The Chariton Patriot, 31 July 1889
Died: At the residence of Jeremiah Miller, in English township, on Sunday, July 28, 1889, Mary McMullen (sic) in the 81st year of her age.  She was born in Fayette county, Penn., moving to Ohio with her parents when a child, and from thence to Iowa in 1838.  She leaves an aged husband and seven children to mourn her loss.  The funeral took place on Monday, the body being taken to  Fredrick, Iowa, for interment.

The Chariton Democrat, 1 August 1889
Died: On Sunday, July 28th, 1889, at the residence of her son-in-law, Jeremiah Miller, in English township, Lucas county, Iowa,  Mrs. Mary McMullen (sic), wife of Joseph McMullen, aged 80 years.  Deceased was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, in 1809. Her  maiden name was Mary Young. Was married in Belmont county, Ohio, to Joseph McMullen, who survives her, at the age of 15 years, in 1824, thus completing 65 years of married life. She was the mother of ten children, seven of whom are now living, one only, Mrs. Elizabeth Miller, residing in this county. Deceased left fifty-two grand-children and sixty great-grand-children.  Mr. and Mrs. McMullen have resided over a half century in Iowa, coming to Lee county in 1838, and soon thereafter removed to Van Buren county, and in 1843 removed to Monroe county, and in 1864 to Lucas county, residing here eleven years, then removed back to Monroe county where they lived until the fall of '88, when old age compelled them to sell the homestead, since which they have been making their home with their children. After having undergone all the hardships and privations incident to the settlement of a new country, she was gathered home at the ripe age of 80 years, a devout Christian woman, for the last thirty-six years a member of the German Baptist Church. Her remains were taken to Fredric on Monday and laid to rest in the family burying ground beside the children who have predeceased her.

Lucas County death records
Lucas County death records state that Mary McMullen (sic), female, age 80y, 5m, died July 28, 1889, in English township of shock from a fracture; that she was born in Pennsylvania and buried at Frederick, Iowa.

Joseph McMulin's Journey to California during the gold rush

As transcribed by Frank Myers :

The following was written by my grandfather, William Ambrose Miller, during the early 1950s. Descendants of Richard McMulin say that he, too, was a member of this gold rush party. According to the late Clarence McMulin, this also was an often-told story among descendants of Joseph Ezra McMulin.

"Joseph McMulin, my grandmother's father, and some more of the bunch went to California during the gold rush. Grandfather's brother, Orin (Miller), was one I remember being told. "On the way they ran out of water and left the team and wagon and went on on foot. Great-grandfather gave out and so was left at the side of the road while the rest went on to a river. They got water and brought it back to Grandfather so he was able to go on. When he got to the river he waded in and held his mouth in the water as his tongue was so swollen he cold scarcely drink. "This bunch all got through alive, but only one, and I believe it was Orin Miller, got enough gold to really be worthwhile. He got home with enough to buy a place.

"All except Great-grandfather came back by stage coach. Orin had a trunk when he started back, but concluded someone was watching it so he left it at one of the stops and did not see the man he suspected again. "Orin had his gold in a belt he wore next to his body. "Well, Great-Grandfather would not try coming across the desert on the way home, so he came by water as much as he could.  He came by ship down the coast to the Isthmus of Panama, and with a bunch of men crossed the Isthmus on foot carrying his belongings.

"Great-grandfather had some sort of suitcase or satchel and another man had a small brass-bound trunk that he could scarcely carry and keep up. He traded this trunk for Grandfather's lighter container. "Great-grandfather was a strong, hardy man and packed that trunk across to the east side where they took a ship and crossed the Gulf of Mexico to the Mississippi river. He came by boat up to the Des Moines river and then I believe he came to Eddyville - as close to home as he could get by water, and brought that trunk along. My grandmother Miller and my Uncles showed me the trunk at different times and Uncle Rial (Gerial Trescott Miller) did have it the last I knew.  I don't know who finally got it.

"When Grandfather Miller moved from Monroe County to Lucas County in '67, Great-grandfather walked and helped to drive the stock. He had a willow limb for a cane and driving stick. When he was through he stuck it in the ground near the road in the corner of the yard. It grew to be a big tree.  Grandfather Miller had a bench under it in my day and made hives for his bees there. He had at least 40 stands of bees in 1885."

- By William Ambrose Miller, a handwritten manuscript now in the possession of Frank D. Myers