Michael John O'Brien
Encyclopedia
Michael John O'Brien) was a railway builder, industrialist and philanthropist. He was named to the Senate of Canada in 1918. He was a founder of the town of Renfrew, Ontario
.
Born in Lochaber, Nova Scotia
, he started in the railway business as a railway labourer during a period of great expansion of railways in Canada, eventually becoming a railway builder. He arrived in Renfrew, Ontario
in 1879 when he and two partners won the contract to build the Kingston and Pembroke Railway
. In 1891 he went bankrupt after a disastrous contract for the Canada Atlantic Railway
. He rebuilt his business through construction contracts and opened the O'Brien silver mine in Cobalt, Ontario
in 1903. He was the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway's commissioner from 1902 to 1905. His influence in Renfrew and the surrounding area was everywhere, including a dairy, woollens and knit factories, and saw and planing mills. O'Brien's philanthropic acts were equally numerous and diverse. Many of the heritage buildings in Renfrew can be traced to his patronage.
He became involved in ice hockey
while living in Renfrew financing several ice hockey teams run by his son Ambrose O'Brien, including teams in Cobalt, Haileybury, Montreal and Renfrew, which all played in the founding season of the National Hockey Association
. He donated the O'Brien Cup
to the league, which was used until 1950 by the National Hockey League
and is in the collection of the Hockey Hall of Fame
.
He served as Senator for Ontario from 1918 to 1925. He died in 1940 in Renfrew. His son died in 1968.
Renfrew, Ontario
Renfrew, Ontario, Canada, is a town on the Bonnechere River in Renfrew County. Located one hour west of Ottawa in Eastern Ontario, Renfrew is the third largest town in the county after Petawawa and Pembroke. The town is a small transportation hub connecting Ontario Highway 60 and Highway 132 with...
.
Born in Lochaber, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, he started in the railway business as a railway labourer during a period of great expansion of railways in Canada, eventually becoming a railway builder. He arrived in Renfrew, Ontario
Renfrew, Ontario
Renfrew, Ontario, Canada, is a town on the Bonnechere River in Renfrew County. Located one hour west of Ottawa in Eastern Ontario, Renfrew is the third largest town in the county after Petawawa and Pembroke. The town is a small transportation hub connecting Ontario Highway 60 and Highway 132 with...
in 1879 when he and two partners won the contract to build the Kingston and Pembroke Railway
Kingston and Pembroke Railway
The Kingston and Pembroke Railway was a Canadian railway that operated in eastern Ontario. The railway was seen as a business opportunity which would support the lumber and mining industries, as well as the agricultural economy in eastern Ontario....
. In 1891 he went bankrupt after a disastrous contract for the Canada Atlantic Railway
Canada Atlantic Railway
The Canada Atlantic Railway Company , the creation of lumber baron John Rudolphus Booth, was for a short period an important participant in the development of trans-Canada railway systems at the end of the 19th century...
. He rebuilt his business through construction contracts and opened the O'Brien silver mine in Cobalt, Ontario
Cobalt, Ontario
Cobalt is a town in the district of Timiskaming, province of Ontario, Canada, with a population of 1,223 In 2001 Cobalt was named "Ontario's Most Historic Town" by a panel of judges on the TV Ontario program Studio 2, and in 2002 the area was designated a National Historic Site.-History:Silver was...
in 1903. He was the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway's commissioner from 1902 to 1905. His influence in Renfrew and the surrounding area was everywhere, including a dairy, woollens and knit factories, and saw and planing mills. O'Brien's philanthropic acts were equally numerous and diverse. Many of the heritage buildings in Renfrew can be traced to his patronage.
He became involved in ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
while living in Renfrew financing several ice hockey teams run by his son Ambrose O'Brien, including teams in Cobalt, Haileybury, Montreal and Renfrew, which all played in the founding season of the National Hockey Association
National Hockey Association
The National Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey organization with teams in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. It is the direct predecessor organization to today's National Hockey League...
. He donated the O'Brien Cup
O'Brien Trophy
The O'Brien Trophy, or O'Brien Cup, as labelled on the trophy itself, is a retired trophy that was awarded in the National Hockey Association and the National Hockey League ice hockey leagues of North America from 1910 to 1950. It was originally donated to the NHA by Canadian Senator M.J....
to the league, which was used until 1950 by the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
and is in the collection of the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
.
He served as Senator for Ontario from 1918 to 1925. He died in 1940 in Renfrew. His son died in 1968.