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Note: A Biographical Sketch of the Late David Mulvane, Of Newcomerstown, Ohio, By James Brown, M.D.
A few years prior to the commencement of the Revolutionary war, John Mulvane, a young man, born and raised in the north of Ireland, immigrated to this country. Soon after his arrival he married a Mrs. Douglass, a widow lady of Scotch extraction, and with her settled in Maryland where was born to him four sons, William, Jenkin, Joseph, and John. At the outbreak of hostilites betweent he colonies and the mother country, Mr. Mulvane enlisted in the colonial army and marched to the field of conflict. He was hotly engaged at the battle of Brandywine, whose terrible roar it is said, was distinclty heard where his family were residing. The four sons above manemd came to Ohio about or near the close of the 18th century. Joseph and John, in partnership, purchased the farm now occupied by Nathan Shepherd. About this time Mr. John McEwen, a Scotch gentleman of wealth and distinction, purchased, and with his family, settled upon a lot containing 600 acres of choice lands lying on what is known as upper White Eyes Plains in Coshocton county, Ohio. During the Revolutionary struggle, Mr. Mc Ewen served as an ensign in the U. S. army, and for such service recieved a warrant for 100 acres of land. The original document lies before me, signed:
"By the President, Thos. Jefferson." "James Madison, Secretary of State," and dated the 26th day of August, in the year of our Lord 1801; and of the independence of the U.S. A. the 26th.
Between this, the McEwen and the Mulvane family, there had long existed very intimate and friendly relations. But as to John Mulvane and Mary Mc Ewen these family friendships very natually ripened into more special and tender regards, which about the year 1802 or 3 culminated in matrimonial union. In a little cabin erected within the limits of the grounds now owned and inclosed by the Central Ohio district Fair Association, this happy pair set out afresh on the path of life. Here, too, in this little cabin on the banks of the historic Tuscarawas, David Mulvane, the subject of this sketch, the first begotten of John and Mary Mulvane, was born August 1st, 1804. Here began a life which proved comparatively long, varied, adventurous and eventful; here amid the deep dark shadows of unbroken forests, where the red men roamed in uqest of fame, and where the turkey, the deer, the wolf , the bear were objects of exciting interest, the young Mulvane received his first impressions and spent his childhood and youth. Even in the absence of revealed religion, nature, in her pristine grandeur and beauty, is everywhere stamped with the impress of Deity, and therefore replete with lessons of religious truth. But the Mulvanes and the McEwens were descendants of the Scotch Presbyterians and not the people to forget God, or leave their relgion behind them. Here, then, the religion of nature and the religion of the Bible were happily blended, and conspired to make their homes in the wilderness the abodes of peace and happiness, and love. Surroundings and influences life these could scarcely fail to lay broad and deep in the juvenile mind and heart the foundations of a successful, manly, noble life.
Endowed as was David Mulvane, with an emotional nature, an active ardent, earnest temperament, sustained by a robust physical organismm he could not but drink-in largely of the spirit and inspirations that characterized his childhood home. nor could he fail, as life rolled on, to engage prominently in the amusements and enterprises of his day. He range the forests, swam the river, climbe the hills, chased the deer, captured the bear, and won the reputation of a hunter and a hero. With his father and younger brothers, he took part in felling and clearing away the forest, opening up the farm, plowing the virgin soil, sowing the seed and harvesting the golden grain.
As he ripened into manhood he became prominently identified with all that pertained to the development of the country and the gowth and prosperity of the community. His educational advantages in early life were very limited, affording but a rudimental knowledge of reading, writing and arithmetic. By force of his diversified natural endowments, however, he laid hold of such opportunities for educational and intellectual improvements as came within his reach; and in after life we find a man of extensive reading; a mind well stored with facts, and a good general and practical knowledge of men and things.
At the age of 30 years - in 1834 - David Mulvane was united in marriage with Miss Mary Ross, daughter of Rev. William Ross, Sr., then residing on Stonecreek, Tuscarawas county, Ohio; later of Berean County, IL, where several of his sons and daughters with their families still reside. Soon after his marriage, Mr. Mulvane engaged in mercantile pursuits in the them small village of Newcomerstown, Ohio. commencing on a very small scale he gradually increased his stock so as to keep pace with the growth of the population and the increasing demands of his trade. He was never noted for selling at very low figures; but he always allowed his customers to examine and judge for themselves, and to act in full view of the fact that he was working for pay and that on whatever goods he sold he expected a living profit; the universal testimony, however, among his old customers and acquintances is that he was "kind to the poor;" that he never oppressed a man in straitened circumstances or took advantage of his neccessities. that he was a good financier and succeeded well in business, is evinced by the fact that at his decease, and after helping each of his five sons and two sons-in-laws to a good start in business, he was possessed of an estate estimated at $150,000. It was not his custom to lavish money upon everything that was presented as a chairty, but always in the presence of real want he showed a feeling heart aned an open hand. In social life Mr. Mulvane was genial and generally affable- fond of company and conversation. He had, however, no negative or neutral qualities; he was a man of very decided opinions and prefernences; with him, every question of local or general interest, of private or public good, had two sides; and it did not take long to learn which side he was on. without stopping to consider the present or prospective bearing it might have upon his own personal interests, he was ever ready to avow his opinion; and bold and fearless in defense of what he believed to be right. He was, therefore, less likely to win the good opinions of the masses than to compel the respect of the intelligents and thoughtful.
In politics, Mr. Mulvane was originally a Whig: but when, in 1852, the old time honored Whig party was wrecked by leaders in an effort to concileriate the slave power, he fell into line with the Republicans; and while he had thought and strength to employ in that direction, he ws an ardent admirer and able defender to the principles and policy of the Republican party; suporting with his might, John C. Freemont in 1856, Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and again in 1864. When, in 1865, that great and good amn and chief magistrate fell by the hand of the assassin, none sorrowed more sincerely that did David Mulvaen; and again, when the slaveholder's rebellion was organized and put in motion against the life of the Government, none more promptly that he responded to the calls of the country. When money was needed, he poured it out; when the young men, the pride and hope of the nation were requried, two of his sons, the only two of proper age remaining at home with him, were laid upon the alter, William P. in the 52nd Ohio, and David Austin in the 80th Ohio, enlisted early in the histroy of the rebellion an dserved faithfully to the end of the war. Thank God! their blood was not required. They live to enjoy and bless their country in civil and peaceful relations. But to return. In 1868, and again in 1872, we find David Mulvane warmly advocating the election of U. S. Grant, and supporting in general his administration. In 1876, though scarecely able to leave his room, by the assistance of his son George, he went to the place of voting and deposited his "last ballot" for r. B. Hayes. All honor to his memory! The memory of the citiaen, patriot, whose rule of actions was "My country first of all, except my God!"
In religious faith and preference Mr. Mulvane Methodistic. Coming into active business life, and ripening into habits of investigation and sober thoughts, just at the time when Episcopal prerogatives and the rights of the laity in the Methodist Episcopal Church were undergoing a pretty thorough discussion, both from the polpit and through the religious press, he became interested in the issues involved, and true to his inherent love of liberty, at once took sides with the reform movement, in favor of the principles of popular government, and against exclusive and unwarranted clerical authority; holding that in this country especially, republican principles shold be maintained alike in Church and State. Accordingly, at an early period in her history, he united with the Methodist Protestant, now Methodist Church, and to the time of his death was a warm friend and supporter of her principles and polity.
In his domestic relations Mr. Mulvane was especially happy. His was a well appointed, well ordered family. His family discipline was characterized by discretion, kindness, firmness and decision. He loved his wife for what she was and is, a noble, Christian woman, a true wife, a loving mother. He loved his children, prided in them, lived and labored for them. He consulted not so much their present ease, or childish preferences, as their future success-their ultimate good. He suffered no opportunity for their intellectual and social culture to pass unimproved. He carefully arrange his business so as to afford his boys useful employemtn and early training in habits of industry, activity, and enterprise. In all this he saw the fruit of his labor and was satisfied. He lived to see his sons all actively engaged in business, and taking rank among the successful, enterprising men off their day.
While his daughters, Mrs. W. S. Dent and Mrs. O. C. Powelson, take position among the ripened, the pure, the virtuous and the good. In his family, David Mulvane has bequeathed to the world a precious inheritance, a power for good. In his children, though dead, he still lives to adorn and bless society. May the hope and pride of their father be abundantly vindicated in the future life and character of his children. We have only now to notice his last illness.
During the last three years of his life, Mr. Mulvane was the victim of miasmatic influences which developed repeated and persistent attacks of ague, and ultimately induced important structural changes and consequent functional derangements, which, being intensified and accelerated by the continuous action of the causes which originated them, proceeded by slow, but sure, approaches to a fatal termination. The ague, permit me to remark, is far more fatal in its tendencies than is generally admitted. In the case of Father Mulvane, the heart and brain were the last to succumb to the power of disease. While other vital functions seemed quited subverted, the circulation seemed almost normal: and the brain, even to the last, acting with its wanted clearness and power. During the eight weeks of his confinement to his room and bed, he seemed almost impatient to depart, remarking that his "work was done and he longed to be at rest." Of the writer, he frequently inquired, "How long before I can be permited to die?" On the morning of the 8th of January, I called as usual, and glancing at his countenance, with my finger on his pulse, I said, Father Mulvane, you are nearing the shore now; he answered, yes. On being asked, do you still find consolation in Christ; he nodded assent. Again in the afternoon, as he seemed rapidly sinking, he was asked, is the Savior still near and precious. As though not fully comprehending the question, he looked up and inquired, am I dying. I said, yes, Father Mulvane, you are dying, let go the world and all the past, and lay fast hold on Jesus. Now, with a smile, as though just entering the pearly gates, he whispered back, I w-i-l-l. Thus peacefully, at about 5:30 PM, on the 8th day of January, 1877, aged 72 years, 5 months, and 7 days, David Mulvane fell asleep in Christ. "Mark the perfect man; and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace."
unidentified newsclipping
In 1839 David Mulvane Sr built a brick dwelling on West Main St. He occupied the east front room as a store room untill about 1847. Then moved store into a frame adjoining on the eastside of the brick dwelling. About 1850 he had completed the erection of a brick store building on East Main St. between the residence of Col. Neugen and Doctor Frasure. Then moved his stock good to said building. About 1853, he bought Doctor Frasure's dwellings and moved his family into it. The brick home and store building on West Main St was torn down in 1894 in order to straighten Main Street. As follows:
1st John Hoaglands
2d Ed Baxters
3d, Wm Mardis
4th Wm Mardis shoe shop
5th Mulvane Tanery
6th Tobacco warehouse
7th Frame building
8th Old brick house.
Born in the old Brick Building:
Wm P Mulvane
Mary J Mulvane Dent
Geo W Mulvane
Rebecca A Mulvane Powelson
Winfield Scott Mulvane
Handwritten by DA Mulvane Jr.
Possession of Michelle L. De Angelo
Short History of Coshocton County
In the westernmost reaches of the Appalachian foothills, two rivers have carved their converging paths to form a third, larger valley that channels their waters first to the Ohio, then to the Mississippi and, finally, the Gulf of Mexico.
The names of the three rivers -- Walhonding, Tuscarawas,
Muskingum -- and the name "Coshocton," as well, are reminders that, in centuries past, the area that is now Coshocton County was a center of Indian culture and was once the capital of the Delaware nation.
Throughout the centuries, man has traveled these valleys --
by canoe and by horseback, then by wagon, canal boat, railroad and now by motor vehicle and in the air.
During the Indians' residence, the rivers were their highways through virgin forests so dense they kept the creatures of the woods in semi-darkness from spring to fall.
In the autumn of 1764, the valley was the path for some two
thousand British soldiers and Lieutenant Colonel Henry Bouquet who came to secure the release of more than two hundred settlers who had been held prisoner by the Indian tribes then waging the Pontiac War.
During the mid-1800s, Irish and German immigrants scraped
the Ohio-Erie Canal out of the valley floor. The "Big Ditch," which connected the Great Lakes to the Ohio River, would bring to the valley the sixth President of the United States, John Quincy Adams.
Later in the century, railroads came to the valley, also
following the rivers' natural excavations. Ironically, canal boats carried the rails to build the roadbeds for the next generation of transportation -- one that would render the canal itself obsolete.
Trees still line these fertile valleys, providing a haven
for the abundant wildlife that has flourished here since before the Indians' reign. The vigorous commercial entures of those who now call Coshocton County home
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