Biographies
MAJOR PATRICK J. HARNEY
MAJOR PATRICK J. HARNEY--A distinguished Californian, by adoption, whose influence
will be felt for many generations, was the late Major Patrick J. Harney, who
was born at Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on August 13, 1856, and died at
Sacramento on March 26, 1918. He came to California with his parents at the age
of six, going at first to Santa Cruz, and then, in 1865, he went to Sacramento,
in his ninth year. He was educated in the Sacramento schools, and also at St.
Mary's College, then in San Francisco, now in Oakland, and became a gunsmith by
trade. He joined the Democratic party, and took up
politics early in life.
He was assistant adjutant of California
under Adjutant-General Walsh, and was appointed by Governor Haight
when twenty-one years of age, being the youngest who ever held that office in
California. And he retired with the rank of Major. He was wharfinger
in San Francisco in 1883, having been appointed by Governor Irwin; and
remaining in San Francisco, he became active in politics and the affairs of the
city. He was appointed port warden of San Francisco, and was later made harbor
commissioner there, his appointment being signed by Governor James H. Budd, on
March 16, 1897, when he succeeded D. P. Cole, and he continued under Governor
Gage, so that he was six years in office.
He became an agent of the Sacramento
Transportation Company in San Francisco, and in 1901 he was transferred to
Sacramento, and was made the company's general manager. He was recognized as an
authority on river conditions for navigation purposes, and on the death of
Captain Roberts he became president of the Sacramento Transportation Company,
and that responsible office he was filling at the time of his death. He was a
man of sterling character, honest and upright, and his influence was wide and
beneficial. He belonged to the Sutter Club, the Sacramento Lodge of the Elks,
and the Knights of Columbus, and he was a director and stockholder in the
Farmers & Mechanics Bank, at Sacramento.
In 1883, on May 14, Major Harney was
married to Miss Mary W. Ryan, a native of Sacramento, and their happy union was
blessed with the birth of five children, all daughters. The eldest is Margaret
F.; Winnifred M, is the wife of R. T. Hardy, of San
Francisco, who has two children, Bernice and Joan; Regina I., now Mrs. F. J.
Sherry, of the Bay City, is the mother of Frederick Jr., and Patricia Anne;
Helen G., married J. C. Wilson, and they live in Sacramento and have two sons,
Jesse C., Jr., and Warren Harney; and Claire B. is now Sister Mary Patrick, one
of the Dominican Sisters. A home-loving man, Major Harney was a real companion
to his wife and daughters; and he was always a friend to the working-men, who
felt that they could call upon him for assistance at any time.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Reed, G.
Walter, History of Sacramento County,
California With Biographical Sketches, Page
277-278. Historic Record Company,
© 2006 Sally Kaleta.