1905 History of Crawford County Kansas

Frank Laughlin, who is the author of the history of the press of Crawford county to be found in the general history portion of this volume, is a newspaper man of long and varied experience, and has been very closely identified with the public press of this section of the state of Kansas. During his earlier years he engaged in several vocations, but in the end found journalism the most inviting and congenial occupation, and in the past twenty-five years has made its pursuit the most successful and worthy aim of his endeavors.

Mr. Laughlin, whose full name is William Franklin, was born on a farm near Sidney, Ohio, January 26, 1854, a son of W. D. and Permela Laughlin. His father in his early life was a steamboat captain and served in other capacities in the river boating business, but later took up the occupation of farmer. He and his wife were both of Irish stock.

Mr. Frank Laughlin, after his common schooling, attended the Sidney high school and the Wesleyan University at Bloomington, Illinois, and also graduated from the business college at Bloomington. While passing the years of his boyhood in Sidney he learned the printer's trade, although he did not for several years make that the basis of his career. He left university on account of overtaxed eyesight, and then followed the railway train service until he attained the position of conductor. From that he drifted back into printing. He was one of the editors and proprietors of the Girard Herald for several years, and has also had experience on the metropolitan dailies. For the past twelve years he has been city editor of the Pittsburg Daily Headlight, and as a citizen and in his editorial capacity has taken much interest in the public advancement and welfare of both city and county. Most of his twenty-five years of newspaper experience has been in southeastern Kansas and southwestern Missouri.

Mr. Laughlin was married at Girard, Kansas, July 3, 1877, to Miss Grace E. Burnaugh, and they have two children: Mrs. C. V. Stewart, born November 12, 1878; and Harry Laughlin, born in August, 1888.