Andrews Breed
Andrews Breed | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Lynn, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | April 20, 1881 (aged 86) Lancaster, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, politician |
| Years active | Early 19th century – late 19th century |
| Known for | Mayor of Lynn, Massachusetts (1855–1856) |
Andrews Breed (September 20, 1794 – April 20, 1881) was a prominent American entrepreneur and political figure who held the office of mayor in Lynn, Massachusetts from 1855 to 1856.
Early life
Born in Lynn on September 20, 1794, Breed was a descendant of Allen Breed, one of the earliest European settlers of the city. His relative, second cousin Hiram N. Breed, also occupied the mayoral position in Lynn between 1861 and 1862.
When he was five years old, his family relocated to Salem, Massachusetts, where his father operated a tavern before becoming the proprietor of the notable Hotel Lynn in 1813. Breed discontinued formal education at age fourteen to assist in his father’s business and enlisted in the Massachusetts Militia at eighteen, serving as adjutant for the Fourth Regiment during the War of 1812.
Business career
In 1816, Breed moved to Charlestown to work with Skinner & Kurd, a West India trade company, initially as a clerk and bookkeeper; by 1822 he had advanced to partner status. He returned to Lynn in 1829 to establish a West India goods enterprise alongside his brothers and assumed management of the Lynn Hotel. He withdrew from the West India trade sector in 1836.
Between 1832 and 1848, Breed acted as general agent and was a principal shareholder in the Lynn Whaling Company. In 1853, he took on the role of superintendent for the newly inaugurated Saugus Branch Railroad, maintaining this position until its merger with the Eastern Railroad in 1855.
Breed’s financial leadership extended across several institutions: he served for thirty-four years as secretary and treasurer of Lynn Mutual Fire Insurance; held the presidency of Lynn Institution for Savings for ten years; was president of Union Insurance Company; served as inaugural secretary of Sagamore Mutual Fire Insurance Company; and partnered in the shoe manufacturing firm Breed & Abbott.
Politics
In 1844, Breed acted as chief marshal during a Whig Party gathering in Lynn that attracted over twelve thousand participants. His public service included membership on Lynn’s inaugural board of assessors and seven years as chief engineer of the fire department. He completed one term as mayor of Lynn from 1855 to 1856.
Personal life
On August 29, 1822, Breed married Susan Davis from Westford, Massachusetts; together they had six children. In 1829, he constructed an expansive residence on land previously owned by his grandfather in Lynn but encountered financial difficulties that led him to sell this property along with others in 1848. By 1855, Breed had restored his financial standing and built a new home on Lynn Common where he lived until 1874 before relocating to Lancaster to reside with his son Frank. Andrews Breed passed away in Lancaster on April 20, 1881.