Edward J. Le Breton

San Francisco in the second half of the 19th century stood at the crossroads of business, social and religious developments which created today's City by the Bay. Edward J. Le Breton was at the center of these changes. A banker from the era after the Gold Rush to just before World War I and an amateur reform politician in the 1890's, Le Breton contributed to the economic and political development of San Francisco. A devote Roman Catholic, he had close connections to priests and religious throughout the Archdiocese and donated a major portion of his fortune to support the elderly poor under the care of the Little Sister of the Poor. Le Breton's story reflects the gold mining camps, San Francisco's French community, the boom and bust of its banking industry, and the City's taste for litigation born of family disputes and scandal. More than just a banker and a philanthropist, Le Breton's life provides a unique window into the rich history of San Francisco.McGuckin, John H., Jr. is the author of 'Edward J. Le Breton ' with ISBN 9781420834390 and ISBN 1420834398.