Taunton Police Department, Massachusetts

William Doherty  

This is a photograph of William Doherty. Born in Ireland in 1829,   he was appointed to the Police Department in 1872 and served until 1874. He was out of office for four years before being re-appointed in 1878, then served until his death in 1900.

 

 

Obituary -  Thursday Mar 13, 1900 Taunton Daily Gazette page 2

 William Doherty, for twenty seven years a member and an honored member of the Taunton police force, died last night at eight after a short illness. He leaves a widow and several children. Just a month ago Mr. Doherty and his wife observed their golden wedding anniversary and the occasion was made much of by a host of relatives and friends. He was ailing then, but it was not thought anything serious would come of it. There are few men whoever held positions on this or any other police force who was more universally respected than deceased. Yet he knew only his duty in this work as in all that he had ever undertaken and it is known that oftentimes when an officer of the law does his duty he loses the confidence and respect of a certain class of people. But it was not so with Mr. Doherty. He made friends where others made enemies. He was a splendid type of a man and a citizen and those who are left behind to mourn may be assured that they are not alone in their grief. Mr. Doherty came to this city from Salem and for a time worked in the Taunton Oil Cloth Works, where he was when the Civil War broke out. In the year 1862 he enlisted in Company F, 39th Mass Regiment, in which he served as a sergeant, Captain J.J. Cooper being in command and Colonel P. S. Davis being colonel of the regiment. Sergeant Doherty remained in service all through the war and took part in the following battles: Battle of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Anna, Bethesda Church, White Oak Swamp, Thatcher's Run, Appomattox and others of less importance. On Aug 08, 1864, he was captured by the rebels on the Weldon railroad in front of Petersburg, VA and spent one night in Libby prison, seven weeks in Belle Isle, and the remainder in Salisbury, he being confined in all six months and nine days. He remained in service until 1865 when he was mustered out and honorably discharged from the service. On returning to this city he obtained employment as assistant baggage master in the central railroad station which had just been completed, and there he worked for six years. In 1871 Mr. Doherty was appointed a patrolman on the regular police force, D. L. Mitchell then being mayor and Willis Potter chief of police, both of them now being deceased. At that time there were but eleven members of the police force and Officer Doherty was night patrolman of Main Street for fourteen years. In 1887 he was transferred to the day force and stationed at Whittenton, where he had been ever since. This officer has served on the police force under every mayor that Taunton ever had with the exception of three. William Doherty was born in Valley Shannon, Ireland Aug 09, 1829, the youngest of six children, he being the only one now living. His parents were Patrick Doherty who died at the age of sixty-two years and Mary Breslin Doherty who lived to an advanced age. When but ten years of age William took the pledge from Fr. Matthew and has since been a strict adherent of the principles of temperance, being a member of the C.T.A. Society in this city for the past twenty-three years. Mr. and Mrs. Doherty were the parents of thirteen children, nine girls and four boys. Of this number ten are now living, three of the girls having died, and all with one exception reside in Taunton.