Linking the Irish of Palo Alto Co, IA one record at a time. Obits, census records, military records, newspaper clippings and more! This is where all the Irish are related in one big Family Tree file! Today added 1900 Federal Census for Walnut Township. http://www.rootsweb.com/~iapaloal/paloalto.htm Lot Laughlin is not my directly related to me. Search of LAUGHLIN or LOUGHLIN at the Palo Alto site above yields lots of other info on this pioneer family!! Emmetsburg Democrat Emmetsburg, Palo Alto, Iowa Wednesday, April 12, 1916 Lot Laughlin Died Early Friday Morning Was Member of Irish Colony-Lived in County About Sixty Years Thursday night about 8 o'clock our citizens learned of the death of Patrick Mulroney, mention of which is made elsewhere in this issue of the Democrat. In the morning it was announced that Lot Laughlin, his next door neighbor and intimate personal friend for fifty-five years, had also passed away during the night. Their deaths occurred about eight hours apart. Wednesday Mr. Laughlin called to see Mr Mulroney, who was very ill, and speaking to a friend after the left the house, he remarked that he did not think his old neighbor would live very long. Mr. Laughlin arose as usual Thursday morning and ate a hearty breakfast. He was feeling quite strong. During the forenoon he was taken very ill and towards evening the members of the family became greatly alarmed about his condition. He passed away at four o'clock in the morning. The funeral was held Monday forenoon. Services were conducted at Assumption church, the Very Rev P.F. Farrelly officiating. The burial was in St. John's cemetery. There was a large attendance of neighbors and old friends from distant parts of the county. The pall bearers were J.J. Mahan, Charles Nolan, M.T. Washington, Edward Ryan, Thos. Kirby and J.P. Crowley. Lot Laughlin was born at Castle Warren, in the county of Kilkenny, Ireland, January 1, 1839. When he was nine years old his parents came to the United States. They located at Worcester, Mass. Four years later they came west and settled at Elgin, Ill., where they lived for four years. In 1856, in company with James and John Nolan, John Neary, Edward and Myles Mahan, Martin Laughlin, Thomas Laughlin and Patrick and Michael Jackman, practically all being men of families, started for Iowa. After crossing the Mississippi river by ferry they came to Iowa City and thence to Fort Dodge. During the summer they brought a surveyor to Palo Alto county to locate claims. They settled near the Des Moines river about one and one-half miles northwest of the present town of Emmetsburg. There was made the first settlement in our county with the exception of the Carter family near West Bend. Lot Laughlin's mother prepared the first meal of victuals in the new colony. During the season all secured land and built humble homes. [Note: See http://www.rootsweb.com/~iapaloal/jackmancabin.htm for pic of early log cabin of the area-the P.R. Jackman cabin] Fort Dodge was the nearest market. The new comers had to buy all of their supplies and dispose of their products at that place. The Irish families never had any difficulties with the Indians. At the time of the Spirit Lake massacre the Emmetsburg colony was not molested. In 1862 Mr. Laughlin, in company with Joseph and Kern Mulroney, J.P. Crowley, P.R. Jackman and Fayette Carter of West Bend, joined the North Iowa brigade at Estherville-an organization formed by the state for the protection of the early settlers from the Indians who had massacred many people near New Ulm, Minn. Capt. Ingham of Algona, father of Harvey Ingham of the Des Moines Register & Leader, was in charge of the company. The territory from Chain Lake, some distance from Armstrong, west to Spirit Lake and southwest as far as Cherokee had to be guarded. There were U.S. soldiers at Spirit Lake, but the members of the North Iowa brigade had to protect the posts at Estherville, Chain Lake, Cherokee and other places The Estherville post was called Fort Defiance. Mr. Laughlin had an excellent picture of it in his home. The Emmetsburg soldiers served from August, 1862, until January, 1865. They were never obliged to come in contact with the red men. Mr. Laughlin was married in the old Catholic church northwest of this city November 27, 1874, to Miss Rose Campion, Rev. J.J. Smith performing the ceremony. Four sons and three daughters, besides the mother, survive. They are Martin of Graettinger, William of Emmetsburg, Lot of Taylor, Texas, and P.J. who is employed in the Denver National Bank of Denver, Colo. The daughters are Mrs. Wm. Kane and Misses Nellie and Rose of this city. Miss Nellie is assistant county superintendent and Miss Rose is a trained nurse. There was perhaps no citizen of this section of Iowa who was better known in pioneer days or who was more highly respected during hsi residence of sixty years in the county than was Mr. Laughlin. He was modest and quiet and was as gentle as a child. He esteemed it a privilege to perform an act of kindness. Though he had well defined purposes and was ever loyal to them, he avoided bitter disputes and was at all times on the best of terms with his neighbors and associates. For many years he was an employer of laborers. He invariably had the highest consideration for their rights and interests and many of them-people of nationalities and creeds-who are now old, substantial and prosperous farmers of our county, recall with pride his fairness and his true sense of justice in his dealings with them. Mr. Laughlin enjoyed, during his long and active career, the sincere regard of those who had occasion to honor him during pioneer days. An old neighbor, Peter Peterson, remarked on Monday, while in Emmetsburg, that a more upright, and deserving man than Mr. Laughlin never resided in our county. This is the sentiment of hundreds who knew him. He was hospitable to strangers and he would spare no reasonable effort to aid those who were in need of assistance or sympathy. His zeal for the welfare of members of his household was that of the thoughtful, provident, warm hearted parent. His four devoted, affectionate, upright sons and three loving, widely respected daughters will long remember, with enduring gratitude, all that the did for them that they might occupy positions of honor and trust in the busy world. The voice of religion never appealed to Mr. Laughlin in vain. He listened humbly and attentively to its wise counsels and he practiced obediently, conscientiously and reverently its necessary commandments and precepts. His modest professions as a Christian was backed by substantial and creditable deeds. He gave hearty support to his church, its various institutions and to other community undertakings that he deemed meritorious. His record in defense of his state and fellow pioneers, during the troublesome and trying days of 1862 to 1865, showed that he was willing to give his life, if need be, for the safety of others. The death of Mr. Laughlin will be generally and sincerely mourned. Mr. Laughlin and the sons and daughters have the profound sympathy of the people of our county and of other sections in their bereavement. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Descendants of Martin Laughlin (Father of Lot Laughlin) 1 Martin Laughlin b: Bet. 1812 - 1813 in Ireland src: 1860 Palo Alto Co, Iowa Census d: 07/22/1888 src: St. John's Cemetery Records . +Mary Unknown b: Abt. 1802 in Ireland d: 12/13/1895 in Walnut Township, Palo Alto, Iowa src: Palo Alto County Deaths-County records Burial: 12/14/1896 ........ 2 Lot Laughlin b: 01/01/1839 in Castle Warren, Kilkenny, Ireland src: Obit d: 04/06/1916 in Palo Alto Co,Iowa src: Obit Burial: St John's Cemetery, Emmetsburg, Iowa ............ +Rose Campion b: 05/1848 in Ireland src: 1900 Census Palo Alto County, Iowa m: 11/27/1874 in Palo Alto Co, Iowa src: Obit d: 1919 src: St. John's Cemetery Records Burial: St John's Cemetery, Emmetsburg, Iowa ................... 3 Martin Laughlin b: 11/1875 in Iowa src: 1900 Census Palo Alto County, Iowa ................... 3 Mary Laughlin b: 11/1886 in Iowa src: 1900 Census Palo Alto County, Iowa ....................... +William Kane m: 05/06/1913 in Emmetsburg, Palo Alto, Iowa src: Newspaper ................... 3 William Laughlin b: 01/05/1879 in Walnut Township, Palo Alto, Iowa d: 03/07/1927 in Emmetsburg township, Palo Alto, Iowa Burial: St John's Cemetery, Emmetsburg, Iowa ................... 3 Nellie Laughlin b: 07/1881 in Iowa src: 1900 Census Palo Alto County, Iowa d: in Milwaukee, Wisconsin ....................... +Matthew F Ryan b: 1876 in Hampton, Franklin Co, Iowa src: 1895 Iowa Census-City of Emmetsburg m: 11/21/1916 in Emmetsburg, Palo Alto, Iowa d: 1946 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin ................... 3 Rose Laughlin b: 04/1883 in Iowa d: 1954 src: St. John's Cemetery Records Burial: St John's Cemetery, Emmetsburg, Iowa ................... 3 Lott Laughlin b: 07/1884 in Iowa src: 1900 Census Palo Alto County, Iowa ................... 3 Patrick J Laughlin b: 12/1887 in Iowa src: 1900 Census Palo Alto County, Iowa d: 1942 src: St. John's Cemetery Records ........ 2 Patrick Laughlin b: Bet. 1844 - 1845 src: 1860 Palo Alto Co, Iowa Census ............ +Kate Millea m: 08/22/1881 in Palo Alto Co, Iowa src: Palo Alto County Marriage Records-Book 1 ........ 2 John Laughlin b: Bet. 1847 - 1848 src: 1860 Palo Alto Co, Iowa Census ............ +Bridget McCabe m: 06/30/1878 in Palo Alto Co, Iowa src: Palo Alto County Marriage Records-Book 1 Cathy Joynt Labath Researching in Ireland: J*oynt / J*oint anytime, anyplace Mc*Nallys of Newport, Co Mayo B*rennans of St. John's Parish, co. Roscommon