Overhold

Timothy and Westly each claimed a quarter in section 20, 10N 49W in December 1871, a scrip originally granted in favor of the State of New York.

The reason for a special chapter dealing with the life and charities of John K. Mullen is readily apparent. For in him we discover a gentleman whose thoughts and dealings were so intimately bound up with Catholic life in general and with Cathedral Parish life in particular, that in a sense we may say there would have been no Cathedral without him. Certainly it can be said that without him the details of this splendid record of Catholic achievement would have been vastly different. Providence endowed Mr. Mullen, from the cradle to the grave, with that rare talent that can make a man an outstanding success in a business world of strenuous competition. But more than that, the same gracious God endowed him with a talent far more rare—to be willing to use the gifts which the world piled at his feet for the benefit of his fellowmen, holding them up first in the sight of God, praying that He might accept them as pious offerings from his hand, his eyes upon the warning of Jesus Christ: "Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth" (St. Matt. 6:19). John K. Mullen expended during his life time, and bequeathed after his death, vast sums of money in public and private charity, but not a penny of it was spent foolishly or uselessly. He placed his donations with the same constructive care as he managed his business and the glorious results of his planning live after him. When the reader of this History remembers the efforts of John K. Mullen while the Cathedral was building, and his generosity which made possible its Consecration; when the visitor to the Cathedral gazes in admiration at its grandeur and beholds the several ornaments that are monuments to him, he will understand why no apology is needed to introduce here a brief life story of Cathedral's greatest single benefactor.
John K. Mullen, the subject of this sketch, was justly styled the premier Catholic layman, not only of Denver but of Colorado and the West as well. To write his biography would be to write much of the history of the Catholic Church and Catholic charities of the city, while there is scarcely a worthy institution in the state, whether Catholic, Protestant or civic, that has not received from him liberal aid. Born in County Galway, Ireland, June 11, 1847, Mr. Mullen came to this country when a boy of nine. The family settled in Oneida County, New York. Here, at the age of fourteen, John was employed in a flour mill, and here he gave evidence of and developed the traits that entered so largely into his phenomenal success. Every detail of his employer's business that passed under his notice was carefully observed, and at the age of twenty he was placed in charge of the mill. Before coming to Denver in 1871 he was employed in a mill in Troy, Kansas, for about four years. Upon his arrival in Denver he went to work in the Davis & Shackleton flour mill, and five years later entered business for himself, in partnership with Theodore Sethman at the Ironclad Mill, which they leased. In little more than a year he bought his partner's interest, and during the two succeeding years leased the Star Mill and bought the Excelsior Mill from J. W. Smith in 1878. Four years later, in 1882, he built the first grain elevator in the state, at Eighth and Wazee Streets, known today as the Hungarian Elevator, and in 1883 finished the erection of the Hungarian Mills. In 1885 he organized the Colorado Milling and Elevator Company, became its president in 1887, and continued to build and buy, until before his death the firm was operating over two hundred mills, elevators and warehouses in Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Utah, Idaho, Oregon and California, with an annual business in excess of $20,000,000. The secret of Mr. Mullen's success lay first in his wonderful grasp of detail, his striking knowledge of men, and his rare judgment in selecting his assistants; combined with the fact that he gained and held the confidence of all with whom he had business dealings. "As honest as John Mullen" was the highest compliment one businessman could pay another.
Mr. Mullen was president of the J. K. Mullen Land and Stock Company, the Harmony Land and Stock Company, the Denver and Platte Valley Land and Stock Company, the Tamarack Land and Stock Company and the Riverside Land and Cattle Company. Mr. Mullen was Past Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, and the donor of a valuable library to the Denver Council. A diligent student of men and books, he became a man of great culture. Mr. Mullen formed commercial companies, many of them, but he formed characters as well. The West is filled with prominent and successful businessmen who received their early start and training under his guidance, for the Aged" at West 29th Avenue and Meade Street. "The In the year 1917 Mr. Mullen built the "J. K. Mullen Home Little Sisters of the Poor" were placed in charge and a capacity number of 180 aged men and women have been cared for annually since its completion. As a member of the Building Committee, the donor of the handsome Communion table, as well as the contributor of not less than $150,000, Mr. Mullen's aid toward a completed and consecrated Cathedral was invaluable. In 1874 he married Miss Catherine Smith of Denver. Of this union four daughters were born: Ella, Mrs. Ella Mullen Weckbaugh; Mary, now Mrs. John L. Dower; Katherine, Mrs. James O'Connor, deceased; and Edith, Mrs. Oscar L. Malo. The archives of the Cathedral Parish reveal how intimately Mr. Mullen was associated with its early growth. The earliest records of business meetings that have been preserved bear the date of 1876, and the name of John K. Mullen is found in that record in the capacity of secretary of the meeting. Associated with him were Thomas O'Brien, George Lahaye, Joseph Walsh, Thomas Clifford, A. Woeber, Jacob Scherrer and William Maloney. From that date until the date of his death, Mr. Mullen sat in at practically every important meeting that had to do with the welfare of the Cathedral Parish. As early as 1885 the question of a new Cathedral was discussed, with Mr. Mullen urging activity. Little di he think in those days that he would later play so important a part in giving to Denver such a beautiful edifice consecrated forever to the Service of God. But Mr. Mullen's activities were by no means confined to things that pertained to his own parish. Old Calvary Cemetery, as well as Mt. Olivet in its infancy, had his entire interest and his fine judgment. Practically every parish in the city knew his generosity, as did our hospitals and other charitable institutions. This is notably true of St. Vincent's Orphanage, which for so many years held the interest of his saintly wife, Mrs. Catherine Mullen. One of Mr. and Mrs. Mullen's major contributions to Catholic Action is the beautiful Mullen Library Building at the Catholic University, Washington, D. C. In 1921 Mr. and Mrs. Mullen established The John K. and Catherine S. Mullen Benevolent Corporation, the purpose of which is to care for the maintenance of orphans and the aged poor. The income from this fund pays for the running expenses of The Home for the Aged and also for the J. K. Mullen Home for Boys. This benevolence was Mr. Mullen's last wish and he had begun to put it into execution six months before his death in 1929.
In 1930 his daughters purchased a large dairy and stock farm near Fort Logan, only six or seven miles from Denver. In 1931 they opened the J. K. Mullen Home for Boys. This is conducted by the Christian Brothers where boys released from orphanages at the age of from 12 to 14 years are given high school courses and taught dairying, stock- raising and farming. Blooded, prize-winning cattle are the pride and care of 40 boys, who otherwise would probably be on the streets. As time goes on the Benevolent Corporation expects to build, and add to their livestock, in accord with the increase in the number of homeless boys in their care. Mr. and Mrs. Mullen and their family lived for many years at Ninth and Lawrence Streets. In 1925 they built upon that site St. Cajetan's Church for the Mexican Catholics of Denver and since then their daughters have purchased adjacent property for a school and convent.
The tradition for constructive charity established by Mr. and Mrs. Mullen is being generously continued today by their daughters. Witness the Santa Maria Camp maintained by Mr. and Mrs. John L. Dower. This beautiful camp, located in Platte Canon, sixty miles from Denver, cares for 600 underprivileged children every summer. Witness also the spacious, entirely modern and completely furnished Catherine Mullen Nurses' Home and Training School attached to St. Joseph's Hospital, the gift of Mrs. Weckbaugh. At this writing a large modern operating wing, an addition to the same hospital, is under contemplation and will be erected through the generosity of Mrs. Dower. Witness also the Oscar Malo, Jr., Gymnasium, and the St. Malo Camp for boys near Estes Park, the gift of Mr. and Mrs. Malo to the Cathedral parish.
The Catholic Church of Colorado owes to Mr. and Mrs. Mullen and their family an everlasting debt of gratitude.