Send me an email | Last Updated: February 27th, 2002 | Sign my Guestbook

184. Drury Wood8 Breazeale (John Jackson7, Willis6, Henry5 Breazell, Elijah4 Brazeal, Henry3, Henry2 Brazeel, Henry1) birth date unknown.

He married Sarah Jane Littleton.

Drury Wood Breazeale and Sarah Jane Littleton had the following children:

child 300 i. Jesse L.9 Breazeale.

child 301 ii. James Breazeale.

child 302 iii. Thomas S. Breazeale.

child 303 iv. Hanna Breazeale.

child 304 v. Stacy Breazeale.

child 305 vi. John J. Breazeale.

child 306 vii. Catherine Deliah Breazeale.

child 307 viii. Sarah E. Breazeale.

child 308 ix. Felix Bushaloo Breazeale was born ABT 1866. Felix died February 9, 1943. His body was interred at Cave Creek Cemetery in Roane Co, TN. "Uncle Bush"

Felix Breazeale, son of Drury Wood Breazeale, son of John Jackson #201, son of Dr. Willis #31, must have more than the mere mention which has been accorded others of his generation because he is one member of the Breazeale clan who attained world-wide fame. An item from a newspaper at the time of his death tells the story.

"Louden, February 10, 1943. "Uncle Bush" Breazeale, who heard his own funeral preached five years ago, is dead. He died peacefully last night at the cabin in the hills near Kingston, where he had lived alone most of his 78 years. Quinn's Funeral Home at Louden, which gave its service for the funeral on Sunday, June 28, 1938, today said that burial will be at Cave Creek Cemetery. It is at his own request that no funeral is being held, that the burial is in his own casket and that the body will lie in state for an hour at the cemetery before interment."

The old fox hunter had planned a quiet service five years ago. "Just wanted to hear what the preacher has to say about me while I am alive, " he had explained to A. Summers, at that time editor of the Roane Counter Banner. A small item in the Banner was picked up by an A. P. Reporter and the story went round the world on wires.

Instead of the few Uncle Bush had expected, cars jammed Dogwood Lane and a crowd estimated at 8 ,000 spread in all directions from the little church in the glade by the stream. Traffic officers were called out but could do little with the throng. Some women fainted in the crush. When the hearse arrived, his fox hunting friends, acting as his pall bearers, had some difficulty opening the way for the "corpse" to walk to his place beside his hand-hewn, hand-polished, and flower-decked casket.

It was a hot day as Reverend Charles Jackson preached the sermon with many words of fullsome praise for the old man who was held in high esteem by all who knew him. Uncle Bush mopped his brow, fanned himself gently, stirring his white hair and whiskers, and thoroughly enjoyed the unique ceremony. The "Friendly Eight Octette" sang his favorite hymn, "On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand" as the solemn "ashes to ashes" were intoned and the service ended.

Afterwards Uncle Bush shook hands with thousands and signed his mark, a scrawled "x" on hundreds of cards and books. "Folks, I'm tellin' ya, this business of having your funeral before you die beats sparkin' in a buggy, " he chuckled. Someone asked him why he had never married and he explained that he couldn't get the woman he wanted and wouldn't have the women he could get.

Then Uncle Bush went back to his hillside cabin and to his almost constant companion for seventeen years - "Mule" - just a mule he had taught to do tricks as a colt-"a heap smarter than most folks you meet," he said. But the excitement was not completely over. Letters poured in from many of the states and several foreign countries. One girl in Germany wanted Bush to write to her. When Uncle Bush made one of his infrequent visits to Knoxville he would drop by the News-Sentinel office to again express his appreciation and to show his fan mail.

Felix was an uncle to the late Martin Littleton, famous New York Lawyer, and of Mrs. Rachael Vanderbilt Morgan. His father, D. W. Breazeale, married Sarah Littleton.

Table of Contents graphic Return to Table of Contents or Index

Go to Next Page GraphicGo to Next Page

Go to Previous Page GraphicGo to Previous Page

Return tolgood Family Home Page