William Lawrence Breese (1856-1888)

He co-founded the stockbroking firm of Breese & Smith with his elder brother, James L. Breese. Through their grandmother, Catharine, they were descended from the Livingston family. He and his brother both attended the infamous "Pie Girl" dinner at Stanford White's: "A huge pastry was brought in, the waiters chanted 'Six-a-song-of-Sixpence,' and at the punch line, the pie opened, a flock of canaries flew out, followed by a sixteen-year old girl, swathed in black veiling. The press castigated the evening as a bacchanalian revel". William died at 36-years old, at Islip, Long Island, N.Y.