ROBERT P. O'BRYAN
               Lake Charles, Calcasieu Parish, LA


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Source: Southwest Louisiana Historical and Biographical by William Henry Perrin
published in 1891; page 180.
Typed by Margaret Rentrop Moore


ROBERT P. O'BRYAN, LAKE CHARLES.-Robert P. O'Bryan, Attorney for the Fourteenth
Judicial District of Louisiana, is a native of Vermilion parish, born April
20th, 1844. He is the son of Daniel and Mary A. (Perry) O'Bryan, both of whom
were natives of Vermilion parish, Louisiana. The father died in 1871, at the age
of fifty-six, and the mother in 1882 at the age of fifty-seven. Daniel O'Bryan
was an attorney of Vermilion parish. He read law with J W. Walker, and was
admitted to practice in 1850.  Prior to this he had been for some time engaged
in merchandising in Lafayette parish. He served for a period of several years as
clerk of the court of Vermilion parish, and was a member of the Constitutional
Convention Of 1845; also a member of the Secession Convention in 1861.
During the war he was enrolling officer for the Confederate Government.
The subject of this sketch is the oldest of a family of eight children. He spent
his school days chiefly at Grand Coteau, in St. Charles College. He was in
school on the breaking out of the war; and in August, 1865, he joined the
Eighth Louisiana Infantry, and served for a period of six months, when he
received his discharge. He was afterward drill master at Camp Pratt, and was
subsequently transferred to Spaight's Battalion of Texas Volunteers. In January,
1864, he was promoted to second lieutenant.At the close of the war he
turned his attention to steamboating, and was for several months engaged as
steamboat clerk on the Vermilion River. He was later engaged as purser on a gulf
steamer, from Morgan City to Aransas Pass. Subsequently he studied law, and in
1871 was admitted to practice at Opelousas, He located at Abbeville, and
practised his profession at that place until 1889, when he removed to Lake
Charles, and has since practised there. While a resident of Abbeville, he
represented Vermilion parish, 1879 and 1886, in the Legislature. He has recently
been appointed Attorney for the Fourteenth judicial District of Louisiana, to
fill the unexpired term made vacant by the death of J. C. Gibbs. Though
conservative in his political views, Mr. O'Bryan is an ardent Democrat.
He married, 1866, Miss Sue O'Neil, of Vermilion parish. To this union have been
born nine children-four sons and five daughters.   Mr. O'Bryan and family are
Catholics.