James Mullany

JAMES MULLANY. Many of the most thriving and enterprising citizens of Kearny County have come from across the sea, prominent among the number being James Mullany, one of Lakin's prosperous merchants, who has been actively identified with the development and advancement of the higher interests of this section of the state. A native of Ireland, he was born January 28, 1848, in County Sligo, being one of the eleven children of Anthony and Catherine (Bolan) Mullany. His parents spent their entire lives in the Emerald Isle, and but two of their children settled in the United States, James, the subject of this sketch, and Mrs. Mary McNellis, who died in Kearny County in 1892, leaving five sons and one daughter.

At the age of fifteen years James Mullany, who had been out of school two years, joined some of his neighbors who were coming to the New World in search of fortune. Sailing from Galway in the good ship Adriatic, he landed at New York and passed through Castle Garden in September, 1863. He made his way directly to his sister, Mrs. McNellis, in Henry County, Iowa, where he remained a few months. Then, enthused by the patriotic spirit of many youths like himself who had offered their services to their country, Mr. Mullany in 1864 enlisted at Winona in Company K, Eleventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, under command of Capt. George H. Tyler and Colonel Gilfillan. The regiment rendezvoused at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, from there being sent to Chicago, thence to Nashville, Tennessee, and there and at Louisville, Kentucky, was on detached service, patrolling the state lines and fighting bushwhackers. Mr. Mullany missed regular engagements while thus employed, but was within hearing of the artillery at the famous battles at Franklin and Nashville. With his comrades he was in Sumner County, Tennessee, when the news of General Lee's surrender reached the regiment. He continued with his command in the South until June, 1865, when he returned to Minnesota, and at Fort Snelling received his honorable discharge.

Returning soon after that time to the South, Mr. Mullany visited several of the southern states, being variously employed, but finally settling in Miller County, Arkansas, where he was engaged in cotton raising for fifteen years. Migrating to Iowa, he lived for a short time in Wayne County, but not satisfied with his future prospects in that region he came by rail in 1887 to Kearny County, Kansas, being accompanied by his daughter. He was practically without funds, but he had had some experience in mercantile pursuits. For a few months he worked as section hand, receiving $1.10 a day; later he obtained employment on a farm, receiving in addition to his board $20 a month. Mr. Mullany next became a clerk in O'Laughlin & Weber's store at Lakin, where he remained about a year.

Mr. Mullany was then elected clerk of the District Court, and served in that capacity two years, having been elected on the democratic ticket. During that time the courthouse, then located at Hartland, was burned and nearly all of the records, a matter that greatly embarrassed the county in its administration of affairs.

Leaving that office, Mr. Mullany clerked for H. M. Knox, a Garden City merchant, for two years. Forming a partnership then with J. C. Hart, he established himself in the mercantile business at Lakin, for five years continuing as junior member of the firm of Hart & Mullany. Mr. Hart then disposed of his interest in the company, and the business was carried on for another five years under the firm name of Mullany & Houser. The firm then sold out to A. G. Campbell. Subsequently Mr. Mullany was elected register of deeds on the democratic ticket, succeeding C. F. Warthen, and was re-elected at the expiration of his term, thus serving two terms. He then established his present mercantile business, and as one of the leading grocers of Lakin has built up an extensive and lucrative trade. He assisted in the organization of the Lakin State Bank, of which he is still a stockholder.

Mr. Mullany married in Arkansas, March 12, 1871, Alice Virginia Williams, a native of Alabama. She died in Arkansas in November, 1885, leaving one child, Lulu, who married Mr. Houser, of Lakin, and has three sons, Floyd, Bernard and Raymond Harold. Mr. Mullany married for his second wife, May 4, 1897, Margaret Nash, daughter of John Nash, a pioneer farmer of Lakin and a soldier in the Civil war. Mrs. Margaret Mullany died June 15, 1915, leaving two sons, Anthony Glenn and James V., the latter of whom is engaged in railroad work with an engineering corps.