Michael Gaffney was born September 29, 1775, in Granard, County Longford, Ireland, came to Charleston, South Carolina, on February 3, 1800, married Miss. Polly Smith of Smith's Ford in Union County on July 21, 1803, established the present site of Gaffney in 1804, served as a captain in the War of 1812, died September 6, 1854, and was interred in Gaffney Family Cemetery. The town of Gaffney was incorporated on March 3, 1875. Its first town council consisted of Mayor John R. Wesbter and Nathan Lipscomb, T. Davenport, R.M. Gaffney, and B.K. Humphries. From 1876 to 1931, the town's mayors, clerks, and aldermen included the many local officials named here.