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1898
The Mullins Family
John, John with Bessie on lap
Maggie holding Fergus, Helen |
| My great-grandparents, John Mullins
and Maggie Coughlin, were married June 23, 1890 at St. James Cathedral in Brooklym,
NY. They lived in an apartment at the 69th Regiment Armory in Manhattan for many of
their married years. They
had nine children together: William, Helen, John, Elizabeth (Bessie), Fergus,
Margaret (Peg), Florence (Florrie), Catherine (Kitty) and Lawrence (Larry).
John became a US citizen on January
21, 1892. |
John F. Mullins
b. April 13, 1863
County
Clare, Ireland
d. May 11,
1928
buried
in Calvary Cemetery
Woodside, NY
father's
name: Fergus Mullins
mother's
name: Mary McMahon |
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Margaret (Maggie)
Coughlin
b. April 29,
1864
Ireland
d. October
5, 1925
buried
in Calvary Cemetery
Woodside, NY
father's
name: Lawrence Coughlin
mother's
name: Catherine Mahn |
| Census records offer genealogists
wonderful information about their ancestors, but many times it is inaccurate.
Considering all this record taking was done by a man going around with a notebook,
knocking on doors and writing down information given by whomever answered, it's amazing we
have anything at all. Still, it's a challenge to sift through these old records,
trying to determine fact from fiction. Misspellings and wrong dates abound!
I noticed many spelling errors were made by
people interpreting the handwriting of the original census taker (which was often done in
a fancy cursive font.) In the 1900 census my grandmother is listed as
"Berry" but readng the actual census, it was written correctly as
"Bessie". The same is true in 1910 when the family named appears to be
"Mullin" but was written correctly as "Mullins".
Each census lists John Mullins as coming to
the US in a different year and Maggie's name is spelled differently each time.
Click on thumbnails to see the actual
census records. |
 
 
Click on thumbnail to see
the actual record.
| From the
Spanish American War Military Record of John Mullins: John F. Mullins, Principal
Musician, 69th Regiment New York Infantry.
Appears on Field and Staff Muster in roll of the organization named above.
Roll dated Camp Black, NY, May 19, 1898
Mustered in May 19, 1898
Age 29 years, height 5 feet, 10 1/2 inches, complexion blonde, eyes blue, hair dark brown
Where born: Clare,
Ireland
Occupation: Footman
Joined for duty and enrolled:
When: May 2, 1898
Where: New York City
Period: 2 years
Remarks:
Service - Honest and Faithful; Character - Excellent |
This is the letter I received with
the
Spanish American War record
of John Mullins.
114 8th Avenue, New York City
September 1998
Colonel Duffy
Dear Sir,
I take the liberty of writing to you and I am
asking you for God's sake to send my husband John F. Mullins home. If possible try
to get his discharge. His position is waiting for him here at Hearns West 14th
Street where he was drawing a salary of 16 dollars a week. We are almost in want at
present as I have not received any money from him since July. I am almost
crazy. I can't get along much longer. I have four little children, the oldest
going on six and the youngest 15 months, and I am expecting to be the mother of another at
any moment.
I may be put out at any minute as I am in
arrears with my rent. When war was declared and the troops ordered out Jack wanted
to go to the front. Now that the war is over I want him to come home to his helpless
little family. It's only right to let the married men home as there are plenty of
single fellows waiting to go to Cuba. The Cubans aren't doing half as bad as some
of the married men's families are doing right here in New York.
I am hoping that you will grant me this favor
as I know you are the father of a family and you know what it is like to have a wife and
family depending on you. Hoping that you will grant me this favor and that God will
bless you and bring you home safe.
1908
Maggie Mullins
with her youngest child Larry |
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