BREIER, Garrett
1846 - 1928 (82 years)-
Name BREIER, Garrett Birth Aug 1846 New York 
Gender Male Death 2 Oct 1928 Buffalo, Erie County, NY Person ID I169098 Laur from Germany Last Modified 1 Oct 2016
Father BREIER, Conrad, b. Abt 1798, Germany d. Yes, date unknown Family ID F61408 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family BILLS, Mary Catherine, b. May 1849, New York d. Yes, date unknown Marriage Abt 1867 Children 1. BREIER, Mary, b. Abt 1870, New York d. Yes, date unknown2. BREIER, Clara, b. Abt 1871, New York d. Yes, date unknown3. BREIER, Emma G, b. Abt 1872, New York d. 7 Nov 1945, Buffalo, Erie County, NY (Age 73 years)4. BREIER, George F, b. Mar 1873, New York d. 6 Feb 1956, Buffalo, Erie County, NY (Age 82 years)5. BREIER, Albert, b. Abt 1878, New York d. Yes, date unknown6. BREIER, Matthew, b. Nov 1878, New York d. Yes, date unknown7. BREIER, John, b. Feb 1882, New York d. Yes, date unknown8. BREIER, Catherine C, b. Nov 1883, New York d. 11 May 1940, Buffalo, Erie County, NY (Age 56 years)9. BREIER, Martha C, b. Jun 1885, New York d. 18 Feb 1968, Hamburg, Erie County, NY (Age 82 years)10. BREIER, Samuel J, b. Jan 1887, New York d. Bef 1928 (Age < 40 years)11. BREIER, Jennie, b. 19 Apr 1889, New York d. 29 May 1916, Buffalo, Erie County, NY (Age 27 years)12. BREIER, Anna M d. 4 Oct 1953, Buffalo, Erie County, NY Family ID F61407 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 18 Oct 2025
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Notes - Buffalo NY Courier Express - 10/5/1928
Garrett Breier-"the best drilled
man of his regiment"-a comrade who
journeyed to the far corners of the
United States each year to yarn with
uld soldiers of the Shenandoah campaign,
of Pleasant Hill, of Cedar
Creek and Sabine Cross Roads and
dangerous days in Louisiana-today
will be baried. .
"Garry" Breier died Tuesday of a
.breakdown and exhaustion heightened
by hi3 attendance at the National
Encampment of old soldiers in Den
ver. Col. and his passing marks the
closing chapter of one of Buffalo's
best known sdiers and citizens.
Since the days of '65 he has held a
big pace in the hearts of Civil War
veterans of New York state and in
later years he has been a patriotic
inspiration to younger folk.
In the days when feeling ran high
between the North and South and
Fiavery split the country up into warring
factions, Garrett Breier was a
youngster who watched with envious
eyes as his relatives and older friends
marched off with the boys in blue.
Fired with patriotism, he ran off to
the war as a drummer boy when he
was but sixteen years old by swearing
to enMstment officers that he was
really eighteen but small for his age.
Ran Away to War
His father, however, had different
ideas when he heard of it, hitched up
j the wagon and drove the long journey
to Fort Niagara to reclaim his son.
So Garry came home, but not for
long. When another opportunity offered
he ran away to Albany where
he joined with the 160th N. Y. Volunteers
and marches to Shenandoah
Valley.
During the next three years he
lasted of battles and blood and high
adventure. In his letters home, old
letters, proudly displayed yesterday
by his widow, Mrs. Mary Bills Breier,
he told of being shot off his horse, of
his capture by the Southerners and
of two months in Andersonville,
where he subsisted mainly on sugar
cane and was a haven for lonely injects.
One day he succeeded in burrowing
through a sand hill and escaped
to the Northern forces again
where he was made orderly for General
Weixel.
J. W. McMillan, Brevet-Major of
the General Volunteers, praised him
in a letter written shortly after he
was mustered out. He commended
him for being the best drilled man in
the regiment and for conspicuous
gallantry at Sabine Cross Roads,
Pleasant Hill, Opequan and Cedar
Creek.
Comes Back Home
After the war Breier returned to
3uffalo where he joined the 65th
regiment and later joined the battery
organized by the 65th. He subsequently
became captain of the battery.
Mr. Breier was an active member
of the G. A. R. from its inception and
ftended every encampment and reunion
in Buffalo and in many parts
of the country. For the past few
years he has been the only active
member of E. L. Hayward post, No.
542, G. A. R. He is one of the five
survivors of that post.
Mr. Breier was engaged in the lumber
business In Buffalo for many
years and later worked In the Buffalo
postoffice. He was retired about
four years ago.
He is survived by his widow, four
daughters, Mrs. Frank Mueller, Mrs.
Patrick Slattery, Mrs. Frank Priester,
Mrs. Joseph Mona; four sons,
George, Albert. Matthew and John
and the late Mrs. Frank Stolz, Mrs.
Clara Roeder and Samuel Breier, and
22 grandchildren and eight greatgrandchildren.
The Pallbearers
Funeral services for Mr. Breier will
oe held at 9 o'clock this morning
from his late residence, 331 Monroe
street, and at 9.30 o'clock from St.
Ann's church, Broadway and Emslie
street. Requiem high mass will be
sung by the Rev. August Reinch.
Taps will be sounded at the service by
Bugler Liebertrut, by request of Mr.
Breier. The pallbearers will be six
grandsons; Nicholas Slattery, Frank,
George and F. J. Breier, Jerome Mona
and Frank Stolr. Interment will be
in Pine Hill
- Buffalo NY Courier Express - 10/5/1928