WI BIO - Dane Co - BRERETON, Arthur J.
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893. Vol II, pp 525-527

Arthur J. BRERETON, a farmer of Dane County, WI, was born in Kings County, 
Ireland, in 1832, a son of George BRERETON, a native of the same county, and 
a farmer by occupation. His father, John BRERETON, was also a farmer of 
Kings County, Ireland, and reared a family of five sons and four daughters. 
John BRERETON died in his native country, at about the age of 70 years. 
George, the youngest of his father's children, married Ellen HULEATT, also a 
native of Kings County, Ireland, and a daughter of Rev. HULEATT, a minister 
of the Episcopal Church at Shinrone, and a son of an Episcopal Rector. Mr. 
and [p 526] Mrs. [George] BRERETON came on the "Ann of Limerick" to America 
in the fall of 1848, and this vessel was shipwrecked in the Gulf of St. 
Lawrence, colliding in the night with an outgoing vessel. There were several 
passengers drowned in trying to get on board the other craft, but Mr. 
BRERETON's family stuck to their vessel, and after eight days of awful 
suspense, were rescued by another ship. The mother of our subject had been 
sick for two weeks, but was safely moved on board the small boat and to the 
vessel that brought them to Quebec. The "Ann" was abandoned, and went down 
with all the passengers' effects, except what they had on their person. 
The family remained in Canada about four years, where the mother [Ellen 
(HULEATT) BRERETON] died in 1850, aged 55 years, leaving six children: Hugh, 
Harriet, A. J., Ellen, George and Elizabeth. They buried two infant children 
in this country, and one son, John, in Ireland, at the age of 21 years. He 
was a promising young man, and was the mainstay of the family. The father 
and six children came to WI in the fall of 1852, via the lakes to Milwaukee, 
and by team to this neighborhood. There was then no railroad in the State, 
and they brought their own team from Canada. After a long and tedious trip 
they landed in Dane County with less than $5 in cash. Mr. [George] BRERETON 
farmed on rented land two years, and then bought 295 acres, with a log cabin, 
and 30 acres cultivated, for which they were to pay $2,050, with $200 down. 
This farm is still in possession of the family, and here the oldest brother, 
Hugh, died in May 1887, aged 60 years, leaving a wife and six grown children. 
He was prominent in political affairs, and at one time refused his name for 
Assemblyman. The father [George BRERETON] died during the first year of 
their residence in Dane County, and lies buried in the cemetery near his 
farm. His wife [Ellen (HULEATT) BRERETON] was buried in Canada.

Arthur J. BRERETON, the subject of this sketch, was early inured to hard 
labor, having worked out by the month in Canada, and for which he received 
from $5 to $13. He remained at home until his marriage, and in 1867 he 
purchased 198 acres of the home farm, paying $24 per acre. In 1877 he added 
105 acres to his original purchase, and later bought 140 acres for his son, 
Charles, where the latter still resides. Mr. BRERETON is engaged in general 
farming and stock raising, and since the failure of wheat he has given his 
attention principally to corn and oats. He has from 40 to 50 head of 
shorthorn cattle, about 150 head of Shropshire stock [sheep], and from 50 to 
60 head of Poland China hogs. His horses are principally Clydesdale, and he 
has also imported fine dams from Canada.

Arthur J. BRERETON was married at the age of 22 years to Miss Sarah GANT, a 
native of OH, who died of consumption eight years later, aged 26 years. She 
left two sons, John and Charles. Mr. [George] BRERETON afterward returned to 
Canada, and married Cynthia M. TOWNS, a native of that country, whom he had 
known in early youth. She is a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (GENTLE) 
TOWNS, the former a native of MA and the latter of Lower Canada. Mrs. 
BRERETON was the youngest of her mother's eight children. Joseph TOWNS was 
three times married, and had 19 children; he died at the age of 94 years, and 
his last wife died at the age of 65 years. 

Arthur J. and Sarah (GANT) BRERETON have buried one son, Wyman W., who died 
at the age of 10 years. They have four living children: Anna M., wife of 
Byrol C. Lamont, a lawyer of Aberdeen, Dakota [now in Brown County, State of 
SD]; Henry, aged [p 527] 22 years; Hiram, 18 years; and George, 12 years. 
Anna M. graduated with honor at the Lodi High School, at the age of 18 years, 
where she studied both English and Latin. Arthur J. BRERETON has been a 
lifelong Republican, and the family are members of the Methodist Church. 

Submitted by Cathy Kubly