Margaret Borland was one of the first women Cattle Drivers in America, an Irish Immigrant, daughter of John and Julia Heffernan. Her parents immigrated to America in 1929 when she was 5, a group of Irish Colonists. They settled in San Patricio, Texas. Margaret was one of four siblings, her sister Mary was born in Ireland too, her two younger brothers were born in Texas, John and James Heffernan. Margaret was married and widowed three times. Her first husband, Harrison Dunbar, was killed in a private argument in Victoria, Texas, soon after bearing their only child, a daughter. Several years later she married Milton Hardy , he died of Cholera in 1855. They had two children together. Margaret then remarried for the third and last time to Alexander Borland in 1858, they had four children together, he died in 1867, several of Margarets children and grandchildren died that same year, in a Yellow Fever Epidemic. After her last husbands death she assumed full responsibility for his estate, a large cattle ranch. She left the physical labor to her hired hands. She bought and sold livestock. By 1873 she had 10,000 head of cattle. In the Spring of 1873 she left her home in Texas with two sons, both under 15, a 7 year old daughter, and a younger granddaughter and a group of trail hands. After successfully reaching Wichita, Kansas, her destination, she suddenly was consumed by an illness known as "Trail Fever." Which included congestion of the brain. She soon died and her body was returned to Texas for burial.

Margaret Borland was one of the first women Cattle Drivers in America, an Irish Immigrant, daughter of John and Julia Heffernan. Her parents immigrated to America in 1929 when she was 5, a group of Irish Colonists. They settled in San Patricio, Texas. Margaret was one of four siblings, her sister Mary was born in Ireland too, her two younger brothers were born in Texas, John and James Heffernan. Margaret was married and widowed three times. Her first husband, Harrison Dunbar, was killed in a private argument in Victoria, Texas, soon after bearing their only child, a daughter. Several years later she married Milton Hardy , he died of Cholera in 1855. They had two children together. Margaret then remarried for the third and last time to Alexander Borland in 1858, they had four children together, he died in 1867, several of Margarets children and grandchildren died that same year, in a Yellow Fever Epidemic. After her last husbands death she assumed full responsibility for his estate, a large cattle ranch. She left the physical labor to her hired hands. She bought and sold livestock. By 1873 she had 10,000 head of cattle. In the Spring of 1873 she left her home in Texas with two sons, both under 15, a 7 year old daughter, and a younger granddaughter and a group of trail hands. After successfully reaching Wichita, Kansas, her destination, she suddenly was consumed by an illness known as "Trail Fever." Which included congestion of the brain. She soon died and her body was returned to Texas for burial.