More Information On the Laughlin Ancestors

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The following is the account of Maud Chapman Reed kept of her visit to Pennsylvania in 1898. [My notes are in brackets]

  • Page 42:

    Friday 24
    As Lena was acquainted with John Kennedy, Jennie Snowden's man we called there but found she was out in the country. We went into his father's house and spent a pleasant time talking about the old people. She used to be an Alexander and knew Mother and Aunt Cornelia when they were girls. ...

Saturday 25 Hookstown PA
Sam Lyons, who used to live on the corner is dead. ... Al Laughlin lives at the old log house with the same old curled up shingles. Margaret L. got a pension and lives in Georgetown. ... [I can't place these two Laughlin's.]

 ... Jim Laughlin is still there. The old Crystler house is empty. Ben Laughlin [Robert/Rebecca's son] lives in a neat looking little house at the lane. Tillie Wright Shamp lives where Cale's used to and that brings me up to Laughlins. After paying Burt a quarter for brining me to my desired haven, I shoulder my boxes and climb that hill which always did take my breath. Simmons was cutting grass in the yard, of course they knew me, Esther was laying a carpet in the dining room. After dinner, I put on my lawn wrapper and was real comfortable.

  • Page 43:

Sunday 26th
Last night Esther and I took a walk down the road as far as Jim Laughlins and gathered mountain tea. The hills are just lovely. ... The pump station has been moved to the mouth of the creek. Mr. Laughlin's well still makes a very little oil.

When we cam back up we talked awhile to Walter Campbell [Joseph/Lucinda's son]. He married a girl named Nannie, whose people live on the island and he stays there too. He has a baby boy called Fredrick. Walter is very short and heavy and wears a mustache. Jim L.[Laughlin] says he just admires a man of Walter's build. ...

This morning we went to church. It was communion day, a Rev. Young assisted the minister Rev. Hoosick. Miss Fronk has her class upon chairs up in the corner opposite tot he choir. Today there were Esther, Jennie Ramsey and I. The supt now is Charlie Mackall, assistant Marion Blackmore, the teachers Mr. Blackmore, Clark Thompason, Julia Reed, Miss Fronk, Edna and Nina Swearingen and Manda McLaughlin. Will Read is secretary and Ada Cully organist. The choir today consisted of Mr. Blackmore, Ernest Cully, Jennie Kerr, Mazzie Reed and Jennie Ramsey. There is a strong church there now and Esther says the neighborhood is very quiet, no drinking or dancing here now. There is not a drug store nor a liquor seller in town.

  • Page 45

Monday June 27
... Esther Laughlin has the blue spool rack that Papa made and we used so long and an old slip case that I made. ..

  •  Page 46:

Monday June 27 cont
... Clark Thompson opened up the coal in Negro Hollow and did a good business selling coal at three cents. Mr. Laughlin still sells some coal at his mine. A company of Negroes have purchased the Manfield's shaft and expect to monopolize the business.

 Thursday 30th
... We made a call on Mrs. Brierly, she lives in the old Byran house. They had partly bought it before Tom died and Mr. Laughlin bought it in then and lets Becky live there. They have painted the front of it and put new fence and walks to the front yard. Jim Melvin lives in the Mercer house next door to Tom Swearingen's home.

  • Page 47:

July 12 EAST END
One the 2nd of July I left Laughlins to come down here, Esther brought me to the river in the buggy and after crossing I had to wait more than two hours on the train, and if there was ever a hot dusty place I believe it was Smith's ferry station. ...

These are the things that were listed in the History of Beaver County page 1096

  • LAUGHLIN This name is a shortened form of MacLaughin, and under that name formed a part of the Clan Owen in Scotland. They settled in Ireland where they are of record in county Down, and where the name became McLaughlin, and in this county in some instances was still further shortened to the form of Laughlin.

  •  (I) Thomas Laughlin [12/1767 - 5/19/1843] resided in Maryland, from whence he came to the western part of PA, settling in Greene township, Beaver county, prior to 1800. He took up a large tract of land, which he cleared, and where he erected a house, and was engaged in farming until his death. The first house he put up for his family was a log cabin, and this was succeeded by a frame house. He married Jane ____, and raised a large family. [I noted that the History of Beaver County, 1881 shows Sarah as his wife. Maybe it was Sarah Jane or vica versa?]

  • [II] Robert Laughlin [4/10/1796 - 9/21/1849] son of Thomas and Jane Laughlin, was born near or on the Laughlin homestead near Georgetown, and was educated n the district schools. He became a farmer and was the owner of one hundred and ninety acres of land, twenty of them being in Virginia. He married Rebecca Dawson, born near Georgetown, a daughter of George and Jane (Mackall) Dawson, [both Rachel and another Beaver County History book names Robert as her father, maybe this is George Robert or vice versa. Also, it appears that Thomas was alive at the time of this publishing, maybe he was even interviewed.] who located in Maryland in 1792, near Georgetown. George Mackall [I think this is supposed to be Dawson] and his brother laid out the city of Georgetown and put up a storehouse which is still standing. He also laid out the cemetery, and was engaged in farming until his death. Mr. and Mrs. Laughlin had six sons and four daughters, among them being Charles and John, the latter on a gunboat during the Civil War, the former in the same company and regiment as Samuel Mackall. The family were Presbyterians.

  • (III) Thomas Laughlin [3/3/1832 - 1925] son of Robert and Rebecca (Dawson) Laughlin, was born in Greene township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, March 3, 1832. He was educated in the old stone schoolhouse at Georgetown, and at an early age commenced to assist his father on the farm, continuing this until he attained manhood. He then found employment on the river, on keelboats, and was thus occupied for twenty-eight years, between Wheeling and Pittsburgh. His father had also been thus employed during the last five years of his life. About 1875 Mr. Laughlin commenced farming operations in Greene township, purchasing a farm of one hundred acres, and on this he is residing at the present time. He married, in August, 1855, Phoebe Carnegie, and they have had children: Hugh, deceased; Sarah Martha, deceased; Matilda, deceased; William, deceased; Amanda, deceased; T.G., deceased; John, a farmer and teamster; Robert L. [This is "Link"]also a farmer and teamster, married, in 1899 [I think this is a typo, 1889], Ettie, daughter of Joseph Kennedy, and has had children: Mary, Homer; Lawrence, deceased.

  • [I don't know how or if they tie in.] (I) Robert Laughlin, a native of Ireland, was taken captive in his youth by unscrupulous people, brought to America, and sold into service, as was no unusual custom in t hose early days. He worked out his period of service in Philadelphia, and after his marriage removed to Greene township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, with which section the name has since been identified. He was among the very earliest settlers who took up government land in that region and was given a large tract of land. A portion of this land he cleared, erected a log cabin, and lived the remainder of his life in what was practically a wilderness at the time. This land is still in the possession of his descendants. The name of his wife is not on record but it is known that she endured the same experiences as here husband, and also worked out her period of service in Philadelphia.

  • [I don't know how or if they tie in.] (II) Benjamin Laughlin, son of Robert Laughlin, was born in Greene township, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, where his earlier years were spent, and where he was a farmer. In 1855 he removed with his family to Dade county, Missouri, and remained until 1863, when he returned to Beaver county, PA. He was actively engaged in the War of 1812, and was a staunch Whig. His death occurred at the advanced age of ninety-three years. He married Elizabeth (Blackamore) Mackell, a widow. Children: Thomas, of first marriage; Fitzsimmons, see forward; Robert, a member of Company H, One Hundred and Fortieth Regiment PA Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil War.

  • [I don't know how or if they tie in.] (III) Fitzsimmons, son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Blackmore-Mackell) Laughlin, was born in Greene township, Beaver county, PA, May 4, 1837.

From the Unigraphics, 1888 History of Beaver County I found:

  • Page 97 - Second Moon Township 1802 Tax Records

This extended to the Ohio River, embracing what in 1811 was called Greene Township. Among those listed are:

CARNEGY, Wm (Georgetown)
CAMPBELL, William
DAWSON, Thomas
DAWSON, Benoni Sr.
  354 acres, 50 cleared with shingled house. $1,050
  Grist Mill $450
  Two horses $60
  Four cattle $48
  One yoke oxen $30.
  Total $1,638
LAUGHLIN, Thomas
LAUGHLIN, Samuel
LAUGHLIN, William
  (owned a gristmill, a saw mill and a distillery; also 200 acres)
LAUGHLIN, Robert
  (had 400 acres of land and a distillery)
LAUGHLIN, James (tanner)
LYON, Samuel
  (innkeeper, Georgetown)
PARKS, Robert

  • Page 125-131

Township Officials
1805 Second Moon: Supervisors - Benoni DAWSON, James Craig; Overseers -- Thomas DAWSON, Samuel Swight; Auditors -- Robert LAUGHLIN (and 3 others)

1806 Hanover: Auditors -- William LAUGHLIN (and 3 others)
Second Moon: Supervisors - Benoni DAWSON, James Craig; 

Surname Information

Other Contracts
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