Louis J. Breen, influential citizen, now deceased, eight years county
clerk, eight years chairman of Prairie Farm Township, many years chairman
of the county board, prosperous farmer of Section 32, Arland Township, and
a most worthy man in every respect, was born in Osterdalen, Norway, Nov.
26, 1848, the son of John and Mary (Holemo) Breen, also natives of that
country. He was reared in Norway, attended school there, and became a
farmer and painter. In 1868, he came to America and landed in Fillmore
County, Minnesota. There he did general farm work and followed the trade of
painting which he had learned in Norway. In 1875 he came to Barron County,
and located in what is now Section 32, Arland Township. Forty-five years
ago conditions were different from what they are now. The lumber camps were
still flourishing, the early villages were just getting a start, the "tote"
roads were still the principal routes of travel, the settlers were
scattered, living in little cabins built in clearings among the trees,
brush and stumps. The land Mr. Breen took was all wild. He put up a cabin,
moved his family into it, and underwent all the hardships and privations
while getting a start in life. In time he built up a good farm, with
comfortable and sightly buildings, and well fenced and well tilled acres.
He was a progressive and enterprising man who believed in modern methods,
and as means permitted he acquired the best of equipment and machinery.
While never of a type who pushed himself, and although finding his greatest
delights in the quiet of his home life, Mr. Breen was a natural born leader
and it was inevitable that his fellow men should call his talents into
requisition for public service. For some years he was school clerk. In the
town his first office was that of supervisor for two years. So efficiently
did he fulfill the duties of this office that he was elected town clerk, in
which position he served for seven years. In the fall of 1888, his friends
placed him in nomination for county clerk. He was duly elected and served
in all eight years. His work in this capacity is still remembered, and many
of the systems he introduced are still in evidence at the courthouse. When
he retired from this office his fellow townsmen elected him chairman of the
township, a position in which he also served for eight years. His
experience naturally fitted him to make an unusually fine record both in
handling the town's affairs, and in sitting on the county board. After a
life of real usefulness to his fellow men, he died April 12, 1908. At that
time it was said of him: "As a man, Mr. Breen was modest, diffident and
unassuming, while firmly holding to everything that he believed to be
right; as a neighbor and friend he was kind-hearted, loyal, generous, true
and helpful; as an official he was genial, efficient, attentive, courteous,
exact and thoroughly informed; as a husband he was loving and considerate;
as a father he was understanding, tender and indulgent; a fine type,
whether as a man, citizen, friend, official or family man; his loss will
long continue to be mourned; and his memory will remain forever in the
annals of those whose worth and work went into the upbuilding of the
county." Mr. Breen was married Nov. 27, 1870, to Anna Hilstahagen, at
Fillmore, Minn. She was born in Norway on March 17, 1845, and died in
Arland Township, March 17, 1882. This union was blessed with six children:
Paul, Marie, Carl, Albert, Louise and Otto. April 23, 1883, Mr. Breen
married Augusta Margaretta Hanson, who was born in Norway, Sept. 29, 1853,
the daughter of Hans C. and Henreka (Johanson) Hanson. This union has been
blessed with eight children: Helmer, Anne, Helen, Christine, Laura, Clara,
Hilda and Sophie. Paul is in Boville, Idaho. Marie is the wife of T. P.
Breen of Minneapolis. Carl operates the home farm. Albert is farming in
Prairie Farm Township. Louise is a stenographer in the Fairview Hospital
Minneapolis. Otto operates a hardware story in Hendry, South Dakota. Helmer
is a civil engineer connected with the United States government. His
headquarters are now at Sand Point, Idaho. Anne is the wife of Albert
Vadheim, of Bridger, Mont. Helen is the wife of Michael Schoemer of
Northport, Wash. Christine is the wife of Dr. Alfred Vadheim of Tyler,
Minn. Laura is the wife of Erick Bergstrom of Venn, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Clara is the wife of Proctor Shelby of Omaha, Neb. Hilda is the wife of C.
R. Brooks, of St. Paul, Minn. Sophie is a telegraph operator at Omaha, Neb.
Mrs. Breen, a worthy woman of many gracious qualities, who was a faithful
helpmeet of her husband in all his undertakings, is still living on the
home place.

--Taken from: History of Barron Co., Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper, Jr., & Co.,
1922, pp. 894-895.