Patrick HEFFERNAN

[dog_foster_carer]

Hi everyone,

I've just joined this forum and hope someone (or two lol) may be able to help me find some information on Patrick Heffernan. I have not been able to find anything on his parents or ancestry at all.  Here is what I have so far:

He may have been born somewhere between 1860-1874 possibly in either the Lithgow/Bathurst/Orange/Dubbo areas or surrounds.  I cannot find any birth record for him in the NSW BDM Register although I'm fairly sure he is from NSW.  He was either married or began a de facto type relationship with Ada Selmes [1872-1958] in around 1892.  Also, I cannot find any marriage record for them in the NSW BDM Register, hence my thoughts that they just lived together.  I don't know when or where Patrick died so don't know where to start to look for a death record.  He and Ada had seven children and none of them have any birth record in NSW.  Their children are:

Sidney Arthur Heffernan [1892-1971] believed to have been born in Lithgow
Olive Maude Brennan nee Heffernan [1895-1964] believed to have been born in Lithgow
Leslie Heffernan [1897-?] No records at all found, so unsure of birthplace
Vespa Raffan nee Heffernan [1899-1985?] (my grandmother) born in Narromine [found on her marriage certificate]
Alice Victoria Emily Mahon nee Heffernan [1902-1973] believed to have been born in Lithgow
Lawrence Charles Heffernan [1903-1951] believed to have been born in Trangie, Narromine
William Sidney Heffernan [1914 or 1916-1982] believed to have been born in Lithgow

The names and dates of the children have been determined from Ada Heffernan's death certificate.  I am still unsure if they married or if Ada just used Patrick's surname anyway.

Lawrence Charles Heffernan was the father of Lawrence "Roy" Heffernan (the wrestler) and Terrence Heffernan (who murdered his father in self defence)

I have managed to find the ancestry for his wife Ada Selmes but have come to a complete standstill regarding Patrick Heffernan.

Any help or information regarding Patrick's ancestry would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance
Julie   

[rosball]

Hi Julie,
   Not much help but here is Ada's death notice in case you don't have it

SMH 4 June 1958

HEFFERNAN Ada -- June 2 1958 at her residence, 93 Boronia Road, Greenacre, loved mother of Sidney, Olive, Leslie, Alice, Vesta, William and Lawrence (deceased) aged 86 years

regards,
   Ros

[wivenhoe]

Do you have a marriage certificate for one of children of Ada eg.
16792 / 1914 Olive M HEFFERNAN m. Willaim A BRENNAN         Lithgow
it would name parents, and birthplace of Olive and occupation of father.


SMH 19 AUG 1929
SELMES - The Relatives and Friends of Mr. and Mrs. E. FITZGERALD,
Mr. and Mrs. R. SWIFT,  of Lidcombe;
Mr and Mrs J. WHITTAKER, Toongabbie;
Mrs A. HEFFERNAN and family, of Lithgow,
Mr and Mrs J. SHANKLEY and family, of Lithgow;
Mr and Mrs W. SELMES of Cowra;
Mr ROBERT SELMES, of Hornsby;
Mr and Mrs W. FARRELL and family, of North Sydney
........ Funeral of their late dearly loved FATHER and GRANDFATHER Samuel Charles Selmes to leave the residence of his daughter, Oramzi-road, Girraween, THIS DAY, MONDAY, at 1.56pm for the Church of England Cemetery, Rookwood (Motor Funeral).


WW1 record Sidney Arthur HEFFERNAN #297 AND #2487
POB Portland NSW   NOK mother Ada   Lithgow St Lithgow
age 22 years 7 months at Aug 1914

[dog_foster_carer]

Thanks for your replies.

Wivenhoe:  I do have Vespa Heffernan's marriage certificate and it states that she was 21yo at time of marriage on 10Sep1919 so I assume she was born in 1898-1899. On her marriage certificate is states she was born in Narromine NSW.  Her mother is shown to be Ada Selmes and her father to be Patrick Heffernan (deceased) - Baker.  That is all the information it provides.  I still have no further information regarding Patrick.

Thanks for the SMH and WW1 info.  I'll check and add and/or confirm these details in my tree.

 

Julie

[Dundee]

Well, here is one, but the cert. might be unlikely to tell you anymore than you know.

21175/1896
SELMERS, LESLIE
Father not named
Mother:ADA
Registered at DUBBO 

Sidney's WW1 records show that he was Roman Catholic so I wonder if it would be worth tracking down the church registers for baptisms.  Again though it might not get you any further with Patrick, but I would want to know if he actually existed.

Debra 

[dog_foster_carer]

Hi Debra,
Thanks for that info.  I would love to think that it is the same Leslie Heffernan or Selmes that I'm seeking and I'll keep it in mind.  It looks like it could be him but I just wonder because even though none of the children had a birth registered, they all (bar Leslie) had a marriage record using the surname Heffernan.  It would seem odd that Leslie would be the only one to use his mother's name and not his (supposed) father's.  I'll keep looking just in case something turns up or if someone from the Heffernan family reads this and can help.
Cheers!
Julie   

[wivenhoe]

In the first post you have suggested birthplaces for the children of Ada.
For Vesper it is from her marriage certificate, but where do the other birthplace suggestions come from?  Who are the witnesses on this certificate please?

If you google Selmes/Heffernan/Wallerang  you see these families connecting, so it is possible that Patrick does exist.
Ada would hardly be able to have several children, and keep them together with her, without a spouse to support them.
It is interesting that with several sons Patrick does not give his own name to one of them, a common practice at the time.
Do you see the Heffernan sons with a son Patrick...any effort to perpetuate father's name?
Any bakers among the sons...following father's trade?

Absence of the name/occupation pattern I am suggesting does not prove anything, but it would be encouraging to see some evidence of Patrick........and some influence in their lives

Who is the witness for Ada's death certificate?

My interest in this marriage certificate.......
16792 / 1914 Olive M HEFFERNAN m. William A BRENNAN         Lithgow

is the proximity to the birth of last child (..by thirteen years?)...William Sidney.
I wonder if it would identify Patrick as deceased?

[majm]

NSW Electoral Roll 1913, HARTLEY, polling at Lithgow  (Elections were Dec 1913,)
Ada HEFFERNAN, Lithgow St, domestic duties

Cheers,  JM

[CassT]

Hi

there is an obit in the Lithgow Mercury

Main Title:   Heffernan, Sidney Arthur [newspaper article]: (Death)
Source:   Lithgow Mercury 6 Sep. 1971, p.3
Lithgow Mercury 7 Sep. 1971, p.6

Maybe it may help, there are also other articles for  the Heffernan family that may give you a lead

http://library.lithgow.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/MSGTRN/ART/BSEARCH

Cass

ps have you seen the headstone photos http://austcemindex.com/inscription.php?id=8442896