William Lester Laughrey was the son of John Calvin Laughrey and Harriet Nash Laughrey. He was born Dec. 13, 1866 and died Jul 16, 1920 in El Dorado Springs, Mo. He is buried in the El Dorado Springs Cementary, Blk 11, Lot 4, Sec. 2. He married Fidelia Alice Summers on Sept. 4, 1887. They had seven children.
This picture was taken on July 19, 1932. From Left to right is: Fidelia Alice Summers Laughrey, Children:
(1)James (Pete) Laughrey, Sheridan, Wy.,(2) Goldie Maureen Laughrey Barnes, El dorado Springs, MO. She was married to Kelly C. Barnes. (3)Henry Laughrey, San Bernadino, CA.; (4)Birdie Beatrice Laughrey Tye; born July 13, 1906 in Indian Territory Oklahoma, near Lawton, OK. died Aug. 8, 1970. First marriage was to James Tye and second was to Robert Earl Myers; (5)Arthur Laughrey, Joplin, MO; (6)Elsie Laughrey Fuson, Grove, Oklahoma, was married to Ed Fuson. (7)Leonard Jingle Laughrey, San Bernadino, CA.
Another picture of Fidelia Alice Laughrey and her children, their spouses and grandchildren. Taken in 1932, most likely the same date as the photo above.
A story taken from a diary details the trip the Laughrey family took on their way to Indian Territory in Oklahoma. William and Alice Laughrey left Mahaska County, iowa on Sept 21, 1898 with Elsie, John, Henry and Arthur and a nephew, Aunt Caroline Fallons' boy. They started fron Manuh Chunk, Iowa and crossed the Des Moines river at Eddyville, Iowa. Continued on through Alba, Centerville, Iowa, through Missouri to Pittsburg, Kansas. They crossed the Spring River at Cressline, Kansas. They arrived at Ruby, Oklahoma near Nowata, Oklahoma on October 14, 1988. Goldie was born at Eddy, Oklahoma in Kay County, Leonard and Birdie at Sterling in Comanche Co. Pete at Geronimo in Comanche County. They started from Kay County to Comanche County on November 7, 1903 went through Garber, Enid, Dawn, Ocarche, El Reno and Pocassett. Arrived at Ike Summer's near Sterling in Comanche County on November 14, 1903. Lived in a tent until they could rent a farm from a Mrs. Linsey, east of Sterling, Dec. 25, 1903. Lived there until 1907. William Lester Laughrey filed on 160 acres of land 13 miles south of Lawton, Feb 11, 1907, was Indian Terrotory, but Oklahoma became a state in 1907. Dad & boys built a 4 room house, 2 down-stairs and 2 up-stairs. Mother, Goldie, Leonard and Birdie moved in the house. Dad, John, Henry, Art and Elsie stayed at the Linsey place to finish gathering the crop. They came on several months later on Christmas eve. Pete was born there August 13, 1913. We lived ther until 1917, rented the place to Richard Ryan and went to Apache, Oklah, north of Lawton to George Fuson's. Lived in a tent and picked cotton for varous farmers until Dec. 6, 1917 when we started for Missouri. Dad and Leonard and shepard dog in covered wagon. Mom, John, Goldie, Birdie and Pete in 1912 Ford. Went back over the same route that they came down in 1903. Got caught in a snow storm and stayed a week in Garber in hotel. Went to Fred Laughrey's at South Haven, Kansas about a week, snow was real deep. Came on to Wichita, Kansas and took train to El Dorado Springs, MO. John waited and brought Dad and team and wagon to Wichita. Shipped them to El Dorado Springs, MO, they came on in car. We all got to Elsie's south of Cedar Springs before Christmas in spring of 1918 and moved on a farm on the Sac River. Elsie and Ed Fuson lived in part of the house.
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