McDonough ILGenWeb

LAUGHLIN, Charles D., a well-known and highly successful life insurance agent, at Macomb, Ill., representing the Prudential Insurance Company, was born in McDonough County, September 22, 1864, a son of James and Electa (Scudder) Laughlin, the former a native of Macomb, the latter born in Hamilton County, Ohio. His paternal grandfather. Theodore Laughlin, was horn near Philadelphia, Pa., and his grandmother, Lucy (Broaddus) Laughlin, was a native of Kentucky.

The grandfather Laughlin was one of the earliest settlers of Macomb, and by occupation was a farmer and cabinet maker. He lost his life in consequence of the running away of a horse. His son, James Laughlin, a carpenter by trade, was the father of six boys and six girls. Charles D., the fourth child in order of birth, lived with his parents in Good Hope from the time he was four years old until 1891, In the meantime attending the public school and being employed at carpentering with his father. He had also learned the barber's trade, at which he afterwards worked in Macomb until 1900.

About that time Mr. Laughlin entered the employ of the Prudential Insurance Company, six months later (June 21, 1900), being appointed Assistant Superintendent at Galesburg, and on April 1, 1901, being transferred to Macomb. He took charge of the agency August 21, 1901; was promoted Assistant Superintendent August 12, 1902; took the Galesburg agency April 20, 1903: was promoted Assistant Superintendent there October 29th of the same year; and took the Macomb agency November 7, 1904, which he still retains. On December 12, 1904, he was appointed Prudential Old Guard, by reason of his five years' service.

On July 29, 1900, Mr. Laughlin was married to Dorothy B. McClellan, a native of Macomb, who attended the public schools and pursued a course in the University of Michigan. One child, James McClellan, has resulted from this union. In politics, Mr. Laughlin is a Republican. He is keen and energetic in his business methods and has made a pronounced success as an insurance agent.

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Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of McDonough County, compiled by Dr. Newton Bateman, and Paul Shelby, 1907, volume 2, pages 931-932, extracted 15 Jun 2019 by Norma Hass.