Eric Pålsson Mullica (or Mullikka, 1636/37 – before 1704) was an early Swedish settler (with Finnish ancestry) to

New Sweden New Sweden () was a colony of the Swedish Empire between 1638 and 1655 along the lower reaches of the Delaware River in what is now Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Established during the Thirty Years' War when Sweden was a g ...

. He and his family were the source of the name of several geographic features and places in New Jersey.

Background

Eric (or "Erkki", original Finnish name) Mullica was born in April 1636 in Mora, Delsbo parish,

Hälsingland Hälsingland (), sometimes referred to by the Latin name Helsingia, is a historical Provinces of Sweden, province or ''landskap'' in central Sweden. It borders Gästrikland, Dalarna, Härjedalen, Medelpad and the Gulf of Bothnia. It is part of ...

, Sweden. His father was Pål Jönsson Mullica, who arrived in

with his wife and children on the vessel ''Örnen'' (''Eagle''), which sailed in 1654 from

Gothenburg Gothenburg ( ; ) is the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, second-largest city in Sweden, after the capital Stockholm, and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated by the Kattegat on the west coast of Sweden, it is the gub ...

, Sweden. The father of Pål (Paavo) was Juho Mulikka, who had earlier moved to Sweden from Finland. Juho's father was Antti Mulikka, who lived in central Finland in an area which is still called Mulikka or Pääjärvi. "Mullica" is a variation of the Finnish term ''mullikka'', which means 'young bull'. Mullica lived for several years at Tacony, adjoining the present-day Frankford neighborhood of

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, Pennsylvania and later moved to the area of Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey. Mullica built a homestead near Little Egg Harbor at what is now the settlement of Lower Bank in

Washington Township, Burlington County, New Jersey Washington Township is a township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 693, an increase of 6 (+0.9%) from the 2010 census count of 687, which in turn reflec ...

. An area near where he resided near Little Egg Harbor was named Mullica Township in

Atlantic County Atlantic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 census, the county was the state's 15th-most-populous county,Mullica River The Mullica River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 river in southern New Jersey in the United States. The Mullica was once known as the ''Little Egg H ...

. Eric's sons, William, Eric Jr. and John moved further west to an area now known as Mullica Hill, a census-designated place located within Harrison Township, in

Gloucester County, New Jersey Gloucester County ( ) is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the county was the state's List of counties in New Jersey, 14th-most populous county

. Mullica first married Ingrid, the daughter of Olof Philipsson, a Finn who arrived with his family on the ''Mercurius'' in 1656. All of Mullica's eight children were by his first wife. After Ingrid's death, Mullica married Ingeborg Helm, daughter of Capt. Israel Helm. Mullica died before 1704. In 1704, three of Eric and Ingrid's children, Eric Jr., William and John, purchased of land and built farmhouses. Eric Jr. and William built their houses that dates to 1704 and are now located on North Main Street in Mullica Hill near each other. In 1996 the Eric's house was purchased by a local merchant. William's house is also owned by a local merchant.''The Philadelphia Inquirer'', March 21, 2004

Legacy

*Township of Mullica – Township in Atlantic County on Mullica River. * Mullica Hill – Populated place in Gloucester County, about west of Glassboro *Mullica Hill Pond – Reservoir in Gloucester County, on the southeastern border of Mullica Hill. *Mullica Landing Point – Airport in Atlantic County, NW of Egg Harbor City. *

Mullica River The Mullica River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 river in southern New Jersey in the United States. The Mullica was once known as the ''Little Egg H ...

– River in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden and Ocean Counties.

References

Other sources

*Benson, Adolph B. and Naboth Hedin, eds. ''Swedes in America, 1638–1938'' (The Swedish American Tercentenary Association. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. 1938)

External links

Finnish Place Names in New Jersey

Swedish Colonial News Fall 2004
.pdf format
Information on Eric Mullica's family
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mullica, Eric, Palsson 1630s births 1704 deaths American people of Finnish descent People of New Sweden People from Harrison Township, New Jersey People from Mullica Township, New Jersey People from Washington Township, Burlington County, New Jersey Swedish emigrants to the United States Finnish-American culture in New Jersey Pre-statehood history of New Jersey People from colonial New Jersey People from Hudiksvall Municipality