Notes For: Acheson O’Brien
Relation: My maternal great grandfather.
Born: August 1851 in Ireland. (Source: 1900 Federal Census)
In 1855 – there was an Acheson O’Brien living in Leitrim, Killeshandra, Ireland -(source Thom’s Irish Almanac and official Directory with Post Office Dublin City and County Directory. ( Could this be Acheson’s grandfather??)
Immigration: 1881 (Source: 1900 Federal Census)
Died: 14 NOV 1905
Parents of Acheson:
Robert O’Brien
Margaret Dundas
Dundas – Scots: habitation name from a place so called near Edinburgh – which gets its
name from Gael. dun (hill) + deas (south or down). This is the name of a Scottish family descendant from Gospatrick Earl of March (d. 1139) His grandson, Helias de Dundas, was the first to bear the surname, derived from the lands in W. Lothian. The family later aquired the titles Viscount Melville and Maquess of Zetland.
Robert and Margaret – got married on, 02 Nov 1841 at the Inishmacsaint Church of Ireland Source: Fermangh Parish Registers Marriages.
A Robert O’Brien with a birth date of 19 May 1832 Place: Enniskillen County: Fermangh is listed in the national archives as a Britain, Merchant Seaman, 1835 – 1857.
Early Life:
It was said that Acheson was studying law when he fell in love with a Catholic girl and was thrown out of the house by his father. He and his love moved to America where she died in child birth in 1882.
Possible schools he could of attended The School of Law at Ulster University or the The School of Law at Queen’s University Belfast.
Immigration
After arriving in America Acheson must have moved directly to Illinois because his son was born in 1882 in Illinois – source 1900 US census. His wife died after giving birth and Acheson moved back to Connecticut.
Naturalization: Place: New Haven CT, Date: July 27, 1888, Age: 37, Country of birth: Ireland
First Wife: Unknown (Wiss ??)
Children: Son, Robert Wiss O’Brien
Second Wife: Julia Anna Bloss Gier (Geer) (b: 1863 Germany – d: 08 Sept 1927)
Married: 11 MAR 1891 in Manhatton NY – (Source NY, NY Extracted Marriage Index 1866 – 1937)
Children: Step daughter, Trena Gier (Geer) Julia may have named hwer daughter Trena because according to the 1880 US Census she had a sister named Trena who was 12 at the time.
daughter, Augusta Bessie O’Brien
Children: Step daughter, Trena Gier (Geer)
daughter, Augusta Bessie O’Brien
Occupation: Motorman (Source: 1900 Federal Census)
According to the National Archives of Ireland – Calendars of Wills and administrations 1858 – 1922 Acheson died on 20 Nov 1905 and lived on Grand Avenue in New Haven CT was a Motorman and his estate of 10 pounds was granted at Dublin to Robert O’Brien.
The surname O’Brien is ‘O’Brian’ in Irish, meaning descendant of Brian (Boru). The name means ‘exalted one’ or ’eminence’. It is among the ten most frequently found in Ireland and derives from the 10th century King of Ireland, Brian Boru. (Source: Irishroots.com)