Laurence O'Brien (1792 – April 28, 1870) was an
Irish-born merchant and politician in
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
. He represented St. John's in the
Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly () is the Unicameralism, unicameral deliberative assembly of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It meets in the Confederation Bu ...
from 1841 to 1850 as a Liberal.
He was born in
Clashmore
Clashmore () is a village, townland and civil parish in west County Waterford, Ireland. The village and surrounding district are very low-lying, as the name (meaning "the great hollow or trench") implies; elsewhere the land is rather hilly. I ...
,
County Waterford
County Waterford () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is named after the city of Waterford. ...
and came to Newfoundland sometime between 1808 and 1810, later establishing himself in
St. John's the company of Lawrence O'Brien and Company, a wholesale and retail trading company. O'Brien owned a wharf, warehouses and a retail store, and was also the owner of several trading ships. He was also involved in the seal fishery. He was involved in the formation of the Bank of Newfoundland and was a promoter of the Union Bank. In 1832, he married Margaret Manning. He was first elected to the Newfoundland assembly in an 1840 by-election held after
Patrick Morris was named to the colony's Council. In 1843, O'Brien was named to the Executive Council. He resigned his seat in the assembly in 1850 after he was named to the Legislative Council. O'Brien was named president for the Legislative Council and Executive Council in 1855. He served as colonial administrator for Newfoundland in 1863. O'Brien died near St. John's in 1870.
References
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19th-century members of the Newfoundland House of Assembly
1792 births
1870 deaths
Irish emigrants to pre-Confederation Newfoundland
Members of the Legislative Council of Newfoundland
Members of the Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland Colony people
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