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- THOMAS J. MULLEN, who is engaged in general farming on Section 36, Black Creek township, where he owns a tract of 180 acres of valuable farming property, was born December 16, 1852, at Rensselaer, New York, a son of Patrick and Bridget (Coogan) Mullen, natives of Ireland. They came to the United States about 1846, and settled first in New York State, where Mr. Mullen engaged in the manufacture of linen from flax, the mill being over the line in Vermont and the family residence in New York. In about 1855, Mr. Mullen and his family came from New York to Wisconsin, settling in East Troy, Walworth county, where they resided until the spring of 1865, and then began farming on 111 acres of land in Osborn township, a part of which is now owned by Thomas J. Mullen's brother. Here the father was engaged in clearing and cultivating the land until his death, January 3, 1888, at the age of seventy-eight years, while the mother passed away October 1, 1885, when sixty-three years of age. They are both buried in South OsbornCemetery, formerly St. Mary's. On first locating on this island, Patrick Mullen built a log house 18x24 feet, with three rooms on the main floor and a large attic which was afterwards partitioned into rooms, the roof for which was split from red oak timber, and this was Mr. Mullen's home until his death, at which time he had put about 65 of the 111 acres under cultivation, built a log barn and outbuildings, and fenced his property with rude rails. The east half of the farm was given to his son William, and the west half to James, the latter still living on his, while the former is deceased. Thomas J. Mullen was the fourth of his parents' eight children, and he received a common school education, at the age of seventeen, passing the examination for the position of teacher. After being engaged as an educator for nine years, on August 25, 1873, he was married to Mary Crostwaite, daughter of John and Jeannette (Jude) Crostwaite, natives of Scotland and Ireland, respectively, who were married in East Troy, Wisconsin, and died in Osborn township, the former December 13, 1897, and the latter October 25, 1897.Both were buried in St. Nicholas Cemetery in Freedom township. Mrs. Mullen, who was the next to the oldest in a family of six children, was born September 24, 1853. Thirteen children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Mullen: Thomas, who married Miss Marion Reed, of New London, now residing on a farm near that place; Patrick, single, living with his brother Thomas; John, an engineer on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, married Miss Anna Kavanough, of Kaukauna and resides at Wausau; Jeanette, who married Jacob Gengler, of Appleton, a traveling salesman for the J. R.Watkins Medical Company; Ellen, who married M. L. McCormick, a real estate dealer of Appleton, Wisconsin; Dora, formerly a school teacher, now married to Joseph Reed, of New London, and living on a farm near that place; William and C. Edwin, twins, both single, the former living at home and the latter a traveling salesman for the J. R. Watkins Medical Company, at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin; Alice, formerly a school teacher, now a stenographer for M. L. McCormick, a real estate dealer of Appleton; Mary, residing at home; Elizabeth Margaret and Oliver Stephen, still at school. Thomas J. Mullen bought the place where he now lives during the nine years that he was engaged in school teaching, and in 1879 engaged in farming the forty acres which he had secured. This property had about fifteen acres already improved, and boasted of a log house and log barn; at the present time it consists of 180 acres, of which 100 are under cultivation, and has a modern farm house, built in 1901, and a barn 36x100 feet, built in 1891, with a 24x36 wing, making one of the largest and most commodious barns in this section. He has also erected numerous outbuildings for the shelter of stock, grain and machinery, and has his property fenced with barbed and woven wire. He is engaged in general farming, and keeps Percheron horses, graded Guernsey cattle, as well as Polled Durham, and Poland-China hogs, his sheep being a mixture of Southdown-Lincolnshire and Lester rams, crossed with American De Lane ewes. Mr. Mullen is also engaged in dealing in real estate in this section to some extent. He is a Republican in politics, and has been clerk and treasurer of the school board and justice of the peace for several years. With his family he attends the Roman Catholic Church of Freedom township.
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