Wednesday, July 25, 1888 – Worcester Spy
Isaac S. Mullen of
Boston, the first colored man ever appointed to the Massachusetts District Police
Force, was duly qualified on Tuesday. He served in the navy during the Civil
War, was afterward a mail agent in the south, and later had a position in the
Boston Custom House under Collector Beard.
ISAAC S. MULLEN was born on July 15, 1841 in Stonington,
CT, son of Abby and George Mullen (Mullan). In the 1860 census the Mullen
family was living in Salem, Massachusetts and Isaac was educated at the
Phillips School. In 1859, at age 18, he enlisted
in the United States Navy.
 |
| USS Portsmouth |
He was assigned on the sloop-of-war Portsmouth and
was stationed on the west coast of Africa running down ships engaged in
smuggling slaves to the United State.
Isaac re-enlisted on January 22, 1862 on
board the gunboat Chocorua, and served on the gunboat Lillian during the
blockade of the James and York rivers, and later off Wilmington, NC during the
Civil War. He was hospitalized in the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and was
discharged in 1865. While aboard the Portsmouth he kept a log book that
included the taking of Pirate Ships and first-hand information regarding the
manner in which the slave traffic was conducted and how Negro men, women and
children were thrown overboard from the slave ships to prevent the spread of
disease. Another interesting story in his ledger was the branding of a sailor
with the letter “M” because he mutinied during the voyage. His ledger is
available for review at the Strawberry Bank Museum in Portsmouth, NH.
Mr.
Mullen was also a “bones player” and was a member of a minstrel troupe. He had
the distinction of playing for Abraham Lincoln in early 1862, on a visit by the
President to the Union fleet assembled off Hampton Roads, VA. The President and
his party came on board the Chocorua, and the ships officer gave the signal for
the band, composed of young Mullen with the bones, and two other buddies with
banjo and accordion to get busy. Seated on top of three overturned nail kegs,
the musicians played “Boston (Buffalo) Gals,” “Possum Up A Gum Tree” and
“Turkey in The Straw.”
The President was clapping in time with the rhythm along
with cabinet members and generals. When the musicians had finished, the
President shook hands with the sailors three and said to Mullen in the
most-fatherly manner – “Son, I wouldn’t have missed this for anything.”
(Springfield Daily Republican – April 5, 1927)
Isaac
married Mary Francis Whiting, daughter of Selma Bird and Frank Whiting of
Portsmouth, VA on April 15, 1865, and they had three sons, Clarence, William
and George. His wife and sons all predeceased him.
In
the 1870 census, Isaac and Mary were living in Portsmouth, VA with their son
William and he was working as an inspector in the Custom House there. In the
1880 census they we living on Grove Street in Boston and Isaac was employed as
a clerk in the Custom House through 1887. In 1888, Isaac was appointed to state
district police and assigned to Suffolk County. According to a March 20, 1895 headlined
story in the Boston Herald, “State Officer Mullen Confiscated a Large Quality
Shipment from Nova Scotia. An important seizure of short lobsters was made
yesterday by state officer Isaac Mullen. It is claimed by the fish and game
commissioners and the district police that for a long time the law has been
violated by parties shipping quantities of lobsters from Canada to this city,
and thence to New York.”
Mullen served on the district police for twelve years
and retired at age 58 in 1899. During his lifetime, Isaac Mullen was a very
active citizen of Boston. He served as past commander and adjutant of the Grand
Army of the Republic, Commander and Adjutant of the Robert A. Bell Post 134
GAR, Colored National League, Colored Odd Fellows, the Wendell Phillips Club,
Secretary of the Veterans Protective League, and Secretary of the International
Association of Factory Inspectors while he was on the state police.
On May 31,
1904 Mullen read Lincon’s Gettysburg address at the Memorial Day service on
Boston Common in tribute to Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, commander of the first
all-black regiment, the famous 54th Massachusetts Infantry. His wife
Mary died on November 20, 1907 and Isaac died in 1930 and they are buried in
Mt. Hope Cemetery.
In The News
A Good Record (Boston Herald -Tuesday July
24, 1888)
Isaac S. Mullen of
Boston, has been appointed one of the members of the district police, was born
in Stonington, Ct., July 15, 1841; was educated at the Phillips school, Salem;
enlisted in the United States Navy in 1859, on the sloop-of-war Portsmouth and was
stationed on the west coast of Africa. He re-enlisted January 22, 1862 on board
the gunboat Chocorua, and served on the gunboat Lillian, and was discharged in
1865. January 2, of that year, at Norfolk, VA he was appointed a mail agent
from Newport, VA to Raleigh, N.C., but was compelled to resign on account of
the Ku Klux Klan, and was afterward appointed clerk in the Norfolk Custom
House. He was a member of the city council of Portsmouth, VA., and also 2ndlieutenant of the Langston Guard of Norfolk, VA. On coming north, he was
appointed as a messenger in the custom house in this city under A. W. Beard,
and served under R. Worthington, and was removed April 2, 1887. He is now
commander of Robert A. Bell post 134 G.A.R. of this city, being his third term.
Mr. Mullen is also on the staff of Myron P. Walker, commander of the department
of Massachusetts G.A.R. He has the honor of having held the highest position of
a colored comrade, that of inspector for North Carolina and South Carolina and
Virginia under General Burnside. He is a prominent Odd Fellow, having been
district secretary for several years, which position he now holds in the order.
(Boston Herald July 24, 1888)
In The News
Marines On The African West Coast in 1860
To The Editor of
The Herald:
In
the Herald of Sunday June 3, in the history of the United States Marine Corps,
I noticed that they saw service on the west coast of Africa, at Kensemba in
1860.
Some
time about February 19, 1860, a report came to the captain of the U.S.S.
Portsmouth, then lying in the port of St. Paul de Loando, that a disturbance
had occurred among the natives, and that the Americans who owned factories
would be killed on account of some alleged cruelty. On the 19th of
February the ship’s launch was ordered to Kensemba under command of Lt. T.
Abbott and Lt. John J. Broome, who commanded the marines on the Portsmouth, to
proceed at once to Kensemba. Sailors, together with the marines, arrived at the
port some 20 hours after debarking. On the 20th, the next day, the
Portsmouth set sail for Kensemba. At about 6 A.M., arriving at the port in
eight hours, on the arrival of the
Portsmouth, there was lying at anchor the English sloop-of-war Falcon, the U.S.S.
Marion and two Portuguese men-of war.
Thousands
of natives of various tribes could be seen from the deck of the Portsmouth. The
guns of each ship were double-shotted to be used in case of emergency. But the
timely arrival of the marines of the United States, which were few, prevented a
disturbance. If it had happened that would have caused much bloodshed. On the
26th the trouble was ended and the owners of not only the American
factories , but of the other nations, secured protection for which they asked.
Being present when the above
incident occurred , and one of the crew on board the U.S.S. Portsmouth, Captain
John C. Calhoun, I can vouch for the part taken by our gallant marines.
Isaac S.
Mullen
On board of U.S.S. Portsmouth
from May 1859 to October 1861, west coast of Africa
227 West Canton Street Boston, MA
From Ron Guilmette and I added a few photos and have several PDF articles on Issac S Mullen please contact me. Ron is an author and the curator of the Massachusetts State Police Museum and Learning Center
The couple is listed as living on 40 Middle Street,
Newburyport and Rolfe's Lane Newbury, Massachusetts in the census and
city directory. Children Benjamin Stover Welch married Mary Ella Berry--Lived in Lanconia,
New Hampshire, May M Welch married Walter Irvin Perry, and George H Welch married Georgia Colby. 
