McLaughlin, J. W.

MCLAUGHLIN, WILSON, HARBISON, DOWNER, CRAIG, DELL

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/13/2009 at 12:59:03

J. W. McLaughlin, an influential businessman of Newton, was born Bear Beaver Falls, Lawrence County, PA, May 27, 1852. His parents, Robert and Amanda (Wilson) McLaughlin, were natives of Lawrence County and were of Scotch-Irish lineage. The history of both families dates back to a very early day in the settlement of this county. Grandfather James McLaughlin was born in Pennsylvania, and followed the occupation of a farmer until his death, which occurred in the Keystone state.

Jeremiah Wilson, our subject's maternal grandfather, was born in Pennsylvania and there followed the occupation of farming in connection with his trade of a stonemason until his death, which occurred about 1852. The grandmothers on both sides came to Jasper County, where both died about 1872. Robert McLaughlin, father of our subject, was born in Lawrence County, PA, and was the youngest of five brothers, the others being James, William, Daniel and John. James served in the Mexican War; William, who was a soldier in the Civil War, went to Florida shortly after the close of that struggle and died in that State; Daniel came to Jasper County and died prior to the opening of the war; of John, the next to the youngest, we have no record for more than forty years.

In 1856 the brothers, James, William, Daniel and Robert, and both grandmothers of our subject came from Pennsylvania to Iowa and settled at Newton, where Robert worked at his trade of a carpenter until 1860. He then, with his family and his brothers James and William, went to Kansas and located near Garnett, Anderson County, where he built the first frame house erected in that town. In 1861, at the first call for troops, he enlisted in the fifth Kansas Cavalry as a private, and served faithfully for three years. He was wounded at Helena, AR, and from the effects of the wound died in a hospital at Little Rock in 1864.

The death of the father left the widowed mother with four small children and with but limited means. Our subject, the only son, although but twelve years old at the time of the father's death, aided his mother in the work of managing the farm. Some four years afterward his mother married H. Harbison, and during the same year (1868) he started out to make his own way in the world. Of his sisters we note the following: The eldest, Almina, married K H. Downer and died to Leavenworth, KS, in 1878; Lydia is the wife of Dr. D. C. Craig, a prominent physician of Garnett, KS; Phena is unmarried and lives with her mother, who is now a resident of Kansas City, MO.

In 1868, when our subject started out to make his way in the world, he found that he had very limited education. He returned to Newton, Iowa, where he had relatives, and set out to equip himself with more thorough education. He entered the Hazel Dell Academy, and while he was but a boy and without means he possessed an abundance of will power and determination and knew no such word as "fail." For three years he was an industrious student, clerking in a store during vacations in order to defray his expenses. His education was finally completed in a private school in Newton, and directly afterward he obtained a position in the office of the Jasper County Coal & Railroad Company, with which he remained for five years. He then entered the store of Barns & Condit, where he held a position for four years. With the earnings he had meantime accumulated, he entered into business with Willis McColloms under the firm name of Mc Laughlin & McColloms. Their grocery store was opened in 1879, and the partnership continued until l885, when our subject bought out his partner's interest and has since continued the business himself. From a small beginning be has established the most extensive and profitable business in his line in Jasper County.

While devoting his attention principally to his grocery, Mr. McLaughlin has also been interested in other enterprises. In the year 1884, when the Newton Canning Company was organized, he was one of the original stockholders, and in 1887, when the company was reorganized, he was elected Secretary of the company, a position he has since held. At a meeting in January 1893, be was elected both Secretary and Manager, although he had virtually been manager prior to that time. The company transits an extensive business and sells annually more than a half-million cans of products.

In December 1880, occurred the marriage of Mr. McLaughlin and Miss Dell, the accomplished daughter of the late J. W. Wilson, who was a prominent attorney of Newton. In his political affiliations our subject is liberal in his views, but inclines toward the Republican Party. An influential Mason and Knight Templar, he served the blue lodge as Master and was at the time the youngest man who bad filled that important position. He has also been High Priest of the chapter and Eminent Commander of the Commandery.

He was one of the charter members of the Knights of Pythias. In his social circles he is general favorite, and is a pleasant, entertaining companion. While all the early representatives of his family were identified with the Old Presbyterian Church, he is not connected with any religious organization, his contributions, however, have aided in the work of the various churches, and he is a liberal supporter of benevolent and charitable projects. Portrait and Biographical Record, Jasper, Marshall and Grundy Counties, IA Page 204.