Contra Costa-Sacramento-San Joaquin County CA Archives Biographies.....O'Brien, John C. 1822 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com November 27, 2005, 10:03 pm

Author: W. A. Slocum & Co., Publishers (1882)

MAJOR JOHN C. O'BRIEN.—The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in
this work, was born in County Roscommon, Ireland, January 6, 1822. When about
fourteen years of age, he, with his parents, emigrated to the United States,
arriving in New York in the year 1836. In 1843 his father's family moved to
Missouri, and there Mr. O'Brien engaged in farming as an overseer. In 1849, in
company with thirty more, he started from Lexington for the Golden State with a
train of ten wagons, and arrived at Sacramento, July 29th, of the same year.
Having sold his horses and wagons, he remained in Sacramento about two months,
after which he purchased a wagon and six yoke of oxen, and went to Redding's
diggings, and engaged in mining until February, 1850. Our subject then went to
the Hudspeth ranch and bought some stock and took them to Sacramento, and soon
after went to Trinity mines, and again prosecuted mining. In the Fall of the
year he went to the Klamath river, again followed mining, but was compelled to
abandon it on account of the snow. Returning to Sacramento he purchased some
horses, and went to San Jose, and there he was engaged in farming and
stock-raising. He also followed the business of brick-making, getting as much as
fifty dollars per thousand, and afterwards sold out to James Lick for fifty
thousand dollars. In the Fall of 1851, he returned to Missouri, and in 1853,
purchasing a band of cattle, in company with William Wyatt, came back to this
coast, and went direct to Contra Costa county, locating where Antioch now
stands. There he engaged in stock-raising and afterwards farming, and with the
exception of about seven years spent in San Joaquin county, our subject has
resided there since. The Major is the owner of considerable real estate in the
town where he dwells, as well as having a large amount of property in San
Joaquin county. No man throughout the length and breadth of Contra Costa has
done more to forward the interests of the county. When necessary he has never
flinched from exposing existing evils; he is just in his dealings, true to his
instincts, and honest in his convictions. He is genial in his manners, and no
better friend or companion exists than Major John C. O'Brien. He has never
aspired to any public office. Married Mary E. Howard, July 29, 1861, and has two
children: Carrie and Philip.

Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA,
INCLUDING ITS GEOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY, TOPOGRAPHY, CLIMATOGRAPHY AND DESCRIPTION;
TOGETHER WITH A RECORD OF THE MEXICAN GRANTS; THE BEAR FLAG WAR; THE MOUNT
DIABLO COAL FIELDS; THE EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT, COMPILED FROM THE MOST
AUTHENTIC SOURCES; THE NAMES OF ORIGINAL SPANISH AND MEXICAN PIONEERS; FULL
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY; SEPARATE HISTORY OF EACH TOWNSHIP, SHOWING
THE ADVANCE IN POPULATION AND AGRICULTURE;
ALSO,
Incidents of Pioneer Life; and Biographical Sketches
OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN;
AMD OF ITS TOWNS, VILLAGES, CHURCHES, SECRET SOCIETIES, ETC.
ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO: W. A. SLOCUM & CO., PUBLISHERS
1882.


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