O’Brien Family Tree

To see an historical and chronological listing of all known (O)Brien Descendents, click:

EARLIEST BRIENS IN THE DISTRICT OF FERRYLAND, NEWFOUNDLAND

Irish from Wexford and Waterford were known in Newfoundland since the early 17th century when they referred to it as 'Talmhain na Iascarigh'. or in English: "The Land of the Fishes'. They went there to fish the Grand Banks and either usually returned to home ports or stayed there and became domiciled.

Gerald Barnable writes:

In St Patrick's Church, Waterford, Ireland there is said to be five volumes of baptismal records up to 1791 and a volume for 1798-1803. Before 1784 R.C's didn't enjoy freedom of religion in Newfoundland and it was the practice of Catholics to either send their children back to Ireland for baptisms etc or have it done back in Ireland by proxy. I think the latter more likely. In Renews in the 1770 the leading Irish merchant was Robert Eustace and his wife Mary. Among the St Patrick's Church records you will find the said Robert Eustace and Mary standing as godparents for children from Newfoundland. Examining the names, I see some that some of them are likely Renews people, Kanes, Lawlors, Roach. There is among those records the baptism of James and Thomas Bryan sons of William Bryan and Mary Ryan.

In the fall of 1787 and winter of 1788 there were riots of a religious nature in Ferryland, not between the Catholics and Protestants, but between Waterford and Wexford Catholics, one group loyal to Father Patt Power and the other(Waterford) loyal to his rival, Father James O Donal, who was trying to exercise supremacy over the other priests on the Avalon Peninsula and who ultimately succeeded. In Sept. 1788, Surrogate Pellow came, held court in Ferryland and sentenced 115 rioters. Looking at the names of the convicts, I think there were some Renews men among them. I'm used to distinguishing the various names associated with the various communities.. For instance, Denis McCarthy is always Renews. Among the convicts were a James and a John Bryan.

There are more Ferryland Bryans than there are in Renews. Some of my ancestors were Bryans. Oddly, one was considered a master boat-builder and possibly came from Tilting on Fogo Island to Ferryland. They were supposed to have a boat the Three Brothers, of the Brothers.

Spellings of surnames changed frequently. Eg. Cain,Keen, Kean, Kane,...Merrigan, Berrigan, Poor, Power, Fowley, Fowler, Foley, Folly, Holly, Dunn Dunne, Quinlan, Quinland. Roach, Roche, Roache, Wills, Wells, Willis, Wall. So, you shouldn't be hung up on Brien in the earlier records.

According to the Oxford Companion to Irish History, edited by. S. J. Connolly, fishermen from the SE of Ireland began to travel regularly to the rich fishing grounds off Newfoundland from the second half of the 17th century.

In the first decades of the 19th century the long-standing connections established by seasonal and temporary migration provided the basis for a wave of permanent emigration. An estimated 30-35 thousand people, drawn overwhelmingly from Waterford and its hinterland, settled in Newfoundland 1800-30, giving its popular culture and spoken English a distinctive flavour.

There isn't much information about the O'Briens (and variant spellings) of Renews. There's a Brien's Hill and the oral tradition that the Briens went to the States long ago.

Here are some (O')Briens, with their variant names, found in the earliest records of Newfoundland:

There was a James Bryan noted in the court records in 1752 in the neighbouring community of Fermeuse (the settlement where our Michael Brien was born). He was a witness to a murder.

Bryan, William Murphy and the victim, William Quinn were down in Maurice Haggathee's fishing stage, washing out fish, that is washing out the salt from split fish, preparatory to putting it out on flakes to dry. Quinn complained that the other two were not doing a good job, not washing each fish clean, eg. Leaving liver blemishes on it..

Bryan testified that Quinn next struck Murphy in the face with two wet fish that he had in his hand. Murphy then smacked Quinn with two similar fish. The two got into a fight that escalated. According to Bryan Quinn struck Murphy over the head with a mop several times. He tried to intervene but only got a smack himself. Quinn finally dropped his weapon and went for the master, Haggathee.

Haggathee wasn't ready to go down and settle it just yet so Quinn returned alone. Meanwhile, Murphy had hid himself behind the door with a longer, a piece of a fencing pole. He cracked Quinn over the head with it several times and lleft him bleeding on the floor. When Haggagthee finally did arrive he found Quinn dead on the floor and Murphy and Bryan back at the washing of the fish.

In Ferryland Murphy was sentenced to hang. They kept him jailed for a year and the next summer the authorities pardoned him.

In 1783 a James Bryan, a Renews boat builder, was fined 10 pounds for failing to show up in court in answer to a summons. It was partially remitted when he did later turn up.

What follows is the exact transcription from the Col. Records for the court session at Renews in 1783:

"By the proceedings of Court at this place yesterday it appears that James Knowland and James Bryan (boat builders) both of Renowse stand fined in the sum of 10 pounds each for contempt by not appearing when summoned nor shewing cause why they did not but consideration of Bryan's now being in court his fine was mitigated to 5 pounds or suffer corporal punishment when he chose the latter in the Execution of which he beg'd to be heard and offered to submit to the fine rather than receive the remainder of the Punishment the Court always having compassion in view even to refractions and contemptuous people thought porper to take 10/6 from th fine of 5 pounds so that the said Bryan stands charge with a fine of 9:6 pounds which is to be paid to R. Carter Esqr. And disposed of as his Excellency the Governor shall direct."

In 1796 Doctor Dutton took a James Brian and Edmund Berrigan of Renews to court for failing to pay their medical bills.

The O'Briens of Ferryland, Aquaforte, and Caplin Bay may be descended from these early O'Briens who were enumerated at Ferryland in 1799/1800:

The 1800 Census of Ferryland lists Timothy Bryan, wife Catharine, sons Mortaugh, 30; William, 25; John, 24; Teague, 15 and daughter Catharine, 19.

There is also a list of names of all Masters, Servants, and Dieters residing in the District of Ferryland for the Winter of 1799 & Spring 1800:

Master: Timothy Bryan, dieters: Mortaugh Bryan, William Bryan, John Bryan, Teague Bryan

Master: John Hill & Co., servants: William Bryan, Denis Bryan

Master: Thomas Welsh, dieter: John Bryan

Master: Rev. Thomas Ewer, servants: John Bryan, Cuddy Bryan.

A Dieter was a new kind of servant who remained in Newfoundland through the winter, working for little more than room and board.

Surrogate Court Records: Nov. 16, 1815 - Dennis and Murth Bryan, Caplin Bay residents, mentioned as owing money to Matthew Morry and Co.

Supreme Court Records: Nov. 4, 1830 - Elizabeth Finn sued John O'Brien to obtain payment for an outstanding debt. O'Brien lost the suit, and on Nov. 9, 1830, the Deputy Sheriff sold off some of John O'Brien's property "in a certain Plantation situated at the head of Caplin Bay commonly called Bawn More" to satisfy the debt.

Contrary to earlier observations on the origins of the O'Brien family of Caplin Bay, some new evidence has surfaced which indicates that Michael Brien (1810-1894) may have been born at Caplin Bay. It was formerly believed that Michael may have been born in the Fermeuse or Aquaforte area. However, two recently discovered articles from the Newfoundland House of Assembly suggest that the O'Brien presence at Caplin Bay continued even though John O'Brien's name disappeared from the Voters List there after 1840. In the first article we learn that there was a Mrs. Bryan, widow (possibly of John) still residing at Caplin Bay in 1847/1848. Mrs Bryan's maiden name is unknown, but there is some family lore that the O'Brien family may have been related to the Barrys of Caplin Bay. Family members claim that, in Denis O'Brien's house, there was a heirloom, a mug that was always referred to as Mick Barry's mug.

The second article identifies a government expenditure to send Michael Brian, and two other men (Andrew Haley (i.e. Healey) and Thomas Foley), also from the south side of Caplin Bay, home from St. John's after they had been shipwrecked in April 1861. This Michael was, in all likelihood, the Michael Brien who married Bridget Aspell in 1877. Bridget Aspell was born in Harbour Grace or Carbonear. Her family moved to (Tar Cove) Admiral's Cove, Cape Broyle in the 1850s.

The speculation that Michael Brien may have been born in the Aquaforte/Fermeuse area was spawned by a chance meeting, in the USA, between Michael's grandson, Eugene O'Brien, and Robert O'Brien, who was born at Aquaforte. During the course of this meeting, Robert O'Brien, who had moved to the USA in 1922, told Eugene that "if you're an O'Brien from Calvert, then you're related to me". The exact circumstances of this kinship are unknown, but it appears that the O'Briens of Ferryland, Aquaforte, and Caplin Bay may be descended from the O'Briens who were enumerated at Ferryland in 1799/1800.

With regard to our Michael Brien:

There is no Michael Brien on the 1840-1859 Voting lists of Aquaforte. There is, however, a Michael (O’)Brien on the 1845 Voting List of Fermeuse who lived in the neighborhood called Kingmans Cove and there is a Michael (O’)Brien on the 1852 and 1859 Voting List of Fermeuse who lived in the neighboodhood called White Horses.This may well be the father of our Michael Brien who was born at Fermeuse in 1847 and later married Emma Conway of Renews.

I am unsure and hesitant to draw the conclusion that a Michael and Mary O’Brien were the parents of Michael O’Brien of Aquaforte. Michael and Mary O’Brien are buried in the Old Bay Bulls Cemetery along with four of their children who all died very young between the ages of 28-34 . Bay Bulls is about 30 miles north of Aquaforte. It was a well known fishing village at the time.

The cemetery records for the Avalon Penninsula (Ferryland District) for this time-frame are sparse for the name Brien or O’Brien. So I will simply place this information here as conjecture:

The Brien headstones at the Bay Bulls Old Cemetery read as follows:

“To the Memory of Mary Brien, wife of Michael Brien, who departed this life 27 September 1826 at 50 years.” This would have Mary born about 1776.

“To the Memory of Martin Brien who departed this life July 9, 1845 age 33 years.” This would have Martin born about 1812.

“To the Memory of Jeremiah Brien who departed this life September 19, 1846 at 33 years.” This would have Jeremiah born about 1813.

“To the Memory of John Brien who departed this life December 23, 1848 age 34 years.” This would have John born about 1814.

“To the Memory of Francis Brien who departed this life September 19, 1846 at 28 years.” This would have Francis born about 1818.

Notice that Jeremiah and Francis died on the same day, September 19, 1846. Since they were young and most likely fishermen, they probably died at sea. Notice also that the other brothers, Martin and John, died young at the ages of 33 and 34 respectively. I wonder if they were also lost at sea?

Our Michael was born about 1810 which fits in nicely with the above other Brien children. The death record of Michael O'Brien states that he died on October 8, 1894 at Fermeuse of Old Age, 84, born at Aquaforte buried at Fermeuse.

MICHAEL BRIEN (1810-1894)

AND

CATHERINE (1819-12 December 1905)

Michael Brien was born at or near Aquaforte ± 1810 and died at Fermeuse on 8 October 1894. The Newfoundland Vital Statistics Death Records Selected for the Ferryland District 1890-1935 indicates Michael was 84 when he died of "Old Age". This would place his birth as ±1810. He is buried in St. Charles Borromeo Cemetery, Marker L106, Fermeuse, Newfoundland.

Maps from 1519 referred to Aquaforte as R.da aguea, meaning strong or fast water. This may have referred to a local waterfall that empties into the harbour. Later R.da aguea evolved into Agoforta and eventually Aquaforte.

By the late 1700s seasonal fishing crews were visiting the area, however it was not until the early 1800s that permanent settlement occurred when English fishermen began to stay year round. Michael Brien was a fisherman.

Catherine was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland ±1819 and died at Fermeuse 12 December 1905. She was 86. She is buried next to her husband in St. Charles Borromeo Cemetery, Marker L107, Fermeuse, Newfoundland.

Catherine was known as "Kate". Her headstone reads “Brien” not “O’Brien”. The “Newfoundland Vital Statistics Death Records Selected for the Ferryland District, 1890-1935” gives the date of death as November 15, 1905 and the cause of death as “Old Age”.

It seems that the death of Catherine O’Brien was the impetus for the immigration of this entire Brien family from Newfoundland to Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

With the death of Michael O’Brien in 1894 and Catherine O’Brien in 1905, the only known son, Michael J. Brien (O’Brien) moved to Rhode Island with some of his youngest children in 1907.

His eldest child, Mary Catherine, was the first to leave Newfoundland in 1905. It iis unclear if she met her future-husband, James J. Paul, in or near Maynard, Massachusetts where a large population of Newfoundlanders had already settled or if she knew him in Newfoundland.

MICHAEL JOSEPH BRIEN (1847-1912)

AND

EMMA CONWAY (1858-1946)

Michael Joseph Brien was born at Fermeuse in 1847 and died at Providence, Rhode Island on 17 November 1912. His friends called him "Mickey Brien". He was buried on 20 November 1912 in St. Francis Cemetery, Providence, Rhode Island (Plot 66, Section 44). The dates 1847-1912 are inscribed on his headstone.

Emma Conway was born at Renews on 20 June 1858 and died at Providence, Rhode Island on 15 November 1946. Her friends called her "Emmie Brien". She was buried on 19 November 1946 in St. Francis Cemetery, Providence, Rhode Island (Plot 66, Section 44). Emma Conway’s Headstone reads: 1862-1946. Her obituary says she was born 10 June 1859 and the church records say she was baptized on 3 June 1858 at Holy Apostles Church in Renews. The sponsors were Francis Jackman and Johannah Jackman. Priest: Robert Brennan. Emma's birth and baptism dates are confusing but they are all ± 1858-1862.

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT MICHAEL JOSPEH BRIEN

Before they emigrated to Rhode Island, Michael and Emma lived on the Avalon Peninsula in Broad Cove, Renews (now called Cappahayden) near Ferryland, Newfoundland, Canada.

Michael Brien, fisherman, appears in the McAlpine's Directory, 1894-97, 1898 and 1904 Directory, Renews, Ferryland District.

Michael Brien also appears on the 1900 and 1908 Voter's List of Renews for the Ferryland District.

The existence of siblings for Michael Brien has never been confirmed. However, there are two other male Briens in Renews who are contemporaries of Michael Brien. I mention them only because of this fact and because I remember as a child my Great Aunt Mary O’Brien talking about the Wash and Coady families:

Matthew Brien married Johanna Walsh at Holy Apostles Church, Renews on January 19, 1879. Witnesses: Peter Walsh and Mary Walsh. Priest: Father John Walshe.

and

Timothy Brien married Mary Bevis at Holy Apostles Church, Renews on September 24, 1877. Witnesses: Thomas Sheehan and Jane Coady. Priest: Father John Walshe.

All of the children of Michael Brien and Emma Conway were baptized at Holy Apostles Church in Renews. This church was built in 1874 and is designated as a Registered Heritage Structure by the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is still an important landmark for both hunters and fishermen. The Church is a traditional marker for the fishing grounds and helps guide hunters in the forest surrounding the community.

As of March 2, 1998, Holy Family Parish was established from the three former parishes of Immaculate Conception, Cape Broyle; Holy Trinity, Ferryland; and Holy Apostles Church, Renews.

Father Paul J. Lundrigan, former Pastor of Holy Family, confirmed the marriage record of Michael Brien and Emma Conway and the baptism records of all their children. Independently, Raelene Earle and Blanche McCarthy also confirmed the birth and baptism dates of the Brien children:

Michael and his family left Renews, Newfoundland in 1907 and went first to Maynard, Massachusetts then to Providene, Rhode Island. I have been unable to determine how they traveled from Renews to the US ending up in Boston.

In the early 1900s Michael and Emma O'Brien lived at 69 Aurora Street in Providence, Rhode Island. Michael died of asphyxiation in 1912, only 5 years after he emigrated to the US. Emma mourned Michael for the rest of her life. She wore the black dress of a widow for 34 years.

The 1910 US Census has the following information about the Brien family:

1910 U.S. Census
Rhode Island
County: Providence
City: Providence, 10th Ward; ED No. 259; sheet no. 12A
Enumerated: April 20, 1910

69 Aurora Street -

Michael J. O'Brien, Head of Household, age 50, Married for 27 years; b. Canada-Irish; Parents b. Canada-Irish; Immigration Date: 1907; Citizenship status: Alien; Occupation: Laborer, Place of employment: City Works; Wage employee; Employed; Rents home

Emma O'Brien, Wife, Married 27 years, Mother of 9 living children; b. Canada-Irish; Parents b. Canada-Irish; Immigration Date: 1907, Occupation: none

Mary A., Daughter, age 18, Single, b. Canada-Irish; Parents b. Canada-Irish; Immigration Date: 1907, Occupation: Winder; Woolen Mill

Michael J., Son, age 16, Single, . Canada-Irish; Parents b. Canada-Irish; Immigration Date: 1907, Occupation: Laborer; Place of Employment: Bleachery

James T., Son, age 13, b. Canada-Irish; Parents b. Canada-Irish; Immigration Date: 1907, Occupation: None

John W., Son, age 11, b. Canada-Irish; Parents b. Canada-Irish; Immigration Date: 1907

Annie F., Daughter, age 9, b. Canada-Irish; Parents b. Canada-Irish; Immigration Date: 1907

Joseph A., Son, age 6, b. Canada-Irish; Parents b. Canada-Irish; Immigration Date: 1907

Source:

National Archives and Records Administration
Washington, D.C

Blanche McCarthy sent me the following email on 9/24/2000:

Hi Bill,

I just had this e-mail come in from my sister-in-law, Bertha Thorne, nee McCarthy. I will send it as she wrote it, using Pop's own words and the way he would say it. It's more informational than genealogical, but genealogy is more than dates too:

"Anyway getting back to Brien's Hill. That is directly across from Pop's house, between his place and the back road, there's a ball field there now (Pop will tell you about all the money they wasted on that, and never a game of ball played on it I don't think, ha, ha), ask him about it when you come home, ha.

That ground was originally owned by the Conways: Anthony- Anto he was called, Tom, and Emmie. Emmie married a man by the name of Mickey Brien (O'Brien) who lived in Fermeuse just inside of Ghaneys (that's as you are leaving Fermeuse going towards Aquaforte). After they married they built a house over on that hill, and ever since it has been known as Brien's Hill, and the river at the foot of it was called Brien's River (that's where we used to get all our water years ago, before Pop dug that bountiful well of his, ha, ha). In fact all the people around that area used Brien's River for water.

Pop told me the story, here is his version, he said Mr. Mike and Emmie Brien had several children, there was Jim, Anthony, Mike, Marty, Kate, John, Joe, Mary, and Joanna. They all moved away to the States. "I remember well the day they left for St. John's to go away, I was only a little fellow I suppose five or six and I went up to their house before they left. Emmie gave me a hen, it was a grey color, and boy was I ever excited. I took the hen in my arms and carried it home to my mother. I suppose I nearly had the poor old hen squeezed to death, I was holding her so tight afraid I'd lose her. We had that hen for a long time after. Yes, I'll never forget that.

I met Emmie Brien again when I was working in Boston, she told me that she would be satisfied to live under a fence with nothing to eat but a caplin a day if only she could be back home in Renews. According to that she never really settled down in the states in her mind, but she couldn't afford to come back home, and besides that there was nothing to come home for. There was no way to make a dollar. I'd say there were more like her too who went away and were never happy. Her children were okay because they were young and got out around with their own chums and they liked it in Boston. I hung around a bit with Anthony while I was up there. He had an old 'Tin Lizzy' car that you had to crank to get her going".

HOW DID THE BRIENS GET FROM NFLD TO US?

I am unsure how the Brien Family arrived in the US in 1907. Most immigrants from Newfoundland came by ship out of St. John’s and went direct to Boston or New York. Other's went by ship to Halifax and then took the train down through Nova Scotia to Yarmouth then they took a ship from there to Boston ... or to another port and then on to Boston.

Others made their way to St. John’s and took the train from there to Port aux Basques and then a boat to North Sydney, Nova Scotia and then a train to Boston. These immigrants from Newfoundland to Massachusetts [and other New England States] braved the crossing from Port-aux-Basque to North Sidney, traveled overland, and entered the US at Calais, Maine. These folks aren't on passenger lists.

Source:

By Way of Canada:
U.S. Records of Immigration Across the U.S.-Canadian Border, 1895-1954
(St. Albans Lists) By Marian L. Smith

http://tinyurl.com/fo8c & http://tinyurl.com/67gxrq

OBITUARY OF MICHAEL JOSEPH BRIEN

Providence Journal: 19 Nov 1912.

O’BRIEN - In this city, on the 17th inst., Michael J., husband of Emma (Conway) O’Brien.
Funeral Wednesday morning, Nov. 20, at 8:30 o’clock, from his late residence, 69 Aurora Street. Requiem mass at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament at 9 o’clock. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Kindly omit flowers.

Michael J. O'Brien
Birth: 1847
Death: 1912

Burial:
Saint Francis Cemetery
Plot 66, Section 44
Pawtucket
Providence County
Rhode Island, USA