Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

Eileen. deceased in infancy: Maldean E.. of Anamosa.
an educator. deceased. was married to Emlin A.
McNamara. a mortician. A daughter. Kathleen M.
is married to Larry Conmey. They reside in Anamosa.
S. T. McLaughlin. Maldean. Rita and Earl
services. has been occupied continuously with the
exception of the last three years.
Simon left the farm in 1890 and opened a harness
shop and implement store in Prairieburg. In 1893 he
moved his business to Anamosa and located on the
comer of Main and Ford streets.
In 1895 he and Grace Dougherty. of rural Jones
county. were married in the St. Joseph's Catholic
church. known as the "old brick church“ two miles
south of Prairieburg. For their honeymoon Simon and
Grace went on the train to Dubuque. For the first year
following their marriage. they lived on East Cedar
Street in Anamosa. In 1896 they purchased the house
at 211 North Garnaviilo Street. which is still the family
home and is occupied by Rita McLaughlin.
The offspring of the Dougherty-McLaughlin union
follows: Earl J.. of Chicago. deceased; Rita A.. of
Anamosa. retired after 50 years in education: Mary
THE GLEN AND DOROTHY MCLAUGHLIN FAMILY
Glen was born in Anamosa. Iowa. in 1899 and
Dorothy was born in Manchester in 1901. They were
married in St. Patrick's Church. Anamosa. on Aug. 13.
1934. Glen's parents were Bemard McLaughlin and
Nellie Cosgrove. Dorothy's parents were Arthur Ludley
and Minnie Griffith. Dorothy's grandfather was Joseph
Ludley. a Civil War veteran.
Dorothy attended a one-room rural school house in
the Ryan and Manchester area. She graduated from
Manchester High School in 1920 and taught school in a
one-room school and later taught sixth grade in
Prairieburg. Coggon. Springville and Anamosa. In the
meantime. she had obtained a teaching certificate from
the University of Northem Iowa and attended summer
school at the University of Northern Iowa and Coe
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S.T. McLaughlin Harness Shop, that was located on
the north side ofMain Street. now 206 West Main. The
photo was taken about I907 with S.T. McLaughlin in
the photo. Mr. Groat was the harness maker. (Photo
submitted by Rita McLaughlin)
‘-5'81:
I
Century Farm ofGlen J. McLaughlin
The Century Farm is located at RR 1. Anamosa -
twelve miles northwest on the Ridge Road (two miles
south of Prairieburg). The farm land was part of an
act of Congress in I 841 which granted 500.000 acres
to each state as it came into the Union. The state could
sell and use proceeds for public improvements. This
farm land was sold to Henry Schoonover on contract
January 9. 1854. The contract was then assigned to
Bernard Mclaughlin who paid $1.25 per acre over a
period of ten years at 10 percent interest. A certificate
of final payment was received from Andrew J.
McKean, Clerk of District Court. Linn Co.. September
26. 1864. The patent was issued October I. 1864. The
above wasfor eighty acres. Later in 1864 and in 1872-
1903 Bernard purchased additional adjoining tracts
totaling eighty acres.
The exact date of the building of the stone house
pictured above is uncertain. but it appears to have
been about 1872. Bernard and his wife. Hannah.
(Neilly) raised four sons and a daughter. Hanna, on
the farm. (All are deceased.) The four sons were
Bernard (Glen'sfather). Simon (Rita'sfather). Frank.
and Patrick. Present owner of the farm is Glen
McLaughlin ofAnamosa.
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