Hon. James Bredin. On November 23, 1906, there
passed to life eternal one of Butler’s most notable citizens, Hon. James
Bredin, ex-judge and attorney, who for nearly half a century had held a
position among the most honored and influential men of that city. He was
born in Butler, May 9, 1831, a son of Hon. John and Nancy (McClelland)
Bredin.
Hon. John Bredin, who was also an attorney and judge, was editor and
founder of the Butler Repository. He was born in Stranola, County Donegal,
Ireland, in 1794. His parents emigrated to America and settled in Butler
County in 1802. At the age of sixteen he became a clerk in a general store
in Pittsburgh. Two years later he bought a tract of wild land in what is
now Summit Township, Butler County. In 1817 he clerked in the
prothonotary’s office in Butler. Soon after he began the study of law
under the direction of Gen. William Ayres, a well known attorney and land
owner of that day. Young Bredin took advantage of this connection to make
himself thoroughly acquainted with early land laws, which knowledge proved
very useful to him in his subsequent practice, as much of the litigation
at that time had to do with disputes concerning land titles. For a long
time he was regarded as an authority on all questions of this nature. In
1824 John Bredin became interested in journalism and in association with
his brother, Maurice Bredin, continued for six years, without however
giving up his law practice. In 1830 he retired from the field of
journalism and the following year was appointed presiding judge of the
Seventeenth Judicial District, which position he held until his death, May
21, 1851. He married Nancy McClelland in Franklin, Pennsylvania, in 1829.
They are both buried in North Cemetery, Butler.
Nancy McClelland was the daughter of George McClelland, who came from
Monahan, Ireland, in 1795 and settled in Franklin, Pennsylvania, where he
was an editor, hotel keeper and iron manufacturer.
James Bredin was educated in the public schools of Butler and Butler
Academy. He also attended Washington College (now Washington and Jefferson
College), and Annapolis Naval Academy. In August, 1846, he was appointed a
midshipman in the United States Navy. He served during the Mexican War and
was at the siege of Vera Cruz and the taking of Tuspan. He resigned, from
the navy in 1850 and studied law and was admitted to the bar June 14,
1853. Prior to beginning the practice of his profession he became
associated with James Campbell, S. M. Lane, and other citizens in the
establishment of a bank in Butler, Pennsylvania, and with a branch at New
Castle, Pennsylvania. In 1855 he began the practice of law, which he
followed for sixteen years. In 1871 he removed to Allegheny, Pennsylvania,
and in 1874 was e1ected one of the judges of the Seventh Judicial
District, comprising Butler and Lawrence counties, an office he held for
ten years. After the expiration of his term he returned to Pittsburgh and
resumed the practice of law. He was a partner and manager of the banking
firm of Campbell, Bredin & Company in 1854-1855. He was treasurer of the
Butler Plank Road Company, and was founder and first president of the
Butler Savings Bank. Judge Bredin was active until his death in the
practice of law in Pittsburgh, while maintaining his residence in Butler.
He was member of the Episcopal Church, and of the Free and Accepted
Masons, Lodge No. 272, of Butler. He was also a member of the Allegheny
County Bar Association, the Pennsylvania State Bar Association, and the
American Bar Association. In politics he was an ardent supporter of the
Democratic party.
On October 7, 1856, James Bredin was married to Matilda E. Spear, a
daughter of William L. and Matilda E. (Spang) Spear, natives of Winfield
Furnace, Butler County, Pennsylvania. Mr. Spear, who was born in
Huntington County, Pennsylvania, was an iron manufacturer at Winfield
Furnace. He later removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was a
manufacturers agent. From there he came to Butler. His wife was born in
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. They are both deceased and are buried in North
Cemetery, Butler. To Mr. and Mrs. Spear the following children were born:
Henry S., Charles H., Frank Dixon, Mrs. George Hosford, Mrs. William
Lawrence, all deceased, and buried in North Cemetery, Butler; and Mrs.
James Breden. To James
and Matilda (Spear) Bredin four children were born: William S., deceased;
John, deceased; Anna Catherine, deceased, all buried in North Cemetery,
Butler; and Charles Henry Bredin, resides in Detroit, Michigan, where he
is engaged in the metal weatherstrip business. He married Grace Leonard of
Piqua, Ohio, and they have two children, Elizabeth Matilda, and Lewis
Leonard.
Mrs. James Bredin receives a pension from the United States Government on
account of the services rendered by her husband during the Mexican War.
Mrs. Bredin is very proud of this as very few women have that distinction.
History of Butler County, Pennsylvania,
Topeka: Historical Pub. Co., 1927,
Pages 744-746.
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