"The hullabaloo had started. The bugles blew, the banners flew, and behind the proud banners marched the young drummer boy, setting a drumbeat for history.
The battle was Bunker Hill. The spirited boy was James McMullen, a Scottish lad bringing his family name to America for the first time.
It is from this name that the warp and the woof of the very fabric of Florida is made. The seven stalwart grandsons of the drummer boy and their descendants were builders and doers who led and participated in every aspect of the development of Florida and particularly the Tampa Bay Area.The second son of James McMullen and Sarah. James McMullen Jr born in 1788 had 12 children. Seven of those sons made the name McMullen known through their politics, engineering, law and agriculture in the West Florida area. He was the son of James McMullen, one of three brothers who came from Scotland. He and Sarah had made their home in Burke County Georgia and then built a home there called Mansion House on 300 acres. (after comming from North Carolina early in life).
Between the years 1848 and 1871 the seven brothers settled the area now known as West Hillsborough County (Tampa). ..."

The records of their political and local businesses are endless. Here. If you live elsewhere, noone has heard of them. It's a strong pride I have for this family but also the stories that come from my British (McCarthy, Henry) and French (LaBonte) side. that still need to be further researched.

I live in Clearwater (Dunedin). Everywhere you go there is McMullen this, McMullen Hwy, McMullen Tennis Center (really) McMullen homestead sites, McMullen parks.... It's great for me to live near the places I was taken as a youngster. To see the history of this interesting county and know how I have relatives everywhere here. I also realize my other family history is just as interesting, and we have learned alot more about the other side of the tree lately. We even have some oil paintings (that side, the McCarthy side, is very creative and almost everyone in that family either oil paints or loves piano as I do). How neat to find out more about your own family.
It is our past that we learn about ourselves. If nothing else, to find a center to where we came from...