Richard O'Brien was born in 1758 in Maine, United States. He was a son of William O'Bryen and Rebecca (Crane) O'Bryen. (In his late years Richard changed his name to O'Brien). His parents were married in 1757 and a few years later went with their four children to Ireland. The father died soon thereafter, leaving his family destitute. Richard, in order to visit his relatives in America, became apprenticed to a sea-captain, and until 1785 led a seafaring life.
O'Brien's formal schooling was slight; and, according to his own testimony, his reading in youth was limited to a primer, a collection of Aesop's Fables, an arithmetic, the Bible, and a few newspapers. The effects of this deficiency O'Brien deplored in later life, although native ability and devotion to the task of becoming a skilful navigator offset them to some extent.
During the American Revolution Richard O'Brien was engaged in privateering and for a time served as a lieutenant on board of the brig Jefferson. At the end of the war he became master of the ship Dauphin, owned by two Philadelphia merchants, but while sailing near Lisbon on July 30, 1785, was captured by Algerine pirates.
During the period of his captivity he carried on an extensive correspondence with prominent Americans regarding Algerine affairs; then, when peace was made between the United States and Algiers in September 1795 and he was released, he conveyed a copy of the treaty to Lisbon to be countersigned by the United States' peace commissioner, David Humphreys. From Lisbon O'Brien went to London for funds to put the treaty into operation; then returned to Algiers in March 1796; and in June sailed to the United States to transact further business relative to the treaty. The following October he was commissioned to conclude a treaty of peace with Tripoli, and within less than a month had successfully performed the task.
In July 1797 he was appointed Consul-General to Algiers, in which capacity he served creditably until November 1803. While the United States was at war with Tripoli, O'Brien found living in Barbary more and more irksome, and frequently expressed a desire to return to America. In November 1803, he was relieved by Col. Tobias Lear. For a time thereafter O'Brien aided Commodore Preble in negotiating with the Pasha of Tripoli; then, in December 1804, he returned to the United States. He settled in Philadelphia temporarily, and in 1808 became a member of the Pennsylvania legislature, serving one term in the lower house. In 1810 he established residence on a farm near Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and there spent the greater portion of his remaining years.
Richard O'Brien was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
On March 25, 1799, Richard O'Brien married Elizabeth Robeson.
