"The Biographical Record and Portrait Album of Tippecanoe County Indiana"
1888 Pages 480-481
DR. JOHN W. MULLEN, an enterprising and progressive citizen of La Fayette,
and one of the leading veterinary surgeons of this portion of the State, is
a native of La Salle County, Illinois, born in the vicinity of Ottawa,
December 31, 1844, a son of PATRICK and ELIZA (MORROW) MULLEN, PATRICK
MULLEN is a native of Ireland, and was reared and married in his native
country. He immigrated to American in 1842, coming directly to La Salle
County, Illinois, where he has since lived, and is still engaged in farming
and stock-raising. JOHN W. MULLEN remained in La Salle County, until
reaching the age of seventeen years, and in February, 1862, he enlisted in
the war of the Rebellion in Company C, Fifty-third Illinois Veteran
Volunteers. His first fighting was at the battle of Shiloh, where he
participated in the second day's engagement. He went with his regiment on
the campaign to Corinth, thence to Grand Junction and from there to Holly
Spring, from there to Memphis, and later to Bolivar. The regiment took part
in the second battle of Corinth, and later went to Vicksburg, participating
in the siege and capture of that city. After the surrender of Vicksburg,
they followed JOHNSTON to Jackson, Mississippi, where the brigade to which
Mr. MULLENS
belonged, viz.; the First Brigade, Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army Corp,
was annihilated and our subject badly wounded.
He then received a furlough for sixty days. He returned to his regiment
before he had completely recovered and took part in the great Grenada raid.
He returned to Vicksburg where his regiment re-enlisted as veterans, and
subsequently went home on veteran furlough for thirty days, and on his
return was promoted to First Sergeant. He rejoined his command at Allatoona
Pass, and was with CORSE in the celebrated defense of that pass. After
the battle of Kenesaw Mountain his regiment was one of the first to open
battle, July 22, at Atlanta, and there saw General MCPHERSON killed. Mr.
MULLEN fought twelve hours without tasting food or drink, and used 160
rounds of cartridges at this engagement. He followed HOOD'S army as far as
Resaca, then turned and went with SHERMAN to the sea, and was one of the
first to enter Savannah. He went through the Carolinas to Washington, where
he participated in the grand review of SHERMAN'S grand army. He then went
to Louisville, thence to Chicago, where he was discharged July 25, 1865.
After the war he returned to La Salle County, Illinois, and engaged in
farming, but owing to the wound he received while in the service he was
obliged to abandon this pursuit. His father was at that time extensively
engaged in stock-raising, and there being no surgeon at hand, he began
studying veterinary surgery for the treatment of his own stock, and was
finally into practice by the demand for his services. In 1869 he went to
Livingston County, Illinois where he had charge of the stock farm of
BRADFORD HANCOCK for nine years. He there bought property at Strawn,
Livingston County, where he followed his profession until coming to La
Fayette in July, 1884, and during his residence at this place he has build
up a good practice, being regarded as an expert in his profession. For the
past six years he has been doing work in five different states, where he has
regular agencies. Dr. MULLEN was admitted as a charter member of the
veterinary societies of Illinois, and is now vice-president of the Indiana
Association.