Hidden Bonds: Orphan, Engineer, and Congressman
James Henry O'Brien
Orphan, Engineer, Congressman
1860–1924 | Jamaica, Queens to Washington, D.C.
He was orphaned at fourteen. He went to Washington at fifty-two.
This episode is part of the Hidden Bonds series. James Henry O'Brien was the half-brother of Miles Murtha Lawrence O'Brien, whose story is told in Episode 6: Orphan, Scale Maker, Father of Ten. Though separated as children after their father's death, the two brothers reunited as adults — and James hired Miles at his scale company. The bond between them would shape both their families for generations.
"James H. O'Brien died yesterday at his home, 60 Ashford street. He was born in Jamaica sixty-four years ago and had been a resident of Brooklyn for fifty years. He was a scales manufacturer, with offices in Manhattan and Brooklyn."
— Brooklyn Daily Eagle, September 3, 1924
James Henry O'Brien (1860-1924). U.S. Congressman from Brooklyn's 9th District, 1913-1915. Founder of J.H. O'Brien Scale & Supply Company.
The Eldest Son
James Henry O'Brien was born on July 15, 1860, in Jamaica, Queens County, New York. He was the first child of Terrence O'Brien, an Irish immigrant who had built a modest fortune as a hotel proprietor, and Ann Higgins.
But childhood would not be kind to James Henry. When he was just four years old, his mother Ann died. He was ten when his sister Elizabeth was born — to his father's second wife, Cornelia Bedell. And he was twelve when his half-brother Miles Murtha Lawrence came into the world.
Then, in 1874, everything fell apart.
First, in May, his stepmother Cornelia died. Six months later, on November 21, 1874, Terrence O'Brien himself was dead — leaving behind four orphaned children from two marriages.
James Henry was fourteen years old. He was now the head of a scattered family.
The Scattering
The probate records tell a heartbreaking story of a family torn apart by tragedy. The four O'Brien children were separated and sent to different relatives:
- James Henry (age 14) — sent to another state, old enough to begin making his own way
- Mary Ann (age 8) and Elizabeth (age 4) — placed with their maternal uncle Thomas Higgins
- Miles Murtha Lawrence (age 18 months) — placed with "Mrs. Madden," later with his maternal grandparents the Bedells
The three older children were full siblings — all children of Terrence and Ann Higgins. Baby Miles was their half-brother, the only child of Terrence and Cornelia Bedell. Each set of children went to their own mother's relatives. The half-siblings had no shared maternal family to hold them together.
For most families of that era, this kind of separation would have been permanent. James Henry, sent away at fourteen, might never have seen his baby half-brother again.
But James Henry O'Brien was not most people.
Building a Life
Despite the trauma of losing both parents and being separated from his siblings, James Henry built himself into something remarkable.
He attended public schools in Queens, then graduated from Browne's Business College in Brooklyn — an education that would prove crucial to his future success. He started his career as a machinist, learning the mechanical trades from the ground up. He advanced to mechanical engineer, mastering the technical skills that would later form the foundation of his business empire.
By the 1890s, James had established himself in East New York, a rapidly growing section of Brooklyn. He was building both a family and the connections that would serve him throughout his career.
On March 3, 1886, at age 25, James married Catharine "Katy" O'Donohue. Together they would have six children in twelve years: Mary Geraldine, William, Anna, James Edward, Thomas Francis, and Estelle.
J.H. O'Brien Scale & Supply Company
Around 1900, James Henry founded the company that would become a Brooklyn institution. Located at 311-315 Ellery Street in Brooklyn, with a secondary location at 46-48 Jamaica Avenue, the J.H. O'Brien Scale & Supply Company specialized in:
- Commercial scales and weighing equipment
- Coffee mills and canisters
- Grocery and butcher tools
- Scales for coal, hay, and paper stock
- Overhead tramway construction equipment
The company tested and sealed scales to U.S. Government standards, serving Brooklyn's booming industrial sector. It would operate for over 60 years, spanning three generations of O'Briens.
"Sells and Repairs Scales"
The Chat, May 13, 1916
J.H. O'Brien Scale & Supply Co.
The Chat, June 24, 1916
Tragedy Strikes Again
On May 3, 1900, James Henry's world shattered once more. His wife Catharine died at their home on 90 Berriman Street. The cause: puerperal eclampsia — a complication of childbirth that still claims lives today. She was 36 years old.
James was now a widower with six children, the youngest just two years old. The 1900 census, taken just weeks after Catharine's death, shows him as "Head" of household, occupation "Scale Maker," marital status "Widowed."
Death Certificate, May 3, 1900. Catharine O'Brien, age 36. Cause of death: Puerperal Eclampsia. Place of burial: Holy Cross Cemetery.
1900 U.S. Federal Census, Brooklyn, Kings County. James H. O'Brien (age 39), occupation "Scale Maker," marital status "Widowed," with six children ranging from age 11 to age 2.
The Bond That Endured
Two years after Catharine's death, James Henry remarried. On April 2, 1902, he wed Catherine Lyons Garvey, a widow herself. The marriage certificate tells us something remarkable.
The witness? Miles L. O'Brien.
His half-brother. The baby who had been just 18 months old when their father died. The toddler James Henry had been separated from nearly thirty years earlier.
Somehow, against all odds, these two brothers had found each other again. And not just found each other — they had built a relationship strong enough that when James Henry remarried, Miles stood beside him as witness.
Marriage Certificate, April 2, 1902. James H. O'Brien (widower) to Catherine Lyons Garvey (widow). Witnesses: Miles L. O'Brien and Mary McNulty. This document proves the half-brothers maintained their connection despite decades of separation.
This wasn't just a ceremonial gesture. By 1900, Miles was already working at James's scale company as a "Scale Maker" — the same occupation James himself listed on the census. The Congressman had hired his half-brother, giving him steady employment that would support Miles's own growing family for decades.
James and Catherine would have one son together: Edward Francis O'Brien, born October 14, 1906. The blended family now included seven children.
1910 U.S. Federal Census, Brooklyn. James H. O'Brien (age 49), wife Catherine T. (age 44), and seven children. Occupation: "Scale Momentors" [Scale Manufacturer]. Son William (age 19) is also listed as "Scale Maker."
From Brooklyn to Washington
James Henry O'Brien's success in business opened doors to political influence. He became active in Democratic politics, building connections throughout Brooklyn's Twenty-sixth Ward.
In 1911, he was elected to the New York State Senate, representing the 10th District. He served until 1912, chairing the Agriculture Committee and leading the state's Food Investigating Commission — a role that connected directly to his expertise in commercial scales and fair weights.
Then, in 1913, James Henry O'Brien went to Washington.
From Wikipedia:
James Henry O'Brien (July 15, 1860 – September 2, 1924 in Brooklyn) was an American politician from New York. A Democrat, he served terms in the New York State Senate from 1911 to 1912, and in the United States House of Representatives for one term from 1913 to 1915.
He was elected to the 63rd United States Congress, representing Brooklyn's 9th Congressional District. The orphan boy from Jamaica, Queens — the teenager who had been scattered from his siblings after his father's death — now walked the halls of the United States Capitol.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1914, but his political career was far from over. In 1916, he served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. Throughout his time in politics, he maintained his business interests, ensuring that the scale company continued to thrive.
The Business Legacy
Even while serving in Congress, James prepared the next generation for leadership. By 1917, his son James Edward O'Brien was working as a scale maker at the family company. His son William H. O'Brien was already listed as "Proprietor" by 1920.
The company wasn't just a family business — it was a family network. James's half-brother Miles worked there for over twenty years. His sons learned the trade. The J.H. O'Brien Scale & Supply Company became the economic anchor for multiple branches of the O'Brien family.
Brooklyn Eagle, March 12, 1921. "J.H. O'Brien Scale Service, 46-48 Jamaica Ave., Brooklyn. Manufacturer of Scales for weighing and handling all kinds of merchandise. Scales rebuilt, repaired, tested and sealed to the U.S. standard."
The Chat, October 31, 1925 — one year after James's death. "James H. O'Brien Sons Make and Repair Scales." The next generation had taken over.
The End
James Henry O'Brien died on September 2, 1924, at his home at 60 Ashford Street in Brooklyn. He was 64 years old.
His obituary in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle captured the scope of his life:
"He was a member of the Senate from 1910 to 1912 from the Ninth District, also a member of Congress in 1914. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, Council 197; also a member of the B.P.O.E., 22; a member of the C.B.L. of St. Malachy's R.C. Church; a member of the Democratic Club of the Twenty-sixth Ward, and a trustee of the Nassau Building Loan Association of East New York. He is survived by his widow, Catherine Lyons O'Brien; four sons, William, James, Thomas, and Edward; three daughters, Mrs. John Little, Anna and Estelle O'Brien; a brother, Myles O'Brien; two sisters, Mrs. Mary Smith and Mrs. Elizabeth Foley, and three grandchildren."
Note that phrase: "a brother, Myles O'Brien." Even in death, the bond between the half-brothers was acknowledged. Miles — the baby James had been separated from fifty years earlier — was still listed as family.
Obituary
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
September 3, 1924
Death Notice
"Ex-Congressman"
September 1924
A requiem mass was offered at St. Malachy's Church. He was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery — the same cemetery where his first wife Catharine had been laid to rest twenty-four years earlier.
The Inheritance
James Henry O'Brien lost his mother at four. He lost his father at fourteen. He was scattered from his siblings and sent away to make his own way in the world.
And yet: he built a successful business. He went to Washington. He raised seven children through two marriages. He found his half-brother Miles and gave him a job. He maintained his connection to his sisters Mary Ann and Elizabeth.
The scale company he founded would outlive him by nearly forty years, finally closing around 1961 when his son William retired to Florida at age 80. For over sixty years, the J.H. O'Brien Scale & Supply Company provided stable employment and economic security for multiple generations of O'Briens.
But perhaps his greatest legacy wasn't the business or the political career. It was the choice he made to rebuild the family bonds that tragedy had broken. When James hired Miles, when he stood beside his half-brother at his wedding, when he acknowledged "a brother, Myles O'Brien" in his obituary — he was choosing family over convenience, connection over isolation.
He was orphaned at fourteen. He went to Washington at fifty-two. He never forgot where he came from — or who his family was.
Document Gallery
James Henry O'Brien
U.S. Congressman, 1913-1915
Portrait
1902 — Marriage
Miles L. O'Brien as witness
Marriage
1900 — Death Certificate
Catharine O'Donohue
Death
1924 — Obituary
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Obituary
1900 — Census
Widower with 6 children
Census
1910 — Census
2nd wife, 7 children
Census
Wikipedia Entry
Biographical record
Reference
1924 — Death Notice
"Ex-Congressman"
Death
1916 — "Sells & Repairs"
The Chat, May 1916
Newspaper
1916 — Scale & Supply
The Chat, June 1916
Business
1921 — Scale Service
Brooklyn Eagle
Business
1925 — "O'Brien Sons"
Next generation
BusinessEvidence Analysis
PRIMARY SOURCE: 1902 Marriage Certificate
This document provides definitive proof that James Henry and his half-brother Miles maintained their connection despite nearly thirty years of separation. Miles L. O'Brien served as witness to James's second marriage — a role typically reserved for close family or trusted friends. Combined with census records showing Miles working at James's scale company, this establishes a pattern of deliberate family reconnection.
PRIMARY SOURCE: 1900 U.S. Federal Census
Taken just weeks after Catharine's death, this census captures James at a moment of crisis: a 39-year-old widower with six children. His occupation "Scale Maker" confirms the business was already operational by 1900. The household structure — single father with children ranging from age 2 to 11 — illustrates the challenges he faced before his second marriage.
PRIMARY SOURCE: Obituary — Brooklyn Daily Eagle (1924)
The obituary's mention of "a brother, Myles O'Brien" confirms that James acknowledged his half-brother as family until the end. The listing of his many civic memberships — Knights of Columbus, B.P.O.E., Democratic Club — reveals the social network he built in Brooklyn. The reference to his business "with offices in Manhattan and Brooklyn" demonstrates the company's growth beyond its original location.
PRIMARY SOURCE: Newspaper Advertisements (1916-1925)
These advertisements document the evolution of the family business across a decade. The 1916 ads show James actively promoting the company during his post-Congressional years. The 1925 ad — "James H. O'Brien Sons Make and Repair Scales" — confirms the succession to the next generation after his death. The consistent address (46-48 Jamaica Avenue) and services offered demonstrate business continuity.
Continue the Story
← Hidden Bonds: Series Overview Episode 5: Mary Ann & Elizabeth → Sisters, Widows, and Companions — his full sisters Episode 6: Orphan, Scale Maker, Father of Ten → Miles Murtha Lawrence O'Brien, his half-brother Episode 7: The Carpenter Who Built with Double Vision Miles Murtha O'Brien, his nephew Scattered Stones: Series Overview The Robertson Family of BlairgowrieWant to Know When New Stories Are Published?
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