Hines, H. K. "An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon." Chicago: Lewis
Pub. Co. 1893.  p. 295.
 
GEORGE W. McLAUGHLIN

     One of Polk county's representative native sons and one of her prosperous
farmers, was born June 28, 1857. He is the son of Robert McLaughlin, a native of
Bourbon county, Kentucky, born November 23, 1810, of Scotch ancestry. He removed
to Missouri in 1835, and August 15, 1839, he married Miss Mary Minerva Griffith.
Soon after their marriage they removed to Illinois and reared a family of six
children. In 1853, with his wife and children, Mr. McLaughlin crossed the plains
to Oregon and came direct to Polk county, where he took up a donation claim, one
mile north of Buena Vista. On this land he built a little log cabin of the
pioneer style and spent the remainder of his life. He was successful and added
to his land and gave each of his sons 100 acres of land, except the youngest, on
whom he bestowed 220 acres. He had been a Christian from the sixteenth year of
his life, was a firm member of the Presbyterian Church, and an upright, honest
man. In his early life he had learned the blacksmith trade, and in addition to
his farming he had the first shop in his section of country, and was largely
instrumental in the development of the county. He died in February, 1890, at the
ripe old age of eighty years, but his wife still survives him and resides with
her daughter, Mrs. Litherow, in Independence, a nice old lady representative of
the pioneer women of Oregon.
     Our subject, George W. McLaughlin, was the eldest son born in Oregon, and
was followed by two others, making in all a family of ten children, all of whom
are living and residing in Oregon, with the exception of one, who makes her home
in California. One sister was born, older than he. Our subject was reared on the
farm on which he was born, and was educated in the public schools. In 1881 he
was married to Miss Sophia Hall, of Woodburn, Marion county, who was born March
13, 1859, daughter of B. F. and Mary (Johnson) Hall, the latter being a daughter
of Neil Johnson, a Presbyterian minister.
     Mrs. McLaughlin is a Presbyterian, while Mr. McLaughlin is a Methodist in
religions convictions. Mr. McLaughlin is socially connected with the I. O. O.
F., being a member of the Grand Lodge. He is a Republican in politics.
     In addition to his farming and stock-raising Mr. McLaughlin has turned his
attention to horticulture. He is a reliable, intelligent and upright man, and is
a credit to the county in which he was born and now resides.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in July 2007 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.