The Breckinridge family is a family of public figures from the United States. The family has included six members of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

, two

United States Senators The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...

, a cabinet member, two ambassadors, one

United States Vice President The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest ranking office in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The ...

, and one unsuccessful candidate for

United States President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed For ...

. Breckinridges have served as college presidents, prominent ministers, soldiers, and theologians and in important positions at state and local levels. The family was most notable in

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

and most prominent during the 19th century, during nearly one third of which a member of the family served in the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

Prominent members

* Alexander Breckenridge (1686–1743). An Ulster-Scots and first Breckenridge in the New World. Emigrated to

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

c. 1728. Married to Jane Preston in

County Londonderry County Londonderry (Ulster Scots dialects, Ulster-Scots: ''Coontie Lunnonderrie''), also known as County Derry (), is one of the six Counties of Northern Ireland, counties of Northern Ireland, one of the thirty-two Counties of Ireland, count ...

, Ireland. She was sister of Robert Preston, * Robert Breckenridge Sr. (1720–1773), here termed Colonel Robert Breckenridge. Captain in Virginia militia during the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...

. Son of Alexander Breckenridge I. Married first Mary Poage, daughter of Robert Poage and Elizabeth Preston. After his first wife's death Breckenridge married second, his first cousin Letitia Preston.Woodworth, Robert Bell. ''The descendants of Robert and John Poage'', Volume I. Published: Staunton, Virginia, Priv. print. by the McClure Print. Co., 1954.
Page 695
America's political dynasties – Stephen Hess
Google Books. Retrieved on October 19, 2011. * Alexander Breckenridge (1752–1801), son of Robert Breckenridge and Mary Poage, here termed Captain Alexander Breckenridge. Married wealthy widow Jane (Buchanan) Floyd whose son John Floyd was

Governor of Virginia The governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia is the head of government of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. The Governor (United States), governor is head of the Government_of_Virginia#Executive_branch, executive branch ...

. Alexander and Jane had three sons: James Douglas Breckenridge, Henry Brown Breckenridge, and Robert Breckenridge. * Robert Breckenridge (1754–1833), son of Col. Robert Breckenridge and Mary Poage, Revolutionary War General. Ratifier of the

United States Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the Supremacy Clause, supreme law of the United States, United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. Originally includi ...

. Kentucky State Representative 1792–1795. Speaker of the

Kentucky House of Representatives The Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly. It is composed of 100 Representatives elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. Not more than two counties can be joined to form a ...

. Brother of Captain Alexander Breckenridge; half-brother of John Breckinridge and James Breckinridge. Robert Breckenridge never married. Nota Bene: During his lifetime Colonel Robert Breckenridge spelled his surname as shown here, as did his father Alexander Breckenridge I. His sons by Leticia Preston, (i.e. James and John) began spelling the family name 'Breckinridge'. * John Breckinridge (1760–1806), Member of

House of Burgesses The House of Burgesses () was the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly from 1619 to 1776. It existed during the colonial history of the United States in the Colony of Virginia in what was then British America. From 1642 to 1776, the Hou ...

, U.S. District Attorney of Kentucky 1793–1794, Attorney General of Kentucky 1793–1797, Kentucky State Representative 1788–1790 1799–1801, delegate to the Kentucky Constitutional Convention 1799,

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...

from Kentucky 1801–1805,

United States Attorney General The United States attorney general is the head of the United States Department of Justice and serves as the chief law enforcement officer of the Federal government of the United States, federal government. The attorney general acts as the princi ...

under

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (, 1743July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the United States Declaration of Indepe ...

1805–1806. Married Mary Hopkins Cabell in 1785. Half-brother of Alexander and Robert Breckenridge, brother of James Breckinridge, Son of Colonel Robert Breckinridge and Letitia Preston. *

James Breckinridge James Breckinridge (March 7, 1763May 13, 1833) was a Virginia lawyer and politician and a member of the Breckinridge family. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates, as well as the U.S. House of Representatives. He also fought in the Amer ...

(1763–1833), Virginia House Delegate 1789–1802 1806–1808 1819–1821 1823–1824, member of the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from Virginia 1809–1817. Brother of John Breckinridge, Son of Robert Breckinridge and Letitia Preston. * Letitia Breckinridge, Daughter of John Breckinridge. Married first to Alfred William Grayson in 1804, who was a graduate of Cambridge University, lawyer, son of Senator

William Grayson William Grayson (1742 – March 12, 1790) was a planter, lawyer and statesman from Virginia. After leading a Virginia regiment in the Continental Army, Grayson served in the Virginia House of Delegates before becoming one of the first two U ...

of Virginia. He died in 1810. Married second to Peter B. Porter (1773–1844), New York Assemblyman 1802 and 1828, U.S. Representative from New York 1809–1813 and 1815–1816, New York Secretary of State 1815–1816, U.S. Secretary of War 1828–1829. * James Douglas Breckinridge (1781–1849), son of Captain Alexander Breckenridge and Jane (Buchanan) Breckenridge (d. 1849), member of

(1809–11) and the

(1821–23). * Joseph "Cabell" Breckinridge I (1788–1823), Major in

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

. Kentucky State Representative 1817–1818, Speaker of the

. Kentucky Secretary of State 1820–1823. Married Mary Clay Smith, daughter of Samuel Stanhope Smith, President of

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

. Son of John Breckinridge. * Rev. John A. Breckinridge, D. D. (1797–1841) Born at Cabell's Dale, son of John Breckinridge. Presbyterian minister. Graduated Princeton College 1818,

Princeton Theological Seminary Princeton Theological Seminary (PTSem), officially The Theological Seminary of the Presbyterian Church, is a Private university, private seminary, school of theology in Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Establish ...

1821. Married in 1823 Margaret, daughter of Rev. Samuel Miller D. D. * Robert Jefferson Breckinridge (1800–1871). Kentucky State Representative 1825–1828, Kentucky Superintendent of Public Instruction 1849–1853, candidate for delegate to the Kentucky Constitutional Convention 1849. Presbyterian minister. Son of John Breckinridge. Married Ann Sophonisba Preston in 1823. * Rev. William Lewis Breckinridge, D. D. (1803–1876). Born at Cabell's Dale, Fayette County, Kentucky. Presbyterian minister for 45 years. Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Council. Son of John Breckinridge. Married Frances Prevost in 1823, granddaughter of Samuel Stanhope Smith, President of

. * General John Breckinridge Grayson (1806–1862) Born at Cabell's Dale, Fayette County, Kentucky. Son of Letitia Preston Breckinridge and Alfred William Grayson. Graduated

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...

, 1826. Lieutenant Colonel U.S. Army at the outbreak of the Civil War; resigned in 1861, entered the CSA. and was commissioned Brigadier General. Died while in command of the coastal defenses of Georgia and Florida, in Tallahassee, in 1862. The Cabells and their kin: A ... – Alexander Brown – Internet Archive
Books.google.com (July 19, 2007). Retrieved on October 19, 2011. * John Cabell Breckinridge (1821–1875) Major in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

1847–48. Member of the

1849–51.

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from Kentucky 1851–55. Delegate to the

Democratic National Convention The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 18 ...

in 1856.

Vice President of the United States The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest ranking office in the Executive branch of the United States government, executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks f ...

1857–61. Candidate for President of the United States 1860.

United States Senator The United States Senate consists of 100 members, two from each of the 50 U.S. state, states. This list includes all senators serving in the 119th United States Congress. Party affiliation Independent Senators Angus King of Maine and Berni ...

from Kentucky 1861. Major General in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

1861–65. Confederate States Secretary of War 1865. Son of Joseph Cabell Breckinridge I. * Mary Cabell Breckinridge (1826–1854) Married cousin Colonel Peter A. Porter in 1852. Daughter of Rev. John Breckinridge. * Colonel Peter Augustus Porter (1827–1864), New York Assemblyman 1861–62, Colonel of the 129th New York State Volunteers, killed in action, 1864, Only son of Peter Buell Porter. Married cousin Mary Cabell Breckinridge in 1852. * Mary Cabell Breckinridge, (born 1828) Daughter of Robert Jefferson Breckinridge. Married to William Warfield. * Samuel Miller Breckinridge (1828–1891) Member of Missouri legislature 1854–1855. Became Circuit Court judge in 1859. Elder in the Presbyterian Church and a leading member of its General Assembly. Married Virginia Harrison Castleman. Son of Rev. John Breckinridge.Breckinridge Biographies 1
. Breckinridge.com. Retrieved on October 19, 2011. * Robert Jefferson Breckinridge Jr. (1834–1915), Confederate States Representative from Kentucky 1862–1865, Colonel in the Confederate States Army, Kentucky Common Pleas Court Judge 1876. Son of Robert Jefferson Breckinridge. Married Katharine Morrison in 1856. * Marie Lettice Preston Breckinridge (born 1836), married Rev. William Collins Handy in 1857. *

William Campbell Preston Breckinridge William Campbell Preston Breckinridge (August 28, 1837 – November 18, 1904) was a lawyer and Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician from Kentucky; a U.S. Representative from 1885 to 1895. He was a scion of the Breckinridge fam ...

(1837–1904), delegate to the Democratic National Convention 1876, U.S. Representative from Kentucky 1885–1895. Married Lucretia Hart Clay, granddaughter of

Henry Clay Henry Clay (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American lawyer and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the United States Senate, U.S. Senate and United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives. He was the seventh Spea ...

. Son of Robert Jefferson Breckinridge. * Joseph Cabell Breckinridge Sr. (1842–1921), General in the U.S. Army. Married Louise Ludlow Dudley, daughter of Ethelbert Ludlow Dudley, 1868. Son of Robert Jefferson Breckinridge. * Charles Henry Breckinridge (1844–1867), Captain in the U.S. Army. Son of Robert Jefferson Breckinridge. * Joseph Cabell Breckinridge, II (1844–1906) Major in the C.S.A. Married Sallie Frances Johnson, daughter of

Robert Ward Johnson Robert Ward Johnson (July 22, 1814 – July 26, 1879) was an American planter and lawyer who served as the senior Confederate States senator for Arkansas, a seat that he was elected to in 1861. He previously served as a delegate from Arkansas ...

in 1869. Son of Hon. John Cabell Breckinridge.Selected Genealogy Chart
. Breckinridge.com (April 18, 1999). Retrieved on October 19, 2011. * Clifton Rhodes Breckinridge (1846–1932), U.S. Representative from

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...

1883–1889 1890–1895, U.S. Minister to

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

1894–1897, delegate to the Arkansas Constitutional Convention 1917. Married Katherine Breckinridge Carson in 1876. Son of Hon. John Cabell Breckinridge. * John Witherspoon "Owen" Breckinridge (1850–1892) Member of

California State Assembly The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature (the upper house being the California State Senate). The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento, Califor ...

1884–85. Son of Hon. John Cabell Breckinridge. Married to Louise Tevis, daughter of Lloyd Tevis, First President of

Wells Fargo Bank Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational financial services company with a significant global presence. The company operates in 35 countries and serves over 70 million customers worldwide. It is a systemically important fi ...

. * Margaret Miller Breckinridge (1851–1919) Married St. Louis, Missouri businessman William Strudwick Long. Daughter of Samuel Miller Breckinridge. *

Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield (November 5, 1851 – February 16, 1921) was an American professor of Reformed theology at Princeton Seminary from 1887 to 1921. He served as the last principal of the Princeton Theological Seminary from 1886 to ...

(1851–1921),

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

theologian Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...

, principal of

. Son of Mary Cabell Breckinridge and William Warfield. * Peter Augustus Porter (1853–1925), member of the New York Legislature, U.S. Representative from New York 1907–1909. Married Alice Adelle Taylor (1853–1934). Son of Peter Augustus Porter and Mary Cabell Breckinridge, Grandson of Peter Buell Porter. *

Ethelbert Dudley Warfield Ethelbert Dudley Warfield, D.D., LL.D. (March 16, 1861 – July 6, 1936) was an American professor of history and college president who served as president of Miami University, Lafayette College and Wilson College. As Miami University's younges ...

(1861–1936) Graduate of

Princeton Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the Unit ...

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

, and

Columbia Law School Columbia Law School (CLS) is the Law school in the United States, law school of Columbia University, a Private university, private Ivy League university in New York City. The school was founded in 1858 as the Columbia College Law School. The un ...

. President of

Miami University Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public university, public research university in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the second-oldest List of colleges and universities in Ohio, university in Ohi ...

and

Lafayette College Lafayette College is a private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Easton, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter and other citizens in Easton, the college first held classes in 18 ...

, author, Director of

. Son of Mary Cabell Breckinridge and William Warfield. * L. Irving Handy (1861–1922), U.S. Representative from

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...

1897–1899, delegate to the Democratic National Convention 1904. Son of Marie Lettice Preston Breckinridge and Rev. William Collins Handy. Nephew of William Campbell Preston Breckinridge. * Desha Breckinridge (1867–1935), editor and publisher of the Lexington Herald. Married Madeline McDowell Breckinridge, great-granddaughter of

in 1898. Son of W.C.P. Breckinridge. Brother of Sophonisba Breckinridge. * John Cabell Breckinridge, II (1870–1941) Prominent New York attorney. Married to Isabella Goodrich (1874–1961), daughter of B.F. Goodrich. Son of Joseph Cabell Breckinridge. Grandson of John Cabell Breckinridge. * Joseph Cabell Breckinridge Jr. (1872–1898), U.S. Naval officer, drowned. Namesake of USS Breckinridge. Son of Joseph Cabell Breckinridge Sr. * Ethelbert Ludlow Dudley Breckinridge (1875–1914) Graduated Princeton 1898, Captain in U.S. Army, wounded in the

Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War, known alternatively as the Philippine Insurrection, Filipino–American War, or Tagalog Insurgency, emerged following the conclusion of the Spanish–American War in December 1898 when the United States annexed th ...

. Son of Joseph Cabell Breckinridge Sr. Married Genevieve Pearson Mattingly (1878–1957). * Peter Augustus Porter Jr. (b. 1877). Married Geneva Thompson in 1907. * James Carson Breckinridge (1877–1942) Lieutenant General,

USMC The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionary ...

, Married Dorothy Throckmorton Thompson, 1922. Son of Clifton Rhodes Breckinridge.Breckinridge Biographies 2
. Breckinridge.com. Retrieved on October 19, 2011. * Lloyd Tevis Breckinridge (1878–1901) Son of John Witherspoon "Owen" Breckinridge. * John Cabell Breckinridge Sr. (1879–1914) Prominent San Francisco businessman. Son of John Witherspoon "Owen" Breckinridge. Married Adelaide Murphy, daughter of Samuel Green Murphy, President of the First National Bank of San Francisco, California. * Cabell Breckinridge Porter (b. 1881), illustrator. Married Grace S. Sizer. * Samuel Miller Breckinridge Long (1881–1958) lawyer and diplomat. Graduated Princeton in 1904. Advisor to Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. U.S. Ambassador to Italy 1933–36. U.S. delegate to

Dumbarton Oaks Conference The Dumbarton Oaks Conference, or, more formally, the Washington Conversations on International Peace and Security Organization, was an international conference at which proposals for the establishment of a "general international organization", w ...

. Son of Margaret Miller Breckinridge and William Strudwick Long. * Mary Breckinridge (1881–1965), Founder of the Frontier Nursing Service. Married Richard Thompson. Daughter of Clifton Rhodes Breckinridge, sister of James Carson Breckinridge. * Scott Dudley Breckinridge Sr. (1882–1941) Physician in

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city coterminous with and the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the city's population was 322,570, making it the List of ...

, author, U.S. Fencing Champion (Foil), 1906 and 1914. Competed in 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm. Married Gertrude Ashby Bayne. Son of Joseph Cabell Breckinridge Sr. * Sophonisba Preston Breckinridge (1886–1948), Lawyer, Activist involved in Women's rights, Civil Rights, Labor, and Pacifist movements; namesake of Breckinridge House, a dormitory of the University of Chicago. Daughter of W.C.P. Breckinridge. Sister of Desha Breckinridge. * Henry Skillman Breckinridge (1886–1960), Colonel in U.S. Army,

United States Assistant Secretary of War The United States assistant secretary of war was the second–ranking official within the American Department of War from 1861 to 1867, from 1882 to 1883, and from 1890 to 1940. According to thMilitary Laws of the United States "The act of Augus ...

, prominent attorney, U.S Fencing Champion (Épée), 1924. Son of Joseph Cabell Breckinridge Sr. Married Ruth Bradley Woodman in 1910, member of prominent New England Perkins Family. * Preston Buell Porter (1891–1978). Married Margaret Ransom (b. 1894) * John Cabell "Bunny" Breckinridge Jr. (1903–1996) Actor and drag queen. Son of John Cabell Breckinridge Sr. * Mary Marvin Breckinridge (1905–2002), Photojournalist, cinematographer, and philanthropist. Daughter of John Cabell Breckinridge, II and Isabella Goodrich. Great-granddaughter of John Cabell Breckinridge and granddaughter of B.F. Goodrich. * William Mattingly Breckinridge (1905–1996) Major General, U.S. Army. Chief of the U.S. Army Security Agency. Married Frances Naylor. Son of Ethelbert Ludlow Dudley Breckinridge. * Elizabeth Foster Breckinridge (1911–2005), Prominent Washington, D.C. socialite and philanthropist. Daughter of Henry Skillman Breckinridge. Married to

John Stephens Graham John Stephens Graham (August 4, 1905 – October 20, 1976) was a Washington, D.C., attorney and political appointee. He was an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, and commissioners for the Internal Revenue Service and Atomic Energy Commission. ...

, attorney, Assistant U.S. Secretary of Treasury, Commissioner of U.S. Atomic Energy Commission,

Commissioner of Internal Revenue The Commissioner of Internal Revenue is the head of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), an agency within the United States Department of the Treasury. The office of Commissioner was created by United States Congress, Congress as part of the Reven ...

, brother of Katherine G. Howard. * John Bayne Breckinridge (1913–1979), Colonel in U.S. Army during World War II. Kentucky State Representative 1956–59,

Attorney General of Kentucky The attorney general of Kentucky is the chief legal officer of the U.S. state of Kentucky, created by the Kentucky Constitution (Ky.Const. § 91). Under Kentucky law, they serve several roles, including the state's chief prosecutor (KRS 15.700), ...

1960–64, 1968–1972, delegate to the

1960, U.S. Representative from Kentucky 1973–79. Son of Scott Dudley Breckinridge Sr. * Scott Dudley Breckinridge Jr. (1917–2000) Deputy Inspector General of the C.I.A., author. Married Helen Virden Babbit. Son of Scott Dudley Breckinridge Sr.

Prominent non-family members

Francis Preston Francis Preston (August 2, 1765 – May 26, 1835) was an American lawyer and politician from Abingdon, Virginia. He was the son of Col. William Preston of Virginia, served in both houses of the state legislature, and represented Virginia in th ...

(1765–1836), Virginia House Delegate 1788–1789 1812–1814, U.S. Representative from Virginia 1793–1797, Virginia State Senator 1816–1820. Cousin of John Brown, John Breckinridge, and James Breckinridge, Grandson of Robert Preston. * William Campbell Preston (1794–1860),

South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...

State Representative 1828–1834, U.S. Senator from South Carolina 1833–1842. Son of Francis Preston. * William Ballard Preston (1805–1862), Virginia House Delegate 1830–1832 1844–1845, Virginia State Senator 1840–1844, U.S. Representative from Virginia 1847–1849, U.S. Secretary of War 1849–1850, Delegate to the

Confederate States The Confederate States of America (CSA), also known as the Confederate States (C.S.), the Confederacy, or Dixieland, was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States from 1861 to 1865. It comprised eleven U.S. states th ...

Congress from Virginia 1861–1862, Confederate States Senator from Virginia 1862. Nephew of Francis Preston. * William Preston (1816–1887), delegate to the Kentucky Constitutional Convention 1849, Kentucky State Representative 1850 1868–1869, Kentucky State Senator 1851–1853, U.S. Representative from Kentucky 1852–1855, delegate to the Democratic National Convention 1856, U.S. Minister to Spain 1859–1861. Nephew of Francis Preston. * John Brown (1757–1837),

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

State Senator 1784–1788, Delegate to the Continental Congress from Virginia 1787–1788, U.S. Representative from Virginia 1789–1792, U.S. Senator from Kentucky 1792–1805. Brother of James Brown, Cousin of John Breckinridge, James Breckinridge, and Francis Preston. * B. Gratz Brown (1826–1885),

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

State Representative 1852–1858, delegate to the Republican National Convention 1860, U.S. Senator from Missouri 1863–1867, Governor of Missouri 1871–1873, candidate for Vice President of the United States 1872. Grandson of John Brown. *

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...

(1766–1835), U.S. District Attorney in Kentucky 1791, Kentucky Secretary of State 1792–1798, Secretary of the

Territory of Orleans The Territory of Orleans or Orleans Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States, organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from October 1, 1804, until April 30, 1812, when it was Admission to ...

1804, U.S. District Attorney in

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

1805–1808, U.S. Senator from Louisiana 1813–1817 1819–1823, U.S. Minister to France 1823–1829. Brother of John Brown, Cousin of John Breckinridge, James Breckinridge, and Francis Preston. * Thomas H. Clay (1803–1871), U.S. Minister to

Nicaragua Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...

1863, U.S. Minister to

Honduras Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, ...

1863. Father-in-law of William Campbell Preston Breckinridge. * Henry Donnel Foster (1808–1880), U.S. Representative from

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

1843–1847 1871–1873, Pennsylvania State Representative 1857, candidate for Governor of Pennsylvania 1860. Cousin of John C. Breckinridge. NOTE: Peter B. Porter was also uncle of U.S. Senator Augustus S. Porter. Thomas H. Clay was also son of Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives

, brother of U.S. Representative James Brown Clay, third cousin of U.S. diplomat Brutus Clay, fourth cousin of U.S. Senator Clement Claiborne Clay Jr., first cousin twice removed of U.S. Representative Matthew Clay and Kentucky State Senator

Green Clay A clay court is one of the types of tennis court on which the sport of tennis is played. Clay courts are built on a foundation of crushed stone, brick, shale, and other aggregate, with a thin layer of fine clay particles on top. Clay courts are ...

, third cousin once removed of U.S. Senator Clement Comer Clay, and second cousin once removed of

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

State Senator Matthew Clay, U.S. Representative Brutus J. Clay, and U.S. diplomat Cassius M. Clay.Index to Politicians: Clarke-streett to Claytee
The Political Graveyard. Retrieved on October 19, 2011.

Family tree

* Alexander Breckenridge (1686–1743) ∞ Jane Preston (c. 1690–1746) (granddaughter of

William Stewart, 1st Viscount Mountjoy William Stewart, 1st Viscount Mountjoy (1653–1692), was an Anglo-Irish soldier. Early life William Stewart was born in 1653, the son of Sir Alexander Stewart, 2nd Baronet, of Ramelton. His family was from Donegal, Ulster Scots, and Protes ...

) ** Robert Preston Breckenridge Sr. (1720–1773) ∞ (1) Mary Poage (1732–c. 1757) ∞ (2) Letitia Preston (1729–1797) *** Alexander Breckenridge (1752–1801) ∞ Jane Buchanan Floyd (1759–1812) (mother of John Floyd) **** James Douglas Breckinridge (1781–1849) ∞ Mary Eliza Grayson (1795–1830) *** Robert Breckenridge (1754–1833) ∞ Margaret Douglas (1740–1790) **** James Breckenridge (1774–1853) ∞ Eva Hockersmith (c. 1783–1861) *** John Breckinridge (1760–1806) ∞ 1785: Mary Hopkins Cabell **** Letitia Breckinridge ∞ (1) 1804: Alfred William Grayson (d. 1810) (son of Senator

); ∞ (2) 1818: Peter Buell Porter (1773–1844) ***** General John Breckinridge Grayson (1806–1862) ***** Colonel Peter Augustus Porter (1827–1864) ∞ 1852: Mary Cabell Breckinridge (1826–1854) ****** Peter Augustus Porter (1853–1925) ∞ Alice Adelle Taylor (1853–1934) ******* Peter Augustus Porter Jr. (b. 1877) ∞ 1907: Geneva Thompson ******* Cabell Breckinridge Porter (b. 1881) ∞ Grace S. Sizer ******* Preston Buell Porter (1891–1978) ∞ Margaret Ransom (b. 1894) **** Joseph "Cabell" Breckinridge I (1788–1823) ∞ Mary Clay Smith (daughter of

Samuel Stanhope Smith Samuel Stanhope Smith (March 15, 1751 – August 21, 1819) was a Presbyterian minister, founding president of Hampden–Sydney College and the seventh president of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) from 1795 to 1812. His stormy ...

) ***** John Cabell Breckinridge (1821–1875) ∞ Mary Cyrene Burch (1826–1907) ****** Joseph Cabell Breckinridge, II (1844–1906) ∞ 1869: Sallie Frances Johnson (daughter of

) ******* John Cabell Breckinridge, II (1870–1941) ∞ Isabella Goodrich (1874–1961) (daughter of B.F. Goodrich) ******** Mary Marvin Breckinridge (1905–2002) ∞ 1940: Jefferson Patterson ****** Clifton Rhodes Breckinridge (1846–1932) ∞ 1876: Married Katherine Breckinridge Carson ******* James Carson Breckinridge (1877–1942) ∞ 1922: Dorothy Throckmorton Thompson ******* Mary Breckinridge (1881–1965) ∞ Richard Thompson ****** John Witherspoon "Owen" Breckinridge (1850–1892) ∞ Louise Tevis (daughter of Lloyd Tevis) ******* Lloyd Tevis Breckinridge (1878–1901) ******* John Cabell Breckinridge Sr. (1879–1914) ∞ Adelaide Murphy, (daughter of Samuel Green Murphy) ******** John Cabell "Bunny" Breckinridge Jr. (1903–1996) ∞ 1927: (div. 1929) Roselle du Val de Dampierre (1903–1999) ******* Florence Louise Breckinridge (1881–1956) ∞ Thomas Fermor-Hesketh, 1st Baron Hesketh **** Rev. John Breckinridge, D. D. (1797–1841) ∞ 1823: Margaret Miller (daughter of Rev. Samuel Miller D. D.) ***** Mary Cabell Breckinridge (1826–1854) ∞ 1852: Colonel Peter Augustus Porter (1853–1925) ***** Margaret Elizabeth Breckinridge (1831–1864) ***** Samuel Miller Breckinridge (1828–1891) ∞ Virginia Harrison Castleman. ****** Margaret Miller Breckinridge (1851–1919) ∞ William Strudwick Long ******* Samuel Miller Breckinridge Long (1881–1958) ∞ 1912: Christine Alexander Graham **** Robert Jefferson Breckinridge (1800–1871) ∞ 1823: Ann Sophonisba Preston (sister of William Campbell Preston) ***** Mary Cabell Breckinridge, (born 1828) ∞ William Warfield ******

(1851–1921) ∞ 1876: Annie Pierce Kinkead ******

(1861–1936) ∞ (1) Sarah Lacy Brookes (1864–1886) ∞ (2) 1890: Nellie Frances Tilton (1864–1941) ***** Robert Jefferson Breckinridge Jr. (1834–1915) ∞ 1856: Katharine Morrison ***** Marie Lettice Preston Breckinridge (born 1836) ∞ 1857: Rev. William Collins Handy ****** Levin Irving Handy (1861–1922) ∞ 1887: Mary Bell *****

(1837–1904) ∞ Lucretia Hart Clay (granddaughter of

) ****** Desha Breckinridge (1867–1935) ∞ Madeline McDowell (1872–1920) (daughter of Henry Clay McDowell) ****** Sophonisba Preston Breckinridge (1886–1948) ***** Joseph Cabell Breckinridge Sr. (1842–1921) ∞ 1868: Louise Ludlow Dudley (1849–1911) (daughter of Ethelbert Ludlow Dudley) ****** Joseph Cabell Breckinridge Jr. (1872–1898) ****** Ethelbert Ludlow Dudley Breckinridge (1875–1914) ∞ Genevieve Pearson Mattingly (1878–1957) ******* William Mattingly Breckinridge (1905–1996) ∞ Frances Naylor ****** Dr. Scott Dudley Breckinridge Sr. (1882–1941) ∞ Gertrude Ashby Bayne (1883–1981) ******* John Bayne Breckinridge (1913–1979) ∞ Helen Congleton (1916–2000) ******* Scott Dudley Breckinridge Jr. (1917–2000) ∞ Helen Virden Babbit ****** Henry Skillman Breckinridge (1886–1960) ∞ (1) 1910: (div. 1925) Ruth Bradley Woodman; ∞ (2) 1927: (div. 1947) Aida de Acosta (1881–1962); ∞ (3) 1947: Margaret Lucy ******* Elizabeth Foster Breckinridge (1911–2005) ∞

(1905–1976) (son of Margaret Nowell Graham) ***** Charles Henry Breckinridge (1844–1867) ***** John Robert Breckinridge (1850–1874) **** Rev. William Lewis Breckinridge, D. D. (1803–1876) ***

(1763–1833) ∞ Ann Cary Selden (1770–1843) **** Letitia Breckinridge (1791–1866) ∞ Robert Gamble (1781–1867) **** Elizabeth Breckinridge (1794–1862) ∞ Edward Watts (1779–1859) **** Cary Breckinridge (1796–1867) ∞ Emma Walker Gilmer (1807–1893) **** Matilda Breckinridge (1799–1869) ∞ Henry Winston Bowyer (1799–1876)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Breckinridge Family Political families of the United States American families of Scotch-Irish ancestry Families from Kentucky John C. Breckinridge

Prominent members

Prominent non-family members

Family tree

See also

References