Laughlin family

Scotland to Iowa

Generation I

"Bear hunting was a favorite pastime up to about 1854, when  the last town hunt, in October, culminated in a law suit  against some outsiders who happened to be 'in at the death' of a wounded bear, and who had the bear skinned and the 400  pounds of meat divided and quietly taken away before the regular hunters arrived on the ground to dispatch him.  The  cause was tried before John Laughlin,  J. P."       History of Allamakee County, Iowa, 1882

John Laughlin

He was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland on August 28,1809. He married Jane Cuttle in Kilbarchan, Renfrew, Scotland on  May 31,1834.  Jane was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1814. Soon after their marriage they sailed for America. They first settled in New York City, where John worked hauling flour. Later they lived in Schenectady, NY, Adrian, MI, and Fort Wayne, IN; before arriving in Allamakee county, IA in 1849.  They were among the very first settlers of Post twp.  There, they bought land and built a log cabin.  John was elected as the first Justice of the Peace in Post township in 1852. In 1853 the Allamakee County Agricultural and Mechanical  Society was formed.  John Laughlin was one of the founders and was named a vice-president of the society at the first meeting in June 1853. In 1858 they built a home with materials hauled from McGregor, Clayton Co. IA.  Through-out the years John served as J.P. , Sheriff and was one of the proprietors of the first platting of the town of Waukon. Jane  continued with the farm after her husband's death and raised her minor children as a widow. She also raised the only child of her daughter Margaret Ann, her granddaughter Effie Douglas.   She can be found on the  1880 US Federal census, IA, Allamakee Co. Post twp.: Laughlin, Jane; age 65, widow, keeping house, b. Scotland, parents b. Scotland Douglas, Effie, age 17, granddaughter, at school, b. IA, fath. b. Scot, mother b. IN Next door is the family of her son James R. Laughlin. The following, from the Postville Review March 1881, likely refers to Jane Laughlin: "Grandmother Laughlin is suffering with the dread monster rheumatism." And from the Postville Review, 12-22-1883: "On Wednesday, Dec. 19th, Mrs. Jane Laughlin, mother of Rev. R. Laughlin, John H. and James R., was taken suddenly ill with apoplexy and died within two hours after being attacked.  She was an old and respected resident of Post township, and was about 69 years of age. The family have the deep sympathy of the entire range of their acquaintances." John died September 5,1860 Postville, IA, at 51 years of age. Jane died December 19, 1883 Postville, IA. They are buried in Post twp. Minert cemetery. John Laughlin and Jane Cuttle had 7 children:

2  i.  Elizabeth Laughlin 3  ii.  John Henry Laughlin 4  iii.  Robert R. Laughlin 5  iv.  Mary Jane Laughlin 6  v.  Margaret Ann Laughlin   7  vi.  James Riddle Laughlin 8  vii.  Sarah Ellen Laughlin

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Up-dated  1/13/2002

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