Patrick Hefferin (aka Heffren) was born in Ireland in 1844 at the height of the Great Hunger.  Due to the complications caused by duplicate last names,  concrete identification could not be made for the year he immigrated, or the members of his family.  However, the closest match found was that of a probable father, Patrick Hefferin, in an 1860 Federal Census, who was born in 1798  in Ireland and immigrated to New York City along with his wife Margaret and their children Betsy, Patrick, Margaret, Julia, and Jane. According to this Census, all the family except  Julia and Jane were employed at the various mills in Windham, Connecticut.  The younger children were attending school.

 By any account, Patrick enlisted in the 62d on June 1, 1861 and was mustered in as a Private in Company D.  He was then was transferred to Company E on that same date.  Records showed that he was 5’ 8” tall, with a “florid” complexion, blue eyes and red hair.  Private Hefferin suffered no injuries until July 3, 1863 when he lost his right thumb at the battle of Gettysburg.  After recovering from his wound, he was transferred to Company F of the 20thRegiment of the Veteran Reserve Corps. He would remain with this unit until he was mustered out of service at the end of his enlistment on July 6, 1864, in Washington D.C.. Having an honorable discharge from the military, he received his Naturalization Papers on November 21, 1867.

Between 1867 and 1907, various records have him  being employed as a laborer, carpenter or a watchman.  On September 10, 1900, Patrick requested from the Record Pension Office of the War Department for confirmation of his service record to be sent to the GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) Commander for the District of New York, located in Albany.  This confirmation led not only to a pension of $19/mo. , but it also allowed him to enroll in GAR Post # 175 in New York City.

 Poor  health required Patrick to seek admission to the Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers and Sailors in Kennebec, Maine in 1907.  On the application for nearest relative Carrie Hefferin was listed as his wife.  After the required examination, he was found to suffer an insufficient Mitral Valve in his heart , which negatively interfered with blood flow.  He remained at the home when, at his own request,  he was discharged on December 29, 1915.  No cause for the discharge was given, and no additional records showing his death could be located