Person:Stephen O'Brien (1)

He was christened in Kilmurry-Ibrickane Parish, County Clare, Ireland, 21 November 1873. Stephen's civil birth records his birth taking place in Killernan on the 29 January 1874. The registration was on the 6th of February 1874 and his father, Stephen signing his (X) in the informant column. Like the other children's births his father didn't want to pay a fine for not registering his child's birth in time and he used a convenient date on the day he registered. The baptism record in Mullagh church was more than two months before this and is probably correct. The sponsors for the baptism were Aunt and Uncle Edmond and Mary Cahill. Stephen was given money to emigrate to America from his Uncle Patrick's estate. He left Queenstown, Ireland on the 23rd of May 1896 and landed in New York City on the 1st. June 1896. He traveled on the ship Lucania. He and his older sister, Bridget made the trip together and shortly after they arrived in New York they went to Kaukauna, Wisconsin. Catherine O'Brien their father's sister was married to Thomas Dowling and they raised a family in North Kaukauna, Wisconson. Stephen petitioned for his naturalization at Phillips Wisconsin in the circuit court of Price County, Wisconsin on the 3rd of November 1900. He was granted his citizenship on the 5th day of December 1917 in Buffalo, Erie County, NY. His witnesses were Thomas J. Dillon, a fireman that resided at 75 Johnson Park, Buffalo, Erie County, NY and James Kennedy, a saloonkeeper of 266 West Genesee St.. Buffalo, Erie County, NY. Sometime after November 1900 Stephen and Delia moved to Elmira, NY and stayed with their cousins the Cahill's. In 1903 Stephen made a trip back to Ireland for a visit. This was an important trip for him because this was the last time he was to see his mother and father alive. I am sure he was a welcome visitor as he carried all the news of Stephen's sisters and his other two siblings. On this trip he purchased a pair of brass candlesticks for his sister, Delia. Delia was living at 516 W. 3rd Street, Elmira, NY in 1903. These are now in my possession. Catherine Imhoff gave these to my mother, C. Dorothy O'Brien. and she gave then to me. Stephen was there a few years before he and his brother, John moved to Buffalo, NY. Stephen and John were working at the Gas Works and boarding in Finnegan's Flats at 197 Front Street at this time. They worked different shifts and slept in the same bed when the other was working. Stephen found a well paying job on Buffalo's waterfront as a scooper in the grain elevators. This was a seasonal job and slowed down during the winter months. Stephen was doing very well at this job until he had an accident at work when his feet were crushed while working in a aull of a ship. After this Stephen didn't work steady and he wondered around Buffalo enjoying the drink. Sometime he would be on a "bender" for a few days and my grandmother would find out where he was an then send someone down to get him so she cold bring him home and dry him out until he got back on his feet and would go out again. My Uncle John remembers these times because Stephen would sleep with him in his bed in the up stairs bedroom. For the 1920 Federal Census, Stephen O'Brien was boarding at 266 West Genesee Street, Buffalo, NY. He was listed as Steve O'Brien. He was a handsome man and looked very much like his brother John which he used to his advantage. He was going to the saloons where John had credit and he was running up bar bills. When Stephen heard that John was on to his free drinks, he left Buffalo and went to Riverside, NJ with his widowed sister, Delia O'Brien Cahill; this was sometime after 1926. In Riverside, Stephen worked at a night watchman in a watch factory. In 1930 Stephen O'Brien was listed in the Federal Census as living with his sister Bridget Cahiill and her two daughters, Margaret and Catherine at 316 Lippencutt Ave, Riverside, NJ. He was listed at a watchman. Stephen went back to Ireland in the late thirties to retire on the farm. Stephen and his niece, Margaret Cahill took a train to Boston where he sailed on a ship back to Ireland. Margaret went with him because of his health and she kept his accounts for him. When I was talking with Martin Cahill of Kildimo in 1980 at his home he told me that Stephen came back to Ireland with a pile of money. The first thing he did was go to the bank in Miltown Malby and deposit his money to keep it safe. Every week Stephen would take the six or so mile walk into Miltown Malby and go to the bank and withdrawal all his money. He would then proceed to count it and then redeposit it after he was sure it was all there. After his brother Paddy Stephens died in 1945 the farm was turned over to his youngest sister, Maria O'Brien. When this was done Stephen O'Brien was given a small room and the right to the use of the kitchen and to be supported. Stephen died at the farm in Killernan. He was listed as a bachelor on old age pension. The cause of death was cerebral hemorrhage, one month cardiac failure certified. Francis Keavey of Dunsallagh a neighbor was present at death and had the body buried on the hill at the ancestral plot in Killernan graveyard. Mr. Hayes of Dunsallagh was the caretaker of Killernan Graveyard in the 1980' and he wrote a letter to me telling me he remembered that Paddy and Stephen were both buried in Killernan Graveyards with their parents.

First Name: Stephen Last Name: O'Brien Ethnicity: Ireland Last Place of Residence: Date of Arrival: May 02, 1896 Age at Arrival: 20 Gender: M Marital Status: Ship of Travel: Lucania Port of Departure: Queenstown Manifest Line Number: 0607 Destination:

Buffalo, NY City Directory Entries for Stephen O¹Brien

1886 through 1904 no entries (years listed were the books on the shelf) 1903 O'Brien, Stephen returned from Killernan, Co. Clare, Ireland through Ellis Island, NYC 1905 O'Brien, Stephen, Firemanr. 197 Front St. 1913 O'Brien, Stephen, fireman266 W. Genesee, 1917 O'Brien, Stephen, colr. 266 West 1919 O'Brien, Stephen, fireman266 W Genesee 1920 O'Brien, Stephen, fireman266 W Genesee (listed as Laborer at Gas House) 1930 O'Brien, Stephen was residing in Riverside, NJ with his sister Bridget Cahill. 1944 O'Brien, Stephen died in Killernan, Co. Clare, Ireland

O'Brien, Stephen 1873 http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=0b3e0235-773b-4c38-8196-2c1094a0c096&tid=7775997&pid=-1039232742

O'Brien Stephen naturalization http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=6656f958-9669-48fb-8c9b-3abdb77cb0a2&tid=7775997&pid=-1039232742

O'Brien, Stephen WWI Draft 1918 http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=59c4eaf7-e342-4044-ac32-acb5b08625a5&tid=7775997&pid=-1039232742

1896 Ship Manifest, Ellis Island, NYC

Naturalization Papers 1910

World War 1 Draft Registration 1918

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census. (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA. Note: Enumeration Districts 819-839 on roll 323 (Chicago City.Original data - United States)
   Year: 1920; Census Place: Buffalo Ward 27, Erie, New York; Roll: T625_1109; Page: 19B; Enumeration District: 264; Image: 494.

   Birth date: abt 1875Birth place: IrelandResidence date: 1920Residence place: Buffalo Ward 27, Erie, New YorkArrival date: 1895Arrival place: _APID: 6061::41569587

   http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1920usfedcen&h=41569587&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census. (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2002.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626)
   Year: 1930; Census Place: Riverside, Burlington, New Jersey; Roll: 1319; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 66; Image: 258.0.

   Birth date: abt 1879Birth place: IrelandResidence date: 1930Residence place: Riverside, Burlington, New Jersey _APID: 6224::22475508

   http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1930usfedcen&h=22475508&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Ancestry.com. New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957. (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006.Original data - Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M237, 675 rolls); Records of the U.S. Customs Service, R)
   Year: 1903; Arrival: , ; Microfilm serial: 15; Microfilm roll: T715_359; Line: ; List number: .

   _APID: 7488::2147483647

   http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=nypl&h=4030807846&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} Ancestry.com. New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957. (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006.Original data - Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M237, 675 rolls); Records of the U.S. Customs Service, R)
   Year: 1896; Arrival: , ; Microfilm serial: M237; Microfilm roll: M237_658; Line: ; List number: .

   _APID: 7488::2147483647

   http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=nypl&h=4001074114&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Ancestry.com. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005.Original data - United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Admi)
   Registration Location: Erie County, New York; Roll: 1712240; Draft Board: 14.

   Birth date: Nov 1874Birth place: Residence date: Residence place: Buffalo, Erie, New York _APID: 6482::1318527

   http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=ww1draft&h=1318527&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

6. ↑ Ireland, Death Certificate.
7. ↑ ^7.0 7.1 Ancestry.com. New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957. (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006.Original data - Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M237, 675 rolls); Records of the U.S. Customs Service, R)
   Year: 1903; Arrival: , ; Microfilm serial: 15; Microfilm roll: T715_359; Line: ; List number: .

   Birth date: abt 1878Birth place: Arrival date: 23 May 1903Arrival place: New York, New YorkDeparture date: Departure place: Queenstown _APID: 7488::2147483647

   http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=nypl&h=4030807846&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

8. ↑ USA Petition for Naturalization No. 6158, Supreme Court of New York, Erie County at Buffalo, NY.

   Left Ireland on 23 May 1896 on Ship Luistania from Queenstown,
   Ireland.