William P. Breaden

REV. WILLIAM P. BREADEN was born in Raccoon township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, in 1814, and was reared upon his father's farm. He received his primary education in a pioneer subscription school, then entered Franklin college, New Athens, Ohio, and afterwards Allegheny Theological Seminary. He was licensed to preach by Lake Presbytery of the Associate Reformed church, in 1838, and was ordained May 11, 1843, as pastor of the Portersville and Evansburg congregations, in Butler county. He was subsequently pastor of the Fairview and West Sunbury congregations, from 1849 to 1862, when the connection between the two churches was dissolved. Mr. Breaden continued in charge of the West Sunbury church until his death, May 13, 1880. He married Miss Charlotte Kline, a daughter of Charles Kline, of Mercer county, about 1842, which union was blessed with five children, as follows: Mary C., who married Rev. E. N. McElree, D.D., of Freeport; John C.; William J.; John H., and Tillie C., wife of Perry Conway, of West Sunbury. Mr. Breaden preached the gospel in Butler county for more than forty years, and was one of the most widely known ministers in western Pennsylvania.