In 1787 the Oconto County area becomes a territory of the newly established United States of America as part of the Northwest Territories. The first US flag is raised claiming what is now the Oconto County area of the United States, by Fort Howard troops in 1816. Wisconsin officially becomes a State of the Union in 1848.

The first settler was James Knight who took a homestead. People came on foot along Native American and animal trails as there was not a road through Oconto County until 1860. Homestead families who followed came by the names of Greibles, Davis, Johnson, and three Breed brothers from New England, whom the town was named after. The first child born in the settlement was Mary Johnson in 1885 in a log cabin just east of the current Breed Union Cemetery. The land was donated by her father, who as fate had it, was the first to be buried there. The first road in Breed was cut in this same year, forming Highway’s 32 and 64. In addition, the post office was established on what is now highway 32.

The first school district was organized in 1886 and a school was built. Miss Addie Gifford was the first schoolteacher. The two schools in Breed were Logan and Central School.

The Breed General Store opened in 1887 as the surrounding land was being quickly settled for farming. In 1888, mail was carried by R. Davis once a week from Hayes to the Postmaster George Breed. Delivery was increased to twice a week from 1889 until the railroad was built. The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad arrived in 1896 from Mountain and Gillett. In April 1895, George Breed was elected chairman of the new Town of Waupee (later to be known as Breed).  On March 21, 1901, the Town of Breed was officially formed.

Thank you to Ethel Firgens and Don Ponsegrau for providing the above information and photos.