George D. O'Brien
Encyclopedia
George Donoghue O’Brien was a politician from the U.S. state
of Michigan
who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
O’Brien was born in Detroit, Michigan
where he attended the University of Detroit Jesuit High School. During the First World War, O’Brien served as a private and was assigned to the Students’ Training Corps. He graduated from the University of Detroit in 1921 and also graduated from the University of Detroit Law School in 1924. He was admitted to the bar in 1924 and commenced practice in Detroit.
In 1936, O’Brien defeated incumbent Republican U.S. Representative Clarence J. McLeod
to be elected as a Democrat
from Michigan's 13th congressional district
to the 75th Congress
, serving from January 3, 1937 to January 3, 1939. He lost to McLeod in 1938, but defeated McLeod again in 1940 to be elected to the 77th Congress
, and subsequently re-elected to the 78th
and 79th
Congresses, serving from January 3, 1941 to January 3, 1947. In 1946, he lost to Republican Howard Aldridge Coffin, but defeated Coffin in 1948 to be elected to the 81st Congress
and subsequently re-elected to the 82nd
and 83rd
Congresses, serving from January 3, 1949 to January 3, 1955. In 1954, he was defeated in the Democratic Party primary elections by Charles C. Diggs, Jr., who went on to win the general election.
O’Brien was chairman of the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads during the 75th Congress and a delegate to the 1944 Democratic National Convention
in 1944. He also was an unsuccessful candidate for circuit judge of Michigan's 3rd Circuit in 1947.
After leaving Congress, Obrien served as assistant corporation counsel of the District of Columbia, assigned to the Civil Proceedings Division from July 11, 1955, until his death in Washington, D.C.
. He is interred in Mount Olivet Cemetery
, Detroit, Michigan.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
O’Brien was born in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
where he attended the University of Detroit Jesuit High School. During the First World War, O’Brien served as a private and was assigned to the Students’ Training Corps. He graduated from the University of Detroit in 1921 and also graduated from the University of Detroit Law School in 1924. He was admitted to the bar in 1924 and commenced practice in Detroit.
In 1936, O’Brien defeated incumbent Republican U.S. Representative Clarence J. McLeod
Clarence J. McLeod
Clarence John McLeod was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives....
to be elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
from Michigan's 13th congressional district
Michigan's 13th congressional district
Michigan's 13th congressional district is a United States congressional district in Wayne County, Michigan. It includes the east side of Detroit, portions of the city's near west side, the inner suburbs of River Rouge, Harper Woods, Ecorse, the downriver communities of Lincoln Park, and Wyandotte,...
to the 75th Congress
75th United States Congress
The Seventy-fifth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1937 to January 3, 1939, during the first two years...
, serving from January 3, 1937 to January 3, 1939. He lost to McLeod in 1938, but defeated McLeod again in 1940 to be elected to the 77th Congress
77th United States Congress
-Major events:* December 7, 1941: Attack on Pearl Harbor* December 8, 1941: Joint Session of Congress met to hear President Roosevelt deliver his "Day of Infamy" speech...
, and subsequently re-elected to the 78th
78th United States Congress
The Seventy-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1943 to January 3, 1945, during the last two years...
and 79th
79th United States Congress
The Seventy-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1945 to January 3, 1947, during the last months of...
Congresses, serving from January 3, 1941 to January 3, 1947. In 1946, he lost to Republican Howard Aldridge Coffin, but defeated Coffin in 1948 to be elected to the 81st Congress
81st United States Congress
The Eighty-first United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives...
and subsequently re-elected to the 82nd
82nd United States Congress
The Eighty-second United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1951 to January 3, 1953, during the last two years...
and 83rd
83rd United States Congress
The Eighty-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1953 to January 3, 1955, during the first two years...
Congresses, serving from January 3, 1949 to January 3, 1955. In 1954, he was defeated in the Democratic Party primary elections by Charles C. Diggs, Jr., who went on to win the general election.
O’Brien was chairman of the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads during the 75th Congress and a delegate to the 1944 Democratic National Convention
1944 Democratic National Convention
The 1944 Democratic National Convention was held at the Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois from July 19 - July 21, 1944. The convention resulted in the re-nomination of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt for an unprecedented fourth term. Senator Harry S. Truman of Missouri was nominated for...
in 1944. He also was an unsuccessful candidate for circuit judge of Michigan's 3rd Circuit in 1947.
After leaving Congress, Obrien served as assistant corporation counsel of the District of Columbia, assigned to the Civil Proceedings Division from July 11, 1955, until his death in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. He is interred in Mount Olivet Cemetery
Mount Olivet Cemetery (Detroit)
Mt. Olivet Cemetery is a cemetery at 17100 Van Dyke Avenue in the city of Detroit in Wayne County, Michigan. It opened in 1888 and is owned and operated by the Mount Elliott Cemetery Association, a not-for-profit Catholic organization. At , it is the largest cemetery in Detroit.Notable people...
, Detroit, Michigan.