• Baptized on same day as Catherine Giblin.2037

• When she [Mary] took James for the first time he came home and said “That teacher has nothing to eat in her cupboard.” The children used to blow out eggs, fill them with maple syrup, let them harden in the snow. One of these James wanted to take to the teacher “to make her sweeter.”36, p 4, lines 154-157

• “Did not go to war. Had two daughters.”23

• James left – to avoid going to war, which Aunt Lib wrote was humiliating. Mama answered from Sacramento ‘I am glad I had one brother with sense.’ James became rich, had two daughters, one married and lived in luxury in Minneapolis, the other was deserted, unhappy and went to her sister for comfort – was so cruelly treated she walked into the ocean one day and was drowned.36, p 2, lines 54-59

• I have a note written on an envelope that says James O’Brien died May 3, 1900 Spokane Washington. I haven’t found a death certificate or his burial place.2038

• Aged Man Dies of Morphine Poisoning Yesterday.
James O’Brien, said to have at one time been a wealthy harness dealer in Minneapolis, died at Sacred Heart hospital at 5 o’clock this evening. He is supposed to have taken the drug with suicidal intent. O’Brien has been about Spokane for more than a year. He has worked at several different occupation since coming to the city, being employed as a harness maker by the Washington Leather company for a few months. During the last few weeks he has been in hard luck, and has slept several nights in the store of A. W. McCallum, 121 Washington street. Friday night he was allowed to sleep in the store.
When Mr. McCallum came to the store yesterday morning, O’Brien was found on the floor in a sound sleep. Beside him on the floor the police found a box with a label indicating that it has contained morphine pills. A number of doctors tried to awaken the man, but unsuccessfully, and he was removed to the hospital, where he died. O’Brien is known to have used morphine to quiet his nerves, and whether he took the stuff that caused his death with intention of committing suicide is not definitely known. The body was removed from the hospital to the undertaking establishment of Gilman & Co. No arrangements have yet been made for the funeral. It is said that O’Brien has wealthy relatives in Minneapolis.2035

• [excerpts]
Despondency has cause another person to make an attempt upon his life. It is the same old story––broke, no home, no relatives, no work, and no place to stay. James O’Brien, an old Grand Army man, 65 years of age, was found lying in the harness shop at 121 Washington street early this morning, in an unconscious condition. At first it was thought he was merely sleeping, but a little round box with a morphine label and a bottle bearing the same label told the awful tale––suicide.
O’Brien always was a hight-hearted man and cracked jokes with the best of them. There was no one who did not gladly welcome his presence. True, he did not have money to treat, but he had the smiling face which always brought good cheer and always left pleasant memories.
O’Brien was not always poor. Once he was a well-to-do harness manufacturer in Minneapolis. He had a happy home with several children and everything went smoothly. then his two daughters got married and left him. Later his wife died. This was too much for him and three years ago he decided to come west and leave forever the scene of his troubles Coming west he chose Spokane as his home––home in name, but nothing more.
O’Brien has two married daughters in Minneapolis, both very well-to-do. He also has a brother-in-law in New Ulm, who is president of a bank at that place.2034

• 1840 Census: Age 5-10, with his father, Miles O'Brien, and family in Buffalo Grove Precinct, Ogle county, Illinois.540
• 1870 Census: Lena, Rock Run, Stephenson, Illinois. Age 36, b VT. Harness maker.2039,2036
• 1875 Minnesota Census: Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota. Age 41, b VT. Parents b VT.2040
• 1880 Census: Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota. Age 46, b VT. Harness maker. Parents b Ireland.2041
• 1885 Minnesota Census: Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota. Age 52, b VT. Parents of foreign birth.2042
• 1895 Minnesota Census: Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota. Age 62, b VT. Resident 23 years, 7 months. Harness maker. No other family members present.2043

• Could not confirm in 1850; perhaps in Galena, Jo Daviess, Illinois, age 16; Ancestry.com, 4 May 2010

• Could not find in 1860: 11 Nov 2004; 27 Feb 2005; 4 May 2010

• Could not locate marriage record.2048