Gaston, Joseph. "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912." Vol. 4. Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 25. ARA W. MCLAUGHLIN is one of the proprietors of the large furniture store of the Flint-McLaughlin Company, the oldest establishment of this character in Eugene. The store has had a continuous existence of about a quarter of a century. Mr. McLaughlin has been one of the partners for the past four years and has brought to its conduct a spirit of enterprise and progressiveness which is manifest in the growth and development of the business to this period. He was born in Nodaway county, Missouri, in 1873, and is a son of Richard S. and Wilhelmina (Chambers) McLaughlin. The father is a native of Galesburg, Illinois, and was between eighteen and twenty years of age when he went to Missouri, where he was married. He engaged in farming that that state until 1877, when he removed westward to Oregon, establishing his home in Milwaukie, where he is still living on a ranch. He cleared and improved the ninety acres which he owns and is thereon engaged in general farming. He was born in 1848 and has now passed the sixty-fourth milestone on life's journey. Ara W. McLaughlin was a lad of but about three years when brought to the northwest. After acquiring his preliminary education in the public schools he entered the normal department of Portland University, from which he was graduated with the class of 1897, having taught two years prior to the last year of his course. He then served one year as principal of the Mount Pleasant school and put aside all business and personal considerations at the time of the Spanish-American war in order that he might enlist in defense of his country's flag. He joined Company I of the Second Oregon Regiment, was sent to the Philippines, where he remained until his command was returned to this country, and was mustered out in August, 1899. He then again resumed the profession of teaching, which he followed for three years as principal of the Milwaukie school, the last two of which he was on the Clackamas county board of examiners. After this he received his initial business training in the furniture line in six years of experience with the Powers Furniture Company, which firm he entered as janitor and from which he retired as auditor. In 1908 he formed his present partnership with Laurence R. Flint, becoming one of the proprietors of Eugene's oldest furniture establishment, now conducted under the firm name of Flint-McLaughlin Company. Although this is the oldest furniture store in the city it is thoroughly modern in its equipment and line of house furnishings handled. They keep on hand a large stock, the output of the best factories of the country, and a liberal patronage is accorded them in recognition of their straightforward business dealings and their progressive methods. On November 28, 1907, Mr. McLaughlin was united in marriage to Miss Jane Hale Bush, of Bay Center, Washington, a daughter of the Hon. A. S. and Mrs. Ellen (Knight) Bush. The father, a veteran of the Civil war, was a pioneer of Pacific county, Washington, and one of the makers of that part of the country in which he lived. He was honored by his fellow citizens with election to the office of county judge and also served satisfactorily in the legislature of that state for three consecutive terms. Mrs. McLaughlin was for several years a teacher and for the last two years prior to her marriage served as superintendent of schools of Pacific county. On February 9, 1909, Mrs. McLaughlin and infant son, Ara Bush McLaughlin, passed away. In the short time here spent in her new home she had made many friends, all of whom loved her for her noble character. Mr. McLaughlin is well known in various connections. He has been a member of the Oregon Historical Society since 1897 and himself has been a resident of the state for thirty-five years, witnessing much of its growth and development. He is the president of the Merchants' Protective Association of Eugene and is deeply interested in everything pertaining to the welfare and improvement of the city. Fraternally he is connected with Spencer Butte Lodge No. 9, I.O.O.F.; Wimawhala Encampment, No. 6; and Canton Hovey, No. 4, having thus taken the various degrees of Odd Fellowship. he is also helpfully interested in the moral progress of the community, holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is a steward, is one of the directors of the Young Men's Christian Association and is chairman of its committee on religious work. In a word, he takes an active interest in everything that pertains to the material, intellectual and moral development of Eugene and the state at large. In his business career he has been actuated by a spirit of progress that has led him forward, step by step, until he now occupies an enviable position in the commercial circles of the city. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project Jenny Tenlen. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.