Biographies   Anderson County - South Carolina Genealogy Trails BREAZEALE, JOHN ENOCH, lawyer, legislator, code commissioner, was born at Anderson, South Carolina, October 10, 1848. His father, Kenon Breazeale, was a farmer, who held no public office save that of chairman of the board of county commissioners for two terms, one who is remembered by his friends for his "simplicity, honesty, and strong aversion to shams, hypocrisy and deceit" The family, coming from England, were among the early settlers of Virginia. Enoch Breazeale, his father's father, Mr. John Enoch Breazeale remembers to have seen "when he was over one hundred years old; he came from Virginia." In his boyhood and youth he worked on his father's farm, attending school for a part of each year. Although he was but sixteen, in the last year of the War between the States he served for about five months in a company of sixteen-year-old boys, stationed at Pendleton, known as the "Pendleton Mounted Infantry," W. R. Jones captain. Poor health caused him to leave the high school at Anderson in 1867, and compelled him to put aside plans he had formed for taking a college course. While he was farming, in 1870 and 1871, he also read law. He was admitted to the practice of law in October, 1871, since which time he has continually practiced his profession at Anderson, South Carolina. In 1890 he was elected a member of the South Carolina house of representatives, and he served for two successive terms thereafter. He was chairman of the judiciary committee during these two terms. He was a member of the state constitutional convention in 1895. Appointed code commissioner by Governor Tillman in February, 1893, for the unexpired term of Judge Maher, he made the report for the year 1893. He was elected for the full term in February, 1896, and at the end of that term he declined to be a candidate for reelection. He had charge of the bill in the house of representatives which, becoming a law in 1893, established Winthrop college. He was elected in that year a trustee of Winthrop college, a position which he still (1908) holds. He is identified with the Baptist church. A member of the Democratic party, he has been chairman of his county executive committee for several years. He is a Mason. He is past grand master workman of the Grand Lodge of A. O. U. W., of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, the Carolinas, and Florida. On September 14, 1869, he married Miss Mary J. Bellott; and of their three children, two are now living. After her death he married, December 25,1877, Miss Ida Johnson, and they have had five children. His own personal preference, early formed, led him to the study and the practice of law. In his determination to follow a liberal profession he was encouraged by his father, who had been a teacher for some years before his marriage; and he was still further stimulated and encouraged by the influence of his mother, always sympathetic, and interesting herself, from his earliest recollection, in discussing with him and explaining to him whatever seemed to him difficult to understand.  In his early life the biographies of great men awakened his ambition. He was always fond of mathematics, and during his years of high school study he felt an intense interest in the introduction there given him to the mental and moral sciences. The address of Mr. Breazeale is Anderson, South Carolina. Men of Mark in South Carolina By James Calvin Hemphill Published 1907 - transcribed and contributed by Barb Ziegenmeyer BACK to Anderson County SC Genealogy Trails © all rights - reserved to the original submitter