Laughlin, J. L.

LAUGHLIN, MCLAUGHLIN

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 12/3/2008 at 19:19:30

LAUGHLIN, J. L.
Farmer and Stock Raiser; Sec. 29; P. O. Prairie City; was born in Trumbull Co., Ohio, May 4, 1831. Came to this county in 1859. Has 160 acres of land, valued at $8,000. Held the offices of Town Supervisor, Assessor, Town Clerk. Belongs to the Christian Church. Married Selena McLAUGHLIN. She was born in Mercer Co., Penn, Jan. 7, 1833. Emigrated from Ohio to Scott Co., Iowa in 1854; lived there one year; thence to Clinton County; lived there about four years; thence to Jasper Co., Iowa, where he has resided since. Came through with teams; camped out; did their own cooking; worked with first Fall for J. W. MACY. He worked and put in one horse for a dollar a day; his wife picked up potatoes in the field, and that is the way they started out in a new country. The next Spring they built a shanty 16X20 feet. In 1860, went to breaking prairie and raised a crop. Enlisted in the 10th I. V. I. in 1861, under Capt. GARRETT of Newton; was in the battles of Corinth, Iuka, Jackson, Champion Hills, siege of Vicksburg; was elected as First Lieutenant; the First Lieutenant resigned, but his resignation was not accepted; was afterward elected as Second Lieutenant and was commissioned by Gov. KIRKWOOD. Has a good dairy of eighteen cows. Has an orchard of eighteen acres, fine grove and plenty of small fruit; came here a poor man - had an old team and wagon, 85 cents in his pocket and eighty acres of raw prairie; but by muscle and good management, has made himself one of the pleasantest homes of the township. The shanty they built the next year or Summer, the cracks were large enough to allow the stove pipe to pass through them. ~ "Mound Prairie Township Biographies," The History of Jasper County, Iowa, (Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1878)