Ira M. Mulliken, junior member of the well-known firm of Barr & Mulliken and one of the rising young business men of Newman, was born in Champaign County, Illinois, December 17, 1865. His father, James W. Mulliken, was a native of Johnson County, Indiana, and removed to Champaign County in about 1852. His mother Catherine was a daughter of Rev. Samuel F. Miller, who was horn in 1815, and at present resides in Arcola. (See sketch of W. H. Bush, of Hindsboro.) In about 1868 the father of I. M. Mulliken removed to a farm near Hindsboro, where the latter remained until he arrived at the age of twenty-one years, when he went to Arcola to reside, and there worked at the carpenter’s trade. He attended Lee’s academy at Loxa, Illinois, for six months, then subsequently attended the embalming college at Indianapolis. From 1893 to June 1, 1896, he was a member of the undertaking firm of Mike, Miller & Co., at Charleston, Illinois. In the latter year he removed to Newman to accept a partnership with James Barr (see sketch).
On September 4, 1893, he was married to Miss Ida A., a daughter of John W. Allison, of Arcola. They have one child, a daughter, Frances Marie. He is a member and noble grand of the I. O. O. F. elder iii the Christian Church, and superintendent of its Sunday school. He is also chief patriarch of the I. O. O. F. encampment; member of the Masonic fraternity, and clerk of the school board of Newman. The firm of Barr & Mullikin own two large stores in Newman, Mr. Barr super-intending the furniture and undertaking establishment on the west side of the square, and Mr. Mulliken manages the hardware and tin shop and does the undertaking work on the north side. They carry a large stock and do quite an extensive business, drawing trade for miles around them.