Gaffney, Daniel

DANIEL GAFFNEY.

Mr. Daniel Gaffney, of Hempfield township, is of Scotch-Irish descent on his paternal side. His grandfather, Edward Gaffney, came to America early enough in the last century to participate in the war of the Revolution, and was therein engaged under the immediate command of Washington, and finally settled in South Huntingdon township, Westmoreland County, on a farm on which he continued to live until his death. Of his family of several children, William Gaffney, the father of Daniel, was one. He learned the trade of boat-building, and pursued various avocations in life. About 1823 he married Sophia Howard, daughter of Nicholas Howard, of Westmoreland County, by whom he had twelve children, of whom Daniel Gaffney is the seventh son, and was born March 22, 1837.

Mr. Gaffney attended the subscription and free schools in his youth, and at about thirteen years of age he was hired out by his father to a farmer for the summer months at three dollars a month. The succeeding two years he was again hired out for increased wages, but not being satisfied with farming at that rate of wages, he, at about sixteen, betook himself to the business of drilling wells in Greensburg and elsewhere in Westmoreland County. In 1854 he spent several months in Maryland in the same business under others. He eventually took up the business for himself, and followed it for several years, at one time going to Illinois to put down wells there. Thereafter he was connected with several flouring-mills, particularly that at what is now called Paintersville. In June, 1859, there occurred a severe frost, which destroyed the cereal crops of Westmoreland County, and made milling dull. Mr. Gaffney returned to well-drilling for a year or so, and was then engaged by Col. Israel Painter to superintend his salt-works in Hempfield township. He remained with Col. Painter as superintendent for about two years, and then leased of him the Fountain Salt-Works, in the above-named township, which he conducted for a year with financial, success. Mr. Gaffney dates his subsequent fortunate business life from that point as the first step, from which he went on through several changes in avocations, mainly fortunate, until he became, in January, 1881, the owner of the Painterville Salt-Works, which are in full operation, and which, with a farm in South Huntingdon township and other possessions, enables him to feel himself comfortably situated in life.

In 1859, Mr. Gaffney married Eliza L. Ryan, daughter of John Ryan, of Hempfield township, by whom he has had ten children, eight of whom are living,— William Mentor, Clara May, Sarah Blanche, Mary Etta, George Edward, Van Orion, Anna Kate, and James Allen.

In politics Mr. Gaffney is a Democrat. He formerly belonged to the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which his wife and daughters are members.