O’Brien, Thomas J.

Thomas James O'Brien was born July 30, 1842 in Jackson County, Michigan. He graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 1899 as part of the class of 1865 ( nunc pro tunc ). He was admitted to the Bar in 1865, and began the practice of law, first in Marshall, then in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

O'Brien was a Republican, running unsuccessfully to become justice on the Michigan Supreme Court in 1883. In 1905, President Roosevelt appointed O'Brien to be US minister to Denmark. He served here for nearly two years to negotiate the cession of the Danish West Indies to the United States. In 1907, he was appointed ambassador to Japan. In 1909, he was offered ambassadorial appointments to Russian and Turkey, but chose to remain in Japan. In 1911, he accepted appointment to Italy, remaining in that post until 1913. He then reopened his law practice.

He died May 19, 1933.

From the guide to the Thomas James O’Brien papers, 1877-1933, (Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan)