Susan McGeehan and
Thomas Laughlin
Hugh McGeehan's 1903
obituary reported that he had a
sister, Susan "Lockman", who was living in Hazleton at
that time. In the 1900 census, only one Susan "Lockman"
(or any other possible spelling of the surname) can be
found: a 70-year-old widow, born in Ireland, living with
three daughters -- Anna, Josephine, and Jetta -- and
"son" Robert.
Another researcher, descended from Bartholomew Laughlin in
Luzerne County, reports that Bartholomew's nephew, Thomas
Laughlin, was married to a Susan McGeehan. Thomas and Susan
Laughlin and their growing family -- nine children in all
-- are enumerated in 1860, 1870 and 1880 in Hazleton
(although the name is spelled "Rockman" in 1860). While the
1900 ages of Susan Lockman's three daughters are not
entirely in sync with the earlier data, Thomas's birthplace
of Canada and Susan's indication in 1900 that she had borne
10 children (with nine still alive) strongly suggests that
this is the same family. We are continuing to research this
interesting possibility.
We suspect that
the 1900 Robert may have been a nephew, since he did not
appear with the family in 1880. His 1900 census record
indicates he was born in Ireland, as were his parents; by
contrast, Anna, Josephine, and Jetta all were reportedly
born in Pennsylvania, and their parents were born in Canada
and Ireland.)
(My
apologies--once I figure out how to import a table in
RapidWeaver, I'll post a comparison chart.)
Susan
McGeehan (b.
Nov 1829, Co Donegal, Ireland - d. aft 1903, probably
Hazleton, Luzerne, PA)
m.
ca 1855, probably in Luzerne, PA
Thomas
Laughlin (b.
1831, Nova Scotia, Canada - d. between 1880/1900, Hazleton,
Luzerne, PA)
Children:
i. Ellen
Laughlin (b.
1858, Luzerne, PA - d. aft 1880)
ii. Roseanna
Laughlin (b.
1860, Luzerne, PA - d. aft 1880)
iii. Edward
Laughlin (b.
1861, Luzerne, PA - d. after 1880)
iv. Mary Jane
Laughlin (b.
1862, Luzerne, PA - d. aft 1880)
v. Susan
Laughlin (b.
1863, Luzerne, PA - d. aft 1880)
vi. Magdalen
Laughlin "Maggie" (1865, Luzerne, PA - d
aft 1880)
vii. Anna
Laughlin (b.
Jun 1868, Luzerne, PA - d aft 1900)
viii. Johanna
Josephine Laughlin (b. Aug 1870, Luzerne, PA - d
aft 1900)
ix. Bridget
Laughlin "Jetta" (b. Sep 1879, Luzerne,
PA - d aft 1900)