| Notes |
- Dr. Laughlin and his Wife D. Mary E. Laughlin nee Bowyer are responsible for collecting the family genealogy and compiling it in 1955. He graduated from the University of Toronto Medical College in 1921, specializing in psychiatry. Since Graduation they worked in several Hospitals for Mental Diseases. He was a prominent Mason and was a member of the Blue Lodge at Belleville, the chapter and commandery at St Peter, Minnesota, USA., and the Shriners' Iren Temple in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, USA.
When Dr. Laughlin and his Wife wrote their genealogy, they did it by letter, interview, typewriter and archives. They did not have the access that we have today, by computer, internet, Email and indexes.
Some of the notes of Dr. Laughlin that he included in his book: Please note that some of his notes are repeated in every chapter of the book, so I have picked the best of his notes.
The information in this genealogy was gathered over a period of 30 years from various members of the family.
Before I started collection the history, I knew my grandparents and some of their descendants, but was entirely ignorant of my grandFathers and grandmothers brothers and sister and other remote kin. Most persons are just about as ignorant in these matters as I was. I began to question older members of the family about their ancestors and in this manner added to my knowledge of the family. I would get leads from these relatives which would help me locate more relatives.
Anyone who has never written a genealogy will have no idea of the difficulties encounter in collection data and the vast amount of work entailed in the typewriting and mimeographing the material. Some relative refuse to give any information about themselves and members of their family. Other relatives ignore all letters they receive and let you keep on writing to them repeatedly. If it weren't for a number of cooperative relatives who supply information necessary, this genealogy would never be possible. Hundreds of letters have been written collecting the data needed. Hundreds more letters were written to notify every relative that this genealogy is available to them.
The compilers have spent a great deal of time in getting this genealogy prepared as all the work, typewriting, mimeographing etc was done by them. Errors and omissions are sure to be found for which apologies are made. Any material which might be embarrassing has been omitted. It will be impossible for the compilers to ever again make another edition of this genealogy. It is our hope that this genealogy will be a stimulus to other relatives to carry on the work of issuing new editions in the future. Some data was received to late to be included in this genealogy. The compilers thank everyone for their help and cooperation.
A family history is an ever changing series of events; old faces will be seen no more, new baby faces appear, young folks are getting married; and many folks are moving and changing addresses. Try to keep your family records up to date by keeping blank pages in this book and whenever any changes occur, be sure to mark them down, at once.
I think every member of our family ought to be interested in preserving our records and keeping out family history up to date. In order to do this effectively, a committee ought to be formed by the interested members and the committee would secure new family data from the relatives from time to time. The committee could be changed from time to time as necessity arose. Such a committee would not only attend to the collection of family records, but could arrange family reunions, etc.
Family reunions are interesting and beneficial. They help to get us acquainted and help to maintain our interests in other relatives. Our family is such a large on that one large family reunion is not practical. It would be better to have smaller family reunions of different branches of the family where any member would be welcome to attend.
This family history is out of date by the time it reaches you and it ought to be rewritten in a few years. Who is going to volunteer to do it?
Our large family is made up of many different kinds of people who sprang from a common ancestor; some are more conformable in the worlds goods then others, some are poor, some are more respectable than others, some may be considered no good, but please remember our present circumstances my not be entirely our own fault. Underneath the hardest shell may be found the finest kernel. Let us overlook the faults in others and try to correct our own.
Many Laughlin's live in Western Pennsylvania and Ohio and the Village of Laughlintown, Pennsylvania was founded by a Laughlin in General Washington's Army, when he went out to try to capture Western Pennsylvania from the French.
The firm of Jones and Laughlin is a large steel producer in Pittsburgh. A Laughlin Family settled in Fitzroy Township never Kinburn, Ontario in 1833 and they have written a genealogy.
The descendants of David and Elizabeth Laughlin hold and annual family reunions and Hazel Simmonds, 42 Donnis Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada are the Secretary of the family. (Written in 1954)
Some the of essays of Dr. Laughlin that he included in his book:
Our ancestors were Protestants, i. e. Presbyterian and other faiths. The present generation has member of all Protestant denominations as well as Roman Catholic. Be tolerant of other people's ideas, faith, etc. Is your religion the best one or the only true one? Religion is merely the belief in a supreme being or the worship of that being. When did religion begin? No one can say. No doubt the earliest humans had some form of religion. There have been thousands of religion and there are almost as many religions as there are different people. Each person has somewhat different ideas. Is Christianity the only true religion? Most certainly not. Was the bible written at Gods command and is it the word of God? Not any more than any other book. It was written by people like you and I and expresses the ideas of the Jewish people. Did God start any religion? No he did not. All religions are expressions of mans idea of God, life and the yearning for perpetual life. May has wondered why he was put here on earth for such a short time and then dies. Some persons thought out the idea of heave and hell and life after death, but there is no evidence of such things. Just the opposite is present in the Jewish writing which have been dug up accidentally in Palestine and put together in book form. Most religions are mystical, mysterious, and mournful as well as considered sacred. You will be damned to eternal punishment if you do not believe. Some religions are so rigid and intolerant they would permit no other beliefs if they had the power to suppress. We scoff other religions who believe in evil spirits which bring disease, death, etc, yet we believe we become spirits after death. We believe in angles (good spirits) and the devil (evil spirit).
One looks in wonderment at the universe; the sun, the stars, the moon and thousands of planets, both seen and unseen. Our little minds cannot grasp the meaning of space and time which are immeasurable. We marvel at the perfect of life; of the way in which a little seed grows into a large animal, tree or human being. We wonder how all these things came into being. We wonder who or what made all these things. There is such vastness and magnitude; such complexity and perfection; we know the creator of it all mush be wonderful. We can wonder as much as we like but we still don't know anything about the Creator (God) after all these eons the world has been in existence. And we are not going to learn anything about God if we believe God "Always was" and that the description of the creation as written in the bible. To say that "God is love" is no explanation at all. We ought to be sensible enough to admit we know nothing about God. God shows his handiwork in natural life here on earth. He works in natural laws and not mysterious or supernatural ways. The Christians believe that Christ was the son of God. The rest of the world does not believe that. We are all the "sons of God" in one sense but not in any way connected to Deity. As all religions are the beliefs of man only and not of God, then every person has just as much opportunity of an everlasting life as the Christians. It is remarkable so much has been written about god and yet nothing is known about him. We ought to try to learn more about the Creator and the universe. If the Creator does not want us to learn about him, I know he has the way to prevent it.
This not on religion is not meant to try to stop religion. There are some ideas about religion which could be improved, but fundamentally it is helpful to people. We ought to think for ourselves and not accept the views of people who lived thousands or hundreds of years ago. There are many people whose views do not coincide with any established religious faith.
This is added by Sandi Sullivan
People also should stop blaming their behaviour on God. If you do something wrong.... I am a Christian or any other religious faith, is not a reason or an excuse for bad behaviour. God is the only one that can do something in his name. You are the only person that can do something in your name. Take the blame for your bad behaviour, I am sure "God" wants nothing to do with your act, you answer for that, not him. If you believe in the bible, then how can you judge? How can you hate? You can't, it is as simple as that.
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1892 - 1969 (77 years)
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