[p. 784] proprietor of the City Hotel, at Ellwood City, may be numbered with the pioneers of the place, as well as with the representative and substantial citizens. He was born in the city of New York, February 22, 1866, and is a son of James and Margaret (Lee) Mulcahy.
The parents of Mr. Mulcahy were born in Ireland, and both came to America when they were about twenty years of age. After their marriage, they resided in the city of New York until 1868, when they came to Pennsylvania, and located at Emporium, the father entering the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Both parents died in 1908, separated by less than a week, the father passing away on March 30th and the mother on April 6th, both aged over seventy years.
David J. Mulcahy was the only child. He obtained his education in the schools of Emporium, and when fourteen years old learned the art of telegraphy, and followed telegraphing until he came to Ellwood City, working in a number of offices both in Pennsylvania and New York. In 1892 he was sent to Ellwood City as ticket and express agent for what was then the Pittsburg & Western, but is now the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. He continued with that road for seven and one-half years, and later was cashier at this place for the Pittsburg & Lake Erie Railroad. On September 1, 1905, Mr. Mulcahy took charge of the City Hotel, formerly known as Grier's Tavern. Mr. Mulcahy has made many improvements, has placed the house in first class condition, and has installed modern conveniences. He has twenty-eight rooms and handles a large commercial trade. He is widely and favorably known, and his patronage needs to come only from his friends to give him all he could accommodate.
On November 9, 1881, Mr. Mulcahy was married to Miss Bessie Shull, who was reared at Rome, N. Y., and is a daughter of T. R. B. Shull formerly of Costello, Potter County, Pennsylvania, but now of Hubbardsville, N. Y. Mr. and Mrs. Mulcahy have five children, their ages ranging from fifteen to five years, four daughters and one son, to be proud of, namely: Marjorie, Mary, Gertrude, David and Florence. The family belong to St. Agatha's Roman Catholic Church. In politics Mr. Mulcahy is a Democrat. He is a member of the order of Elks, New Castle Lodge No. 69, and of the Eagles, No. 1246, Ellwood City.
Mr. Mulcahy has witnessed many wonderful changes since he first came to what bore the then pretentious name of Ellwood City. There was not a single sidewalk worthy of the name, and only two buildings stood on the north side of Lawrence Avenue, that present beautiful boulevard. Perhaps there are not a dozen residents here who were then citizens, the place not being made a borough until some time later. In all the development that has taken place, Mr. Mulcahy has served with acknowledged public spirit. He is a member of the Ellwood City Board of Trade.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
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