Résumé

Draftsman, Shea and Shea, Architects, San Francisco, CA, c. 1893-1894. According to the San Francisco Call, Smith O'Brien and fellow draftsman, Theodre F. Laist filed, suit against Frank T. Shea for libel in 1894. It wrote: "Theodore F. Laist and Smith O'Brien, the two discharged employes [sic] of Architect Shea, have filed suits against Frank T. Shea, Hugh Hume, and the Evening Post Company, to recover $10,000 damages each for libel. The trouble arises from an article recently published in the Evening Post, which connected the dismissal of Laist and O'Brien with the disappearance of some valuable sketches from Architect Shea's office."(See San Francisco Call, vol. 76, no. 42, 07/12/1894, p. 10.)

Draftsman, Clinton Day, San Francisco, CA.

Principal, Smith O'Brien, Architect, San Francisco, CA, 1896-1902. O’Brien had an architectural office at 126 Kearny Street (Room #57) in 1896. (See Crocker-Langley San Francisco City Directory, 1896, p. 1195.)

Partner, Meyer and O'Brien, Architects, San Francisco, CA, 1902-1908.

Principal, Smith O'Brien, Architect, San Francisco, CA, c. 1915.

Professional Activities

Member, State Association of California Architects.

Member, Beaux-Arts Club, San Francisco, CA.

Member, California Society of Etchers.

President, California Society of Etchers, before 1931.

He worked as an architect and also as a painter and etcher during his career. He was especially active as a painter and etcher exhibiting work in the 1920s and 1930s. In a biographical card prepared for the California State Library in 1931, O’Brien listed his principal works: “Santa Lucia Mountains, Carmel,” exhibited at the Beaux-Arts Gallery in San Francisco, “Eroded Hills, Pedro Valley,” “After the Storm,” exhibited at the Philatheria Club, San Francisco, “At Hunter’s Point,” owned by the Boggs Collection, “Carmel Mission, (Rear),” exhibited at a San Francisco annual exhibition, 1931. He added the note, “etchings with private collections, etchings with Beaux-Arts Gallery, San Francisco and etchings with Gump’s Gallery, San Francisco.” (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: California State Library; Sacramento, California; Biographical Files, accessed 09/23/2020.)

O’Brien exhibited paintings at Gump’s Galleries between 02/14/1926 and 03/05/1926. (See Art Digest, vol. 1-2, 1926, p. 16.) “A special exhibition of prints by members of the California Society of Etchers is being held at the Gump Galleries, San Francisco” in 1934. Artists included in the show included Smith O’Brien, A.S. Macleod, Arthur Miller, Bertha Stafford Newell, Elizabeth Norton, and Mildred Osterman. (See Arts Magazine, vol. 9, 1934, p. 15.)

Professional Awards

Recipient, Painting Exhibition, Honorable Mention, San Diego, CA, 1927.

Recipient, California Society of Etchers, Prize, 1930. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: California State Library; Sacramento, California; Biographical Files, accessed 09/23/2020.)

College

Coursework, California School of Fine Arts, San Francisco, CA.

Coursework, André Lhote Academy, Paris, France. Modernist painter André Lhote, (1885-1962), influenceced by the Parisian Fauvist and Cubist Movements, founded his own art school in the Montparnasse neighborhood of Paris in 1922.

The 1940 US Census indicated that both Smith and Emily O'Brien had finished one year of college coursework. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1940; Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Roll: m-t0627-00318; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 38-514, accessed 09/23/2020.)

Relocation

Smith O'Brien was born in Cork, Ireland, on 04/21/1868.

He had a residence at 1002 Polk Street in 1892, as recorded in San Francisco voter records. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 87; FHL Roll Number: 977604, accessed 09/23/2020.)

The Crocker-Langley San Francisco City Directory, 1896, (p. 1195), listed O’Brien as living at 404 Ellis Street.

He and wife, Emily, lived in an apartment at 1215 Buchanan Street in San Francisco, CA, the year after they married. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Page: 5; Enumeration District: 0171; FHL microfilm: 1240104, accessed 09/23/2020.)

In 05/1931, O'Brien resided at 110 Sutter Street in San Francisco. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: California State Library; Sacramento, California; Biographical Files, accessed 09/23/2020.)

Emily and Smith owned their own residence at 2032 Baker Street as per the 1940 US Census. The house had an approximate value of $8,500, and the couple had resided here since at least 1935. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1940; Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Roll: m-t0627-00318; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 38-514, accessed 09/23/2020.)

Parents

His father was Hayden O'Brien, his mother, Margaret Sutton.

Spouse

He wed Emily Dyer, (born c. 04/1877 in CA), on 10/09/1899 in San Francisco, CA.

Biographical Notes

He went by the name "Smith O'Brien."

According to San Francisco voter's records in 1892, Michael Smith O’Brien stood 5-feet, 10-inches tall, and had a dark Caucasian complexion with green eyes and black hair. He was naturalized an American citizen on 08/09/1892 in San Francisco, CA, and registered to vote shortly thereafter, on 09/10/1892. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 87; FHL Roll Number: 977604, accessed 09/23/2020.)

• San Francisco, CA (Architect's Office)
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