Biographical Record of Lackawanna County 1897

Portrait and Biographical Record of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, 1897 

PATRICK MULHERIN. Years of constant application, years in which there was much adversity and physical suffering, have brought to Mr. Mulherin financial success and prominence among the Irish-American residents of Scranton. His interests are extensive, including real estate in this city, Lackawanna and Old Forge Townships, and valuable timber land in North Carolina. In addition to the general mercantile establishment at Taylor with which he is connected as a member of the firm of Judge & Co., he and his brother-in-law, M. P. Judge, about 1893 bought out W. B. Hull's lumber yard at Nos. 1401-1441 Remington Avenue, where they have built and enlarged workshop, sheds, barns, etc. In addition to the sale of lumber, they carry on a contracting business, and built Terrace Hotel, Duryea Catholic Church, Father Matthew's Hall at Minooka, several residences in Taylor and on Sanderson Hill, Scranton.

The Mulherin family lived for generations near Lake Erin in Ireland, and this fact is indicated by their name, "mul" meaning clan. Our subject was born in County Mayo in February, 1851. His father, Patrick, and grandfather Thaddeus, and great-grandfather, were born in the same house, and the old structure is still standing, now the home of our subject's step-mother. Thaddeus Mulherin took part in the French Revolution and was a farmer by occupation. To the same calling Patrick Mulherin gave his attention, but made a specialty of stockraising, and often drove or shipped stock to England and Scotland; he died in October, 1895, at the age of eighty-seven. Twice married, his first wife was Mary, daughter of Patrick and Catherine (Madden) Henry, and granddaughter of Richard Madden, sheriff of that principality and a distinguished man of his day. Mrs. Mary Mulherin died in 1864, and afterward our subject's father was united with a Miss McDowell, who still lives at the old homestead.

Of six children now living, two in Ireland and John, Michael, Kate, and Patrick in Scranton, the subject of this sketch is next to the eldest, and was the first of the family who came to America. In boyhood he traveled with his father in England and Scotland, assisting in the care of the stock, and afterward was a clerk in a brother-in- law's employ. At the age of seventeen, in 1867, he left Liverpool on the steamer "Minnesota,'' and after a voyage of fourteen days landed in New York City, proceeding thence to Philadelphia, from there to Schuylkill County and later to Luzerne County. He found employment on the North Branch Canal along the Susquehanna River between Pittston and Towanda and held the different positions up to that of captain. Meantime he learned telegraphy. When the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company was extending their line north, he was employed as operator, and afterward was brakeman between Pittston and Waverly. In the fall of 1869 he took a position as brakeman on the Bloomsburg division of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western, but one day, after lie replaced a switch, a train from the rear struck him, running over him and depriving him of both feet. This severe affliction prevented him from working for four months. On his recovery he became operator at Hyde Park for the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western, and after a year there was transferred to Danville, then to Pittston, and later was station agent at Taylor. After five years in Taylor he entered into a partnership with Al Woodworth and H. J. Cooper as Woodworth, Mulherin & Co., in the dry-goods and grocery business, this connection continuing for about six years.

In the meantime Mr. Mulherin formed a partnership with John F. Taylor and Joseph Hannick in the lumber and building business; and, with Everett E. Dale, of Daleville, organized the firm of Mulherin & Dale, for the manufacture of lumber, having a saw mill in North Carolina and a planing mill in Baltimore. In 1892 the Baltimore business was sold, but he is still secretary and manager of the Scranton & North Carolina Land & Lumber Company, and its principal stockholder. The company owns about thirty thousand acres on Pamlico Sound and a mill at Makclyville (?), with a capacity of fourteen million feet per year, also steam and dry kilns, and steam tugs and barges that carry the lumber to Baltimore and Philadelphia. The same company conducts a general mercantile business at Makclyville, has developed the real estate business there, and brought the place into prominence as a winter resort for sportsmen.

Besides all these varied interests, Mr. Mulherin is president of the Taylor Silk Manufacturing Company at Taylor, of which he was one of the organizers and which was the first manufacturing industry established in that place, lie is president of the Winchester (Va.) Luinher & Manufacturing Company, which owns a large planing mill and manufactures sash, doors and blinds. Through his efforts, carried on unceasingly for ten years, he succeeded in having the town of Taylor incorporated as a borough and was a member of the first council until the organization was effected. He is a director in the Taylor, Equitable and Schiller Building & Loan Associations. In politics he is a "sound money" Democrat and has been chairman of the committee of the fifth legislative district, also delegate to conventions. He is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Minooka. In the last-named place he married Miss Cassie T. Judge, who was born in Minersville, Schuylkill County, and they are the parents of two children, Ethel Elizabeth and Patrick Henry. Prior to his marriage with Miss Judge he was married to Miss Mary Duggan and they became the parents of one child, Mary Loretta. Mrs. Mulherin died about 1875.

If anyone is related to this Patrick Mulherin, will you please contact Mary Simonsen at quailcreekpub@hotmail.com. Thanks.

Contributed by Maria Montoro Edwards