HON. THOMAS O’BRIEN

 

 

HON. THOMAS O’BRIEN arrived in California in 1851.  Since that time, except for an interval of the few months, he has resided in this State.  During all the years he has been an earnest, conscientious and industrious worker.  When called to political places his labors have certainly been productive of great good to the public.  The very best evidence, indeed, of his fitness for such position is found in his management as Tax Collector in San Francisco.  Not alone in the great main feature of collections has he been singularly successful, but his changes in the office, to an extent radical, have brought on a par with the system of any thorough business house.  He simplifies his work, made easily understood by the masses, and inaugurated a promptness and courtesy to the people that has been appreciated.

 

Thomas O'Brien was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where his people had lived prior to coming to the United States.  His parents came to New York when he was a child, however, and he was raised and educate there.  He was yet some two years from his majority when he determined to come to California, the spirit of adventure being aroused in him by the tales told of the wonderful richness of the gold fields here.  He came by way of the Isthmus, on the Brother Jonathan on the Atlantic side, and the Oregon on this side, arriving here Oct. 30, 1851.  Shortly after his arrival he proceeded to the mines in Calaveras County.  Afterward he went to Tuolumne.  His principal work for some ten years was done on the Stanislaus river at various places.

 

There was an interval, however, in 1854, of several months, when he went to Australia.  This was the beginning of the gold excitement there.  Quite a number of California miners went on the Monumental City to the colonies.  The vessel went to Sydney and then to Melbourne, where they went ashore.  It had been Mr. O'Brien's intention to go to the Bendigo diggings, but he stopped on the way at the Forest Creek mines, and worked there for some six months, with indifferent success.  There was at that time a general furor in the colonies over the different discoveries.  Gold had been found near Sydney, and later on near Melbourne, and reports from the latter neighborhood led Mr. O'Brien to go there.  The laws in force were vexatious, however to the Californian.  Every miner had to carry on his own person a license, and show it on demand.  In fact, every man there, no matter what his work, had to have a license.  This cost $37.50.  Mr. O'Brien never took one out, however.  The ground did not prove rich.  The diggings were mere surface claims, and were soon worked out.  He returned in consequence, and went back to the Stanislaus, where he resumed his operations.

 

In Calaveras at that time, as in fact all over the country, the political situation was full of difficulties.  Men were fiercely opposed on many questions.  The main question of the time led up to the slavery question finally.  The great after struggle of the civil war was the result.  Mr. O'Brien naturally took part in the struggle.  Always a firm inconsistent Democrat, and a man who never disguised his opinions, his judgment carry great weight.  He was respected for his clear views and his candor.  As a result the convention of his party in 1857 gave him the nomination for the Assembly.  He was elected and re-elected, serving the Assemblies of 1858 and 1860.  Although a Democrat, Mr. O'Brien was a staunch Free-Soil man.  His convictions led him naturally and by degrees into the Republican party, although that faith came later to him.  In the Assembly, during his second term, Mr. O'Brien took a strong position on the Free-Soil question.  He refused to vote for the instructions to David C. Broderick to admit Kansas as a slave State.  There was an exciting scene, and a bitter personal debate followed.  The resolutions past, however, but Broderick in the Senate ignored them.  For this a vote of censure in the next Assembly was passed.  Mr. O'Brien was defeated for this Assembly, but later on he had his revenge.  There came to split in the national ticket, and he naturally espoused the cause of Douglas and squatter sovereignty.  He was elected by a good majority, in that Assembly introduced the resolutions expunging the vote of censure on Broderick.  These were passed.  David C. Broderick and Mr. O'Brien were strong personal friends, apart entirely from polities, but this did not influence him in this matter, for he looked upon the vote of censure as a wrong that needed to be righted. Subsequently Mr. O'Brien was a candidate for the Senate.  At this time a part of Calaveras had been added to Amador County, leaving the county seat at Mokelumne Hill, in a corner of the county.  Mr. Hygbee, his opponent, who came from Mokelumne Hill, had to support, in consequence, of all parties there, who feared that the county-seat would be removed to a more central locality.  Mr. O'Brien was defeated, but this did not save the county-seat, for it was removed to San Andreas.

 

Following this, Mr. O'Brien came to the city, and entered the service of the San Francisco Gaslight Company.  For twenty-five years he remained with that company.  In 1884-6, he was a member of the Board of Education.  Nominated afterward for the Recordership, he received a very flattering vote, showing his great popularity.  He was beaten by only 300 votes, while the general ticket was behind some 5, 000, and would not have been beaten had it not been for the votes drawn from him by independent Republicans.  Last year his majority for Tax Collector was some 6, 000, the largest majority on the ticket, except in one instance.  With his conduct of this important office people are familiar.  It is managed on strict business principles, and promptness and courtesy to the public characterize it.  In fact, in this office Mr. O'Brien aims, as he has done all his life, to do his duty fully and fairly.  His desire that all taxes should be paid in his office is on a line with other reforms.  Delinquent taxes naturally belong there, as well as others, and so the payment of these would add greatly to his labor, still the benefit his office would give to the public in this matter would reward him.  We indeed hope to see the needful change soon inaugurated.

 

In politics or out he is a thorough independent man.  This fact, indeed, is well-recognized.  He is above clique.  That Mr. O'Brien has the esteem of the people, is shown fully in the record.  A man of liberal sentiment, generous character, broad views, the institution of slavery was naturally abhorrent to him.  First a Democrat, he readily joined the Free-Soilers of the party; like Broderick he became a Douglas Democrat, then a war Democrat, and with the war he enrolled under the banner of the Republican party.  No doubt, had Mr. O'Brien been East, he would have joined the army; as it was, he gave the Union a staunch support here.  Mr. O'Brien was married in California, and his children were all born in this State--two boys and four girls.

 

 

Source: "The Bay of San Francisco" Volume 1. Lewis Publishing Company 1892. Page 424-426.

Submitted by: Nancy Pratt Melton.