Iowa History Project
Harlan, Edgar Rubey.
A Narrative History of the People of Iowa.
Vol IV. Chicago: American Historical Society, 1931
p. 158
HON. MAXWELL A. O'BRIEN. A man whose ability as a lawyer
has been proved beyond any question, Hon. Maxwell A. O'Brien as first assistant
attorney general of the State of Iowa, and attorney for the Iowa State Highway
Commission, is rendering a very important service to its people and justifying
his appointment to responsible positions. He was born at Chicago, Illinois,
November 21, 1890, a son of Daniel and Alice (Abraham) O'Brien, he born in
Ireland and she in Oskaloosa, Iowa. They were married in the latter city,
February 10, 1886. First a contractor and later a realtor, he was a prominent
citizen of Oskaloosa, and was connected with the building of the Union Pacific
Railroad across the plains. In religious faith an Episcopalian, he was a member
of the church at Oskaloosa, to which his widow also belongs. In political belief
he was a Republican, but he did not seek office, preferring to work as a private
citizen in behalf of his party. He is now deceased, but she survives and still
resides at Oskaloosa. They had but the one child. he paternal grandfather,
Daniel O'Brien, also a native of Ireland, came to the United States and settled
at Ottumwa, Iowa, where he died. The maternal grandfather, Absolam Maxwell
Abraham, came to Iowa, in 1856, in a covered wagon, from Ohio, and, settling at
Oskaloosa, became one of the leading merchants of that city. He married Miss
Laurana Greenough, a member of one of the old families of Massachusetts.
Maxwell A. O'Brien attended the public schools of Oskaloosa
and Penn College, and he took his professional training in the law school of the
University of Iowa, form which he was graduated in 1914. Entering upon the
practice of law at Oskaloosa, he continued in it until 1922, when he was
appointed assistant attorney general of Iowa, and came to Des Moines to assume
the duties of his office. He had already served as county attorney of Mahaska
County, Iowa, for six years, so that he was not new to public office. During the
World war he did his duty as a patriot, entering the army in 1918, and he was
trained at Camp Zachary Taylor, Louisville, Kentucky, for the field artillery
branch of the service, and was still there when the armistice was declared. From
there he was honorably discharged as a second lieutenant, and returned to
Oskaloosa.
In March, 1915, Mr. O'Brien married Miss Virginia Slade, born
at Oskaloosa, a daughter of S.T. and Mary (Eldridge) Slade, the former of whom
was a coal operator with mines at Des Moines, but now deceased; the later
surviving and making her home at Des Moines. Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien have three
children: Maxwell Slade, Samuel and Mary Alice. An Episcopalian, Mr. O'Brien is
a member of Saint Paul's Episcopal Church of Des Moines. He is a York Rite and
Shriner Mason. As a Republican he has always taken a very active part in
politics, and is regarded as one of the leader s of the local party. He belongs
to the Iowa National Guard, utilizing in its behalf the practical knowledge he
possesses of military matters. While in college he made Phi Delta Theta Greek
letter fraternity, and he belongs to the Polk County, State and American Bar
Associations. As a lawyer Mr. O'Brien is logical in thought, great in high aims
and lofty purposes, and he is courageous in following his convictions.
Responsive to the popular will, he is nevertheless honest with himself, and true
to his settled conception of his duty, and it would be difficult to find a man
better fitted for the office he holds.