His name is spelled Mulligan on the pioneer marker, but in all other records, it is Mullikin.
John Wesley Mullikin was born at Bowling Green, Kentucky, in April 1864. He had lived on the shores of Lake Worth for several years before 1894. That year, he returned to Kentucky to marry Mary M. Grimes of Carlisle, Kentucky.
On their return to Florida, they rode the first train into West Palm Beach. The first section of the Royal Poinciana Hotel had been completed the previous month. At first, there were no bridges spanning the lake so John Mullikin used his boat to operate a ferry service. The city of West Palm Beach was just forming, and he was put in charge of the city waterworks.
John and Mary had four children, the first three born in West Palm Beach and the last in Carlisle, Kentucky. Their only daughter, Jessie Lee, married A. LeRoy Clark and resided in Dania. Son Sidney Redd married Ama Mozo and lived in Chiefland, Florida. James Clyde married Edith May Robinson, and they made their home in Dania. John, Jr. never married and also remained in Dania.
By 1904, some people were moving south to what became Broward County. John Mullikin moved his family by boat to Dania, a settlement west of Fort Lauderdale, which had been started by Danes. John was elected the first mayor of Dania about 1909. He set out a large grove of grapefruit and orange trees west of Dania. He also was a general contractor, handling lumber, stone and concrete.
John Mullikin died at Dania in April 1936. Mary died after 1941, and both are buried in Dania Cemetery.
|
