his death there occurring in 1835. His widow long survived him, passing away in Indiana at the age of seventy-eight years. He was of Scotch-Irish lineage, while the Parkers were of one of the old families of Virginia. Five children were born to Enoch and Naomi O'Brien: George W., who was born February 24, 1823, and now resides at Corwith, Hancock county, Iowa; Stephen P., of this review; Nancy, the deceased wife of Benjamin Deal; Sarah, the deceased wife of Elmoth Jeffery; and Salina, the wife of Eli Deal, a brother of Benjamin.
Following the death of his father Stephen P. O'Brien, when sixteen years of age, removed with his mother to Clay county, Indiana, and there resided until after his marriage, when he came to Iowa. He reached the present site of the town of Ames on the 27th of October, 1852, and secured a squatter's claim on the southeast quarter of section 35, Franklin township. He was in Indiana for eight years after the Civil war but always regarded this place as his home. In his early manhood he was busily employed at the work of the farm on his mother's behalf until his patriotic spirit was aroused by the outbreak of the Mexican war and he enlisted for active service on the 15th of June, 1846, as a member of Company C, Second Indiana Infantry, under Captain John Osborne. He was on active duty under General Taylor in the battle of Buena Vista and served for one year, after which he was honorably discharged at New Orleans and arrived home on the 4th of July, 1847. He afterward engaged in teaching school for nearly two years.
Mr. O'Brien made arrangements for having a home of his own by his marriage on the 19th of July, 1849, to Sarah E. Hiestand, who was born in Harrison county, Indiana, June 24, 1831. They were married in Clay county, that state, after which Mr. O'Brien engaged in farming and teaching school in Indiana until his removal to Iowa in 1852. Here he again gave his time and energies to general agricultural pursuits until the tocsin of war again called him to the scene of battle. When differences over the slavery question brought on hostilities between the north and the south he enlisted at Ames as a member of Company A, Twenty-third Iowa Volunteer Infantry, under Captain L. R. Houston, on the 4th of August, 1862. He was elected first sergeant of the company, afterward promoted to second lieutenant and later became first lieutenant of the same company, with which rank he was honorably discharged at Matagorda island, Texas, on the 11th of April, 1864. He was with the Army of the Mississippi and participated in the battles of Fort Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Black River and the siege of Vicksburg. At Black River on the 17th of May, 1863, he was wounded through the left arm and also sustained a slight scalp wound, together with a slight wound in the stomach. He took part in the charge at Milliken's Bend on the 7th of June, 1863, and during the balance of the time was in the ditches in the rear of Vicksburg, where he contracted rheumatism that, growing worse with the passing years, now renders his lower limbs wholly helpless. His mind, however, is as clear and bright as