James O'Brien of New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

, born in Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

, was a U.S. Representative from New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 from 1879 to 1881.

James O'Brien was born in County Kings, Ireland on March 13, 1841. He attended the common schools, then immigrated to the United States in 1861. He served as alderman of New York City in 1864 and 1866, then became sheriff of New York City and County in 1867. He served in the State Senate in 1872 and 1873, during which time he founded the Apollo Hall Democracy

Apollo Hall Democracy

Apollo Hall Democracy was a Democratic New York City political group opposed to the corruption of Tammany Hall.Apollo Hall Democracy was a Democratic reform movement founded in the early 1870s by New York State Senator James O'Brien as a response to the corruption of Boss Tweed controlled Tammany...

. He was an unsuccessful candidate for mayor of New York City in 1873 and an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1874 to the Forty-fourth Congress. He was then elected as an Independent Democrat to the Forty-sixth Congress (March 4, 1879-March 3, 1881), but was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1880. He then worked as a broker until his death in New York City on March 5, 1907 and was buried in Calvary Cemetery on Long Island.