William S. O'Brien Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1367-1368 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	HON. WILLIAM S. O'BRIEN, of the Homestake Mining Company, was born 
in Calais, Washington county, Maine, on the 25th of February, 1846. When 
four years old he was taken by his parents to Detroit, Michigan, and in 
1855 accompanied the family to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he lived 
until the breaking out the great Rebellion. In August, 1862, although 
but a lad of fifteen, young O'Brien enlisted in Company A, Ninth 
Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, with which he shared the fortunes and 
vicissitudes of war until honorably discharged on the 24th of August, 
1865, participating during his period of service in a number of battles 
and minor engagements, among the more noted of which were Nashville, 
Tennessee, siege of Mobile, Alabama, Tupelo and Gun Town, Mississippi. 
He was with General Sibley during the Indian war of Minnesota in the 
fall of 1862, and the summer of 1863 took part in much of the hard 
fighting with the savages. At the close of the war he returned to 
Minneapolis, but after remaining the following winter in that city, 
decided to go to Montana territory, where he was convinced more 
favorable opportunities awaited him. Accordingly he procured a wagon and 
an ox-team, and with his outfit started west, with Helena as an 
objective point. In due season he reached his destination, and from that 
time until 1877 he devoted his attention to mining and lumbering in 
Montana. Nevada, Washington and Arizona. 

	From Nevada Mr. O'Brien came to Dakota and after spending about 
seven months in the Black Hills, returned to that state, thence in 1880 
to Arizona, where he continued variously employed until his removal, 
in. 1883, to Idaho. In 1885 he again returned to South Dakota, and since 
that time has been almost continuously employed at the celebrated 
Homestake Mining Company, in the Black Hills, serving in various 
capacities, such as laborer, miner, sampler, timekeeper, state inspector 
of mines, shift boss and foreman of the mines, proving in every 
situation faithful to his every obligation, and at all times making the 
company's interests his own. His series of continued promotions from the 
humble position of a common laborer with pick and shovel to the high and 
responsible station of foreman of one of the largest and richest mining 
properties in the world, demonstrate the strong fiber of which the man 
is made and indicate the confidence and esteem in which he is held by 
those to whom his services have been rendered.

	When the constitutional convention was called in 1890 Mr. O'Brien 
was a member of the house of representatives and the following year he 
was chosen to represent Lawrence county in the state senate. His record 
while a member of those latter bodies was eminently honorable, 
creditable to himself and satisfactory to his constituents, and his name 
appears in connection with some of the most important legislation of the 
the different sessions. 

	In 1894 Mr. O'Brien was furthered honored by being appointed state 
mining inspector, in which capacity he served the commonwealth until his 
resignation for the purpose of accepting the more lucrative position 
with the Homestake Mining Company, which he has since so ably and 
worthily held. He has been for many years an influential worker in the 
Republican party, and in the fall of 1896 was nominated sheriff of 
Lawrence county, but by reason of the overwhelming strength of the 
opposition that year failed of election, although running ahead of other 
candidates on his ticket. 

	Mr. O'Brien, on the 2d day of December, 1885, was happily married 
to Miss Bessie Treweek, a native of Cornwall, England, the union 
resulting in the birth of three interesting children whose names are Ida 
W., Flora B. and Elizabeth J. Mr. O'Brien is public-spirited, an expert 
in the great industry to which he has so long devoted his time and 
energies, and his popularity with all classes and conditions of people 
is by no means circumscribed by the narrow limits of the community in 
which he lives. Wherever known he is esteemed for his many admirable 
qualities of head and heart, and as an honorable man and upright citizen 
he ranks with the most enterprising and progressive of his 
contemporaries. He is an enthusiastic member of the Grand Army of the 
Republic, belonging to E. M. Stanton Post, No. 8l, at Lead.