Lewis O'Brion/O'Brien
Rank: Quarter Master Co: S Age: 32 Residence: Saco Birthplace: Cornish Occupation: Merchant
Married/Single: M Height: 5' 8.5 Eyes: Blue Hair: Br Complexion: Lt
LEWIS O'BRION was born in Cornish, Maine on 23 July 1830 [Saco Valley, pg 1086; grave], the son of William L. and Eliza (Bean) O'Brion. He died in Boston, MA on 12 Dec 1901, aged 71 yrs, 5 mos, 19 das from heart disease [MA Death Rec]. He was buried, on 14 Dec, in Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, Maine.
He was married, circa Oct 1852, to MARTHA ANN PHINNEY. She was born on 1 Oct 1831 [Standish Town Recs, bk 2, pg 47] in Standish, Maine, the daughter of Samuel and Mary (Kimball) Phinney. She died in Portland, ME on 25 Aug 1892, aged 60 yrs, 10 mos, 24 das, from carcinoma of liver [ME Death Rec]. She is buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Portland.
He was married, circa Oct 1852, to MARTHA ANN PHINNEY. She was born on 1 Oct 1831 [Standish Town Recs, bk 2, pg 47] in Standish, Maine, the daughter of Samuel and Mary (Kimball) Phinney. She died in Portland, ME on 25 Aug 1892, aged 60 yrs, 10 mos, 24 das, from carcinoma of liver [ME Death Rec]. She is buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Portland.
Lewis spent his early years in Cornish and, as he personally relayed to Gideon T. Ridlon, author of the Saco Valley Settlements and Families (and fellow soldier in the 27th Maine), he began work as a stage driver in 1847, when only 16 years of age. He first ran the route from Cornish to Saco and, from 1853 to 1859, ran the Saco to Madison, NH line, which encompassed the northern towns in York County, as well as Freedom and Effingham, NH. By this time he must have relocated to Limerick, as his first two children were born there.
By 1860, he was living in Saco, and had a brief business partnership with (first cousin) Isaac B. Bean, in the corn, flour and grocery business [Maine Democrat, 17 Apr 1860, pg 3]. He left for Portland, Maine after Sept 1864, purchasing a home on Pleasant St in Dec [Cumb. Cty Deeds, v333 p10]. With his father and brother Edwin A., they ran "W. L.O'Brion & Co.", at 152 Commercial St. until 1865, when the firm was dissolved, and just the brothers ran the flour and grain business. In Sept 1866, Marshall Pierce joined them, becoming "O'Brion, Pierce, & Co.". Edwin soon left to be a merchant out west and, in Feb 1872 [Portland Daily Press, 7 Feb '72, pg 1], Marshall and Lewis ended their arrangement.
Lewis continued as a corn and/or flour merchant in Portland until moving on as a commission merchant in the mid 1880's. After the death of his wife in 1892, he removed (with his family) to the Allston neighborhood of Boston, Mass, where he worked as a comm. merchant until his death in 1901.
The following is his obituary, which ran in the 13 Dec 1901 issue of the Boston Herald (pg 9):
By 1860, he was living in Saco, and had a brief business partnership with (first cousin) Isaac B. Bean, in the corn, flour and grocery business [Maine Democrat, 17 Apr 1860, pg 3]. He left for Portland, Maine after Sept 1864, purchasing a home on Pleasant St in Dec [Cumb. Cty Deeds, v333 p10]. With his father and brother Edwin A., they ran "W. L.O'Brion & Co.", at 152 Commercial St. until 1865, when the firm was dissolved, and just the brothers ran the flour and grain business. In Sept 1866, Marshall Pierce joined them, becoming "O'Brion, Pierce, & Co.". Edwin soon left to be a merchant out west and, in Feb 1872 [Portland Daily Press, 7 Feb '72, pg 1], Marshall and Lewis ended their arrangement.
Lewis continued as a corn and/or flour merchant in Portland until moving on as a commission merchant in the mid 1880's. After the death of his wife in 1892, he removed (with his family) to the Allston neighborhood of Boston, Mass, where he worked as a comm. merchant until his death in 1901.
The following is his obituary, which ran in the 13 Dec 1901 issue of the Boston Herald (pg 9):
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Children of Lewis and Martha (Phinney) O'Brion:
i. EMILY O'BRION, born ca Jun 1854 [1900 Portland, ME census] in Limerick, ME; died 15 May 1912 in Portland, ME, aged 58 yrs. Married, on 1 May 1877 in Portland [ME VR], to Dr. GEORGE B. SWASEY. He was born June 1852 [1900 Portland census]; d. in 1932 [grave]. Bur in O'Brion plot, Evergreen cem.
1. Marion Brooks Swasey, b. 13 Feb 1878 in Westminster, MA; d. Aug 1976 [SSDI]. Marr. Gurry E Huggins in 1907.
2. Lena Lewis Swasey, b. 6 Jun 1879 in Westminster, MA; d. 18 Mar 1956 in Santa Barbara, CA [CA Death Index]. Bur. Evergreen Cem, Portland in O'Brion plot. She marr. Artley Beeber Parson.
ii. MARY E. O'BRION, born 9 Mar 1859 in Limerick, Maine [Passport App; grave]; died 25 May 1940 [grave], and buried in family plot in Evergreen Cem, Portland. A music teacher, she didn't marry and moved to Boston with her father. Following Lewis' death, she and sister Martha (also unmarried) remained in the house at 47 Gardner St. in Allston (Boston). A 1940 City Dir for Boston lists her as a piano teacher at her home.
iii. ELIZABETH "LIZZIE" GERTRUDE O'BRION, b. 23 Dec 1861 [ME VR] in Saco, Maine [NH Death Rec]; died 13 Apr 1946 in Orange, Franklin, MA [NH Death Rec]. She was bur in Nelson Village Cem., Cheshire, NH. Married, 20 May 1891 in Portland [ME VR], to Rev. WILLIAM ORION CONRAD. He was born in Sterling, MN on 26 Apr 1861 [Amherst Coll 1887 Alumni List; grave], son of Rev Jacob E. Conrad. He died in Wells, ME on 23 Jul 1957 [Boston Herald, 24 Jul 1957, pg 10], and was buried in the Nelson (NH) Village Cemetery. Rev. Conrad was a Presbyterian minister in Minnesota, and they returned there following their marriage, but remained only a short time. By 1896, they were back in New England, where William became a Congregational minister. He served the communities of Fitchburg, MA for 10 years, Keene, NH for 14, and also Georgetown, MA. Retiring in 1933, he and Elizabeth settling in Orange, MA [Springfield Union, 27 Apr 1951, pg 7].
1. unk [1900 and 1910 censuses show "ch: 3/2", missing child not yet found]
2. Margaret Elizabeth Conrad, b. 4 Oct 1894 in Blue Earth City, Faribault, MN [MN Birth Index]
3. Philip William Conrad, b. 20 Mar 1898 in Fitchburg [MA VR]; d. 18 Jan 1971, Sarasota, FL [FL Death Index]
iv. MARTHA "MATTIE" LEWIS O'BRION, born 16 Jun 1865 in Portland [ME VR]; died 21 Jul 1930 in Wilton, NH (a res for only 1 wk, prev. in Allston, MA) and buried in Portland on 7/23. She did not marry, and lived with her sister in Boston.
v. WILLIAM LEWIS O'BRION, b. 25 Sep 1875 in Portland [ME VR]; d. 4 Oct 1934 in Pelham, New York, aged 59 yrs, following an operation [The Pelham Sun, 5 Oct 1934, pg 1] . Was married, on 22 Jul 1907 in Manhattan, NY [NY Marr] to ANNA BUSH, dau. of Henry Bush. An alumni of Dartmouth Collage, Class of 1897, and of Harvard, 1900. He was a lawyer for Traveler's Insurance Co. for many years [obit].
1. William Lewis O'Brion, b. 6 Mar 1908 in NY; d. 4 Jul 1995 [SS App/Claims Index] in Cape Elizabeth, ME [ME Death Index].
2. John Henry O'Brion, b. 20 Apr 1910 in New Rochelle, NY [NY Birth Index]; d. 30 Nov 1991 in Richmond, VA [VA Death Rec]. Marr to Josephine Proctor, b. 1910; d. 1983 [gravestone]. Both buried in Westhampton Memorial Park, Tuckahoe, VA [Find a Grave entries].
i. EMILY O'BRION, born ca Jun 1854 [1900 Portland, ME census] in Limerick, ME; died 15 May 1912 in Portland, ME, aged 58 yrs. Married, on 1 May 1877 in Portland [ME VR], to Dr. GEORGE B. SWASEY. He was born June 1852 [1900 Portland census]; d. in 1932 [grave]. Bur in O'Brion plot, Evergreen cem.
1. Marion Brooks Swasey, b. 13 Feb 1878 in Westminster, MA; d. Aug 1976 [SSDI]. Marr. Gurry E Huggins in 1907.
2. Lena Lewis Swasey, b. 6 Jun 1879 in Westminster, MA; d. 18 Mar 1956 in Santa Barbara, CA [CA Death Index]. Bur. Evergreen Cem, Portland in O'Brion plot. She marr. Artley Beeber Parson.
ii. MARY E. O'BRION, born 9 Mar 1859 in Limerick, Maine [Passport App; grave]; died 25 May 1940 [grave], and buried in family plot in Evergreen Cem, Portland. A music teacher, she didn't marry and moved to Boston with her father. Following Lewis' death, she and sister Martha (also unmarried) remained in the house at 47 Gardner St. in Allston (Boston). A 1940 City Dir for Boston lists her as a piano teacher at her home.
iii. ELIZABETH "LIZZIE" GERTRUDE O'BRION, b. 23 Dec 1861 [ME VR] in Saco, Maine [NH Death Rec]; died 13 Apr 1946 in Orange, Franklin, MA [NH Death Rec]. She was bur in Nelson Village Cem., Cheshire, NH. Married, 20 May 1891 in Portland [ME VR], to Rev. WILLIAM ORION CONRAD. He was born in Sterling, MN on 26 Apr 1861 [Amherst Coll 1887 Alumni List; grave], son of Rev Jacob E. Conrad. He died in Wells, ME on 23 Jul 1957 [Boston Herald, 24 Jul 1957, pg 10], and was buried in the Nelson (NH) Village Cemetery. Rev. Conrad was a Presbyterian minister in Minnesota, and they returned there following their marriage, but remained only a short time. By 1896, they were back in New England, where William became a Congregational minister. He served the communities of Fitchburg, MA for 10 years, Keene, NH for 14, and also Georgetown, MA. Retiring in 1933, he and Elizabeth settling in Orange, MA [Springfield Union, 27 Apr 1951, pg 7].
1. unk [1900 and 1910 censuses show "ch: 3/2", missing child not yet found]
2. Margaret Elizabeth Conrad, b. 4 Oct 1894 in Blue Earth City, Faribault, MN [MN Birth Index]
3. Philip William Conrad, b. 20 Mar 1898 in Fitchburg [MA VR]; d. 18 Jan 1971, Sarasota, FL [FL Death Index]
iv. MARTHA "MATTIE" LEWIS O'BRION, born 16 Jun 1865 in Portland [ME VR]; died 21 Jul 1930 in Wilton, NH (a res for only 1 wk, prev. in Allston, MA) and buried in Portland on 7/23. She did not marry, and lived with her sister in Boston.
v. WILLIAM LEWIS O'BRION, b. 25 Sep 1875 in Portland [ME VR]; d. 4 Oct 1934 in Pelham, New York, aged 59 yrs, following an operation [The Pelham Sun, 5 Oct 1934, pg 1] . Was married, on 22 Jul 1907 in Manhattan, NY [NY Marr] to ANNA BUSH, dau. of Henry Bush. An alumni of Dartmouth Collage, Class of 1897, and of Harvard, 1900. He was a lawyer for Traveler's Insurance Co. for many years [obit].
1. William Lewis O'Brion, b. 6 Mar 1908 in NY; d. 4 Jul 1995 [SS App/Claims Index] in Cape Elizabeth, ME [ME Death Index].
2. John Henry O'Brion, b. 20 Apr 1910 in New Rochelle, NY [NY Birth Index]; d. 30 Nov 1991 in Richmond, VA [VA Death Rec]. Marr to Josephine Proctor, b. 1910; d. 1983 [gravestone]. Both buried in Westhampton Memorial Park, Tuckahoe, VA [Find a Grave entries].
Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, ME: Section T, Lot 264 (photo taken 10 Oct 2013)
NOTES:
Saco Valley settlements and families [O'Brion family on pages 1086-87]
1850 Cornish, York, ME census: hh: 125/128; w/ parents, ages 20, a student (schooling rec not found)
1860 Saco, York, ME census (pg 155): hh 1145/1153; merch val 2500/2500
1870 Portland Ward-5, Cumb, ME census (pg 82): hh 580/687
1880 Portland, ME census (pg 17): liv 89 Pleasant
1881 purchased land on south side of Congress St, on west side of Walker (732 Congress)
1890 Veteran Schedule: liv Portland
1900 Boston Ward-25, Suffolk, MA census (pg 9A): 47 Gardner St (owned home)