{"id":1121,"date":"2020-11-26T18:56:05","date_gmt":"2020-11-26T18:56:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ancestrywall.com\/\/?p=1121"},"modified":"2026-05-08T00:28:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T00:28:21","slug":"acheson-obrien","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ancestrywall.com\/?p=1121","title":{"rendered":"Acheson O&#8217;Brien"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Relationship:<\/strong> Maternal Great Grandfather<br><strong>Born:<\/strong> August 1851, Ireland <em>(Source: 1900 U.S. Federal Census)<\/em><em><br><\/em> <strong>Died:<\/strong> 14 November 1905 <em>(see probate note below; some records suggest 20 November 1905)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ancestrywall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/31197_145621-01979-e1778181210252.webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"325\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/ancestrywall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/31197_145621-01979-e1778181210252.webp\" alt=\"Acheson O' Brien\" class=\"wp-image-1558\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Acheson O&#8217; Brien<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Early Family Background<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Acheson O\u2019Brien was born in Ireland in August 1851, likely in or near County Fermanagh based on family connections and surviving church records. His parents were:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Robert O\u2019Brien<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Margaret Dundas<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Robert O\u2019Brien and Margaret Dundas were married on <strong>2 November 1841<\/strong> at <strong>Inishmacsaint Church of Ireland<\/strong>, County Fermanagh.<br><em>(Source: Fermanagh Parish Registers \u2013 Marriages)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Dundas surname is of Scottish origin and derives from lands near Edinburgh in West Lothian, Scotland. The name comes from the Gaelic elements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>dun<\/strong> \u2014 hill or fortress<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>deas<\/strong> \u2014 south or southern<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Dundas family became historically prominent in Scotland, eventually holding titles including <strong>Viscount Melville<\/strong> and <strong>Marquess of Zetland<\/strong>. While no direct aristocratic connection has been established for Margaret Dundas, the surname itself reflects a Scottish ancestral background common in Ulster Protestant communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Possible Earlier Family Connections<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A historical directory entry lists an <strong>Acheson O\u2019Brien<\/strong> living in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Leitrim, Killeshandra, Ireland (1855)<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong> <em>(Source: Thom\u2019s Irish Almanac and Official Directory with Post Office Dublin City and County Directory)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because this entry predates the birth of the younger Acheson O\u2019Brien, it may refer to an earlier relative \u2014 possibly his grandfather or another close family member. The use of \u201cAcheson\u201d as a given name suggests it may have been a recurring family name passed through generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another potentially related record appears in the British Merchant Seamen archives:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Robert O\u2019Brien<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Born: <strong>19 May 1832<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Place: <strong>Enniskillen, County Fermanagh<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Listed in: <em>Britain, Merchant Seamen, 1835\u20131857<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is not yet confirmed whether this is Acheson\u2019s father or another relative, but the location and surname make the connection plausible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Education and Family Tradition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Family tradition holds that Acheson O\u2019Brien was studying law in Ireland before immigrating to America. According to oral history, he fell in love with a Catholic woman and was subsequently disowned or expelled from the family by his father due to religious differences \u2014 a serious matter in 19th-century Ulster society, where Protestant-Catholic tensions remained strong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The couple reportedly emigrated to the United States together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While no school records have yet been found, possible institutions where Acheson may have studied law include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">Queen&#8217;s University Belfast<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Ulster University <em>(or an earlier predecessor institution, as the modern university did not yet exist in its current form)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This story remains unverified but is consistent with the social and religious realities of Ireland during that era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Immigration to America<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the <strong>1900 U.S. Federal Census<\/strong>, Acheson immigrated to the United States in <strong>1881<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Evidence suggests he initially settled in <strong>Illinois<\/strong>, because his son was reportedly born there in 1882. Family history states that Acheson\u2019s first wife died during childbirth shortly after their son\u2019s birth. After her death, Acheson appears to have relocated to Connecticut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Naturalization<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Acheson became a naturalized U.S. citizen in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>New Haven, Connecticut<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>27 July 1888<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Age: 37<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Birthplace: Ireland<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This naturalization record helps confirm both his immigration timeline and residence in Connecticut by the late 1880s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>First Marriage<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>First Wife:<\/strong> Unknown (\u201cWiss??\u201d or similar spelling uncertain)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Very little is currently known about Acheson\u2019s first wife. Family records suggest she died in childbirth in 1882.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Child from First Marriage<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Robert Wiss O\u2019Brien<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The middle name \u201cWiss\u201d may preserve the mother\u2019s maiden name, although the exact spelling remains uncertain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Second Marriage<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Acheson later married:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Julia Anna Bloss Gier (also spelled Geer)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Born:<\/strong> 1863, Germany<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Died:<\/strong> 8 September 1927<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Marriage<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>11 March 1891<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Manhattan, New York<br><em>(Source: New York, New York Extracted Marriage Index, 1866\u20131937)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Julia had previously been married and brought a daughter into the marriage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Stepdaughter<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Trena Gier (Geer)<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is possible Julia named her daughter after a younger sister named Trena, who appears in the 1880 U.S. Census at age 12.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Child from Second Marriage<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Augusta Bessie O\u2019Brien<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Life in Connecticut<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By 1900, Acheson was living in <strong>New Haven, Connecticut<\/strong>, where he worked as a:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Motorman<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong> <em>(Source: 1900 U.S. Federal Census)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A motorman typically operated electric streetcars or trolleys, an important and skilled urban transportation job during the rapid industrial growth of American cities at the turn of the century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Death and Probate<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Records from the:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Calendars of Wills and Administrations, 1858\u20131922<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>(National Archives of Ireland)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">state that Acheson O\u2019Brien:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">Lived on <strong>Grand Avenue, New Haven, Connecticut<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Worked as a motorman<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Died in November 1905<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Left an estate valued at approximately <strong>10 pounds<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Administration of the estate was granted in Dublin to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Robert O\u2019Brien<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The probate calendar lists the death date as <strong>20 November 1905<\/strong>, while other family records give <strong>14 November 1905<\/strong>. This discrepancy may reflect the difference between the actual date of death and the date probate proceedings were recorded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The O\u2019Brien Surname<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The surname <strong>O\u2019Brien<\/strong> derives from the Irish:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>\u00d3 Briain<\/strong> \u2014 meaning \u201cdescendant of Brian\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The name is associated with the famed High King of Ireland:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Brian Boru<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">who died in 1014 after the Battle of Clontarf. The surname traditionally conveys meanings associated with nobility, eminence, or high status and remains one of the most common surnames in Ireland today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>(Source: IrishRoots and traditional surname histories)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Relationship: Maternal Great GrandfatherBorn: August 1851, Ireland (Source: 1900 U.S. Federal Census) Died: 14 November 1905 (see probate note below; some records suggest 20 November 1905) Early Family Background Acheson O\u2019Brien was born in Ireland in August 1851, likely in &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/ancestrywall.com\/?p=1121\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1121","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-edwards"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ancestrywall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1121","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ancestrywall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ancestrywall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ancestrywall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ancestrywall.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1121"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/ancestrywall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1121\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1565,"href":"https:\/\/ancestrywall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1121\/revisions\/1565"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ancestrywall.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ancestrywall.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ancestrywall.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}