Patrick (Earl Lee) Emanual O'Brien (Earle Lee O'Brien)

• General Notes
  • My Dad was born in January of 1922...he says the 25th..but Grandma said it was the night before the 25th. Anyway, he was never recorded in the birth because it was snowing and Grandma had him at home, the 10th child I believe.....and had to stay in bed for some time after he was born. Grandma has told me the story that afterward, about 2 weeks later, she had another baby girl, and that my dad was a twin. My Aunt's have said Grandma must have been mixed up on dates and maybe that was a year later in Feb. but as long as I would hear her talk,,she told me it was About feb2nd she had Earl's twin. Since then I have asked a few Doctors and they say that IS MEDICALLY possible and that even though my aunts think Grandma was wrong,,,,she was probably right and does explain why she had to stay in bed after my Dads birth and wasn't well. The baby she had was still born, but it could have been,and most likely was a twin to my dad.
    She called him Early bird" because he got up Early. It was then shortened to Earl. ...and he thought his name was Earl Lee O'Brien.
    I do not think there was any record of that name.
    When Dad enlisted in the Army.....he had to produce a birth certificate....since there was none,,,they made one. They asked him what name do you want on it....and he said Patrick Emanual O'Brien!!! My grandma didn't even know who Patrick was when his checks from the army or papers arrived. She told us,,,,,,,His name is Earl....he will always be Earl to me. ...but some how my Dad named himself!!!
    (Where he came up with Emanual!!! I'll never know)
    Every year when we went to Virginia......everyone called him Earl. He even has a nephew named after him....but he never went by Earl in Pittsburgh or when anyone called him by name. He made a birth certificate at 18, so maybe that helps.
    I think he wrote,,,January 25th 1922.