John T. Heffron Biography


	This biography appears on pages 93-94 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.

	This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside
	a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at

	http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm



				JOHN T. HEFFRON.  

	John T. Heffron, of Deadwood, is a native son of that city, born 
on the 28th of August, 1882. His parents were Michael and Mary J. 
(Manning) Heffron, natives of Ireland and Highland, Iowa county, 
Wisconsin, respectively. The father came to this country when but 
thirteen years of age and lived in many parts of the west, being a 
pioneer of Utah, California, Montana and Colorado as well as of South 
Dakota. He arrived in Deadwood in 1876, making his way thither from 
Montana and driving an ox team. He prospected in the Black Hills and 
was one of the discoverers of the Caledonia mine, now a part of the 
famous Homestake mine. He also discovered other valuable mines in the 
vicinity of Deadwood and engaged in mining for many years after his 
arrival in the Black Hills, but is now living retired. His marriage 
occurred in Deadwood in 1878 and he has four children, all born there, 
of whom the subject of this review is the oldest. The others are in 
order of birth: James, who resides in his native city and is engaged in 
the abstract business; William G., likewise a resident of Deadwood and 
connected with the Deadwood Opera House; and David F., an operator in 
the Deadwood Theater.  

	John T. Heffron attended St. Martin's Academy for four years and 
later was a student in the Deadwood public schools, graduating in 1901 
from the high school. In 1902 he attended the law department of the 
University of Wisconsin and in 1905 entered the law school at 
Vermillion, finishing a three years, course in 1907. Before taking the 
law course he had been for a number of years engaged in the newspaper 
business, his connection therewith beginning when he was but a boy of 
thirteen, at which time he was employed in the office of W. H. Bonham 
as printer's devil. He continued in that office on the paper route for 
four and one-half years and displayed such business ability that he was 
for part of the time circulation manager on the Independent. He 
remained with that paper until it went out of existence and during the 
latter part of his connection therewith was city editor. He later 
became city editor of the Evening News, which was established about 
that time, and remained with it until it, too, ceased to exist, after 
which he became city editor of the Pioneer Times and for a time held 
the same position on the Rapid Journal and the Lead Call. He completed 
his law course in 1907 and in July of that year was admitted to the 
bar, since which time he has engaged in the practice of his profession. 
He was elected states attorney in 1909 and was reelected in 1911, thus 
serving two terms in that office. He holds the record of states 
attorneys of South Dakota for convictions, having in the last two years 
secured conviction in seventy-five out of seventy-six cases tried in 
the circuit court. The first two years his record was twenty-six 
convictions out of thirty-three cases tried in the circuit court. 
During the strike his mettle was severely tested as he was at the time 
states attorney, but he discharged the duties of his office without 
fear or favor. He is in partnership in private practice with Robert C. 
Hayes, in whose office he studied law before attending law school. Mr. 
Heffron devotes his entire time to his profession and has made for 
himself an enviable reputation as an attorney of integrity, industry 
and ability. His clientage is already important and is growing rapidly 
and although he has accomplished much his friends prophesy for him a 
still more successful future.  

	Mr. Heffron was married on the 6th of February, 1909, to Miss 
Mabel A. Swanson, who was born at Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, a daughter of 
Charles A. and Mary Swanson. The father was an engineer and was killed 
while on duty. The mother still resides at Sergeant Bluff. Mr. and Mrs. 
Heffron have two children, Mary Florence and Eleanor Ann, both at home.  

	Mr. Heffron is a member of the Roman Catholic church and in 
politics is a democrat. Fraternally he belongs to the local lodge of 
Elks, in which he is chaplain, to the Owls, the Red Men, the Knights of 
Columbus and the Society of Black Hills Pioneers. He also belongs to 
the Deadwood fire department. Mr. Heffron has lived in Deadwood his 
entire life and his fellow citizens, who have had such an excellent 
opportunity to accurately judge him, consider him a young man of more 
than ordinary ability and also of unquestioned integrity and of great 
public spirit.