That's right, McMullin with an "i" That's how it was spelled on the 1900 and 1910 census forms, not only for pere Alex but also for his son Alexander J. They were housemates in 1900 in Lincoln township. Wife/mother Ann Leveque died the year before.

Their five children - our ancestor John, Mary, William, George, and Alexander J- were born in that order in Ontario, Canada (probably Belleville) between 1864-1877.

This census record contains a new find: Alexander Jr.'s mother-in-law Tressea Hands, age 62, born in Ireland. She is also listed as "Boarder" so clearly Alexander Jr. had her well in hand. Tressea's birthdate of 1836 means she was 40 when she had Mary.

In 1910 Alex has moved in with son George and his wife Mabelle and changed his name back to Alexander. (Perhaps in 1900 he was just avoiding name confusion with his son.) He died the next year, age 68.

Source: 1900 Census for Michigan, Midland County Click here to see full image

He got in a poke at the detested English. In 1900 he lists his birthplace and that of his parents (William McMullen and Harriet Emlaw) as "Canada (English)". In 1910 this same response is lined out and replaced with "Canada (Irish)." Hopefully the census enumerator, George Jones, appreciated this. (This feeling against the English seems prevalent at the time. For example, the paternal side of this researcher's family had Hogans and Camps, some of whom also listed their birthplaces as "Canada - Irish")

Source: 1910 Census for Michigan, Midland County Click to see individual pages:  Page1   Page2

Corrections/additions to family records: Alexander Sr.'s birthdate is 1841, not 1842. Son Alexander J. was born in 1877, not 1887. Alexander Jr.'s wife Mary was born in 1878 in Illinois. Her parents were both from Ireland. Mary E. McMullen's maiden name is Hands and her mother is Tressea Hands.