Descendants of Dennis Mullins
County Kerry, Ireland

Generation #1

Dennis Mullins of County Kerry, Ireland

Dennis Mullins was born about 1800 in County Kerry, Ireland. In 1825 Dennis married Margaret Carroll b. c. 1805 in County Kerry, Ireland. Dennis and Margaret are first found in 1832 in Kilshenagh Parrish records as parents of Honora Mullin. But because of British persecution of Catholics, no records were kept before 1829. Nothing more is known of Dennis; as he died about 1840. But, the family continued.

Family history states that the proverbial Irish matchmaker approached Margaret, the Widow Mullin, for a match with Maurice Daughton, a younger man. However, Margaret offered her fourteen year-old daughter instead. And in March of 1841, Ellen Mullin married Maurice Daughton. This match was critical for the family's survival.

Beginning in 1845, a disease struck Ireland, destroying the primary food crop. The Potato Blight began in southeastern Ireland and eventually spread throughout the island. By 1849 one out of every four Irish had died from starvation or disease and one out of every four Irish had migrated, mostly to America. And, the Mullin Family became part of this great migration. [Great Famine]

To survive the famine, the family migrated to America in stages. Circumstantial evidence leads to the belief that Margaret Carroll Mullin migrated in the company of daughter Ellen and her husband Maurice Daughton to America in the first wave in about 1849. Having established their household, patriarch Maurice Daughton then sent for Ellen's brothers Dennis and Patrick, the Houlihans, and his brother John who sailed aboard the Barque Hopewell, arriving 5/9/1851 in New York. Exactly what happened to the other Mullin children is not known. Conjecture leads to the belief that the younger children died; as it is doubtful that Margaret would have abandoned her children.

Reportedly, Margaret, the Daughtons, and the extended family  lived in New Jersey before migrating to Ohio. The entire family is next found in Fairfield/Pickaway Co OH in 4/1856 where granddaughter Johanna Agnes Daughton was born. 

In 1858 the family, minus son Patrick, migrated to Decatur Co IA where Maurice Daughton and Dennis Mullin are cited as having donated 1/2 of the land for the local Catholic cemetery. Family oral history states that the journey from Ohio to southern Iowa was long and arduous. The family traveled by covered wagon which was pulled by the mis-matched team of an ox and an old mule. Evidently, the mule took every opportunity to sit, exasperating the entire endeavor.

The following is a narrative of the neighbor's migration to Iowa:

OBITUARY - WILLIAM GROGAN Leon Journal, Thursday, March 30, l905
WILLIAM GROGAN was born in Kerry County, Ireland, January 2, l809 and died at his home in Leon, Iowa, March 25, l905, aged 96 years, 2 months and 23 days. . .In l848, on account of the oppression of the poor act in Ireland, he left his native land and came with his wife to the United States and landed at New Orleans after a voyage of five weeks and three days on the ocean. In the spring of l849, on account of the outbreak of cholera in New Orleans, he moved to Indiana. In l857 he moved to Decatur County and settled in Woodland Township being the pioneer Irish Colony in that township. He was the first to settle in the New Ireland in this county and was instrumental in bringing his brother, PATRICK GROGAN, CORNELIUS HANNON, PATRICK MULLIN, MAURICE DAUGHTON, JAMES DILLON and BARTHOLOMEW HALLAHAN from the old home [to] the new one in this county.

Margaret Carroll Mullin lived the remainder of her life with Maurice and Ellen. She is believed to be buried in Catholic Cemetery, Woodland Twp, Decatur Co IA.

St. Mary's Cemetery of Irish Pioneers Woodland Twp, Decatur Co IA Located in the center rear of the cemetery are the markers (right to left) for Maurice Daughton then Ellen Mullin Daughton and then a small marker without a name to Ellen's left.
Possibly Margaret Carroll Mullin	Ellen Daughton & Maurice Daughton

• Born c. 1800 County Kerry, Ireland

• Married 1825 in County Kerry, Ireland to Margaret Carroll b. c. 1805 in County Kerry, Ireland

• 1834 Marriage Witness in County Kerry, Ireland

• Dennis died 1840 Kilshenagh Parrish, County Kerry, Ireland

• Margaret immigrated c. 1849 w/ the Daughton family to New York

• Reportedly lived in New Jersey

• Margaret migrated with family before 4/1856 to Fairfield Co OH

• Margaret migrated 1858 with family to Decatur Co IA

• Margaret died 1860 Woodland Twp, Decatur Co IA

• Margaret is believed to be buried in Catholic Cemetery, Woodland Twp, Decatur Co IA

    Children

    1. Ellen Mullin

• Born 6/22/1826 Knockenaugh, County Kerry, Ireland

• Married 3/5/1841 in Knockenaugh, County Kerry, Ireland to Maurice Daughton b. 9/22/1812 Lixnaw, County Kerry, Ireland

• 1846 Birth Record Ballybunion, County Kerry, Ireland

• 2/18/1849 Ballybunion, County Kerry, Ireland, marriage record for brother Dennis

• Immigrated c. 1851 to New York

• Reportedly lived in New Jersey

• Migrated before 4/1856 to Fairfield Co OH

• Migrated 1858 to Decatur Co IA

• 11/6/1858 Decatur Co IA Land Transaction

• 1860 Decatur Co IA Census

1860 Decatur Co IA Census: Woodland Twp
DW#   FM#   Last     First        Age   Sex  Occup   POB
=========================================================
1559 1449   Dartin   Morris       45    M    Farmer  Ire
                     Ellen        38    F            Ire
                     Bridgett     18    F            Ire
                     Julia        15    F            Ire
                     Joseph       13    M            Ire
                     James        11    M            Ire
                     Margaret      4    F            OH
                     Hannah        4    F            OH
                     Michael       2    F            IA

• 1870 Decatur Co IA Census

1870 Decatur Co IA Census: Woodland Twp
DW#   FM#   Last     First        Age   Sex  Occup   POB
=========================================================
113   110   Daughton Morrs        56    M    Farmer  Ire
                     Ellen        45    F    K House Ire
                     Joseph       24    M            Ire
                     James        22    M            Ire
                     Margaret     15    F            OH
                     Hannah       15    F            OH
                     William       9    M            IA
                     David         8    M            IA
                     Catherine     6    F            IA
                     Elizabeth     3    F            IA

• 1880 Woodland Twp, Decatur Co IA Census

• Died 7/10/1901 Woodland Twp, Decatur Co IA

• Buried Catholic Cemetery, Woodland Twp, Decatur Co IA

    2. Dennis Mullin b. 1827 Knockenaugh, County Kerry, Ireland
        (Note: DOB is determined from 1860 & 1885 censuses)

    3. Patrick Mullins

Note: Patrick is the only child who used Mullins, the older form of their last name.

• Born 1828 Knockenaugh, County Kerry, Ireland

• Immigrated 5/9/1851 w/ family aboard the Barque Hopewell to New York

• Migrated with family before 9/1851 to Fairfield Co OH

• Married 4/23/1861 in Ashville, Pickaway Co OH to Margaret C. Hoffhines b. 12/8/1838 Walnut Twp, Pickaway Co OH

• Migrated 9/1866 to Decatur Co IA

• 1880 Decatur Co IA Census

• Died 2/3/1905 Woodland Twp, Decatur Co IA

• Buried Catholic Cemetery, Woodland Twp, Decatur Co IA

    4. Honora Mullin b. 4/2/1832 Knockenaugh, County Kerry, Ireland

    5. John Mullin b. 5/1836 Knockenaugh, County Kerry, Ireland

    6. Hannah Mullin b. 10/1837 Knockenaugh, County Kerry, Ireland

    7. Margaret Mullin b. 5/1840 Knockenaugh, County Kerry, Ireland

Generation #2