Ed Heeney. For over thirty-five years the name Heeney had been associated with the mercantile enterprise of Severance. The firm of Ed Heeney & Son conducts the largest hardware, implement and furniture house in that part of Doniphan County. The senior member of the firm, who is now practically retired from business responsibilities, is Mr. Ed Heeney, who had lived in Northeastern Kansas since 1870 and had acquired and built up extensive interests both as a farmer and business man.
The Heeney family comes from the vicinity of Oldcastle, County Meath, Ireland, where Ed Heeney was born May 21, 1852. He was the eighth in a famlly of nine children, and all except the youngest were born in Iroland. His father, Edward Heaney, was born at Oldcastle, County Meath, in 1798, grew up and married there, was an Irish farmer and farming was his vocation throughout his career. In 1853, when his son Ed was one year old, he brought his family to the United States, living for a time in Ohio and also in Illinois, and in 1870 he removed to Doniphan County, Kansas. After coming to Kansas he lived practically retired until his death at his home south of Severance in 1901. He was a democrat and a member of the Catholie Church. The maiden name of his wife was Rosa Baggan. She was born in County Meath, Ireland, in 1813, and died in Doniphan County, Kansas, in 1873. A brief record of their nine children is: Ann, who lives south of Denton, the widow of Stephen Hayes, a farmer; Mary, who makes her home with her children, is the widow of Thomas Lyons, who was a Kansas pioneer of 1856 and for many years followed farming in Doniphan County; Barney, who died in 1892; Jane, living at Monroe, Ohio, widow of William Brophy; Kate. living at Monroe; Ohio, is the widow of James Harmon, who died at Monroe in 1916, a retired farmer; Bridget, who died in March, 1917, was the wife of John Curtis, also deceased; Rosa, who died in 1877, married Joseph Flynn, deceased; Ed Heeney, who is next in order; and Julia, wife of P. M. Minogue, living retired at Hermosa, California.
Mr. Ed Heeney was educated in the public schools of Ohio and Illinois, and in 1870, the year his family came to Kansas, graduated from the Christian Brothers Business College at St. Joseph, Missouri. Mr. Henney began his setive career as an educator and followed that work in Doniphan County for nine years. For one term he filled with admirable efficlency the office of county superintendent of schools. It was in 1880 that he established himself in the hardware, implement and furniture business at Severance, and through a long period of years he sold goods, developed a complete confidence between an immense patronage and his store, and in 1917 turned over the management of his business to his son and retired. In 1898 Mr. Heeney built the finest home in Severance and as a farmer he owned a place of 160 acres, well developed and improved, 3 1/2 miles south of Severance, and had another place of 320 acres 3 1/2 miles north of the town. Politieally Mr. Heeney is a republican. In 1899 he was elocted by the citizens of Doniphan County to represent them in the State Legislature. He belongs to the Catholic Church and is affiliated with Severance Council No. 675, Knights of Columbus.
Mr. Heeney married for his first wife in 1882 Mary F. Hampson of Trey, Kansas. She died in 1893, leaving three children. Edith, the oldest, was liberally educated, attending high school, Bethany College at Topeka, Mount St. Scholastiea Convent in Canyon City, Colorado, and the Sacred Heart Convent of St. Joseph, Missouri. She is a finished musisian in both vocal and instrumental. She still resided with her father at Severance. Ed J. was graduated A. B. from the University of Kansas in 1907 and is now the active member of the firm Ed Heeney & Son. Georgette was graduated from the University of Kansas A. B. and received the degree Master of Arts from the University of California at Berkeley and is now secretary of the Gregg Publishing Company of San Francisco. In 1914 at Los Angeles, California, Mr. Heney married Miss Ella Shulsky, daughter of R. P. and Mary (Lawhon) Shulsky. Mrs. Heeney was born six miles south of Severance and received her education in the public schools of Doniphan County.