Archived November 5, 2006, at the Wayback Machine. Breckinridge.com. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  14. ^ Index to Politicians: Breckinridge. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  15. ^ Index to Politicians: Breckinridge. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  16. ^ Index to Politicians: Breckinridge. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  17. ^ a b c d Breckinridge Biographies 2 Archived November 23, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. Breckinridge.com. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  18. ^ a b Selected Genealogy Chart Archived September 17, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Breckinridge.com (April 18, 1999). Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  19. ^ Clifton Rodes Breckinridge (1846–1932). Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  20. ^ "Breckinridge". Archived from the original on August 31, 2009. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
  21. ^ a b c d Samuelsen, W. David (1906–1908). Memorial and family history of Erie County, New York. New York and Buffalo: New York : Genealogical Publ. Co. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  22. ^ PORTER, Peter Augustus – Biographical Information. Bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  23. ^ HANDY, Levin Irving – Biographical Information. Bioguide.congress.gov (February 3, 1922). Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  24. ^ America's political dynasties – Stephen Hess . Google Books. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  25. ^ Scott Breckinridge Biography and Olympic Results | Olympics at. Sports-reference.com. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  26. ^ America's political dynasties – Stephen Hess . Google Books. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  27. ^ BRECKINRIDGE, John Bayne – Biographical Information. Bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  28. ^ Index to Politicians: Preston. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  29. ^ PRESTON, William Campbell – Biographical Information. Bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  30. ^ PRESTON, William Ballard – Biographical Information. Bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  31. ^ Index to Politicians: Preston. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  32. ^ BROWN, John – Biographical Information. Bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  33. ^ BROWN, Benjamin Gratz – Biographical Information. Bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  34. ^ BROWN, James – Biographical Information. Bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  35. ^ Index to Politicians: Clarke-streett to Claytee. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  36. ^ Henry Donnel FOSTER —. Infoplease.com. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  37. ^ Index to Politicians: Porter, A to B. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  38. ^ Index to Politicians: Clarke-streett to Claytee. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  39. ^ Index to Politicians: Clarke-streett to Claytee. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  40. ^ Index to Politicians: Clarke-streett to Claytee. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  41. ^ Index to Politicians: Clarke-streett to Claytee. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  42. ^ Index to Politicians: Clarke-streett to Claytee. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  43. ^ Index to Politicians: Clarke-streett to Claytee. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  44. ^ Index to Politicians: Clarke-streett to Claytee. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  45. ^ Index to Politicians: Clarke-streett to Claytee. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  46. ^ Index to Politicians: Clarke-streett to Claytee. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.
  47. ^ Index to Politicians: Clarke-streett to Claytee. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.