O'Brien, Patrick Martin

Patrick Martin O'Brien, 1888-1959, was born in Eganville, Renfrew County, Ontario and came to Alberta ca. 1910. He worked for the Eastern Irrigation District, and was a freighter around Brooks before moving to Calgary ca. 1920. He worked for Commercial Cartage in Calgary, Edmonton and in the Edson area. In the latter area he was under contract to Gebo Collieries which developed the Luscar Mine on the Gregg River. He later worked in Edmonton for Poole Construction, Bennett and White, and OK Construction before establishing Devon Sand and Gravel in 1952.

His son, John, 1921- , was born in Calgary and began work in construction with Poole Construction in 1938 on the rebuilding of the Bartman Dam. He later worked for Bennett and White, 1939-1942, and 1946-1947, and Mannix, 1948, in Calgary and for Paget and OK Construction in Edmonton. He later joined his father's firm and moved to Calgary.