Last Updated on October 17, 2011 by
J. A. Mulford, wholesale dealer in hides, leather, findings, furs, pelts and tallow, Mattoon; was born in Newark, N. J., May 16, 1839; he completed a course in the high school, but did not enter upon a college course; at the age of 17, he began the trade of a jeweler, and worked under instructions till his majority; he followed his trade about five years; subsequently he was employed as accountant, and had charge of the wholesale department of Davis & Elcox, in Maiden Lane, New York, for some length of time; in the spring of 1867. he came West to Illinois and located in Mattoon, and began operating in hides for the Chicago markets; afterward, he operated for the Eastern markets; today, he operates over a territory extending west to St. Louis and east to Terre Haute; by an admirable system of book-keeping, peculiarly his own, he is enabled at any hour to know the exact status of his business. He was married Sept. 10, 1863, to Sarah E. Pruden, a native of New Jersey; they have three children – E. Ross, Jennie and Herbert. Mr. Mulford is recognized as a man of fine business qualifications, and well worthy the success that has crowned his efforts.