Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/418

 JiiiAV.MAN.

BliECK.

Present State of Religion on the Continent of North America." and "Acts of Visitation at AnnuiKilis " (1T(X^-1701); " Bibliotlieca Cate- chetica " (1702); a sermon, " For God or Satan " (1708); "A Marty rology, or History of the Papiil UsurjKition " (1712); " Directorium Mis- sionariun: '■ (172(5); " Primordia Bibliotliecaria '' (1727): "A Life of Mr. Jolm Rawlet." See " Public S|)irit ilhistratetl in the Life and Designs of Dr. Bray" (17(j9), and the annual reports of the assticiation. He died in Loudon, England. Feb. 15, 1730.

BRAY.'VIAN, Mason, lawyer, was born at Butfalo. N. v.. May 2:5. 1813. He was reared on a farm, learned the ])rinter"s trade and in 1834-'35 edited the Buffalo Bulletin. He was admitted to the bar in 183G, and removed to Monroe, Mich. He served as city attorney of Monroe in 1838, and in 1841 edited a newspaper. In 1842 he estab- lished himself in the practice of law at Spring- field, 111. In 1843, as a special commissioner under the government, he adjusted the Mormon disturbances at Nauvoo and was employed as counsel in the prosecution of the offenders, and conducted the negotiations which resulted in the withdrawal of the Mormons from Illinois. He revised and published the statutes of Illinois in 1844-'4.j. He became the attorney of the Illinois Central railroad in 1851, and afterwards a pro- moter of railroad enterprises throughout Missouri, Arkjinsas, and the southwest. He joined the Fed- eral army in 1861, as major of the 29th Illinois volunteers, became colonel in the following year, and fought in the battles of Bebnont, Fort Don- elson, and ShUoh. For especial gallantry at these engagements he was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers. He was in command at Bolivar, Tenn., when General Van Dom's attack was so effectively repulsed. He re-organized the returned Ohio regiments at Camp Denni.son; was in command at Natchez from July, 1864, to May, 1865; was appointed presiding officer of the commi.s.sion which met to examine into the cott^jn claims, and was mustered out of service >vith the rank of major-general of volunteers at the close of hostilities, when he revived railroad interests in the south. In 1872-'73 he edited the I llitwis State Journal; in 1873 he removed to Ripon, Wis., and practised law tmtil 1877, when he was appointed by President Hayes gov- ernor of Idaho. At the expiration of his term in 18H0 he resumed the practice of his jirofession at RiiM>n, Wis. He .sub.sequently settled in Kansas City. Mo., where he died Feb. 27, 1895.

BREARLEV, David, jurist, was born near Trenton, N. J., June 11, 1745. He practised law at Allentown, N. J. He was arrested for high trea-son against the king, but was rescued by a mob of his patriotic fellow-townsmen; joined the

revolutionarj' army, and became lieutenant-col- onel. He became chief justice of New Jersey in 1779; was a member of the constitutional -con- vention of 1787, and president of the state con- vention which ratified the Federal constitution. He was also a presidential elector in 1788. and a judge of tiie U.S. district court of New Jersey, in 1789. He <iied at Trenton, N.J.. Aug. 16. 1790.

BREATHITT, John, governor of Kentucky, was born in Loudoun count}', Va., Sei)t. 9, 1786. His father removed to Kentucky in 1800 and John was a survej'or and teacher there. He was ad- mitted to the bar in 1810 and practised in Frank- fort, Ky. He was for several years a repre- sentative in the" state legislature, elected as a Jacksonian Democrat; and was lieutenant-gover- nor of Kentucky, 1828-'32. was inaugurated gover- nor June 1, 1832, holding the office at the time of his death in Frankfort. Ky., Fel). 21, 1834.

BREAZEALE, Phanon, representative, was born ill Natcliitoches. La., Dec. 29, 1858. He was educated under a private tutor, and was married July 15, 1884, to Marie Chopin. He studied law; was admitted to the bar, and en- gaged in practice. He was president of the board of school directors of Louisiana, 1888-'91; district prosecuting attorney of Louisiana, 1892-'99, and a member of the state constitutional convention of 1898. He was elected a representative in the 56th, 57th and 58th congresses from the 4th Louisiana district as a Democrat, 1899-1905.

BREBEUF, Jean de, Jesuit missionary, was born in France, March 25, 1593. He came to America with Champlain in 1626, and spent his life with the Huron Indians, learning their language, and converting them to Christianity. He was in England, 1629-'82, and on his return penetrated to Lake Huron, where he established the villages of St. Ignatius and St. Louis. His writings have great historical value, and include '• The Jesuit Relation of ]635-"36," in which he gives a full ac- count of tlieHurons, their customs and language, which was translated and published in the mem- oirs of the American Antiquarian societ)'. He also translated Ledesma's catechism into the Huron tongue (1640). He was killed when St. Louis was taken by the Iroquois, March 16, 1649.

BRECK, Daniel, jurist, was born in Topsfield, Mass., Feb. 12, 1788; son of Rev. Daniel Breck, chaplain in the revolution, and brother of Samuel Breck, merchant. He obtained his education under difficulties, and was graduated at Dart- mouth college in 1812. In 1814 he removed to Richmond, Ky, where he practised law and l)e- came judge of the county court. He was elected to the state legislature from 1824 to 1834, during which time he originated the system of internal improvements, the Richmond branch of the state bank, of which he became president, and