WILLIAM C. BRECKENRIDGE

Merchant, Viola, was born in Mahon­ing county, Ohio, February 18, 1843. Here the family resided until William was fifteen years of age. In 1854 his father died, leaving a family of six children, William being the second oldest. In 1858 the family came to Illinois, and bought land of John Geiger in sections 1 and 12, Greene township. In January, 1862, William went to Kansas, and soon after enlisted in a brigade that was being made up to send to New Mexico ; but that expedition being abandoned, they were consolidated with the 8th Kansas at Fort Leavenworth. They first went to Fort Riley and then returned to the city of Leavenworth ; thence down the Missouri and Mississippi rivers to Columbus, Kentucky, where they landed and marched to Corinth and joined the main army.

This regiment participated in the battles of Murfreesborough, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, Franklin, and Nashville. Mr. Breckenridge did excellent service for his country, and was twice wounded. He was discharged in January, 1866, after which he returned to Mercer county and resumed his labors on the farm. He was married in 1868 to Miss Ella Gardner, and is now the father of five children, whose names in the order of their ages are : Frank 0., Ina (deceased), Army, Edna, and Sue. He is a member of the United Presbyterian church, with which he united in 1866. In 1877, he began business in Viola, first putting in a stock of groceries, but is now a member of the dry goods firm of H. B. Frazier & Co.

 

History of Mercer and Henderson County

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Illinois Ancestors