Fresno County, California Biographies

Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of 
the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with 
its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919)

History By Paul E. Vandor 
Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes 
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919
 
Notes: Missing+page1185-1186

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


THOMAS H. MULLINS.� An energetic, hard-working pioneer, who 
has contributed to the building up of his section of Central California, and 
who is entitled to all the success and prosperity those years of toil and self- 
denial have brought him, is T. H. Mullins, who came to Fresno on May 15, 
1892. He was born in County Cork, Ireland, on May 1, 1870, the son of 
Jeremiah Mullins, an Irish farmer who died in 1916. He married Susan Sulli- 
van, and she resides in the old home, the mother of seven boys and four girls, 
all of whom are living. A brother, John, served in the English army in Bel- 
gium and France; another brother, Daniel, is in the United States Army; and 
a brother, Michael, is in the employ of our subject. 

The eldest of the sons, T. H. Mullins was reared on a farm and attended 
the ordinary public schools. In 1892 he came to San Francisco, and after 
a week's sojourn there, arrived in Fresno. He went to Fowler for four months 
and was employed in a warehouse until the fall of 1892, when he came to 
the James Ranch. With A. J. Anthony and Tim Hurley as partners, he leased 
raw land of Jeff James, beginning with 1,200 acres, broke up the same and 
planted wheat. These enterprising men pulled so well together that they 
were in partnership for eighteen years. In his partnership with Anthony and 
Hurley, they eventually ran 2,400 acres. In 1910 the partnership was dis- 
solved, and Mr. Mullins continued on the Mullins Ranch till 1913. 

In the meantime he supplied a man in his stead, and engaged in grain 
farming on what has since become known as the Mullins Ranch, two miles 
northwest of what is now Helm. This was on James' land � then raw, needing 
breaking up; and he had a ranch of 1,500 acres, which he put to wheat. He 
had forty-four head of working stock which he used with a combined har- 
vester. 

As early as 1908 he had bought his present place of stubble � 200 acres 
west of Tranquillity, and he began to improve this to alfalfa under the ditch. 
He leveled it and checked it, and now he devotes it entirely to alfalfa. In 
1913 he built himself a residence, barns and other out-buildings and moved 
here ; and here he is successfully raising hay and stock, and also running a 
dairy. He raises grain, too, putting in 400 acres of wheat and barley under 
irrigation. 

In matters of national political concern a Democrat, Mr. Mullins sup- 
ports every movement to improve good citizenship, and takes especial pleasure 
in helping along, irrespective of party lines, any local endeavor having for its 
object the uplift of the community or county.