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January 23, 2013

Maj. James B. & Mary Jane Coffey Mulky

I've seen this family name spelled Mulky as well as Mulkey.  The latter is the spelling used by Kim Mulkey-Robertson, native of Louisiana and woman's basketball coach at Baylor University.



James B. Mulky was born in Indiana in Oct., 1826[1] and married Mary Jane Coffey in May of 1853 in Monroe Co., IN.  Mary Jane was a daughter of Lewis and Harriet Powell Coffey.  Lewis was seventh of ten born to Thomas and Sarah "Sally" Fields Coffey.

Although James and Mary Jane had a number of children - six that I know of and all born in Monroe Co., IN - only a couple lived to adulthood:

Alice, 1854-1855; Ethel, 1856-1856; Horace, 1858.  Death date unknown but not found after 1870 census.  Adelaide was born in 1861, died in 1862.

Two sons survived to marry and have families of their own.  The first was James Osmon, born in Sep., 1859.  I have not yet found his death date or, burial place.
"James Osman Mulky is a native of Indiana, born September 15, 1859 in Bloomington, Monroe County.  His parents are Maj. James B. and Mary J. (Coffey) Mulky.  He is the second son and fourth child in a family of six children, and was reared in Bloomington.
"He attended school until September, 1877, when he entered the State University, whence he graduated June 4,1881.  He afterward entered the emply of different dry goods merchants in the city, as clerk, with Wicks & Co., and L. Fields & Co.  
"On September 10, 1883, he was appointed Assistant Postmaster, and is at present so engaged.  He has been for some time a member of the K. of P. and inpolitics he is a Republican.  He is a rising young man, and is quite efficient as a public officer."[2]
James married Margaret, an Irish lass in about 1887.  In 1900 they lived in Indianapolis, IN and, in 1910 they were in Chicago, Cook Co., IL.  Margaret died before 1930 because that year James was a widower living with his son Alfred J. in DePage Co., IL.  In addition to Alfred, they also had a son named Albert, born in Oct., 1889.  I have found nothing for him after 1910 when he was still living with his parents.

Frank Lewis, born Jun., 1863, died Jul., 1936 was the other son to reach adulthood.  He married Catherine Emily Parks on Jun. 8, 1893 in Monroe Co., IN and later moved to Oklahoma where he sold real estate.  They had but one child, Francis, born c1898 in IN.  Catherine was born in 1868 in IN and died in OK City on Mar. 27,1922.  Both are buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in that city.


Jack




[1] James was commissioned Major in Co. S, Indiana's 55th Infantry Regiment, USA on Jun. 11, 1862.  He was mustered out on Sep. 1, 1862 in Indianapolis.  Although a reason was not given in his Civil War record, it was likely because Mary Jane had lost another child.  Adelaide, who was born in 1861, died in 1862.
[2]Charles Blanchard, Editor, Counties of Morgan, Monroe and Brown, Indiana. Historical and Biographical (Chicago, IL: F. A. Battey & Co. Publishers, 1884), Page 585.

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