Connecting the dots between the powerful families of Newport, Rhode Island and Bellefonte.

By Dale Moore, in partnership with Bellefonte Victorian Charm

Bellefonte residents and visitors have long been fascinated by our beautiful Victorian homes and architecture. Behind every home there is a story to tell about the people who lived there such as our many governors, politicians, war heroes, wealthy merchants to everyday common people.

During the same time that Bellefonte was building our beautiful homes, another Northeastern town was doing the same but on a much bigger scale. Newport, Rhode Islandas aGolden Agea was giving way to what Mark Twain called the aGilded Age.a The nationas richest and most elite were building what the locals called acottagesa near the ocean. Many were hardly cottages and more like 70 room mansions. Homes built by the mega rich like Cornelius Vanderbilt can still be seen and visited today.

Cornelis Vanderbilt made a fortune, first in steamships, and later in the railroad. William Vanderbilt, Cornelisa eldest son, was a Yachtsman who defended the Americaas Cup multiple times.

Those in Rhode Island certainly loved money and the water. One thing they brought over from England was the desire to have their children marry into the elite class. It was not uncommon for the daughters to marry someone with the title such as duke, earl, or baron.

Bellefonte did not have royalty by title, but we had the rich and connected. One such family was that of Governor Andrew Curtin. Curtin served during the Civil War. He was encouraged to run for the Vice President of the United States, first for his friend Abraham Lincoln and later for war hero, General Ulysses S. Grant.

Curtin was the first Republican Governor of Pennsylvania, 1861-1867; organizer of the famed “Pennsylvania Reserves,” who saved our nationas capital from confederate capture following the first battle of Bull Run. Upon completing his term as governor, he had a new family home built at 120 West High Street. You will recognize this home today at the Bellefonte Elks Club. The home built in 1868 of limestone, is a superb example of Tuscan revival architecture with handsome bracketing.

Curtinas name carried clout. Curtin and his wife had three daughters. You can imagine they wanted to have them marry into a good family to give them financial security and to have their grandchildren carry on the family name.

One daughter, Martha Irvin Curtin, was able to marry a man that certainly would have pleased her father despite he being 17 years older than her. She married Captain Kidder Randolph Breese. Breese came from a very respected and wealthy family from Newport, Rhode Island. Kidder carried the Randolph name due to his motheras heritage. She was a descendent of Peyton Randolph, the first president of the Continental Congress. He died in Philadelphia prior to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Peyton Randolph was the great uncle of Thomas Jefferson and was a descendant of Pocahontas.

Two of the Randolph sisters married into the Harrison family. Benjamin Harrison was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. His grandson, William Henry Harrison became the President of the United States. Kidder Randolph Breese was the grandnephew of President Harrison.

Captain Kidder Randolph Breese was a war hero. He commanded a force of 1,600 sailors and 400 marines which included steamships during the capture of Fort Fisher. He commanded part of a flotilla of mortar schooners that helped capture New Orleans in 1862. He distinguished himself during the Siege of Vicksburg.
Breese got his start in the Navy working with Commodore Matthew Perry. Perry is considered aThe Father of the Steam Navy.a Kidder traveled with Perry on the famous voyage to Japan where Japan opened the door for the first time for trade to outsiders.

Commodore Perry helped establish the curriculum at the United State Naval Academy. Breese would later become the Commandant of Midshipmen at the Naval Academy. Breese got his chance to go back to Newport, Rhode Island when he was assigned to command the Torpedo Station at Newport from 1875 to 1879.

Around 1880, Breeseas health started to deteriorate. He and his family decided to move to Bellefonte until his health got better. Governor Curtin and his wife were still living in their home on High Street. Breeseas wife, Martha Curtin, still had two sisters and their families living in Bellefonte at that time. While I cannot find it specifically where the Breeseas stayed while in Bellefonte, it would be an easy assumption that they stayed at the Governoras home. The Governoras children were all grown up, but the Breeseas had three children under 8 and Martha was pregnant with a fourth.

There was an article in the newspaper that mentioned Captain Kidder Randolph Breese was active in Gregg Post, No 95 of the G.A.R. The G.A.R. was the Grand Army of the Republic, which was a fraternal organization composed of veterans from the Civil War. Breeseas brother-in-law, George F. Harris of Bellefonte, was the commander.

Sadly, Breeseas health never recovered and in September of 1881 Breese died at the age of 50. The GAR did a large public service in Bellefonte to commemorate Breeseas death. The United States Navy also honored Breeseas memory by naming a Navy Destroyer after him. The USS Breese was commissioned in 1919. It served in the Pacific Fleet during World War II. It was present and survived the attack at Pearl Harbor.

Kidder Randolph Breese had a son, Randolph Breese, who served in World War I. He was living in Bellefonte when he died at the age of 43 following the war.