Mulford Family Line
Remembering and Honoring
Father Richard Barrett Bylund | August 24, 1935 – May 5, 2021
From colonial New Jersey to modern America, the Bylund-Barrett-Mulford-Meeker–Potter-Day line weaves 250 years of civic, spiritual, and frontier history. This is its story.
In honor of my father, who asked me to explore our Mulford family line.
In the spirit of his request, what began as a personal journey of remembrance became a deeper exploration of our family’s place in America’s unfolding story. Thankfully, he was able to see this work he sponsored and encouraged before he passed. As I delved into their records and stories, I began to see how their lives reflected the resilience, faith, and civic spirit that continue to define us today.
Dad and his parents Richard F. Bylund and Isabel M. Barrett-Bylund)
Joy in the face of danger, creativity in the midst of rubble, and a gentle reminder that even in war zones, love can leave its mark.
August 28, 1956 – South Korea, 3rd Engineer Battalion Date of Request
Assigned to the Communications Section February 20, 1956, my father began his service as a switchboard operator. Within six months, he was promoted to Chief Switchboard Operator. His Captain wrote that my father readily accepted the duties of chief switchboard operator. That his duties of the job were to supervise the first and second echelon maintenance, managing extended hours of duty as a switchboard operator and determine the hours each operators work. He is loyal with out question to his section, and displayed excellent leadership ability connected with his duties and the men under him. The Captain noted the ability and competency of my father was clearly demonstrated by his outstanding performance of duty. The Captain formally requested in writing that the Commanding General of the 24th Infantry Division grant my father a waiver to elevate him to the higher position of Chief Switchboard Operator.
Paternal Grandparents
Richard Ferdinand Bylund (immigrant from Jarved, Västernorrland, Sweden) and Isabel Marie Barrett Bylund (Port Huron, Michigan)
On the New York Passenger Arrival List Records of Ellis Island, my grandfather’s name is list as “Rickard” Bylund from Arnas, Sweden. He arrived in the United States on Feb 12, 1924 at the age of 21. He departed Gothenburg, Sweden and arrived in New York, Ellis Island to be processed prior to traveling onto Michigan. He traveled on the ship Drottningholm. His passenger ID 601172010318 Frame 686 Line # 3. This is a picture of the exact ship he traveled on credit Ellis Island Museum:
Drottningholm, built by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Glasgow, Scotland 1905. 538 feet long and 60 feet wide, steam turbine engines, triple screw. Service speed 18 knots. 1712 passengers (426 first class, 286 second class, 1000 third class.) One funnel and two masts. This was a Swedish-American line with service from Gothenberg-New York. Sold to Home Lines in 1948 and renamed Brasil. Mediterranean-South America and Mediterranean-New York services. Renamed Homeland in 1951 with service to Hamburg-New York and scrapped in Italy in 1955.
U. S. World War 2 Draft Card for Grandpa Richard F. Bylund born November 3, 1902, Jarved, Sweden.
Great Grandparents Elsie A. King and William C. Barrett
Elsie Ann King-Barrett and William Clyde Barrett paternal grandmother’s Isabel “Izzy’s” Marie Barrett parents. Izzy passed photo down handwriting parents names, birth and passing dates.
Line 4110 – State of Michigan, Record of Marriages, County of St. Clair (p. 276) April 2, 1896
William (Will) C. Barrett age 25 | Elsie King age 22 | Will C. parents listed as Susan Mulford mother and George Barrett as father. | Port Huron
Written and compiled by hand over many years, this family record is preserved here in its original form, with gratitude for those who came before and the freedom their lives helped secure. My work began in 2005, and my father sponsored the research in 2016 to further authenticate his family’s line record.
Mulford Family Line
My paternal great-great grandmother, mother of William Clyde Barrett is Susan A. Mulford (Barrett). Susan was born November 6, 1839 and died February 12, 1917 at age of 77 years 3 months and 6 days. She died of pneumonia and old age was a contributing factor. She is buried at Lakeside Cemetery in Port Huron on Valentine’s Day. She died at home at the address of 923 Stone Street, 5th Ward, Port Huron, St. Claire County. On her death certificate, it states that her mother is Susan Meeker and father Jacob Mulford.
Susan A. Mulford (Barrett), my paternal 2x great-grandmother, wife of George Barrett: children Harvey M. (1860-1913), Frederic, Edwin (died in Pontiac, Michigan age 61), Bert and my great-grandfather William C. Barrett. Susan had twin girls after William (1871) but they died at birth.
Susan A. Mulford (Barrett) is the daughter of Private Jacob Mulford (1793–1886) War of 1812. In Jacob Mulford’s War of 1812 pension documents a Certificate of Copy of Record of the Death of his wife Susan Meeker Mulford is included showing her father as John Meeker. Jacob Mulford was born Jan 15, 1793 in New Jersey, USA. He passed on August 5, 1886 in Port Huron, St. Clair County.
Primary document for Susan A. (Mulford) Barrett the daughter of Jacob Mulford (b. New Jersey) and Susan Meeker (b. New Jersey) shows she passed in Port Huron, County of St. Clair, born in New Jersey source State of Michigan, Department of State – Division of Vital Statistics Certificate of Death. In the record below mother shows Sarah M. Meeker, but in Jacob Mulford’s 1812 War Pension Records, it shows Susan Meeker.
Jacob’s father is Jeremiah Mulford, my 4th time great-grandfather. Mulford, Meeker, Potter founding members, initial elected officials of Springfield, New Jersey.
There is a book History of Union County, New Jersey, Volumes 1-2 (by Frederick William Ricord), page 482 listing Jeremiah Mulford as a commissioners of appeal of the newly formed Springfield Township. Jeremiah, father of Jacob Mulford. Jacob Mulford married into the Meeker family. Jacob Mulford marries Susan Meeker (Mulford), her father is Jonathan Meeker and mother Sally Potter. Jacob and Susan Meeker-Mulford had a daughter Susan A. Mulford who married George Barrett, they are William Clyde Barrett’s parents. William C. Barrett is my grandmother Isabel Marie Barrett-Bylund (“Izzy’s”) father. Grandma “Izzy” named my father Richard Barrett Bylund. Potter, Meeker, and Mulford families played a part in the initial organizing of the township of Springfield April 14, 1794 in Union County.
Potter-Meeker-Mulford – https://archive.org/details/familyrecordsorg00litt/page/334/mode/2up | Littell’s Family Records of the First Settlers of Passaic Valley, 1851, p. 334, 114, and 112.
