2. Dead Men Can't Talk

Since I was new to family history research and didn't really know where to begin, I started at the end.  Dead men can’t talk, but their death certificates can.  There were some good clues in my great-grandfather’s death certificate.

John Arthur Mullen, Sr. died September 6, 1953, in Delps Nursing Home after a stay of two weeks.  He died from complications of a fractured hip, caused by falling off a chair at home (maybe the kitchen chair?). He was born March 27, 1872, in Scotland, the son of Peter Mullen and Hannah Arthur.  A retired master mechanic, his former employer was Carnegie Steel in Youngstown, Ohio.  He did not serve in the military.  Informant: John A. Mullen, Jr.

My grandfather signed the certificate and provided all the personal information about his father.  He had all the answers if only I had asked him! 

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 Hannah Mullen's maiden name was Arthur. That explains why Grandpa and his father were given the same middle name. It was a family surname, probably meant to be passed down through the generations.

My great-grandmother’s death certificate had some good clues too, including her maiden name – Donahue.

Catherine Donahue Mullen died October 8, 1944, from pneumonia.  She was born November 4, 1864, in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Michael and Catherine Donahue.  Both of her parents were born in Ireland.  Informant:  John Mullen (Sr.) 

My great grandfather married an older woman! Little did he know that she was fibbing about her birth date, so the age difference between them was even more than eight years. I often wondered why they only had one child (Grandpa), but now I think it was because she was over 40 when he was born.

The Mullen family tree was starting to take shape!