Isaac was the 5th of fourteen children born to Isaac and Elizabeth (Mullins) Mullins.

Isaac served in the UNION Army during the Civil War with Company K, 39 KY Mounted Infantry, U.S. Volunteers.

Isaac married Elvira "Ella" Vanover, daughter of William and Elizabeth "Betsy" (Howell) Vanover, on Jan. 3, 1873.

Isaac and Elvira had nine children:
1. Noah, b. 1873 (m. (1) Isabelle Bartley, (2) Mary E. Adkins, (3) Sarah Ellen Adkins)
2. Paris, b. 1876 (m. Alafair Adkins, 1898)
3. George Milburn, b. April 28, 1878
4. Elbert, b. May 15, 1880
5. Caldona, June 1882 (m. Fleetwood J. Haynes, 1898)
6. Walter, b. Jan. 1884 (m. Minnie Wade 12/20/1913)
7. Bessie, b. 1888 (m. Samuel Cochran)
8. Chester, b. 1889-90 (m. Clementine Fleming, 12/25/1908)
9. Annie Belle (m. Birten E. Franks, 1908)

From Dickenson County Newspaper 1890-1900. Wise Co.
Submitted by Annette Damron, Robert Beverly, Rachel Vore and Louise Vanover Vore

BLACK IKE CAUGHT
CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTING TO BURN DICKENSON JAIL
CLINTOWOOD, VA August 4, 1893 (special)
Isaac Mullins, better known as "Black Ike", who is charged with having made an attempt to burn the county jail a few nights ago, was arrested and lodged in jail on Saturday. Sheriff Kiser and a posse of men made a raid on him, where he was in hiding among his relatives a few miles below town. They found him in the woods, and when the officers demanded his surrender he drew a dangerous looking pistol and attempted to resist them; but was overpowered.

There are other charges besides that of firing the jail against him. Black Ike is a notorious character, and there has hardly been a time for the last fifteen years that he has not had an indictment pending against him in a county court.

"SON" MULLINS CAPTURED--A NARROW ESCAPE
CLINTWOOD, VA November 14, 1893 (special)
A day or two since the officers caught "Son" Mullins, who was sentenced to two years imprisonment in the penitentiary, but excaped from jail here. They found him in a fodder house, where he had taken up his night's lodging, near his father's on Lick Fork. He will be conveyed to the penitentiary in a few days.

Black Ike was somewhat of a notorious character as is evidenced by this newspaper story by DWALE, DICKENSON COUNTY, VA., February 25, 1895 -(special)-

"Isaac Mullins alias "Black Ike", attempted to shoot Phillip Fleming, one of his neighbors, who was passing by his house on Thursday. He had an old grudge against Fleming, and when he saw him passing by he threatened him, with violence, using some very inappropriate language and ran into his house, returning with his gun, which he fired at the man, though without effect. A warrant was at once procured from Justice Keel, and Mullins was arrested and placed in jail at Clintwood. Mullins returned from the penitentiary about two months ago, where he had served a two-years' sentence for attempting to burn the county jail."

Phillip Fleming was the brother of Calvin and Samuel McHenan "Henan" Fleming, two outlaws who were involved in the massacre of the Mullins family at Pound Gap on the border of Kentucky and Virginia on May 14, 1892. It is unknown whether Phillip was involved but certainly Isaac Mullins, who was a third cousin of one of the Mullins killed, held a grudge with the Fleming brothers.