William W. Mulick William W. Mulick, wholesale and retail florist at 1051 Giddings avenue, S. E., in Grand Rapids, conducts a flourishing business in this line and though financially independent retains his interest in flowers in both the practical and personal way. Mr. Mulick was born in Boston, Massachusetts on November 8, 1868. He is the son of William Henry and Mary Jane (Hultz) Mulick, who came from Boston, Massachusetts to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1872. His father was founder of what is known all over the world as Carter’s ink. He sold out this business which had brought him a fairly good fortune, to the Carter people in 1876. He then left for the western country, first to the Black Hills where he made a rather unfortunate investment in alkali lands, and from there wandered over the western part of the United States, and down into old Mexico. After four years of this exploration of western territory he returned in 1880 to Grand Rapids and there was engaged as a millwright until his death, on Thanksgiving day, November, 1916, at the age of seventy-four years. His wife died in 1887 at the age of thirty-nine years. Of their five children, two are now living. He had re-married, his second wife being Maggie Hughes.  William W. Mulick had enjoyed an interesting boyhood and young manhood while his parents were in the western countries and during that four-year period from 1876 until 1880 spent considerable portion of the time in the saddle riding over the west and south, into California and Mexico. During this period he had an experience of three months upon Buffalo Bill’s (Cody) ranch. Upon his return to Grand Rapids in 1880 he completed his education and then entered upon a business career for Rowson Brothers, contractors. He remained in that work for seventeen years and also engaged in the greenhouse business. He spent twenty-seven years in that business and has achieved financial independence. He also established a greenhouse at Greenville, Michigan in 1904, in which he still retains an interest. The importance of his business on Giddings avenue in Grand Rapids is shown by the fact that it occupies 34,000 feet of glass. Mr. Mulick is very much interested in fraternal affairs, holding membership in the Valley City Lodge No. 86, F. & A. M.; Grand Rapids Chapter No. 7, R. A. M.; Peninsular Chapter No. 65, Eastern Star; Palestine Shrine O. W. S. of J.; I. O. O. F. No. 11; Grand Rapids lodge of Knights of Pythias No. 2, and for twenty-six years has been an active member of the M. W. A., holding office almost continuously and has been chairman of the board for sixteen years. His religious affiliation is with the Congregational church. He was married on December 25, 1888, to Adaline Rice, of Lyons, Michigan, and they have one daughter Florence, born on August 8, 1906, who is a graduate of the South high school of Grand Rapids and of Ellis Fisher School in Bookkeeping.

Transcriber: Nancy Lesser
Created: 4 March 2003