U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: ------------------------------------------------------------------- McLaughlin, Addison (d. 1872) ------------------------------------------------------------------- History of Braxton County and Central West Virginia by John Davison Sutton Sutton, West Virginia, January, 1919 Pages 404-405 Colonel Addison McLaughlin was the son of Dennis McLaughlin who married a Miss McClary. No history of Braxton would be complete without giving space to the life and character of Colonel Addison McLaughlin. He was born in the city of Richmond about the beginning of the nineteenth century. His father was a boatman on the James river, and it is related that by the sinking of his boat, he became financially embarrassed and died soon thereafter, leaving his widow with several children. Addison was then twelve years of age. The family moved to near Lewisburg in Greenbrier county. Mrs. McLaughlin who was a Miss Sarah Jane Landcraft, had wealthy relatives in that county. Addison attended the academy in Lewisburg, walking three miles from his home. He studied law in the office of Wm. Cary of that town. He then moved his mother and the children to Nicholas county, and was elected to represent that county in the Virginia Legislature before he was twenty-one years of age. Colonel McLaughlin moved from Nicholas county to Weston, Lewis county, Va., and practiced law in Lewis and adjoining counties, and in 1851 he bought the Bulltown salt works and settled at that place. He made large quantities of salt, considering the meager and primitive facilities of that day. Colonel McLaughlin represented Braxton county in the Legislature. He was a man of superior talent, a very fine orator and an affable gentleman. One of the leaders of the Whig party in central West Virginia, he was instrumental in having the county of Webster established. He donated land for the public buildings, and the county seat was named Addison in honor of its founder. In boring a well for salt at that point, he struck the famous salt sulphur spring whose healing properties have given such comfort and hope to the thousands that drink annually from its copious fountain. Colonel McLaughlin, in traveling from his home to Webster Springs on horseback, died on his way along the Holly river. His family consisted of seven children, six girls and one son whom he named Duncan after Judge Duncan who held the first court in Sutton. ------------------------------------------------------------------- From Register of Deaths, Braxton County, WV (Page 27, Line Numbered 31) FULL-NAME: Addison McLaughlin BIRTH-PLACE: Greenbrier DEATH-DATE: March 13, 1872 at age 64y-7m-29d DEATH-PLACE: Webster MARITAL-STATUS: Husband OCCUPATION: Lawyer PARENTS: Denison & Elizabeth McLaughlin CAUSE-OF-DEATH: Unknown, sudden, few minutes INFORMANT: Sarah J. McLaughlin, wife From Re-Index and Copy of Marriage Record No. 1---Nicholas County On June 6, 1831 in Nicholas Co., Addison McLaughlin and Sarah J. Landcraft were married by James C. Boggs ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Braxton County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/braxton/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------