Richard A. McHeffy was a political figure in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

. He represented the township of Windsor in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly

Nova Scotia House of Assembly

The Nova Scotia Legislature, consisting of Her Majesty The Queen represented by the Lieutenant Governor and the House of Assembly, is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada...

 from 1838 to 1840. His surname also appears as McHeffey.

He was born in Windsor township, Nova Scotia

Windsor, Nova Scotia

Windsor is a town located in Hants County, Mainland Nova Scotia at the junction of the Avon and St. Croix Rivers. It is the largest community in western Hants County with a 2001 population of 3,779 and was at one time the shire town of the county. The region encompassing present day Windsor was...

, the son of Richard McHeffey and Mary Caulfield, of Irish

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 descent. McHeffy married Jane Hill. He was called to the province's Legislative Council

Legislative Council of Nova Scotia

The Legislative Council of Nova Scotia was the upper house of the government of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It existed from 1838 to May 31, 1928...

 in 1853. In 1867, he was asked to form an Anti-Confederation

Anti-Confederation Party

Anti-Confederation was the name used in what is now Atlantic Canada by several parties opposed to Canadian confederation.-Nova Scotia:In Nova Scotia, the "Anti-Confederates" were led by Joseph Howe. They attempted to reverse the colony's decision to join Confederation, which was initially highly...

 government by Charles Hastings Doyle

Charles Hastings Doyle

Sir Charles Hastings Doyle, KCMG was a British military officer and Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick....

 after Hiram Blanchard

Hiram Blanchard

Hiram Blanchard was a Nova Scotia lawyer, politician, and the first Premier of the province of Nova Scotia. Blanchard won election to the Nova Scotia legislative assembly in Inverness in 1859 as a Liberal....

's government was defeated. The choice of McHeffy to lead the government was unpopular with the anti-Confederates and William Annand

William Annand

William Annand was a Nova Scotia publisher and politician.Born in Halifax, Annand was first elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in 1836 and supported demands for responsible government. He lost his seat in 1843 and became proprietor and editor of the Novascotian and Morning Chronicle...

 became premier later that year. McHeffy became minister without portfolio

Minister without Portfolio

A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...

 in the Executive Council. He served as custos rotulorum

Custos rotulorum

Custos rotulorum is the keeper of an English county's records and, by virtue of that office, the highest civil officer in the county...

 for Hants County

Hants County, Nova Scotia

Hants County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia which was the home of Thomas Chandler Haliburton, Alden Nowlan and Noel Doiron. The county of Hants was created June 17, 1781, and consisted of the townships of Windsor, Falmouth and Newport...

 and was also a senior Grand Warden in the province's Freemasons. He died in Windsor at the age of 100.

His grandson Francis R. Parker

Francis R. Parker

Frances R. Parker was a farmer, lawyer and political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented Hants County from 1855 to 1859 and Colchester County from 1863 to 1867 in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly as a Reformer....

also served in the provincial assembly.