Herbert Ward LAUGHLIN, son of Jesse W. LAUGHLIN (1887-1968) and Cora Belle FILTINGBERGER (1892-1973), was born on October 17, 1912 in Stilwell, Johnson County, Kansas. He grew up in Stanley, Johnson County, Kansas, graduating from High School in 1930. He worked with his father on the steam engines and for Clyde Burke at the Kansas City Country Club Stables caring for horses – polo ponies and show horses. A maintenance job at the Kansas City Star combined with care of horses at the Miles of View Farm in Johnson County, Kansas led to a full time occupation of horse care and training at the George Rhodes Farm near Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Herb trained and showed saddle horses at the American Royal, in New York, and several other major horse shows around the country.
Herb married Edna Mildred HANSEN on Dec 18, 1937 in Johnson County. Edna, daughter of Chris HANSEN (1858- ) and Ane Tomine LARSON (1871- ), was born on March 19, 1908 in Creighton, Nebraska. The couple had one daughter, living.
During World War 2 Herb worked at the Lake City Ordinance Plant in Jackson County, Missouri and in the fall of 1946 went into business with brother Jim – a small filling station near Stilwell, KS. After building up a good business, in 1950 they bought a garage in Stanley, where they had both had worked there while in high school. After 30 years Laughlin Brothers Garage was sold in 1976. Herb & Edna moved to Pomme de Terre Lake in southwest Missouri.
Herb died on June 11, 2005 in Laurie, Missouri.
Bibliography
- “Kansas State Census, 1925.” database with images. FamilySearch. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS7R-79QW-K?i=554&cc=2659395: 2019.
- “United States Census, 1920.” database with images. FamilySearch. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MF6J-D59: 2021.
- “United States Census, 1930.” database with images. Family Search. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9R4X-ZGY?cc=1810731&wc=QZF9-Y1Y%3A648806101%2C649152901%2C648993601%2C1589282404: 2015.
- “United States Census, 1940.” database with images. Family Search. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9MB-GC9T?cc=2000219&wc=QZXT-CSK%3A790105201%2C790102702%2C790184501%2C951856801: 2021.
- Julia Edwards Laughlin, Descendents of John Laughlin and Tabitha Trimble.
- Obituary in Kansas City Star, Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri, August 27, 2009, Find A Grave.
- Oxford Township, Johnson County, Kansas. 1915 Kansas State Census. database with images. Kansas State Census, 1915.