I am not related to the AHERN Family, but have this to share from a recent book I published,
"Information has reached Prattville that JOHN AHERN, a young man formerly residing in our midst, died on last Wednesday at San Antonio, Texas. The deceased was a son of Mr. & Mrs. P. AHERN of this place, and was employed for many months as a compositor in The Signal office (newspaper). At the time of his death he belonged to the United States military forces that are on duty in western Texas."
(DEATH AND MARRIAGE NOTICES FROM AUTAUGA COUNTY, ALABAMA NEWSPAPERS (1853-1889),
pg. 97