Eileen,
I found this on Ancestry linked to a tree. USERNAME:
tpd619501
Breen O'Brien
Sorting out Breens and O'Briens in Indianapolis. I found an estate record in Indianapolis for Patrick O'Brien who died intestate in 1880 in Indianapolis. In the settlement the estate was divided between his sisters and brother, listed as Johanna O'Brien Breen, Catherine O'Brien White, Bridget O'Brien Ryan and Timothy O'Brien. Johanna was the wife of James Breen. Catherine, I believe, was the wife of John White, and Bridget was the wife of Michael Ryan. Many researchers believe that Catherine White was a Breen and James sister. I think its very likely she was an O'Brien and James sister in law, sister of James wife Johanna O'Brien.
We had researched this family many years ago trying to make connection to our Michael and Mary Shea White family in Indianapolis. It turned out we are not related to this group. But the information we have in a private tree and seems to be generally shared do not seem to be correct because of the following considerations.
Margaret Breen was born in County Tipperary Ireland 4 Jul 1845, daughter of James and Mary Doherty (Daugherty) Breen. She married Patrick Tobin 24 Feb 1868 in Dayton Ohio and they lived near Fortville Hancock County Indiana, northeast of Indianapolis. In an article in the Indianapolis Star 25 Feb 1918 celebrating Patrick and Margaret's 50th wedding anniversary it is stated that Margaret was a sister of the late James Breen of Indianapolis and aunt of the late Mrs. William J Mooney, T F Breen, P J Breen, Michael Breen and the late Mrs. James H Deery (all children of James and Johanna O'Brien Breen), and Anna and Margaret Breen, all of Indianapolis. I believe Anna and Margaret Breen to be children of Michael and Bridget Houlihan Breen. Michael died in 1868 in a train accident in Fortville. The above list I believe only includes the relatives in Indianapolis, so its hard to sort out who is related.
Other trees show that the members of this family, including Margaret Tobin and James and Michael Breen, include Martin Breen, who died in Indianapolis in 1889, and Thomas Breen, married to Ellen Hogan and living in Marion Ohio. Martin Breen's will in Indianapolis in 1889 mentions brothers Thomas Breen in Marion, Ohio and Michael Breen in Ireland, sister Julia Fitzgerald in Richmond Indiana, niece Margaret Mulcahy in Nevada Ohio and Margaret Fogarty in Fairfield Ohio. (I believe Margaret Fogarty was a niece of Martin's first wife Margaret Fogarty).
Sister Julia Fitzgerald was Julia Breen married to Michael Fitzgerald. They were in Fortville in the 1870 census, then in Richmond through 1900, later moving to Chicago where Julia died in 1920. Margaret Mulcahy was the daughter of John and Mary Breen Mulcahy of Wyandot county Ohio. Margaret later married Thomas Carroll in Lima Ohio. From this I assume that Mary Breen Mulcahy was Martin's sister, although its odd he didn't mention her, as she was still living (died in 1914), and also had several other children besides Margaret. Perhaps Margaret was a goddaughter, named after Martin's first wife Margaret Fogarty?
But the fact that Martin mentions a brother Michael in Ireland (I have an article in 1882 mentioning a Julia Breen daughter of Michael Breen of Tipperary Ireland coming to her uncle Martin Breen in Indianapolis) means that the Michael who died in Fortville in 1868 was not Martin's brother, so neither James or Margaret Tobin were either.
Trees show John and Mary Ryan Breen as the parents of this family. I have no opinion on that. But the death records for Julia Breen Fitzgerald and Mary Breen Mulcahy both list father's name as John.
I am bringing the information from our private tree to this public one and posting this to help people who are connected to these families to figure out their relations. I currently have James, Michael who died in Fortville in 1868 and Margaret Breen as brothers and sister, children of James and Margaret Doherty Breen, although there is a considerable age difference between the three. I am showing Martin, Michael in Ireland, Thomas in Marion Ohio, Julia Breen Fitzgerald and Mary Breen Mulcahy as brothers and sisters and children of John Breen. I am not certain of how they all connect, although I think they do (for example, Maggie Breen, daughter of Thomas of Marion Ohio, was attendant at the marriage of James Breen's daughter Josephine to William Mooney) , and I would welcome any additions or corrections.
