MJ "Mike" Mulvihill

MULVIHILL SKELTON

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 9/24/2010 at 20:55:23

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

M J ‘Mike’ Mulvihill
By Francis Dunn Luchsinger

Mike, as he was best known, was one of thirteen children born to John and Nellie Madden Mulvihill who came to this country from County Cork, Ireland. The two first born died of diphtheria and were buried at sea. They settled in Maryland, later coming to Garyowen, Iowa, in Jackson County where Mike was born.

As a teenager, Mike came to Woodbury County to make his home with Uncle Jim Mulvihill. There he found work laying railroad between Missouri Valley and Sioux City. In 1888, he returned to Dubuque to marry Grace Skelton and they made their home on a farm northeast of Salix.

Six children were born: Maurice, Annie, Nellie, Maggie, Grace (died at early age) and Edna. They raised a foster son, James Brell, nephew of Mrs. Mulvihill. Mrs. Mulvihill died in 1930. Mike later married Anna Bennett of Dubuque. He died in 1959, Anna 1961. Step children are Mrs. Charles Callahan, Mrs. Melvin Donovan and Mrs. Al Nelson, all of Dubuque; and Joseph Bennett of Marion, Iowa.