Bio of O'BRIEN, Edward J. (b.1876), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical
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Vol III, pg 542-545
EDWARD J. O'BRIEN
Edward J. O'Brien, a native son of Minneapolis and a member of one of the oldest
and most prominent pioneer families of the city, is devoting his attention to
the real estate and insurance business and has been very successful in his
operations in this field. He was born November 30, 1876, a son of Frank G. and
Elizabeth (Bostwick) O'Brien, the former a native of Maine and the latter of
Illinois. The paternal ancestors removed from Belfast, Ireland, to the province
of Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1680, at which time members of the family also
settled in Maine, and the great-great-grandfather of the subject of this review
built and commanded one of the vessels of the American fleet which was attacked
by the British naval forces off the coast of Maine, near the port of Machias.
The Bostwick family removed to Minnesota from Toronto, Canada, in 1850, settling
at St. Anthony, now Minneapolis, and the O'Brien family came to St. Anthony in
1855 from Calais, Maine. Lardner Bostwick was one of the pioneer jurists of
Minneapolis, serving as the third judge of the probate court, and members of the
O'Brien family engaged in the lumber business in this city. Frank G. O'Brien,
the father, was a writer of ability, being the author of "Minnesota Pioneer
Sketches" and other publications, and he was also a successful business man. He
was one of the honored pioneers of Minneapolis and passed away in this city in
1920, while his wife's demise occurred in 1910.
After completing his course in the Central high school of Minneapolis Edward J.
O'Brien entered the University of Minnesota, from which he was graduated in
1898, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws, while in 1904 he received the degree
of Master of Laws. Since 1898 he has engaged in the real estate and insurance
business, of which he has an expert knowledge, and his comprehensive legal
training has been a valuable asset to him in the conduct of his business, which
has now reached extensive proportions. Nothing escapes him concerning the realty
market and he has negotiated many important property transfers, while he also
writes a large amount of insurance annually.
On the 25th of November, 1903, Mr. O'Brien was married to Miss Garnet L. Butcher
of St. Paul, Minnesota, and they have become the parents of six children:
Kenneth B., Garnet E., Mildred L., Robert L., Barbara L., and Ann Hewitt.
Kenneth B. O'Brien married Marjorie Waldron Piedmont, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Vernon Waldron, August 12, 1922. He enlisted for service in the World war and
was sent to the Officers Training Camp at Plattsburg, New York, where he was
made a second lieutenant. He was attached to the Forty-third Company, Fourth
Group, of the Machine Gun Corps, which was stationed at Augusta, Georgia, and
was the youngest commissioned officer in the United States army. He received the
Bachelor of Arts degree from Amherst College, and was also active in athletic
sports, being quarterback on the college football team. He now resides at
Oak­land, California, and is engaged in the bond business.
In 1920 Mr. O'Brien was made president of the Minneapolis Real Estate Board and
in the same year he served as president of the Minnetonka Country Club. He is
also a member of the Lafayette Club, the Minneapolis Athletic Club and Zeta Psi,
a college fraternity. He worthily bears a name which for many years has been an
honored one in business circles of Minneapolis and his spirit of initiative and
enterprise has constituted an important factor in the improvement and
develop­ment of the city, in which he is widely known and highly esteemed.