Biography - IRA M. MULLIKEN
Ira M.
Mulliken, junior member of the well-known firm of Barr & Mulliken and one of
the rising young business men of Newman, was born in Champaign county,
Illinois, December 17, 1865. His father, James W. Mulliken, was a native of
Johnson county, Indiana, and removed to Champaign county in about 1852. His
mother, Catherine, was a daughter of Rev. Samuel F. Miller, who was born in
1815, and at present resides in Arcola. (See sketch of W. H. Bush, of
Hindsboro.) In about 1868 the father of I. M. Mulliken removed to a farm
near Hindsboro, where the latter remained until he arrived at the age of
twenty-one years, when he went to Arcola to reside, and there worked at the
carpenter's trade. He attended Lee's academy at Loxa, Illinois, for six
months, then subsequently attended the embalming college at Indianapolis.
From 1893 to June 1, 1896 he was a member of the undertaking firm of Mike,
Miller & Co., at Charleston, Illinois. In the latter year he removed to
Newman to accept a partnership with James Barr (see sketch).
On September 4, 1893, he was married to Miss Ida A., a daughter of John W.
Allison, of Arcola. They have one child, a daughter, Frances Marie. He is a
member and noble grand of the I. O. O. F.; elder in the Christian church,
and superintendent of its Sunday school. He is also chief patriarch of the
I. O. O. F. encampment; member of the Masonic fraternity, and clerk of the
school board of Newman. The firm of Barr & Mullikin own two large stores in
Newman, Mr. Barr superintending the furniture and undertaking establishment
on the west side of the square, and Mr. Mulliken manages the hardware and
tin shop and does the undertaking work on the north side. They carry a large
stock and do quite an extensive business, drawing trade for miles around
them.
Extracted 16 Jan 2020 by Norma Hass from the Historical and Biographical Record of Douglas County, Illinois, published in 1900, pages 253-254.
