LAUGHLIN, E.P.

LAUGHLIN, OBRIEN

Posted By: Joan Laughlin (email)
Date: 10/11/2004 at 10:18:15

Newspaper clipping, source unknown (The Des Moines Register?):

"Representative E.P. Laughlin of Fremont county, introduced his first bill in the legislature Saturday. It is called a "Home Rule" road bill, and provides that the county and township boards in each county shall have entire control over the county and township roads and bridges without interference from the state highway commission in any way. It looks to us like a good bill and ought to pass. Now that the state highway commission has been given entire control of the primary or state roads it should relinquish any authority over the county roads."

Newspaper clipping, source unknown (The Des Moines Register?):

"Chief among the bills passed was one by Representative E.P. Laughlin (Dem.) of Fremont county. The bill reduces the road poll tax outside cities and towns from $4 to $3 a year, and carries a clause making it optional with the taxpayer as to whether he pays the tax in cash or in labor on the county roads.

If he chooses to pay his tax by working, he must spend two days on the road, unless he has a team, in which case payment could be made by one day's work."

Newspaper clipping, source unknown (The Shenandoah Evening Sentinel?):

"Hon. E.P. Laughlin of Imogene, representative from Fremont county, was in town Saturday and made our office an agreeable call. Mr. Laughlin was getting things in readiness to go up to Des Moines this week to attend the special session of the legislature. He had in 420 acres of corn and would lack but one day of finishing his husking before he left. To husk all this corn he had one husking machine and four teams and wagons with huskers, so he turned it out pretty fast. Two boys who are husking for him, the Crawford boys who used to live north of Malvern, in one day husked 200 bushels, husking with one team and wagon. Pretty good work for boys.

Mr. Laughlin raises nothing but white corn as it nearly always sells at a premium and the yield is just as good. He had some that made as high as eighty bushels per acre this year and the quality is good."

From "Polled Cattle Progress Reports" September 1, 1955

46 Years of Breeding Polled Shorthorns

I started this herd of Polled Shorthorns in October, 1908. Fourty-six years of work and companionship with them is making this dispersion like the parting of old friends.

The loss of my wife last November, and with me having reached the age for retirement, makes this sale necessary (Feb. 18, 1955). My sons, Matt and Lou, will take over the farming and cattle raising. They each have a complete herd of Polled Shorthorns and the Laughlin name will be continued on Polled Shorthorn pedigrees. Our daughter and husband, Robert Jardon, raise purebred Holstein cattle. They also have a part of the farm.

The first cattle bought on Oct. 19, 1908, for the start of the herd, were from the herd of Wm. Barrans of Lenox, Iowa....Thieman's herd furnished us four top bulls. The present bull, Coronet Max Juggler 17th being the outstanding one. The house is filled with plaques, banners and ribbons won at fairs and shows the last few years....Lou is going to keep the old Juggler bull and take care of him for the good he has done us and the herd. You will hear from the Juggler's at Fairs and shows for years. The old farm of about 800 acres has improved in fertility from year to year by the carrying of a large herd of pure bred Polled Shorthorns. Now that the public is fertilizer conscious, the benefits to a farm of a good herd of cattle are appreciated. They make the land better. We have had the pleasure of seeing cattle bred by us going to the British Isles, as well as to buyers in Venezula. Our cattle have also made good records in herds in practically every section of the United States.

From Journal of the House of the Sixtieth General Assembly, Jan-May 1963.

"MR. SPEAKER: Your committee, appointed to prepare a suitable resolution commemorating the life, character and public service of the late Honorable E. P. Laughlin, begs leave to submit the following memorial:

Mr. Laughlin was born May 10, 1881, on a farm which he later owned and operated, where his father first broke the prairie. He received his education from the public schools in Imogene and the Christian Brothers College in St. Joseph, Missouri. He taught school in Fremont County from 1900 to 1902. He also raised registered polled shorthorn cattle.

In 1909 he married Theresa O'Brien and to them were born three children.

Mr. Laughlin was elected to represent Fremont County in the Iowa House of Representatives and served in the Forty-second, Forty-second Extra, Forty-fourth, Forty-fifth, Forty-fifth Extra, Forty-sixth, and Forty-sixth Extra sessions of the General Assembly.

He passed away on January 9, 1962, at the Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Surviving him are two sons, Matthew J., and Louis E.; one daughter, Mrs. Robert (Lucille) Jardon; two sisters, one brother and nineteen grandchildren.

Therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Sixtieth General Assembly of Iowa: That in the passing of the Honorable E. P. Laughlin the state has lost an honored citizen and a faithful and useful public servant, and the House by this resolution would express itsappreciation of his service, and tender its sympathy to the members of his family.

Be It Further Resolved: That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journal of the House and that the Chief Clerk be directed to forward an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased. PAUL E. McELROY, WILLIAM SCHERLE,
LeROY MILLER, Comm.."

W.D. Archie, "Along The Banks Of The Nishna" (Editors Column) The Shenandoah Evening Sentinel, Jan. 17, 1962:

"Within the past few days two of my friends have passed on who had served in the legislature. First to go was Ed Laughlin, Imogene who served in the legislature during the trying days of the depression from Fremont County....After 30 years many have probably not been told of Ed's service to his state, by those who served during the depression days carried a heavy load. Ed was smart, he understood the farm problems, he had a big heart and a progressive mind, all of which helped in solving many state problems of that era. I was proud to call him friend all through the years, and will miss him and his occasional visits to the office."

THE FREMONT COUNTY HERALD. September 18, 1924. "Tuberculosis Eradication".--Tuberculosis Eradication in Fremont county should begin this winter according to an announcement by the State Department of Agriculture. No objections were filed at the hearing on the petition which was held last week. The 1375 names on this petition shows that this is a popular project.

The E.P. Laughlin herd of 80 pure bred shorthorns near Imogene was tested last week under the old plan as carried out by state and federal deparments cooperating. The herd passed a clean test. Last year three head in this herd reacted and were disposed of. Mr. Laughlin states that he will never purchase another animal unless it is subjected to test.