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John McNulty, house builder and contractor of De Soto, was born in Dublin, 

Ireland, in 1827, and is a son of Michael and Ann (Ball) McNulty. Michael 

McNulty, a carpenter by trade, was born in 1790, and died in 1838.  His 

wife, who was born in 1800, came to America in 1850, and died in De Soto, 

Mo., in 1874.  Of the four children born to them John was the youngest.  

He attended school only three or four years in his native country, but 

after coming to America supplemented his education by attending night 

school for nearly two years.  When but eleven years of age he began an 

apprenticeship of seven years to the carpenter's trade, becoming a skillful 

workman.  He came to this country in 1848, followed his trade two years in 

New Orleans, and in 1850 located in Jefferson County, Mo., where he bought 

140 acres, which he devoted to farming and stock raising one year, then 

rented and removed to De Soto, where he resumed work at his trade. During
the war he superintended the building of the Hillsboro courthouse, and 

afterward erected several buildings in that place.  He also superintended 

the construction of the first fair grounds of De Soto, and many buildings 

in the town. Mr. McNulty is an industrious man and a good citizen and one 

highly esteemed. He has speculated some in real estate, buying and selling 

farms and property in De Soto, and has usually met with success.  In 1854 

he married Miss Catherine Power, who was born in Waterford, Ireland, in 1829.  

To them were born four children: Bridget (wife of Lyman Parks), John, Frank 

and Mary Ann. Mrs. McNulty died in 1863, and in 1866 Mr. McNulty married Miss 

Bridget Burk, also a native of Ireland, who is the mother of two children: 

Joseph and Katie. The family are members of the Catholic Church.