MICHAEL E

MICHAEL E. O'BRIEN

An earnest, young M.E., destined for a career in life insurance

The following text has been transcribed from Michigan Through The Centuries, a collection of vanity biographies that has been kicking around the family for decades now. I'm unsure about its precise origin of because I don't actually have the book itself but rather photocopies of M.E.'s section and that of his nephew (his brother Patrick's son) Gerald K. O'Brien, which appears to be from the same publication but was clearly written much later. There is a handwritten annotation citing the name Sawyer and the year 1911 on M.E. bio; the book's aforementioned title, the name Dunbar and the year 1955 have been written on Gerald O'Brien's. Sawyer and Dunbar, I assume, were the writers of these pieces and the years signify when they were written I did a web search to no avail, so for now, we'll have to live with this bit of ambiguity. (More to come on this if new info surfaces.) In any case, despite its flowery, laughably hyperbolic language, the following biography does give us a some valuable historical information about M.E. that otherwise would have been lost forever on the dusty, musty shelves of a world that becomes more distant with each passing day. WOM

It is speaking with all due conservatism to say that Michael E. O'Brien is one of the strongest and most influential men to be encountered in all the extent of the Upper Peninsula. His identification with the life insurance world alone would entitle him to this distinction, his general agency standing third in the United States in the amount of life insurance secured in proportion to the population, among almost one hundred general agents of the Northwest. He is likewise a banker of wide repute, holding the high and responsible office of president of the First National Bank of Laurium, established in April, 1907, a substantial institution having a capital stock of $100,000, and a surplus of $40,000, and he is a director of the First National Bank of Hubbell, Michigan. Several lesser institutions and concerns receive the inestimable benefit of his excellent judgment, executive capacity and ability.

Michael E. O'Brien is a life-long resident of Houghton county, his birth having occurred within its limits on the 21st day of September, 1877. As his name indicates, his ancestral record soon takes one to Erin's Isle, whose clever, resourceful, and agreeable sons have assuredly given to their adopted America a great measure of her progress and prosperity. His parents were P.J. and Mary (Harrington) O'Brien, both of whom were natives of county Cork, Ireland. Like so many of their neighbors and associates they answered the beckoning finger of opportunity and emigrated to America in 1856. They soon came on to the northern country and lived in both Keweenaw and Houghton counties, the father earning the livelihood for his family as a miner, and it was in the C. and H. that he lost his life in the year 1890, being regretted by many who had known him as an honest man, and an intelligent and public-spirited citizen.

Young Michael pursued his studies in the public and parochial schools, and after graduation from the Sacred Heart High School at Laurium, at the age of sixteen years, he started out to face the serious problems of life. Of no one can it more truly be said that he is a self-made man, for he started with the "fair field," which is the heritage of every American youth, and with "no favors" in the way of financial backing or influential friends.

He received his first employment in the office of the Calumet News in the capacity of an all around office boy, which someone has said is in itself equal to a liberal education. During the second Cleveland administration, when the late P.W. Grierson, a Democrat, held the office of postmaster, Mr. O'Brien was proffered a position in the post offfice, which he filled with marked efficiency for the ensuing five years.

It was after the termination of this office that Mr. O'Brien first engaged in the insurance business, and while one is at first sight prompted to dwell on the good fortune of his having been directed to a field in which he has achieved such marked success, yet it doubtless is truer that no matter to what field his energies might have been directed, he would have won therein a name for himself, as well as material advancement.

He became associated with the firm of Friederichs, Stringer & Harris, and a short time thereafter became a partner in this agency, a branch being established over the First National Bank of Calumet. He later on formed a partnership under the firm name of Webb & O'Brien, the nature of the business being general insurance and real estate.

In 1903, Mr. O'Brien retired from this association, within whose satisfactory duration he had effectually established himself in the world of affairs, and took up life insurance, becoming the Calumet representative of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, with headquarters in Laurium. In the following year, he was appointed district manager under W.H. Surles, General Agent of Wisconsin and Northern Michigan, and held this position until 1907, when Mr. Surles died and Mr. O'Brien succeeded to a General Agency.

At the present time, his jurisdiction extends over the northwest half of northern Michigan, and his production of about $1,000,000 of life insurance annually has given him a reputation in the insurance world which extends far beyond its boundries. Among the official capacities in which he serves is that of secretary of the Montana Clinton Copper Campany, his knowledge of mining matters being extensive, partly from his close association with them in early youth.

By no means his least important connection has been with banking interests, and three of the safe and well-founded banks of the county owe their inception directly to him. The Calumet State Bank of Calumet, the First national Bank of Laurium, of which latter institution he is president, and the First National Bank of Hubbell.

The social and fraternal side of Mr. O'Brien's nature is by no means in abeyance, and he takes great pleasure in his affiliations, which extend to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and the various clubs of Laurium and Calumet. Politically he is independent and gives his support to men and measures which appeal to him. He and his wife are members of the Roman Catholic church. Mr. O'Brien's wife was before her marriage Miss Nellie V. Harrington, their union having been celebrated in 1903. To them have been born the following children: Eleanor, Anna, Catherine, John H. and Margaret.

In short Mr. O'Brien is one of the big self-made men of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, a man genial and courteous, but of strong character. Whatever he does he does with a vim and he inserts his personality into every undertaking. Even his subordinates bear the impress of his individuality and selection, like himself being courteous, but clean cut and firm. Every institution with which he has had to do is and has been a success, and the Upper Peninsula is indeed fortunate not only to have given nativity to, but to have retained in its midst a man of such distinguished ability and one who has so effectually contributed to its progress.

Since the above was written Mr. O'Brien has resigned his position as general agent with the Northwestern Mutual Life, has helped to organize the Detroit Life Insurance Company of Detroit, Michigan, and has been elected its first Vice-President and General Manager.