Samuel (I) Mulliken of Bradford, Massachusetts. (1722-1777)

The small village of Bradford, Massachusetts, is considered one of America’s earliest clockmaking centers. What is interesting is that Bradford is not a coastal town, nor did it have a sizable population. This small village is located some 18 miles up the Merrimack River across from the town of Haverhill, Massachusetts. As early as 1720, this region had a healthy shipbuilding trade on both sides of the river. As a result, numerous blacksmiths settled in this region. The three families, consisting of the Mullikens, the Balches, and the Carletons, all had native born sons who were responsible for producing clocks.

Samuel Mulliken was born in 1720 in Bradford, Massachusetts, the son of John Mulliken (1690-1737) and Mary Poore Mulliken. Samuel also had a younger brother who was a clockmaker. His name was Nathaniel (1722-1767), and he moved to Lexington sometime about 1751. Together, they are among the earliest members of a very important and extensive family of American Clockmakers. It is thought that they were both trained by their uncle Jonathan Mulliken (born about 1701) of Newburyport. Samuel worked in Bradford until 1750, when he moved to Newburyport. He died six years later on June 4th, 1756, at the young age of 36. His estate inventory survives and includes clockmaking tools, parts, and clocks. Today, a small number of 30-hour and eight-day tall clocks are known.