O'BRIEN, ALOYSIUS P. 141 OAKLEY, JOHN THORNE (? -1878). Merchant; pol­ roundings in prints and drawings which were exhibited itician; magistrate. Married Mary Smith. The son of in individual and group shows throughout eastern Can­ Robert Oakley, an agent for the Trinity firm of Lester ada, including several solo shows at MUN Art Gallery. and Co. at Silly Cove (Winterton), John Thorne Oakley Her works included graphite drawings of windows in was likely named after another Trinity Bay agent of the landscape, and multimedia drawings placing photo­ firm. In 1808 he was indentured to George Garland qv graphic images - whales, skeletons, fishermen and as a mariner. It is likely that Oakley originally came to nets - within misty pools of colour. In 1992 she was Greenspond as an employee of the Greens pond branch living in Palouse, Washington. Frank LaPointe (inter­ of Garland and Co. (successor to the Lester firm). In view, Apr. 1992), Atlantic Insight (Jan. 1982), ET any case, he was living at Greenspond by 1825 and was (June 16, 1973; Feb. 5, 1975; Mar. 12, 1977), Centre Garland's agent there by 1827. Oakley was appointed for Newfoundland Studies (Heidi Oberheide). KAW a Justice of the Peace in 1830, and it appears that by OBLATE MISSION. The Oblate Order, formally the 1840s be was a merchant and vessel-owner on his known as Les Peres Oblats de Marie-Immaculee, was own account. He served a single term as a Conservative founded in the early 1800s by the Roman Catholic MHA for Bonavista, from 1865 to 1869. In 1874 he Bishop of Marseilles. After 1844 a few Oblate fathers was appointed stipendiary magistrate at Greenspond, came to Labrador to establish coastal missions, where serving until his death there on April 13, 1878. O.G. they gave instruction in church doctrine, reading, writ­ Tucker (interview, Sept. 1992), Newfoundlander (July ing and singing. In 1867 Father Louis Babel visited 10, 1834), Maritime History Group (Keith Matthews North West River (Sheshatshit qv) where he preached name file, 056). RHC to 14 Innu families. A church was built at Sheshatshit OBED, ELLEN BRYAN (1944- ). Author. Born Or­ by 1872 and was visited by Father Babel, Father ange, New Jersey, daughter of William L. and Marga­ Lacasse and Father George Lemoine. The visits ceased ret A. (Bradley) Bryan. Educated Bradford College, in 1895 because of an ecclesiastical dispute over reli­ Massachusetts; University of Maine. Married Enoch gious jurisdiction in Labrador. The mission subse­ Obed. In 1965 Ellen Bryan went to Labrador as a quently came under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of volunteer with the International Grenfell Association, Harbour Grace. spending a year in St. Anthony and four summers in In 1946 jurisdiction was assumed by the Oblates, Cartwright. Between 1969 and 1988 she taught school Father Joseph Pirson replacing Father E.J. O'Brien qv, in North West River, who was later made an honorary Oblate. Father Pirson Sheshatshit and Nain. She offered formal schooling in Sheshatshit, teaching in has published three child­ summers from the mission house. A strong believer in ren's books: Borrowed Black the British educational system, he felt that native peo­ ( 1979), set on the Labrador ples should assimilate themselves to the larger Cana­ coast; Wind in My Pocket dian society. Although dedicated to the welfare of (1980), a collection of po­ people, he was sometimes criticized for coercive tac­ etry; and Little Snowshoe tics. In the 1980s Oblate Father James Roche became (1984), set in northern Lab­ known as a social activist on behalf of native peoples. rador. In 1988 Borrowed As part of a larger campaign against low-level military Black was reprinted in a flights, Roche went on a hunger strike in September of second edition and pub­ 1988 and was imprisoned briefly for taking part in lished in eight countries. demonstrations at the Goose Bay air base. Peter During her stay in Labrador Ellen Bryan Obed Armitage (1989), John McGhee (1961), ET (Oct. 19, Obed conducted studies on 1988), Newfoundland Historical Society (Northwest Labrador's coastal flora. She left Labrador in 1988 and River), Sunday Express (Sept. 18, 1988). ACB returned to Maine, where she continued her writing O'BRIEN, ALOYSIUS P. (1915- ). Farmer. Born St. career. Ellen Bryan Obed (1979; 1980; 1988; letter, John's, son of Margaret (English) and Denis O'Brien. Nov. 1992). LMS Educated St. John's. O'Brien grew up in Freshwater OBERHEIDE, HEIDI (1943- ). Visual artist. Born Valley on a 27-acre farm established around 1820 by Germany. Educated Werkkunstschule Art Institute, his great-grandfather. As a youth he worked with his Wiesbaden, Germany; Northern Illinois University; father in the family's extensive orchard and gardens. Illinois State University; University of Illinois; South­ He later was employed as assistant to a landscape ern Illinois University. Married Gaylen Hansen. On gardener for the Baird family in St. John's and began graduating from Southern Illinois University with an to study botany. Most of his working life was spent MFA in printmaking and drawing Oberheide came to either in farming or gardening, including seven years Newfoundland. She began teaching with Memorial at Oxen Pond Botanic Park. University's Extension Services, and was shortly O'Brien has been a lifelong student of the Gaelic thereafter chosen to set up a proposed print shop which language. His grandmother was a native Irish speaker later became the St. Michael's Printshop on the who came to St. John's from County Kilkenny. He and Avalon's Southern Shore (see PRINTMAKING). Liv­ his father together studied the language until his ing near the print shop, Oberheide captured her sur- father's death in 1944. In the late 1960s O'Brien 142 O'BRIEN, DENNIS visit to North West River/Sheshatshit qv in 1921, and thereafter spent more than 20 summers with the Innu of Sheshatshit and Davis Inlet, to whom he was affec­ tionately known as Father Whitehead because of his prematurely grey hair. His priesthood in Labrador was marked by tireless work for the poor. With financial assistance from the Knights of Columbus in St. John's he provided clothing and supplies. He also arranged for the Hudson's Bay Company to give food to fami­ lies on government account. In 1946, Labrador was separated from the diocese in Harbour Grace, but O'Brien continued to serve at Northern Bay, retiring in 1970. He was a keen photographer, and his pictures of Innu life were donated to the National Film Ar­ chives. O'Brien died at the age of 101, the oldest Roman Catholic priest in Canada at the time. Paul AlyO'Brien Kenney (NQ Spring 1988), Nigel Markham attended Memorial University's first Irish class, and (1979/1985), Centre for Newfoundland Studies (E.J. in 1974 he accompanied John J. Mannion qv on a O'Brien). ACB five-week trip to Ireland, visiting Ghaeltacht or Irish O'BRIEN, JOHN TERENCE NICHOLLS (1830-1903). speaking areas. In 1979, at the request of the Irish­ Governor. Born Ireland?, son of Major-General Ter­ Newfoundland Society, he began teaching the Irish ence O'Brien. Educated Gaelic language and Irish-Newfoundland culture. Royal Military College, 0' Brien was awarded an honorary doctorate by Me­ Sandhurst. Married (1) morial University in 1982. Joan Weeks (Atlantic Advo­ Philippa Eastgate; (2) Vic­ cate Mar. 1983), Centre for Newfoundland Studies toria Temple. O'Brien was (Aly O'Brien). KAW assigned to military duties O'BRIEN, DENNIS. See BRIAN, DONALD. in India as a young man, and ~ in 1867 became inspector­ f general of police in Mauritius. He was knighted in 1888. The next year he was ap­ pointed Governor of New- foundland. He was on leave Sir Terence O'Brien in England in 1892 when news reached him and Lady O'Brien of the fire that had swept St. John's. Returning immediately, both de­ voted themselves to raising funds and materials for the needy. The following year O'Brien helped the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen in its efforts to establish medical services in Labrador. Following the Bank Crash of December 1894, the O'Briens were again called upon to help raise funds for the destitute. That same year the Governor had to contend with a political crisis when the administration of William V. Whiteway resigned, following charges against 15 gov­ ernment members under the Corrupt Practices Act. O'Brien sent a message to the Governor General of Father O'Brienpacking his vestments for a trip to the Labrador Canada suggesting the re-opening of negotiations for confederation as a possible solution to the crisis. R.A. O'BRIEN, EDWARD JOSEPH (1884-1986). Priest; Mackay (1946), D.W. Prowse (1895), J.R. Smallwood missionary. Born Carbonear, son of John and Ellen (1937; 1967), DNLB (1990). ACB (Cahill) O'Brien. Educated St. Bonaventure's College; All Hallow's College, Ireland. O'Brien studied for the O'BRIEN, LAURENCE (1792-1870). Merchant; poli­ Roman Catholic priesthood in Dublin and was or­ tician. Born Clashmore, Waterford, Ireland. Married dained in 1910. Margaret Manning. O'Brien came to Newfoundland Upon his return to Newfoundland, O'Brien took up sometime between 1808 and 1810. Within 10 years he parish duties at Tilting on Fogo Island. In 1914 he was had established himself as an importer and exporter, transferred to the parish of Northern Bay qv, which with premises on Water Street. In 1840 Bishop was then responsible for Labrador. He made his first Fleming called upon O'Brien, as a prominent Irish O'BYRNE, FERGUS ANTHONY 143 Catholic, to run for the House of Assembly in St. OBSERVER'S WEEKLY. The Observer's Weekly was a John's.