Biographies and Obituaries
In loving memory
Daniel Heffernan
History of the Catholic Church in Indiana
Logansport, Ind: A.W.Bowen, 1898. Vol. 2, pp. 705-707
Daniel Heffernan, a well known and prosperous farmer of Daviess County, Ind., is a native of County Tipperary, Ireland, was born in 1815, was educated in a parochial school, and at the age of twenty years sailed from Dublin for New York, being seven weeks and three days on the voyage. After passing a short time in New York City he came to Indiana and found employment on the Erie Canal in Tippecanoe County.
In 1844 Mr. Heffernan was married, by Father Clark, the first resident priest of LaFayette, Tippecanoe county, to Miss catherine Mehan, a native of County Cork, Ireland, but who, at the age of seven years, was brought to America by her parents,John and Ellen (Leonard) Mehan. The Mehan Family, consisting of the parents and eight children, on arriving in America, located at Ogdensburg, N.Y., but shortly afterward came to Indiana and settled near Fort Wayne, but of this family Mrs. Heffernan is the sole survivor. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Heffernan have been born six sons and six daughters, of whom seven are still living, viz: Michael, whose life-sketch is given below; Ellen, wife of Edwin Carlin, a farmer and a member of St. Peter's Congregation;Mary, wife of Robert Hunter, a farmer; William, an attorney at law, of Washington, Ind.; Thomas, on the homestead; Daniel and catherine E., living with their parents Mr. and Mrs. Heffernan were always great admirers of the good pastor, Father Piers, and under him became warm advocates of temperance, and their home was his home, and some of the bishops, also, have frequently been entertained in the hospitable dwelling. When the Heffernan family settled in Daviess County,in 1852, St. Peter's congregation worshiped in an old frame church building, but they have been largely instrumental toward the erection of the present substantial house of worship. Although mr. Heffernan came to America a poor young man, he has, through his temperate course of life, his industry and economy, succeeded with the aid of his worthy and loving wife, in securing a competency. He at one time owned at least 500 acres of good land in daviess county, a portion of which he has donated to his children and still retains a handsome homestead of 200 acres, three miles from Montgomery. Politically, Mr. Heffernan cast his first presidential vote for william H. Harrison, "Old Tippecanoe", but, since the disintegration of the whig party has affiliated with the republicans.He and his wife are leading and respected members of St. Peter's congregation, and are now passing their declining years in peace and comfort, honored by all who know them.
Contributed by: John D. McMullen