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In regards to gunpowder explosions in Delaware in the 19th and early 20th centuries, I am looking for information on the following individual (s):

 

Thomas Mullin died in a powder explosion on February 2, 1860. He had worked for the du Ponts for about 8 years. He may have been married to Alice Grane Mullin, and, of course, the name might have been spelled with an ‘e’ or an ‘a’ instead of an ‘i.’

 

His tombstone lists him as having lived in Glenrone Parish, barony of Bodoney and tells us that he was 27 years old, meaning a birth date circa 1833.  There is conflicting information about his age; he may have been 37, not 27.

 

He might have been the son of Thomas and Susan Reads Mullin, who were married in 1792 at Old Swede’s Church in Wilmington, Delaware, USA, then perhaps a Lutheran church but now Episcopalian.

 

He may have come over on any one of these ships: the William Penn in June of 1849 to Philadelphia; the Lord Mardstown, in June, 1842 to Philadelphia; or to Boston on the Sweden in June, 1845.

 

He was also known by the name Mickey. There is a story that he told his landlady before he died; it seems he heard his mother, who was still in Ireland, crying. She told him that it was just a owl. He said, nonetheless, that he was going to go back to Ireland. The next day, he was the only person killed in the explosion of roll mill number13 and he went “across the creek,” which was the powder men’s way of saying that someone died. The creek in question was the Brandywine Creek/River, upon which the mills relied for their water power. 

 

A son, James, was born to Alice four months after the death of his father.

Templeton

Tuesday 20th Mar 2018, 07:54PM

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  • The more common spelling of the place where Thomas apparently lived is Glenroan today, and it’s in the parish of Bodoney Upper. It consists of 2153 acres.

    The tithe applotment records for 1825/26 list those who were farming in the parish at that time. It lists John Mullan and Owen Mullan, each with a farm there then.

    http://cotyroneireland.com/tithe/bodoneyupper.html

    I looked at Griffiths Valuation for Glenroan in 1859 and there were no Mullin households listed, so they had either died or left by that year.

    Sadly the RC parish records don’t start till 1866, so there won’t be any record of either his baptism or of his marriage.

     

    Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Wednesday 21st Mar 2018, 08:11AM
  • Eiwyn, thank you so much for your response! I knew about the spelling of Glenroan but hadn't yet had time to look at Griffith's. Thanks again.  I'll keep researching.....

    Templeton

    Wednesday 21st Mar 2018, 02:36PM

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