The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1902-10-02
Obscure Farmer in the Town oil
Brighton Leaps Into AffIuence
at Single Bound.
GOES TO CLAIM HIS PATRIMONY.
James O'Brien. of the Town of Brighton
Goes to;Ireland to Take Possession of
Great Estate Left by Uncle.

AIlSH h1uSS IN henOShd CITY ana
county but their ancient lineage has
never stood them we'll in hand as has
the fact that James O'Brien, one of
the tribe from the Emerald Isle, who
claims such lineage worthless, was the
descendant of John O'Brien and
through this descent it is now claimed
that the Kenosha county man has been
lifted from a place of an obscure coun-
try fiddler to the position of being the
richest, or at least one of the richest,
men in Kenosha county.
O'Brien and his attorney, Mortimer
Walker, of Racine, left Thursday for
New York, and on Monday they will
sail for Ireland, where James will be
formally placed in charge of one of the
largest estates in Ireland. The story
of the estate and the lucky heir is
vouched for by the courts of Ireland
and although the sum mentioned in
the notification which the Brighton
man received is placed at near eight
million dollars there are many of the
friends of the man who believe that he
has really fallen heir to this vast es.
tate.
James O'Brier is of the tribe OF
O'Briens which settled in the town OF
Brighton. Incidentally heis nephew
Of the late John O'Brien of Ireland
County of Cork. The uncle was a
| bachelor bat he was a stickler for the
| Id forms IN his native land and when
he died few weeks ago he left will
by which his entire fortune should fol-
low the ancient laws of descent and 90
TO the oldest son of his oldest brother.
Now James, like Rip Van Wrinkle, was
the lucky man and, logged out in the
best suit of clothes ne could purchase
in Kenosha, he is off for Ireland to
claim his patrimony.
James, who has suddenly broken in
to the ranks of the titled money bar
ons, has no other claims to fame, He
was farmer all his life and perhaps
there were better looking farms in the
town of Brighton than the one he pre-
sided over. In the summer time he
gave up his attention to running a
threshing machine, but in the winter
he shown supreme in the social event IS
Of the town. What ever he lacked in
ability as farmer he made up in his
ability as a musician.
There are any mum Der of farmers in
Brighton who raise better corn and
whose barley mea sured more pounds to
the bushel and more bushels to the
acre, but when it came to fddling there
was no one in the town who could in
spire the dance like O'Brien.
James was master fiddler and some
times his friends would ind him wan
dering from the dance and PLAYING
that old tune, Il Amt Got Money. But
l Will Have Some" The growing
presentiment that he was to be the
heir of his uncle has been one of the
brightest dreams Of O'Brien for many
years and he was always whist1ing
and fddling II Wonder If Dreams
Come True" and 81 Must Have Been a
Dreaming" The chances of James in
heriting the fortune were small until a
year ago when n older brother was
cut down by train near Burlington
and when his remains were inferred in
the family plat James was left the sole
heir to the fortune.
No one seems to be able to tell lust
how it all happened, but it is expected
that O'Brien will have an elaborate
explanation when he returns from
Ireland. His plans for the future have
been a little unsettled by his great
fortune but it is hardly possible that
he will be content to fiddle for the
country .sdances in Brighton if the
stories of his fabulous wealth shall
prove true.
The attorney who has charge of the
matter states positively that the story
of the fortune that has been left to
O'Brien is true and that there is no
DOUBT but that the estate will be
turned over to him without any liti-
cation.
The friends of O'Brien, and they are
legion just at the present time in spite
of doubts and fears, will hope that his
mission to Ireland will prove a sue
cessful one.