George L. Breese
George L. Breese, one of the well-known farmers and successful stock- raisers of Shawnee township, was born December, 8, 1851, on what is known as the old Frederick Goodwin farm, in section 4, Shawnee township, and is a son of David M. and Mary (Valentine) Breese.
The great-grandfather of Mr. Breese was born in Wales and died in Hardin County, Ohio. His grandparents, Griffith and Mary (Mowen) Breese, were born respectively in Wales and Pennsylvania. They were the founders of the family in Allen County, coming here from Butler County, Ohio, in 1832.
David M. Breese, father of George L., was born in Butler County, Ohio, February 27, 1825, and was seven years of age when his parents settled in Shawnee township, where he lived until his marriage and then settled in section 3, Shawnee township, on the Spencerville road. In 1863 he removed to his present farm in section 10. He was a soldier during the Civil War and has always been identified with the Republican party. He married in 1849 a daughter and a granddaughter of pioneers in Ohio. She was Mary Valentine, who was born in Champaign County, Ohio, March 23, 1827, and still survives. Her father, Crane Valentine, came to Allen County, in 1832 and settled on Elm street, Lima, at a time when that section was still so much of a wilderness that wild animals came out of the forest at night and invaded it. The children of David M. and Mary Breese were: Mary E., wife of Thomas Maltbie, of Lima; George L., of this sketch, and Emmet, who died aged seven years.
George L. Breese was educated in the Shawnee township schools and assisted his father on the farm until his marriage, which occurred in 1876. He then took up agricultural pursuits on his present finely improved farm in sections 9 and 10 . In addition to general farming, Mr. Breese has been an extensive stock-raiser, making a preference of Guernsey cattle and Duroc-Jersey hogs.
On September 6, 1876, Mr. Breese was married to Susan Nye, who was born in Shawnee township, and was a daughter of Jacob and Catherine Nye. Mrs. Breese died in 1896, leaving two children, viz: Clarence Nye, born December 13, 1877; and Mabel Kerr, born March 13, 1880. Clarence N. Breese is now deputy county clerk. In 1905 he married Mabel M. Kerr, daughter of George S. Kerr, of Lima.
Politically George L. Breese is a strong Republican. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is one of the active and enterprising men of Shawnee township, interested in its agricultural development and ready at all times to advance its various interests.