Marcellus Observer, October 28, 1898
Attorney John McLaughlin is making some rapid strides in his pursuit of legal business. He has a large number of cases on his docket of the next calendar and has one more important case which if he succeeds in gaining and the prospects are very bright, he will gain a fee of about ten thousand dollars. A few such cases as this will place John on the sunny side of easy street.

Auburn Weekly News and Democrat, December 29, 1897
Want Habeas Corpus
John C. McLaughlin of Jordan and M. F. Dillon of Skaneateles, attorneys, appeared before Judge Underwood last Tuesday afternoon with habeas corpus papers demanding Sheriff Byer to turn over the persons of James Carter and Judson Decker, committed from Weedsport, by Justice of the Peace Weyant to 30 days in jail for stealing turkeys. The papers demand the release of the prisoners on the ground that the committment was irregular. Judge Underwood took the papers and reserved decision.

Syracuse Post-Standard, July 14, 1899
J. C. McLaughlin, a young attorney of Jordan, took a small boat moored at Cross Lake the other day for a short time. He claims he thought it belonged to a friend of his, but Hallet & Adams said it was theirs. They had him arrested on the charge of larceny, and the jury found him guilty. Justice of the Peace Dudley fined him $10. He says that he will appeal the case.

Auburn Bulletin,January 21, 1901
A Stubbornly Fought Case
Before the Appellate division at Rochester today was argued the case of the people against John McLaughlin. District Attorney Dayton is present for the people and M. F. Dillon, of Skaneateles, represents the defendant.

McLaughlin resides in Jordan and, it will be remembered, he, in company with two other men and four ladies, is alleged to have taken a small boat on Cross Lake, cutting the cable and rope and using it without the permission of the owners thereof.

Information was lodged before Justice Weyant of Brutus and he issued a warrant for McLaughlin’s arrest, ordering the case for trial before Justice Dudley of Cato. The case was tried July 12, 1899, and McLaughlin was fined $10.

He appealed to County Court where judgment was entered on May 23 last confirming the judgment of the court below. Now appeal is taken to the Appellate division.

Syracuse Journal, November 7, 1902
Attorney J. C. McLaughlin is having his house wired for electric lights.

Syracuse Journal, December 16, 1903
Flames Nearly Ruin Dwelling
JORDAN, Dec. 16 – The home of Attorney J. C. McLaughlin at Lawrence and Quince streets was discovered to be on fire at about 3 o’clock Monday afternoon. The Jordan Hose company quickly responded to the alarm and through their efficient work the house was saved from complete destruction.

Some wood had been placed in the oven of the cook stove to dry and in some way it caught fire and Mrs. McLaughlin threw it outdoors and covered it with water, supposing the fire to be extinguished, but being fanned by a strong wind continued to burn, igniting the back steps and then worked to the siding of house where it crept, unknown, between the siding and plastering to the upper part of the house.

She discovered it had gained considerable headway and nearly all of the upper story of the house was destroyed. A portion of the household goods was ruined. It is thought the insurance, which is $1,500 on the house and $500 on the household goods, will nearly cover the loss.

The house was comparatively new and was one of the prettiest in town.

Mr. McLaughlin has moved into the older house in Hamilton Street and will repair his house as soon as possible.

Syracuse Post-Standard, January 9, 1904
J. C. McLaughlin is preparing to rebuild his recently burned house.

Syracuse Journal, July 1, 1905
JORDAN, July 1 – J. C. McLaughlin has sold the house and lot at Hamtilon and Lawrence streets to Moses Barst of Frankfort. Consideration $600.

Weedsport Cayuga Chief (1906)
Attorney John C. McLaughlin left Monday for New York, in the interest of several farmers in the vicinity of the Brick church who have been shipping their milk to the metropolis and have not received the money due them. Mr. McLaughlin also saw his father, William McLaughlin of Skaneateles, embark on the Baltic for Liverpool, on his way to visit his old home in Ireland. (Jordan Times)

Marcellus Observer, August 30, 1907
Candidate for Assembly
Supervisor John C. McLaughlin has definitely announced himself as a candidate for the Assembly in the First district. Mr. McLaughlin hesitated about entering the field while Mr. Shoeneck was a prospective candidate, but he now proposes to carry his canvass into every town and ward in the district.

Mr. McLaughlin was born in Skaneateles village and received his education in the Skaneateles academy, graduating as the president of the class of ’94. Prior to his graduation he taught school at Niles, Cayuga County, and afterward at Willow Glen in the town of Skaneateles, during which time he read law in Skaneateles and subsequently for a year in Syracuse.

Upon his admission to the bar ten years ago he purchased the law practice of Attorney John Y. Andrews and located in Jordan where he has had exceptional success as a consel and practitioner.

In the spring of 1898, after a spirited contest, he was elected village clerk; and in 1900, after another hard fought battle, was elected village president, being reelected in 1901 and 1902 as the nominee of both parties.

In November, 1903, he was elected supervisor of the town over Byron Chatfield by a majority of 37, and two years later defeated William McCollum by a majority of 118.

He was the first president of the reorganized C. M. Warner Hose Company, was president of the Onondaga County Volunteer Firemen’s Association from 1902 to 1903 and was a member of the Board of Education of the Jordan High School until he resigned to accept the nomination for supervisor.

Although unobtrusive, Mr. McLaughlin has been one of the strong men on the Board of Supervisors, being chairman of the Jurisprudence committee, a member of the Equalization committee, was the first chairman of the Mortgage Tax committee, it having devolved upon him to keep track of and divide and distribute the tax; and when the Board was organized under the new law, after more or less newspaper criticisms of salaries and accounts, he was one of three to be placed on the new Salaries committee having charge of the salaries of all county officials.

Mr. McLaughlin is a member of the New York Bar Association, the Onondaga County Bar Association and is Chancellor of Branch 92, C.M.B.A. [This likely refers to the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association, a fraternal organization that emerged in the 19th century in part to combat anti-Catholic groups that were active at the time.]

Skaneateles Free Press, December 28, 1909
Little Boy’s Leg Broken
Jack the 2-year-old son of Assemblyman John McLaughlin of Jordan had his leg broken Sunday. The family, returning home from this village, passed around the corner at Mottville and one runner of the sleigh went into a hole in the road that was filled with water.

Mrs. McLaughlin, who was holding the child, was thrown out. She was not injured and nothing serious was thought of the incident until returning home the child was unwrapped and, attempting to stand, the break was discovered. Dr. Hartman of Syracuse set the limb.

Skaneateles Press, July 2, 1948
J. C. McLaughlin Prominent in GOP;
Was Town Native
John C. McLaughlin, Skaneateles native and a prominent retired attorney and former assemblyman of Jordan, died in Onondaga General Hospital last Wednesday (June 30, 1948). He had been in failing health for some time.

A graduate of Skaneateles High School, Mr. McLaughlin became a lawyer practicing in Jordan from 1899 until his recent retirement.

He was prominent in Republican circles and was credited with being responsible for the construction of the parkway along the old Erie canal through the village of Jordan by TERA [New York's Temporary Emergency Relief Administration] in the 1930s.

He was former chairman of the Elbridge town Republican committee and is a former supervisor and member of assembly, first district; also president of the Jordan Village Board, the Jordan Board of Education, banker, and he has been prominent in firemen’s affairs.

Following his graduation from the old Skaneateles Academy, he taught in district schools for three years and studied law in the office of Martin F. Dillon, a prominent former attorney of this village and in the office of Williams and Cowle in Syracuse.

He was a member of the Onondaga County Bar Association, Jordan Chamber of Commerce, Syracuse Lodge B.P.O.E., the Holy Name Society and a trustee of St. Patrick’s Church of Jordan.

Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Helen O. McLaughlin; a daughter, Mrs. Hugh McPeak of Jordan; three sons, William A. and John C. McLaughlin of Syracuse and Thomas Francis McLaughlin of Kenmore; two sisters, Misses Anna S. and Elizabeth T. McLaughlin of Skaneateles, and eight grandchildren.

The funeral will take place at 9:15 a.m. tomorrow, Saturday, at the home of his daughter, at 9:30 a.m. in St. Patrick’s Church, Jordan.

Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Skaneateles.

Auburn Citizen-Advertiser, Ausut 31, 1972
Jordan names street
for John McLaughlin

By KATE HUDSON
Jordan Correspondent

The village of Jordan has honored one of its former citizens by naming the extension from Hamilton Street to new Route 31 that runs back of the firehouse, J. McLaughlin Drive.

John McLaughlin was born in the village of Skaneateles and was graduated from the Skaneateles Academy in 1894, president of his class. He studied law in Skaneateles with the late M. F. Dillon and in Syracuse with Williams and Cowle, and was admitted to the bar Jan. 17, 1897, locating in the village of Jordan in February 1897.

He had three years to his credit as district school teacher at Willow Glen before casting his first vote. Starting life as president of the class of ’94 of the old school, he had been president of about everything he came in contact with.

Shortly after his arrival in Jordan, he was president of the village for three years, president of the fire company, supervisor of the town of Elbridge four years, and a member of the state assembly two years.

Taking an active interest in the volunteer fire departments, he was one of the organizers of and president of the Onondaga County Volunteer Firemen’s Association, presiding over the convention that met at East Syracuse in 1902.

He was a member of the board of education of Jordan High School 15 years and its president five years. He was president of the Northern Central New York Volunteer Firemen’s Association for seven years, and could have been chairman of the board of supervisors had he chosen to abandon his desire to go to the state legislature.

During his term of president of the board of education, he new high school was added with a large, modern gymnasium, stage, scenery, kitchen and modern sanitary plumbling.

In Albany he served with Robert Wagner, Al Smith and James Wadsworth Jr., who were leading figures in several general elections. (Smith ran for President on the Democratic ticket in 1928, losing to Herbert Hoover.)

With his other activities, McLaughlin carried on an extensive law practice. He was also Republican campaign committeeman from Elbridge, an active member of Syracuse Lodge of Elks and an organizer of an attorney for the Jordan National Bank.

McLaughlin and Miss Nellie Irene O’Grady, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John O’Grady of Mottville were united in marriage June 13, 1900, by the Rev. F. J. Purcell in St. Mary’s church, Skaneateles.

In 1908 Assmblyman John C. McLaughlin was unanimously renominated for member of the state assembly in the first district. It was largely due to his efforts that provision was made in the new highway law for the construction of highways in the state and through incorporated villages. All his bills met with approval of the governor and were passed into law, including the appropriation for a sea wall at Skaneateles.

He was instrumental in the program of converting the abandoned Erie Canal in the village of Jordan into a park, and getting much of the work accomplished through the WPA (Works Progress Administration).

In the entrance way at Jordan Museum is the large desk of J. C. McLaughlin, donated by his daughter, Margaret (Mrs. Hugh) McPeak of Jordan, who had it refinished for the opening of the museum.