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Children of Ann McKinney and "40 Acres" McLaughlin
6. William McLaughlin (1853-1914)

William McLaughlin was the second son of James "40 Acres" McLaughlin and his wife, Ann McKinney to be so named. The first William was born and died in Ireland during the potato famine. Two other McLaughlin children born in Ireland also died.

As for this Skaneateles-born William McLaughlin, I found no mention of him in "The History of the McLaughlin Family," which is strange because he was the central figure in one of the most tragic and bizarre stories in the family's American experience. Eventually this story had a happy twist, at least in the newspaper telling, but unfortunately the tale is like an iceberg – most of it lies well below the surface. For what is known, read William McLaughlin: Lost and Found.

There also seems to be confusion over two Williams McLaughlins who were about the same age. The other one was born in Ireland and was the son Cornelius McLaughlin who returned to Ireland and left the teenaged William in the care of his brother, James "40 Acres" McLaughlin. This William McLaughlin is mentioned in the book about the McLaughlin family.

The family tree that follows, such as it is, belongs to the forgotten William McLaughlin. By 1880, according to the 1880 U.S. Census, this William was married to Anna Conroy and at that time had two children.

A complete list of their children is an educated guess, based on St. Mary's Cemetery Records, the 1880 cenus and a newspaper account of William McLaughlin's 20-year disappearance. The newspaper account and the cemetery date for the death of the fourth McLaughlin child (in a five-year period) do not agree, nor does the age of William McLaughlin, who, according to the newspaper story, was born in 1860.

Anna and William McLaughlin had a tragic life, losing four of their six children within four years. It was this series of tragedies that was offered as an explanation for William McLaughlin's state of mind when he abruptly deserted his family. However, no story of his disappearance accounts for the children who survived, and the possibility Anna McLaughlin was pregnant with her seventh child at the time. In any event, she left Skaneateles and moved to Fulton, New York, shortly after her husband dropped out of sight and was believed dead.

Their children:

James McLaughlin (1876-1930)

Ellen Louise McLaughlin (1879-1883)

Mary Ellen McLaughlin (1883-1883)

Louise Marie McLaughlin (1884-1888)

Sara Elizabeth McLaughlin (1886-1887)

Genevieve McLaughlin (1888-1907) (right)

Skaneateles Free Press, April 26, 1907
Miss Genevieve McLaughlin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William McLaughlin of Fulton, died in Philadelphia, Pa., Wednesday, aged 19 years. She had recently submitted to an operation for appendicities, while recovering from a severe attack of typhoid fever and failed to rally from the procedure.

Here parents were former residents of this village. She spent some time in Philadelphia visiting relatives. The remains are expected to arrive in town this evening when they will be taken to the residence of John McLaughlin.

Funeral services will be held at St. Mary's Church in this village tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. Interment in St. Mary's Cemetery.

She was buried in a plot with other children of William and Anna Conroy McLaughlin, and eventually was joined by the remains of her parents.

 

William McLaughlin (1891- )

Oswego Palladium, April 11, 1910
William McLaughlin, Barker, NY, was the guest of his mother, Mrs. Anna McLaughlin of West Second Street yesterday.


Fulton Patriot, June 17, 1915
William McLaughlin formerly of this city, how holding a responsible position in Cleveland, Ohio, was in town last week. He motored to Syracuse to visit his mother, who formerly resided here, and then drove to Fulton to call on old acquaintances.

Fulton Patriot, June 24 1925
William McLaughlin of Cleveland, Ohio, who was mixed up in an auto accident on the sate road south of Fulton last week, was arrowed by Deputy Sheriff Bressett. After an investigation McLaughlin was given a parole to await a further hearing.

 

 
My family trees are incomplete and likely contain errors. Please send corrections to:
JMajor9863@aol.com
Family Trees ––– Recollections ––– Read All About It––– Strictly Solvay ––– Sandy Pond ––– Etc.