Geez, I wonder if the guy I went to school with in 1988 was part of this family? He was living in Neenah at the time. Kim Pollard Dick_Kay wrote: > HEIRS TO MILLIONS > > [From Sheboygan Press] [No Date] > > In the vaults in Ireland and in safety deposit boxes where securities are > usually kept, there is $12,400,000 awaiting distribution among residents of > Sheboygan, Fond du Lac, Milwaukee, Winnebago and Marathon counties. > > Those who will share in the estate of James O'Brien are: > > Mrs. John Lindsay, Parnell, Sheboygan county. > > Mrs. Thomas Dwire, Parnell, Sheboygan county. > > Mrs. Peter Murphy, Milwaukee, formerly of Sheboygan county. > > The heirs of James O'Brien, Fond du Lac, John O'Brien, Milwaukee, and M. H. > O'Brien, Oshkosh, all sons of Thomas O'Brien, a former resident of Cascade, > this county, and a brother of James who died in Ireland, leaving the estate. > > The news came in dispatches from P. H. O'Brien of Wausau a former member of > the Sheboygan police force who is in Ireland looking after the details of > the estate. > > James O'Brien who amassed a fortune in the California gold fields in the > early 50's returned to Ireland and spent his declining days there. > Twenty-one years ago he dies in County Cork, and since that time his fortune > has been awaiting heirs, for no will was left at the time of his death. > > The O'Brien family consisted of four brothers and all came to this country > (unreadable) life except James, who remained in Ireland until some years > later. As was customary in those days there was little correspondence > between the brothers and eventually it was broken off entirely and the > branch of the family in America lost all trace of James. One of the > brothers, Thomas came to Wisconsin and located near Cascade in this county. > Here he lived and dies some thirty years ago. A few years later Mrs. > O'Brien died. The children of Thomas O'Brien were Mrs. John Lindsay, Mrs. > Thomas Dwire, Parnell, Mrs. Peter Murphy, Milwaukee, P.H. O'Brien, Wausau, > all living, and James, Fond du Lac, John, Milwaukee and M.H. O'Brien, > Oshkosh, deceased. The heirs of the latter three will share in the portion > that would have gone to their father. > > >From information just received from Ireland, James O'Brien hearing of the > great wealth in the California gold fields, decided to cast his lot in a new > country. (Unreadable) was among the influx here in (Unreadable) ems that he > struck it rich (Unreadable) years afterwards returned (Unreadable) native > land there to spend (Unreadable) ining days. The fortune which (Unreadable) > an exceedingly large one, grew (Unreadable) careful investments and the > inventory at this time shows an estate of $12,400,000. When Mr. O'Brien > died, little attempt was made to trace his heirs, and only recently did the > knowledge of the fortune leak out. By mere chance one of the relatives > learned that a James O'Brien had come to California from Ireland and > investigation brought to light the fact that the James O'Brien was the long > lost brother. By correspondence it was learned that he had since died and > left an estate in Ireland. While it is claimed that an attempt was made 21 > years ago to obtain information as to the whereabouts of the heirs in order > that the estate might be distributed, it is doubtful if any great effort was > made. This undoubtedly was due to the fact that the estate was largely in > securities (Unreadable) money, and the banks holding it, (Unreadable) large > profit as a result of (Unreadable the estate in tact. > > (Looks like there might be a few lines missing) > > ...known to a large number of local citizens. He was familiarly known as > Pat, and after leaving here went to Campbellsport, Fond du Lac county, where > he conducted a hotel for several years. From there he went to Mozinee, > Wisconsin, and later to Wausau, his home at the present time. > > The O'Brien relatives are among the best know residents of Sheboygan county, > and the news of their good fortune will be highly pleasing to their friends, > both in this city and throughout the county.