O'Brien family of unknown origin
What I've learned concerning the O'Brien family is that four siblings arrived in the United States between 1858 and 1879. The three eldest arrived in Northeastern Illinois, (Kendall, LaSalle & DuPage Counties) about 1858.
The eldest Thomas, born about 1835 was living in DuPage County 18 February 1865, at which time he enlisted to serve in the Civil War. It is unknown when he entered the U.S. but is is thought that it may have been 1858 at the same time as his brother Charles and his sister Ann. They all initially lived in the same genmeral area of Northern Illinois. After he was discharged at the end of the Civil War he also went to Marshalltown, Marshall, Iowa. Thomas had no children. Thomas died April 1893 Marshalltown, Marshall, Iowa.
The second oldest, Charles M. O'Brien, born May 1836 stated that he arrived in the United States in 1858. He married Diantha Adams on 20 February 1873 in Millington, Kendall, Illinois. In 1880 they are living in Mission, LaSalle, IL. At that time they have an adopted daughter age 12 by the name of Alice Hart. About 1882 they had moved to Gillman, Marshall, Iowa. Charles appears to have been a farmer most of his life. He died at Gillman 13 June 1915. Charles died June 1915, Gillman, Marshall, Iowa. Charles had two adopted daughters but no children of his own.
The next oldest was Anne was born in Ireland March 1843. She arrived in the United States in 1858. On 14 April 1860 she married John Crellin at Millington, Kendall, Illinois. John had been born on the Isle of Mann August 1833. John was naturalized Oct. 13, 1864 at Kendall County, Illinois. In 1860 they are living at Big Grove, Kendall, Illinois but are living in Marshalltown, Marshall, Iowa by 1870. They are still living in Marshalltown in 1885 but by 18890 have moved to San Diego, California. They remained in San Diego until sometime between 1900 and 1910. They next joined their daughter in Denver. In April 1896 the daughter had married a James Jackson, a widower with ten children. They had one child, a son Stanley b. February 1897.
The youngest, John Porter, my great Grandfather, a tailor by trade, arrived in the United States much later, around 1878-1879 and went to Washington Courthouse, Fayette, Ohio. Since he arrived almost twenty years after his siblings, I suspect he may have remained in Ireland to care for an aging parent. Twenty years between arrivals for siblings is somewhat unusual. It also seems unusual that he went to Ohio rather than join his siblings in Iowa. All three of his siblins were living in Marshall County at that time. The middle name of Porter suggests to me that it could be the maiden name of his mother but I've not been able to determine if that is the case. None of the numerous records that I have on this family has given me a clue as to even the county in Ireland from which they came.
John Porter, my great grandfather, b. 1850 Ireland, death unknown. He arrived in Fayette, Ohio in time to be listed in the 1880 census. John married Mary Catherine Smith October 1881 in Washington Courthouse, Fayette, Ohio. After the September 1882 birth of their first child William, my grandfather, they moved to Paris, Bourbon, Kentucky. Two daughters were born to the couple in Paris, Mary Justine b. September 1884 and Nell b. April 1886. Later the family moved to Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio. Seems that John enjoyed the bottle too often and his wife asked him to leave. He is listed as living with his brother Thomas in a Marshalltown Iowa city directory in 1891. After that he disappears. At the time of the death of his brother Charles he was thought to possibly be in California.
The wife of John Porter, Mary Catherine Smith was born in December 1858 to Hugh Smith and Mary McKenna. The gravestone of Mary McKenna lists her as a Native of the Co. Leitrim, Parish Inishmagrath, Ireland. Since Mary was on the same ship as Hugh Smith coming from Ireland and they both went to Fayette County Ohio it is suspected that they probably were well acquainted before coming to the U.S. They married 15 February 1858 in Chillicothe, Ross, Ohio, USA.