Breakey, John (1780-1878) of DRUMSKELT

 

57

“The defeat of Counselor Daniel O’CONNEL the greatest lawyer of his day in Ireland by John BREAKEY of DRUMSKELT. In the old time-Ireland had no monthly or quarter sessions, all was done in MONAGHAN twice a year. The city assises would last two weeks people of slender means would be permitted sometimes to employ a friend to plead for them. My father witnessed a will and the widow asked him to speak for her. The judges asked the widdow was she agreeable to that. She said she had impliset belief in John BREAKEY telling the truth. 'Then Daniel O’CONNEL got up & said this man had but a slender education & he wondered he had the odasity to stand before him Counselor O’CONNEL said he, had a note now at the 11 hour from his cleant to say John BREAKEY's early ansestor was a Huguenot & his female ancestor a Puritan and between those two they pro­duced a set of wariors only to be equaled in blood to the blue hen that sought nine rounds without the bill.. My father then got up a man of good presence & over six feet high. The crowded house cheared the blue hen. My father said your worships I think Counselor Daniel O’CONNEL has made a mistake in saying I am an unlettered man. Then he said I can prove a sum by four rules, Algebra, Uclid, Mensuration, and triginomatary. Can you do that said.he to O’CONNEL, no it was the law I learned & not figures father said am I to draw the inference from that you cannot count 5d. of hapens. Then father said he could translate Greek & Latin"& reed HOMER as quick as many a school-boy could reed his lesson. Can you do that Counselor O’CONNEL, no was the answer. Then my father asked.. liberty to say a few words more & that was granted at once. Then he said he had often paid out in his Bathers office ₤700 a week for green & bleached linen & when he would go to make sales in the linen market in DUBLIN he would have £1000 home. Where were you educated said one of the judges. I lived with my uncle Crown Solicitor here present: and went to the garison school in MONAGHAN after that General HORNTON took me to the garison-school CHARLEMOUNT Co. ARMAGH where my education was completed: The trial went off in favour of the widow and the case dismissed on the merits The judges said to father turn your attention to the law & we will help in every way, you have a good presence & a fine use of eloquent language. One of the judges asked father what incourage­ment did General HORNTON give you leaving CHARLEMOUNT garison at Benburb Co. ARMAGH, he offered to bestow me a Lieutenant's comission &_to give me a living off his estate till I would be self supporting. The red coat & & the law was two things I never liked said father.”

Breakey, John

8

 

NOTE: I am going from context here and confess to confusion. Is this “John BREAKEY” a son of Arthur BREAKEY and therefore Mary BREAKEY GILESPIE his sister?

“ John BREAKEY and Mary BREAKEY GILESPIE (of Missouri) have been the most useful members of this family. Being blessed with good means and having a giving hand and a generous heart, they have always been forward in helping those of the connection who may require assistance. John is over 6 feet high, has a very military appearance, and had dark fair hair. I have John to thank for showing me London and so much of England. For a long term of years, he has made it a rule to write to me every week and I now look out for his letter as a loved one would for a letter from the object of her affections.”

Breakey, John

14

 

NOTE: I am uncertain which John BREAKEY this might be

“Mr. MURRAY KER said [in 1843] as William KER never paid John BREAKEY for the ground of the pass he would give no liberty to his representatives on the Island Farm to cut the thorns. The quicks belong­ed to this farm but John BREAKEY was at liberty to cut and prune them. John BREAKEY was still at liberty to use the pass as he had done when it was built. The ditch next the lake was put up at the time the pass was made.”

Breakey, John

9

 

son of Hugh BREAKEY & Elizabeth SWAN;  contractor and builder in Capetown.

Breakey, John

 

13, 56,

full cousin of the John BREAKEY (1780-1878 who was the father of Thomas Cathcart BREAKEY; SEE: GRAY, Sam for story of sign painting

Breakey, John  (1780-1878) AKA “Father” (of Thomas Cathcart BREAKEY) AKA “Jack”

 

7, 8, 10, 12, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 45, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59

 

SEE ROPERs for story of dog; he got “Wm [TODD] to be a Covenanter & to come to Society in this house”; SEE: TODD, Wm.; SEE KER, Wm; his cousin painted the sign at Sam GRAY’s; SEE BREAKEY, Thomas Cathcart;
“Father come in the days of agitation. United Irishmen. White Boys. Break of day boys Orangemen. Ribbon men. Fenians. Molly M'Guires. Murderers of Landlords.”
” Two grand old customs he quite outlived elderly men in CAGHANS in the time of Revd, Rogers DERRYVALLEY in the days of Revd., ARNOLD, James MORELL and in CREIVAGH up to the death of Revd. Thomas Cathcart. Those elderly men would often gather a ring of young people round, explain Bible questions, the Catechism, Commandments & such. I have been in the ring in CRIEVAGH before divine service & again at intermission & I heard things explained in powerful language I never could forget. Such questions as what is the meaning of Mountain men as Covenanters were called. What was & protestant wherein do we differ from Roman catholics in our religion. Who was the Puritans. What is willworship. One thinks of a Schripture character, others ask questions to find out who it was. What was the meaning of protestant. The second old custom done away with. Elderly men in a congregation visiting the sick. Father had a cotcher woman who had a very long & bad disease joint evil in her back. She would frequently reflect on God for tormenting her so much. Father was remonstrating with her about that sort of talk. She got very displeased & ordered a son present to raise her up till she would curse God & die. Sad to say she did. die in a moment of time, Father was very much shocked.”
“In my fathers early day the fair in ROCKCORRY was on a rocks near to the present mill. In my early day it was on a green part of which was taken into the Church graveyard. A pump stood in the cowgreen which has long since been filled up.”
”Father was loquacious & had wonderful powers of speech, explanation & illustration, like Dr. R. MOORE of ROCKCORRY he was born with the gift of leaving an indellible impression on the memory of the listener never to be forgotten. Hearing Father so often over what he had seen I think I will mention some of the particulars on this sheet”
“The defeat of Counselor Daniel O’CONNEL the greatest lawyer of his day in Ireland by John BREAKEY of DRUMSKELT. In the old time-Ireland had no monthly or quarter sessions, all was done in MONAGHAN twice a year. The city assises would last two weeks people of slender means would be permitted sometimes to employ a friend to plead for them. My father witnessed a will and the widow asked him to speak for her. The judges asked the widdow was she agreeable to that. She said she had impliset belief in John BREAKEY telling the truth. 'Then Daniel O’CONNEL got up & said this man had but a slender education & he wondered he had the odasity to stand before him Counselor O’CONNEL said he, had a note now at the 11 hour from his cleant to say John BREAKEY's early ansestor was a Huguenot & his female ancestor a Puritan and between those two they pro­duced a set of wariors only to be equaled in blood to the blue hen that sought nine rounds without the bill.. My father then got up a man of good presence & over six feet high. The crowded house cheared the blue hen. My father said your worships I think Counselor Daniel O’CONNEL has made a mistake in saying I am an unlettered man. Then he said I can prove a sum by four rules, Algebra, Uclid, Mensuration, and triginomatary. Can you do that said.he to O’CONNEL, no it was the law I learned & not figures father said am I to draw the inference from that you cannot count 5d. of hapens. Then father said he could translate Greek & Latin"& reed HOMER as quick as many a school-boy could reed his lesson. Can you do that Counselor O’CONNEL, no was the answer. Then my father asked.. liberty to say a few words more & that was granted at once. Then he said he had often paid out in his Bathers office ₤700 a week for green & bleached linen & when he would go to make sales in the linen market in DUBLIN he would have £1000 home. Where were you educated said one of the judges. I lived with my uncle Crown Solicitor here present: and went to the garison school in MONAGHAN after that General HORNTON took me to the garison-school CHARLEMOUNT Co. ARMAGH where my education was completed: The trial went off in favour of the widow and the case dismissed on the merits The judges said to father turn your attention to the law & we will help in every way, you have a good presence & a fine use of eloquent language. One of the judges asked father what incourage­ment did General HORNTON give you leaving CHARLEMOUNT garison at Benburb Co. ARMAGH, he offered to bestow me a Lieutenant's comission &_to give me a living off his estate till I would be self supporting. The red coat & & the law was two things I never liked said father.”
”Father heard a drunk man striving to sing The Lord is my SHEPHERD. It is the Devil you mean said Father he has charge of the goats. Father said you remind me of the Devil clipping pigs you have more noise than wool.”

Breakey, John  AKA “Father” (1780-1878) AKA “Jack”

1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 40, 43, 46, 47, 50, 52, 53, 54, 55 , 56, 60, 6l, 62, 63, 64, 65, 67 68, 69, 70, 74, 79, 80, 84, 85, 86

 

(1780-1878) Father of Thomas Cathcart BREAKEY, youngest child of Billy bon BREAKEY; as a boy of 14 he witnessed the corpses of 9 revenue officers dressed up as soldiers in 1798 and killed by rebels. when he was a child, the houses were all mud cabins He “saw the first house covered with flat stones set in morter (sic)”; he leased a house in CARRYDUFF to John CONLON; his landlord was Dr. KER who raised the rents; he endured extreme prejucice from the likes of Col KER against Presbyterians; in October 1798 he planted a chestnut tree in memory of the soldiers killed at CRIEVE; friend of Rev James MORELL with whom he put on “entertainments”; as a young man he was 6’3” tall; he enjoyed singing and had an old song book with songs dating back to the Romans in England

“John BREAKEY (1 Dec., 1780 –11 Feb., 1878) of DRUMSKELT House and his wife, Elizabeth SMALL (….,1793 -26 Nov., 1866) of BAILIEBOROUGH.”

“My Father was born the 1st December, 1780. He was married to Elizabeth SMALL of BAILIEBOROUGH the 1st of October, 1812, and they Lived together 54 years when she died. He was a large man, 6 feet, 3 inches in height and 16 stones[1]  in weight. He had all his faculties until the moment of death. He closed his own eyes, stretched himself and then asked God to take his spirit and so he died. He was very  religious. He visited the sick of all creeds and had family worship here morning and evening when he read, sang and prayed. This was his habit the last 75 years of his life. He died the 11th of February, 1878, and was 98 years of age when he died.”

“Father brought the first damson quicks (cuttings), snowdrops, and orange lilies in this parish from Norman STEEL's. Till Orangemen started at the Dian, County ARMAGH, no party feeling existed in respect of that flower. Father had a very big bed of them at one time. A Catholic servant man cut them at the ground when in flower with a scythe and one of them never grew. Three were in the ditch and escaped.”

“When the BREAKEYs came to live in LISGILLIN, BALLADIAN was a hedge school and that only in the summer. After that a SMALL house was built on the stand (site) of the present house. When my Father went to that school he found a big mat hung from the lintles as a substitute for a door with a stop peg at the ground. The fire was in the middle of the house on the ground. A sort of bell mouthed fixture of wood was hung head high from a hole in the roof to conduct the smoke out. Of a day when a heavy wind would be on, the mat could not be opened for fear the wind would blow the fire through the house and so all hands had to be pulled through a blind window in the back of the house.”

“I think I will narrate the story of my Father's appearance before Dan O’CONNEL as a witness in a will case. In those days, we had neither quarterly or petty Cessions. All was done at the Assizes and it would take sometimes three weeks to get through them. When Counselor O’CONNEL got up to introduce his case that was to be contested against his client by an unlettered countryman who had the audacity to plead in his presence without a Counsel or even a Solicitor, he said, since he came into court he found the early ancestor of the witness was a Huguenot and his wife a Puritan and, between those two warriors, they produced a race of men only to be equaled in blood to the blue hen who could fight 9 rounds without the beak. Father got up and he was a very distinguished looking man of 6 feet 3 inches in height with a mass of auburn curls and the pink complection (sic) that goes with that colour of hair. He was dressed in the then fashion, brass buttons and buck-skin breeches. The laugh went round the house when someone shouted the blue hen was up. My Father said to the Judges, "Mr. O’CONNEL has stated a falsehood that I am an unlettered man. Now I can prove a sum by four rules algebra, euclid, mensuration, and trigonometry. Now," said Father, "Can you do that, I stake one pound to a penny you are not able to do it." "I cannot," said O’CONNEL. "Then why call me an un­lettered man when you are not a common arithmetician? Now," said Father, "I can translate Latin or Greek into English as quickly as a school boy would read 'Sinbad the Sailor'." So the case went on, the Judges asking the widow, "Do you take John BREAKEY for your witness in this case?" She said, "By all means." Then my Father proved Mr. O’CONNEL had only got the one side of the case, but he would show him the dark side and won the case in a few moments, when the Judges dismissed the case on the merits." Then the Judges asked Father, "Were you educated in the military garrison in MONAGHAN and CHARLIMOUNT [CHARLEMOUNT] garrison, County ARMAGH? I tell you what you should do, turn your attention to the law and we will help you. We see you have a powerful use of eloquent language, and explana­tion and illustration with discretion." "I endorse all you say," said O’CONNEL, "And will help him too." Father thanked them respectfully and said the law and a red coat would not be to his taste. The Church would be to his taste. One of them said, "Scolding the Devil, putting up a man of straw and firing shot and shell at him." Father, knowing one of the Judges was a retired officer, left the bench, giving the military salute to their Worships amid shouts of, "The blood of the blue hen has the stripes!" This caused a queer laugh all over the house.”

“This African war reminds me of a very sad story Father was eye witness to, the result of putting the ballot act into execution toward the end of the French war. One day, a company of horse soldiers includ­ing a Colonel and Doctor came here and said to Father, "You turn out and show us where the boys and men mentioned on this paper live." Father said, that order was very revolting to him in every sense of the term. "Well," said the Colonel, "If you refuse, we press yourself." As the red coat was no favourite with Father, he turned out at once. The first house on the list was big Jack McGAUGHY's where 7 sons and one daughter lived. When the sixth son was being examined by the Doctor, the old sister in the corner said, "Thanks be to God you will not take our Tommy for he is puffed in the hocks." The Doctor said to her, "You are all useless lumber." In the evening, 22 men were drawn. Father, seeing they must go was able to advise 18 of them to take the "bounty", £36 (pounds sterling) paid on the spot. The four who would not do so were pressed and got but one hour to bid parents and friends goodbye, a very trying and feeling thing on Father and even the soldiers. The Colonel offered them a pound each out of his pocket, if they would take the bounty and go freely. Strange, those four men never returned. They died early in life at the Garrison in AULDERSHOT. When the Colonel was leaving, he complimented my Father for his advice to the men and his impressive and powerful use of language.”

“Next week, Father got an order from the Colonel to join a larger company of men in the parish of ROCKWALLACE and to see if he could advise the men drawn to take the bounty, and to be sure and tell them you are a country man, and your name, and your business, as you are not known here. So like a military man in the costume of a civilian, Father took his brother-in-law, Solicitor LEEKEY, a man every man knew, and between them were able to persuade all men drawn that day, with others who had volunteered, to take the bounty and the Captain's present, one pound each, making 137 in all. I often heard Father say the soldier beat the drum on horseback with two sticks and 36 sovereigns leaping on the drumhead.

Father got a letter from the Captain again to see if he would go and speak to a young man called MURPHY in DUNMURISH who was 6 feet 4 inches in height and 16 stones weight. Father went and mentioned his business. MURPHY said to my Father, "This is like my death warrant." "No," said his Father, "You have been at all times a dutiful good boy to me, you are to live long, God says in the Fifth Commandment." "Well," said Father, "You are required for standard bearer, King George will give you on the spot ₤36, the General a present of ₤5, and your Captain's one so you will get ₤42."

“For a long term of years, my-Father would give outdoor lectures in August to crowds of young people. His subject would be Commandments, particularly the Fifth, Eighth, and Tenth. He had such powerful use of language and expressive illustrations that his lectures were a thing never to be forgotten and to his credit be it told he brought contempt of parental authority to be a thing only heard of round here. He was particularly good-on the Tenth. "Be content with our lot in life" was his last lecture. He said a lot of the bad luck of Ireland came from discontent and faultfinding.”

Breakey, John (1826-1911)

8,

 

(1826-bef 1927) son of  John BREAKEY & Elizabeth SMALL; brother of Thomas Cathcart BREAKEY; father of Arthur & Mary BREAKEY
”John left this house early in life to learn the medical profession. He learned the compounding up of medicines in Dr. WHEELER's, BELFAST. After that, he was appointed doctor in the General Hospital, BELFAST. After living there some years, he got an appointment as assistant doctor(physician) in one of Her Majesty's Naval Ships. Some time later he was appointed Head Surgeon in another ship. By merit and foreign service, he succeeded in getting to the head of the wheel in the Navy. His last appointment was Inspector General of Royal Naval Hospitals. After retiring from active service, he took a house in Carlisle Mansions, London, where he still lives. During his life in BELFAST, he made the acquaintance of a young lady of fortune, a Miss Jane MILLER whom he married on getting a three year appointment to Plymouth Royal Memorial Hospital. By her he had 5 children , two of which lived, Arthur and Mary. She died when giving birth to her last child. Mary was married in Jamaica to a Dr. WHITE, also in the Navy, during the time of John's assignment there. She died early in life, leaving one child, a boy. Some time prior to that, John was married the second time to a widow, Jeanie HARRIS of Plymouth, a woman who had three sons and one daughter.”

Breakey, John (1826-1911)

 

57

son of  John BREAKEY & Elizabeth SMALL; brother of Thomas Cathcart BREAKEY; father of Arthur & Mary BREAKEY
“Inspector General John BREAKEY, I.G.H., M.D.,R.N. died on the 20th October 1911. He had a very prosperous career. First he was assistant surgeon in LISBURN Infirmary some time after he was appointed head surgeon in the General Hospital BELFAST. He then become a surgeon in the Navy in 1854, staff surgeon in 1876 and Inspr. General of Hospitals in 1886, retired in 1889. He served during the Russian War in the Baltic in 1854 and was present at the bombardment of Bomarsuna. He also served in the China War 1857 & 1858. He had boath the Baltic & China Medals. With the consent of the Admiralty lent himself to go with the lines men to the Crimea and then had boath red & blue uniform and from that his promotion in the navy had no bounds.”

Breakey, John (1846-

11

 

son of Hans Denaston BREAKEY, expanded lumber manufactureing and pulp wood business in BREAKEYVILLE, Que., Canada

“Andrew [BREAKEY]of CORRYHAGEN House. His son, Hans Denaston [BREAKEY], came to Canada and settled on the Chaudiere River south of Quebec where he founded the lumber manufacturing and pulp wood business inherited and  greatly expanded by his son John BREAKEY (born there 9 April, 1846), See Canadian Men and Women of the Time, 1912. BREAKEYville, situated about 10 miles south of Quebec [City], was named for this family. E.P.B”

Breakey, John (1884- )

 

59

son of Thomas Cathcart BREAKEY;
”My son John served his time in BELFAST to the making of motors & then drove the Bishop, of Clougher for two years & earned the reputation of not drinking whiskie, smoking or telling lies. He then went to California with Bishop Days reference where he got employed to drive Bishop JOHNSTON at wonderful pay.”

Breakey, John (Abt 1715-

11

 

first-born son of Isaiah BREAKEY

“John came first. He was a very talented man, and painted in  oils and water colours. He did life likenesses in oil. He painted the “Monkey Shaving a Goat" on Andy RUTTLEDGE's signboard, a thing everyone admires. He also did "Farewell to Whiskey" over the first coffee or tea house that was in BALLYBAY. Two old fellows in dress coats and knee breeches are touching glasses and saying , Farewell to Whiskey'. He and the late William ARNOLD of CREEVE got £50 for the renovating of the picture of Queen Dido in the reception room of BELMOUNT CASTLE. He was a linguist as well.”

Breakey, John (abt 1770-1772)

15

 

8th child of William “Billy Bon” BREAKEY, he died as a child.

Breakey, John “of BALLADIAN”

13

 

“John BREAKEY's house in BALLADIAN was finished in the building, the October of 1692, by the cousin of my ancestor. During the time the house was being built his wife, a French woman, lived in DUBLIN and learned the English language. It was said she felt the change very much from a life in Paris to a solitary one in BALLADIAN. But being in such love and admiration of her husband and undergoing so many trials for his sake, she soon became the best of wives and mother of a large family. By her a host of BREAKEYs came too numerous to mention. The late John BREAKEY of BALLADIAN had three grandsons in the church, all clever men. John occupied the pulpit of my brother William in LISBURN and is very much liked.”

Breakey, John AKA “Whitehead”

11, 12

 

“His father was called "Whitehead" owing to his hair being the colour of bog-water flax. I think he was called John BREAKEY.”

“John BREAKEY, called "Whitehead", who lived in and built the house now occupied by John SPEAR, and his brother Billy the bon, built and lived in the house now occupied by William DOUGLAS”

Breakey, John AKA Breakey, John Hamilton

7

 

son of Rev James BREAKEY & Matilda LAYCOCK Although I have James HAMILTON as well as a John as sons – is there a confusion here?

Breakey, John AKA John ‘Soople’ (1780-1870)

4

 

 “My Father's uncle, "John Soople" (Jack the Supple) so called from his keeping two hounds, Gaylass and Brusher, and always followed them on foot. He had the farm that is to the house for 2/6 (2 shilling, 6 pence) per acre while old Mr. Harper lived. “John Soople" had no family. He said to my Father when a wee boy, "Come to the MOUNTAIN MEETINGHOUSE with me and I will leave you all I possess.” Father did so and that is how he came to be a Covenantor. At the death of John BREAKEY, so called "John Soople", Father got all he possessed.”

 


[1] A stone is l4 pounds by legal definition in Britain. E.P.B.