James Laughlin, was the eighth and youngest of the old family. He received his education at Muskingum College, New Concord, Ohio. He resided on the home farm, and cared for his father and mother in their old age.

In 1861 he recruited a cavalry company and went into the service as a Captain of Company B. 1st O. V. C. and served in the Army of the Cumberland. As a Cavalry office he ws capable and brave, and won promotions, being Lieutenant Colonel in charge of his unit when he left the service. He sold his farm and moved to Shelby County, Illinois, and became a successful Illinois farmer. He represented his district in the Illinois Legislature. His widow, aunt Hettie, survives him, and is spending a beautiful old age in Duluth, Minnesota. We here append a sketch of aunt Hettie's and James' life, written by Hettie herself, in the ninetieth year of her age.

Henrietta Murphy was born, January 25, 1823, in Gettysburg, Pa. …Her father having the same desire for change I suppose as people have in these days, went to Ohio to live, took up his abode in Washington, Guernsey County, where they spent a good many years, and made many firends, both in town and in the country. Among the latter, was a young man by the name of James Laughlin, who used to be popular with the girls, as he called on them, and escorted them to singing schools, which were attended both for profit and pleasure.

After a few years Henrietta's father died, and the mother and daughter engaged in teaching; it was while they were thus employed in Clifton, Green County, Ohio, that the acquaintance between these young people was renewed; but that ws a few years after the first acquaintance, for in the meantime, James had become acquainted with a young lady in Pennsylvanis, Miss Martha Ann Clar, whome he afterwards married and brought to his Ohio home. She was only spared to him about four years. Two little daughters were left to the care of father and grand-parents.

In about a year after the events just related, James Laughlin and Henrietta Murphy were married in Clifton, on the second day of December, 1847. They then started by stage for the Laughlin home, two and a half miles from Washington, Ohio. Here they lived for a number of years, or until their family of seven children were born, two of whom died in childhood.

When the eldest child, Palmer, was nearly a year old a very contagious fever broke out in that part of the country called the gold fever. Many were carried off by it, among the number, James, and as no remedy could be found any nearer than California, he departed overland for that land of health and gold, the first of March 1849. He remained there for a good part of a year digging in the dirt, for that was the cure. He found something valuable in the dirt, he took home with him, and never had any return of the fever.

In 1861, there were rumors of war, which soon resulted in calls for volunteers to enlist in the army. Now was the time for men to show their patriotism, and they did show it bravely. James Laughlin still a young man, and full of enthusiasm, set to work to raise a cavalry company. This was soon accomplished, and they proceeded to Columbus to enlist. Then the strenuous times commenced with the boys, and the anxious hours with the wives and mothers, after the war began, how eagerly were letters looked for from loved ones, and the daily papers almost devoured by the light of a tallow condle, or a bright coal fire, no electric or gas lights, and even a coal iol lamp was considered too dangerous to use in some homes. After his service in the army, James Laughlin felt his duty was to return to his family, so he resigned, having been promoted to the office of Lieutenant Colonel, with the record of a brave soldier, and an efficient officer, which record his family have always been proud of. Some time after his leaving the army, about three years perhaps, he began to feel as if he would like to see something more of the west, so he made a trip of exploration and investigation into Illinois, and finding that the prairies would ba a good place for sheep, and the rich soil fine for raising corn, he decided to make his future home in Illinois, so returning home he informed his family that he had bought a fine farm in that state, and that they would move there as soon as the arrangements could be made. Accordingly the Ohio farm was offered for sale, and soon found a purchaser in the person of Daniel Thompson. Soon the fmaily started for their new home, bidding farewell to their relatives and friends. When they reached this new country, which was to be their home for many years, everything looked so different, no hillls, but prairies, that the novelty of it was enjoyed for awhile, but when they learned that fever and ague were very prevalent in that country, that somethimes whole families were afflicted with it, it was something they had not counted on, but they must be content to have their share, and they surely did have it, nearly every member of the family had either ague or some kind of fever, and not until the ponds were drained, did the country become healthy. Thus time passed with this fmaily until one by one, all but the youngest, Clara, left their parents home to make homes for themselves. This daughter remained with her parents and helped care for them, also helped to plan and carry out plans for the celebration of her parents' Golden Wedding, which was celebrated December 2, 1897, and which occasion was rendered happier by the presence of several families from their old home in Ohio. But now there is to be another change, the husband and father whose health had been failing for a few years, found the care of the farm too much for him, sold the farm and moved to Shelbyville, a town fifteen miles from where he had lived so many years. But the relief from care did not improve his health, it continued to fail, until on April 22, 1901, he yielded up his life to the God who gave it, in the hope of the resurrection to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (The Laughlin Family History, 1912)