My experiences with my McLaughlin relatives in Dougherty, Iowa, are of importance to my life that they deserve to be passed on to my children, John Francis (Jeff), Margaret Louise (Margie) Martin Joseph, and Daniel Raymond (Dan). The period of my times in Dougherty runs from sometime in 1923 until 1938, the summer that I turned sixteen.

There is no doubt in my mind as to the basic reason that I hold such very fond memories of Dougherty. It is the incredible sense of family that was so pervasive throughout the entire Dougherty community. This family feeling extended to the non-relatives such as the Cunninghams, Rooneys, Gallaghers and, of course, the Dougherty family. Very likely, all of these families had their origins in County Donegal in Ireland. There was a German family named Zweck. They were Catholic and came to America from Bavaria which is a heavily Catholic State in Germany. They would not have been permitted to live in the Dougherty area, had they been non-Catholic. I actually saw a Lutheran family ridden out of town on the railroad, tarred and feathered.

I cannot determine, from my own memory, exactly when and how often the early visits occurred. Sometime, when telling your Mother about my memories of Dougherty, I discovered that I had acquired an especially strong sense of nostalgia about these people and their community. So, on a visit to Dougherty with Mom, Jeff and Margie, in 1953, I discussed this feeling with my Aunt Lewine, Dad's sister. She told me that she could clearly understand my lack of detailed knowledge about the early visits. She explained that each time that my Grandmother was informed that my Mother was expecting a new baby, she insisted that her son, my Dad, see to it that I be brought to Dougherty and stay with her until my Mother fully recovered from the birth of the new baby. I had never heard of this before. It was consistent with the one such experience that was, clearly, in my memory. I can recall my return home from Dougherty very vividly in 1929, the year that my brother Ed was born. Just two years ago, I remembered to ask my Mother about this, somewhat odd, special treatment that I received at the time of my Mother's pregnancies and not extended to any of my siblings. Mother confirmed the story, related to me previously by Aunt Lewine.

She told me that she thought that it was the fact that I was the eldest grandchild and perhaps, even more important, that I was the son of Grandmother's beloved first son, John, and that I was named for her beloved husband, Daniel Joseph. I do not know the exact dates of those early visits to Dougherty. I now know that I was sent to Dougherty in late November 1923 and that Mother was expected to deliver her new baby in late February. Lewine guessed that I was probably there until April 1924. My brother, Jack was born on February 21, 1924.

We have photos of me with Grandad and Grandmother, taken on the farm at the time that Mother and Dad came to Dougherty to take me home. We have photos of me with Grandad and Grandmother, taken on the farm at the time that Mother and Dad came to Dougherty to take me home. We also have photos of Dad, Mother, Jack and me taken on the farm at the same time.

Given that type of schedule for trips to Dougherty during Mother's pregnancies, then I would have been in Dougherty again in November 1925 until April 1926, as Rosemary was born on February 5, 1926. I would have been sent again in May 1927 to October 1927, as Virginia was born on August 23, 1927. Since I started to kindergarten that fall, I may have been brought home in September 1927. I do, as I have said, remember being in Dougherty all summer of 1929, as my red-headed brother, Ed was born on July 14, 1929. I also know that I came home in August 1929 in order to start second grade on time.

There is no doubt that I received special treatment from my relatives in Dougherty. After all I was the first grandchild. I had no first cousins on Dad's side of the family until Darlene Zweck was born on February 26, 1929. Darlene is the daughter of Dad's sister, Eleanor (McLaughlin) Zweck. Also, my "brick Red hair" was nearly unique in the family. The only other red-heads were Dad's Mullins cousins (seven red-headed boys and one with black-hair, who was nicknamed "Blackie").

I was the eldest grandson bearing the McLaughlin name of the entire clan in Dougherty. I do have a second cousin, John Morgan, who was born on October 7, 1921. he was a son of Dad's eldest McLaughlin cousin, Agnes, daughter of Great-Uncle Nat. I also have a second cousin, Dorothy McLaughlin, who was born on January 13, 1922. She is the daughter of Dad's first cousin John Patrick McLaughlin, a son of Great-Uncle Nat. Agnes' husband, Lester Morgan moved his family to Florence, Oregon, so I never did know that family.

John Morgan was killed in World War II. My records of the McMenimen clan provided by my second cousin, Pat Cahill, show that I am the eldest grandson of the McMenimen Clan as well. Pat is the grandson of my Grandmother Mac's sister, Anna McMenimen Cahill.

I was often referred to as John's boy, which would indicate that Dad was well thought of in the Dougherty area. I was never aware of any sense of jealousy of Dad's college education or the fact that he was the first of the extended family to leave the area. Indeed, he was sort of a hero and a role model for others as an example of what Dougherty's young men could accomplish.

This attitude changed some years later when Dad's brother, Joe and some of Dad's cousins reached their late teens. Joe did get somewhat estranged from Dad, because Joe felt that Dad, at the least, should have been able to get Joe a job in Des Moines. It was Dad's total dislike for anything that smacked of nepotism that was a factor in dad's mind. Joe was in a tight spot because his brother Dan was to inherit the farm. Dan always displayed great affection toward Dad.

It is interesting that Grandad and Grandmother educated Dad, Lewine, Leone, Eleanor and Marcella, but did not educate Dan and Joe. I'm sure they were counting on Dan to look after them in later years, which he certainly did for Grandmother. But it left Joe out of any ready basis for making his own way in the world. He did succeed but rather late. He didn't leave home until he was 29.

I felt that this material would help explain my strong attachment for the people and the community of the Dougherty area.

Ages of relatives when Daniel Joseph II was 7, in 1929.

All of Dad's cousins were under 34 years of age. All of Grandmother's brothers and sisters and their families lived in the area.

Everyone in the Dougherty area attended the same church, St. Patrick's, and all attended the St. Patrick's School. It was the great sense of family and community that was so attractive to me at this age.

Dan Dougherty and Great-Grandad, Daniel McLaughlin were childhood friends in Whitehill, Kilmacrenan Parish in County Donegal, Ireland. Dan Dougherty emigrated to the United States sometime before Daniel did. He was located in Norristown, Pennsylvania and was in the steel business. At what level is unknown to me. Daniel, no doubt, at the urging of Dan Dougherty joined Dan in Norristown. (Coincidentally the location of our Danny's wedding to Marianne, her home town at the time of the wedding.) Neither of them stayed in Norristown for long. Dan Dougherty went directly to Iowa and homesteaded large tracks of virgin land in what is today, Cerro Gordo County. He and others established a village on the Cedar River, and they named the village Coldwater. Being on the river and close to the farm holdings of Dan and others, it became the main shipping point for sending livestock and grain to markets. It became the gathering place for receiving tools, materials and other household goods and a place for socializing as well.

Daniel McLaughlin had left Norristown to join his elder brother, John in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin. Daniel owned two farms in the Fond Du Lac area and also owned and operated a general store in Fond Du Lac. This is where he met Julia McMonagle. They were married on November 15, 1863. The wedding must have been shortly after Daniel's return from service in the Civil War. he was at the battles of Shiloh and Corinth in 1862. he was hospitalized in St. Louis following the Battle of Corinth. He had contracted an illness, not a battle injury. He was discharged because of the illness and returned to Fond Du Lac.

Dan Dougherty again urged Daniel to join him, this time in Iowa. Sometime around 1876, Daniel sold his farms to his father-in-law, Anthony McMonagle, and his general store to others and moved to Iowa. He purchased 160 acres of virgin land, just across the road from the Dan Dougherty homestead. His children, all born in Fond Du Lac, were John Francis (10), James Patrick (7), Daniel Joseph (5), Anthony John (3) and William (newborn). Daniel died, November 7, 1886, leaving his wife, Julia, to manage the farm with her teenage sons. Julia died on March 11, 1889. Her son John died the same year, leaving the farm in the hands of James, Daniel, Anthony and William. Her will left all in the hands of a trustee, a Mr. Gallagher, until the remaining boys were old enough to take charge.

I have no information as to how the estate was finally resolved, except that I was told by Grandad that he bought his brothers' shares. Just how he managed this no one was said to my knowledge. I do know that his brother James never did amount to anything, and that his brother William was brain damaged at birth and that Grandad did take care of him until William's death. Anthony appears to have used his shares to buy another farm and I know, first hand, that they got along very well.

After Grandad took over the farm and was married to Rose McMenimen, a plan was announced to build a railroad line that would run very close to the McLaughlin and Dougherty farms. I don't doubt that Dan and Daniel had some influence on the exact route in that immediate area.

In any case, they decided to build a new village nearby. They would no longer need to ship and receive goods by boat once the railroad was in business. Coldwater was doomed and disappeared. There is a great story told many times as to the origin of the name of the town. The fact that it was named Dougherty is no surprise. Dan Dougherty was the first landowner in the area and by now one of the senior citizens of the area. However the story is worth telling and it has some basis for being true. According to Grandmother, old Dan Dougherty and her husband, my Grandad, had considerable debate on several matters related to building the new village. Finally they decided on tossing a coin and the winner had a choice of having the town named for him or have the honor of donating a portion of his land for the church, school and cemetery. She claimed to not know who won the coin toss, but the town is named after Dan Dougherty. Grandad granted nine acres for the church, school, parish house, convent and the cemetery. All Doughertys are buried on my Grandad's land. Who won? Who knows?

The Dougherty home and the McLaughlin home were located, nearly across the road from each other and both were just a short walk to the church. The Daniel McLaughlins had a plaque bearing their names on the front row pew, right hand side of the church. The Dan Doughertys had the front row pew, left hand side, and it carried their plaque. Those two pews had doors at each entrance to the pews. There were other similar pews in the church.

Since all of Dougherty, including all of the farm families from miles around attended Mass each Sunday at St. Patrick's church, the Dougherty and McLaughlin homes became great gathering places for Sunday visiting, (the taverns and stores in town being closed). So there was always a lot of activity at Grandad's and Grandmother's house on Sunday, the weekly gathering of the clans. The Sunday activities were not my sole exposure to the relatives. Grandmother would often hitch up her horse and trap and take me to visit her sisters. Grandad would do the same, and sometimes we all went together. Dan, Leona and Joe would take me in their cars to visit, not only relatives, but other families in the community. Joe's favorite place to visit in the earlier years was the Cunningham farm. That Cunningham family had several daughters and their son, Ray, was Joe's best friend. I was exposed to almost all of Dad's relatives nearly every Sunday. I actually knew all of Grandmother's brothers and sisters and their spouses and Uncle Nat's family as well.

Sunday was always a very special day in Dougherty, as I am sure it must be in every farming community. Farming, at least, what is called diversified farming, is a six day a week of work the year around, with "Chores" to be done even on Sunday. Other than the chores, Sunday was a day off, and most social events were held either Saturday night or on Sunday. Grandad's home featured a very special Event. At least once a month on Sundays after Sunday dinner, which as always at noon, there were Sunday "Concerts." About the only time that I was permitted to be in the parlor was for these Concerts. They were especially interesting when Dad was present, as he was the house tenor and the most versatile instrumentalist in the family. Dad played the violin, the clarinet and the saxophone. Joe played the banjo, guitar, ukulele and the Irish lyre. All of Dad's sisters played the piano. Joe sang baritone, and if Dad was not present, he sang the tenor parts and Uncle Dan sang either baritone or bass. All four girls were sopranos. The concerts Lasted from one to three hours, depending on the mood or the outside commitments of The performers. The music was mostly "Pop of those days, which meant either "Ragtime" or "Jazz." They had a large repertory of Irish songs, Stephen Foster, Victor Herbert and George M. Cohan compositions. These concerts were remarkably Good, because they all knew their music and were skilled in their performances. Joe had also developed a repertory of Swiss yodeling pieces, and I mean that he could really yodel.

Dad had been taught to play the clarinet and saxophone by a traveling "Music Man" Who came from Mason City and formed a Dougherty boys band, much like in the musical, "Music Man." The composer of the musical was Meredith Willson from Mason City. He was not Dougherty's music man.

If I used a term that might not mean anything to you, "Diversified Farming", an over simplified description is that they raised their own cattle and hogs and fed The animals grain, grown also on the farm. It is the animals that brought about the Heavy work week, they had to be fed every day and the cows had to be milked twice a day. The milk from the cows was mixed with grain and fed to the hogs. Milk fed hogs commanded a premium price on the market. By contrast the Dakota farmers simply planted their grain and then at harvest time they hired roving crews to harvest the grain. These farmers had a considerable part of the year free from work. It was riskier as they were principally one-crop farms and if they had a poor Season, they were in trouble.

Grandad's farm land was so rich that he didn't suffer from the thirties drought That created the famous dust storms that generated the term the "Oakies", the Oklahoma farms who were driven off their farms by the drought. Grandad was also Fortunate that his farm was debt free at this time. Grandad must have been a good all around business man, as he was involed in a number of businesses as well as his own arm. He and Dan Dougherty jointly owned the local farm equipment Agency, which also served as the area Ford automobile agency. He built the Electric and telephone service lines from Mason City and was the local Postal Supervisor in Dougherty. Grandad hired people to run the three services businesses.

As a partner in the local ford Agency, Grandad would have his pick or, at least The second pick each model year, assuming that he wanted a new car. A great Story goes with this fact. I don't remember whether I saw the event or whether it was such a good story that I acquired my own vision of it. In any case, this one year, Grandad drove home in one of the first ford Model "A" automobiles. He drove it into the garage and crashed through the back of the garage, headed Back out of the driveway and returned it to the dealership. He neer again drove an automobile. What happened? The Model "A" was the first Ford with a stick-shift transmission. The earlier Model "T's" had three pedals on the floor, one for the brakes, one a gas pedal and the other a gear shift. He became confused as to the location of the brake pedal, and was so embarrassed that he never drove a car again.

The following is another either/or story, (I remember or I remember being told). First one needs to know that Grandmother refused to use nicknames, so Dad was John, Dan was Daniel and Joe was Michael. She did use the second name of some of her daughters, Mary Lewine was Lewine, Anna Eleanor was Eleanor and Julia Marcella was Marcella. I was always Daniel. This did cause some problems of Identity, for Grandad, Uncle Dan and I were all Daniels and we were often in the house at the same time.

Here is another Mullin cousin story, this time one of the tall redheads. Dad was about 5ft.-6 in., Grandad about 5ft.-5in. and Grandmother was barely 5 ft. tall. Grandmother, Dad and the Mullins cousin were visiting at the front door. I was definitely present at this one. At a break in the conversation, the Mullins cousin said to Dad, "John, why don't you step up out of that hole that you are standing in?" Whereupon, grandmother said "Oh! But, you know that good things come in little packages." She noticed that Dad straightened up and showed considerable pride that his mother defended him. She immediately followed by saying "And did you ever notice what a little bit of "Pizen" poison) one can get." This immediately deflated Dad's ego. Grandmother was known for her two-edged sword sense of humor. I later discovered that the two-edged sword humor is typical of the Irish.

One time I noticed that Grandmother had an electric mixer in her cupboard, but I had never seen her use it. I asked her why she didn't use it. She said "I cannot tell the consistency, except with my hands." So, I asked why she hadn't given it to one of her daughters? She sort of huffed at me and said "Sure and that was a present from John, that's why!"

I know that I remember this next anecdote and I am not at all dependent on other people as a source of knowledge. The event occurred when I was five years old as will be obvious. One evening Grandad said to Grandmother, "do you think that Daniel is old enough to have a brew with his Grandad?" Grandmother promptly replied, "Suire and he is now five years old and it's time that he had his first beer, under your supervision."

I really felt grownup and accepted. Grandad warned me that I was to only have a beer when he served it to me. Grandad made his own home brew.

I mentioned the subject of education previously, but I will put it in Grandmother's words this time. I was always puzzled that my grandparents would educate my Dad and his four sisters, but not his two brothers. Grandmother didn't consider it to be strange at all. "Somewhat defensively she replied, "Well Daniel you can be certain that it was Daniel's and Michael's responsibility to help their Father on the farm until they are married, there will be no time for them to go to college." (She always called my Uncle Joe, Michael). Lewine, Leona and Eleanor went to Iowa State Teachers College at Cedar Falls, Iowa, and Marcella went into nurse's training at Mercy Hospital in Mason City, Iowa. When I questioned that decision, Grandmother replied, "And of course, they might have to look out for themselves in case no man would have them." Fat chance. They were among the belles of the area.

Grandmother was famous for her Ginger cookies. She kept a small crock of them in the cupboard that formed a partition between the kitchen and the combined dining room and living room. (Remember that the Parlor was separate and reserved for special occasions.) When I was still quite small it seemed to me that there was always just one cookie in that crock whenever I raided it. It finally dawned on me that there must be a master supply somewhere, so I Decided to try and find it. I finally found it in the cellar. It was a huge crock, nearly full. I proceeded to have myself a feast. I paid for that adventure with an upset stomach. Grandmother scolded me, but apparently figured that I had suffered enough. Grandad and Grandmother rarely resorted to corporal punishment, at least no on me. Oh! Occasionally I might be cuffed for a misdeed. One always knew what one did wrong, because the cuffing was administered immediately. There was no doubt of their disapproval, so one learned quickly.

Grandmother did not conduct inquiries after the fact when something went wrong. If she suspected that or knew of a misdeed but hadn't been on the spot of the Misdeed, she would tell about the incident in a third party sense. If you were the one that misbehaved, you knew it and took the warning to heart. I have tried, always, to emulate my Grandparent's method of dealing with childhood misbehavior. Corporal punishment was, however, a factor on the farm, but it was always administered by Aunt Leona. As a result she was always referred to as the "Spanker." Leona had such an incredible sense of fun about her which more than offset her role as the family disciplinarian. She was also the family photographer. She was just a lot of fun to be with and provided many hours of happiness and enjoyment. Leona wa a natural born comedienne

More on the Ginger Cookies! Every Christmas we received a huge box from Grandmother. It contained several hams, jellies, jams and a huge supply of Ginger Cookies. Dad left no doubt in anyone's mind that these were his favorite cookies. They were and are still my favorite. Several times my Mother obtained Grandmother's recipe and attempted to duplicate the famous cookies. She never succeeded and I often wondered why. Now don't misunderstand, Mother's cookies were great, but not as good as Grandmother's. Grandmother's cookies had a sharper ginger flavor, as if she used more ginger in the recipe. Mother tried using varying amounts of ginger to no avail. There was also a sense of smoothness and softness to grandmother's cookies that sort of eased the effect of ginger. Much later, Dad and I decided that the problem was that we could not duplicate grandmother's source of "Black Strap Molasses", a most important ingredient. Years later, I began telling your Mother about these wonderful cookies. So, she tried several recipes over the years, also without success. She finally wrote to Aunt Lewine and asked for grandmother's recipe. Lewine responded with great pleasure and sent a recipe. Mom set out to make a batch of these cookies. It was Saturday and I was home, and as she was studying the recipe, she called me and said, "There is something strange about this recipe, I've never heard of anybody using vinegar in a cookie recipe." I went over and looked through the ingredients, then the "Lights Went On." I told Mom that I knew that Grandmother used brandy, not vinegar. "How can you be so sure?" she said. I told Mom that I had seen Grandmother making these cookies many times, but I had no idea what she put in them except for the brandy. The reason that I knew about the brandy was because I had frequently seen Grandmother taking a nip from a bottle placed high in the cupboard. When I saw her put the same stuff from the same bottle in the cookies, I was impressed and decided that I had to find out what the stuff was. I found an opportunity to take a nip myself. It tasted smooth and warm, yet with a kind of bite to it. So, of course, I read the label. Then I knew what was special because a lot of the men at threshing time had what they called Boilermakers" - a shot of brandy with a beer chaser, they told me when I asked.

With the brandy added, Mom's ginger cookies were so close to Grandmother's that she sent a box of them to Dad. He replied with great enthusiasm. He and I agreed that there still was some unidentifiable and negligible difference. Later Mom mentioned this to Lewine, and she said that it was no doubt the molasses, as she had not been able to buy the same molasses for many years. I didn't have the heart ot ask her about the vinegar that she had in her recipe instead of the brandy. I was concerned that, just maybe, Grandmother didn't want anyone to be able to duplicate her Ginger Cookies. I knew that she was quite capable of deception. But neither did I want to find out that both Grandmother and Lewine would knowingly deceive my Mother, so I let that one remain one of my fond memories of Grandmother.

Throughout all of my visits to Dougherty, I always slept in a room that was referred to, with great reverence, as John's room. On one occasion, I became curious about a photograph of a young woman who i had never seen around Dougherty. I finally asked Grandmother who she was. Much to my surprise, she replied, "That is the girl that I picked out to be your father's bride." That photo was still on the same dresser when Mom and I took Jeff, my father's first grandchild, to Dougherty. Of course John Francis (Jeff) was put to bed for a nap by Grandmother, where else? John's room.

I have mentioned at some length the musical ability of my Dad's family. They put their musical ability to work for them in another activity as they were all excellent ballroom dancers. This was an event where Mother could compete with them with great skill. How much do I know about their dancing ability? Many, many times I was taken along, either by Dad and Mother when they were there or by Lewine and Maurice if they were not there. Why? I have no idea. Joe, Marcella and Leona especially impressed me. They were still quite young and full of fun and showoffs on the dance floor. Oh yes! Dougherty had it's own outdoor dance pavilion under the stars. I could be easily sent home on my own when it was bedtime. This may partially explain the willingness to have me accompany them to the dance hall. I thought that Dad and Mother were the best of the lot. I have many times seen all the dancers stand aside and watch Dad and Mother perform. They were very, very good and I have seen them dance in Des Moines many times as well. But dances outdoors to local music in an Irish community is a sight to behold. Lewine and Maurice were exquisite dancers as well, but not with the uninhibited exuberance of the younger McLaughlins. I did see Uncle Dan dance a number of times too. He was just as fun loving as the others, but not quite as fast on his feet. I don't recall Eleanor and her husband, Uncle Leonard, at these dances. The Zwecks were German, so maybe they just refused to compete with the more exuberant Irish. It was especially fun to see Joe and Marcella dance together.I think that they enjoyed showing off to their potential future dates. Joe and Marcella are five years apart in age, and she is only six years older than me.

So they must have been about 21 and 16 when they first danced together, which meant that I was ten. I could very well be very aware of what they were doing. They did not go to the dances together. Just about the whole community would show up, dating couples and everyone else.

I came to enjoy observing the absolute madhouse at the farm on Friday and Saturday nights as Leona, Dan, Joe and Marcella all tried to get prepared to go out for the evening. There was an obvious pecking order that helped, or the place would have been in complete chaos.

Dan always saw to it that Leona, when she was home, was to have the first rights to the one bath. Oddly, they had hot and cold water for the bathtub, but no indoor toilets. The water could be pumped either directly from the Well or from the cistern, if soft water was desired. The hot water tank was heated by kerosene. But with Marcella five years younger than Joe, he didn't feel that she had the same rights that Leona enjoyed with Dan. Joe often tried to beat Marcella to the tub. He was at a disadvantage in that he had to pump the water, house rules. He would howl like a banshee when she beat him to it.

I thoroughly enjoyed the romances of these three, Leona, Joe and Marcella. I have very vivid memories of Foxy (Bernard Fox, who married Leona on April 24, 1933), Walt (Walter Jackson, who married Marcella on July 26, 1938), and Margaret Louise Gaubatz (who married Joe on April 6, 1940). Joe and Margaret had a long courtship, as Grandmother tried to hold Joe on the arm even after Grandad died in 1936. I haven't said much about Dan. It was kind of sad. He was desperately in love with Dorothy McGlone, a granddaughter of Dan Dougherty. I probably only remember discussions of this situation. Grandmother did her best to keep Dan on the farm as she often said in my presence, "Dad needs the help." It's also possible that Grandmother didn't approve of Dorothy. Dorothy was raised by her Grandmother, as her own Mother died when she was quite young. This pressure eventually drove Dan off the farm. He got a job as a "Cat-Skinner," i.e., he drove a Caterpillar Bulldozer on a road construction crew between 1931 and 1936. When Grandad died he returned home to run the farm much to Joe's consternation. He took care of Grandmother and vice-versa. Whether Grandmother managed to break up Dan's romance with Dorothy or whether Dorothy gave up waiting for Dan to achieve financial independence, I do not know. He never married, a real pity because he was a wonderful guy to me in spite of his later behavior in confirmed bachelorhood. Dorothy left town and went to work in Iowa City as a secretary to the founder of the Department of Religious studies at the University.

The head of the department was a Dr. Lampe, a Presbyterian and a very close friend of one, Stair Kerr Slemmons. When Mrs. Lampe died, and after a suitable time, Dr. Lampe married Dorothy McGlone. One of your Mother's good school friends was Dr. Lampe's daughter, Virginia. Through this connection, I became acquainted with Dorothy Lampe.

It was only recently that I discovered that she was Dorothy McGlone. Mom and I have visited with her, and she wrote a letter to us in which she said, "Of course I knew your Dad, John, very well, he surely had a very high opinion of himself." She went on to say, "But Daniel, he was a real sweetheart." I haven't told her that I knew of her having been my Uncle Dan's only love.

Grandad was a basically quiet man, but with a very ready sense of humor. In many ways he was a lot like Mom's Dad. He even resembled Dad Slemmons.Like Dad Slemmons, whenever Grandad felt that Grandmother was getting out of line, he would simply say, "Now Rose!", and that would be the end of it. Grandad allowed me to accompany him when he did chores. Fundamentally that means performing those duties related to the care and feeding of the farm livestock, which included milking cows twice a day, including Sundays. I eventually learned to milk the cows and to operate the cream separator. It was always interesting to watch Joe milking the cows, because he always sang his way through the job, frequently yodeling, just like a Swiss farmer would do it.

I became the waterboy around age ten, (1932). I would go to the fields being worked by Grandad, Dan and Joe on horseback, taking water and lemonade to them at mid-morning and again in mid-afternoon. At age twelve I was allowed to drive a team of horses to cultivate the corn fields. Then Marcella became the waterboy. I felt quite important!

At threshing time I started out again as the waterboy. "Threshing", What is that? It was a fun time, because all of the men from the neighboring farms would come to the farm that was scheduled for threshing that day. Threshing involves teams of men working in the small grain fields, i.e., oats, barley or wheat. Usually there were about three hay racks for the men to load bundles of grain that previously had been stacked in "shocks". The hay racks hauled the grain bundles to a central location in the field where the bundles were unloaded onto a moving screen that separated the grain from the chaff, (the stems of the grain). The grain separator loaded the grain into box type grain wagons which were used to haul the grain to the storage bins. The grain separator, (threshing machine), was driven by a belt which was powered by a tractor. The grain was stored in the bins until it was either sold or fed to the home farm animals. The straw of chaff was picked up by a baler that compacted the straw into bales four feet in length and two feet by two feet in cross-section. They were also hauled to the barn where they were attached to hoists to lift them into the upper sections of the barn.

These straw bales were used as bedding for the animals who were housed in the barn during the winter months. Every day of threshing took about twenty to twenty-five men to do the job.

Monday through Saturday for four weeks.

It was at one of the Dougherty threshing parties where I discovered that my name was quite common. There were five Daniel McLaughlins on the crew on Grandad's home threshing days. They were Grandad, Uncle Dan, myself, Cousin Dan and Cartersville Dan - all McLaughlins. It was after one of the tough threshing days on another farm that I saw an example of my Grandad's method of discipline of his grown sons. We all returned to the home farm after a day's work at another farmer's place, all of us hot and tired. Grandad was on a hay rack Dan was driving a team of horses pulling a grain wagon, and Joe arrived on horseback. Dan was removing the harnesses from his team of horses when one of the horses stepped on one of his feet. Dan let out a colorful stream of profanity and smacked the horse across the face with part of the harness. Grandad yelled at Dan. Dan yelled back at his Dad, "Mind your own ............. Business." Grandad grabbed the horse whip from the hay rack and beat Dan. I was embarrassed for both of them as I though that it was probably my presence that caused Grandad to lose his temper at Dan. He did say to me, "Daniel, I expect that all of my men will be gentlemen." I got the message.I never again heard any profanity in the presence of Grandad.

I don't know for sure what irritated Grandad the most, for he would not tolerate either the beating of animals or profanity.

It was at one of these thresher events that I learned to drive an automobile. As a matter of act it was one of the years when I was a waterboy. I had taken my last delivery of water to the field crews before the noon break, and I was sitting in Dan's four-door touring car, (meaning one of those automobiles with the removable side curtains a'la mafia etc.), waiting for the men to return to the farmyard for dinner. I was sitting in the driver's seat pretending that I was in charge. All of a sudden Uncle Dan sat down in the front passenger seat and about four others crawled into the back seat, including Uncle Joe. Dan simply said, "Dan let's go home." No way was I going to admit that I had never before driven an automobile, so I started the engine and tried to slip the car into gear. Well, it bucked like a bronco, quit, restarted etc. etc. until I finally got it rolling.

I persisted under the howls of laughter and various kinds of encouragement and ridicule. I finally made it back to the farm, stopped the car and shut it down without any further problems and with considerable praise. Many years later when Mom, Jeff, Margie, Martin, Danny and I were at Clear Lake we heard Uncle Joe describe that ride. It was much more hilarious to hear Joe's version that it was at the time. Among other things it elevated me to being allowed to drive the tractor.

My Great Uncle Henry and Great Aunt Ann Cahill, (she was Grandmother's (sister), were considered to be the wealthiest members of the family. I visited their farm a number of times during years that I can clearly recall. Certainly the size of the house, the elegant yard and the excellent appearance of their arm buildings were all indications of wealth. The feature that impressed me the most was that every window in their house was triple-sashed. That means that the windows, screens and the storm windows were all permanently installed so that all one had to do was move any combination that one wished into place and all the rest could be made to disappear into the area above the window in these very high ceilinged rooms. It was impressive. One of Great Aunt Bridget's grandaughters became Garvin Slemmons, your mother's brother's secretary. Small world! Her Mother Leo Coyle was, I believe, one of Dad's favorite cousins. Leo Coyle, who married a Callaghan. (I don't know what Leo's real name was or where she acquired such a nickname as a girl). As I became older I was allowed to hire out to other farmers whenever the work on Grandad's farm slackened. I was able to get to know some of the neighboring farmers quite well. Among these were the bachelor Cunningham brothers, Charlie and Jack. Their brother and his wife lived on the next farm east of Grandad's.

They were the parents of Josephine Cunningham, the girl cousin Ray McLaughlin married. I came to know her quite well. She and Ray often double-dated with Joe and Margaret or Marcella and Walt. Josephine's brother, Ray, was one of Uncle Joe's best friends and I knew him well also.

I was told many hair raising stories about the Cunningham brothers when my Uncles found out that I had hired out to them for a few days. I drove the tractor towing the grain binder behind me. Charlie rode The binder and operated it. Jack picked up the bundles and stacked them, grain end up into what was called shocks. Shocks are a grouping of about nine bundles, standing on end with three bundles laid across the top. This is to protect the grain from wind and rain until threshing day. Charlie was a talker and would holler at me the whole time, even over the noise of all the machinery. I never heard Jack say a word the whole time that I was with them. Unfortunately, I cannot recall any of the stories that Charlie told During those days.

Grandmother was about as typically Irish as anyone could be. She had some something of an Irish brogue, but not too broad. Grandad did not have any sign of a brogue at all. Grandmother could be hilarious and she had to keep the pot stirred up all the time. One of her good friends was Aunt Al Burke. Aunt Al was not a relative, but she was Aunt Al to everyone in Dougherty. She was the town postmistress and the telephone exchange operator. She was the town gossip and was often accused of reading the incoming mail. The telephone at my Grandparent's home was on an eight party line.

When Aunt Al had some hot gossip she made a special ring so that all eight homes could come on the line at the same time. News traveled fast in that system.

Grandmother was determined to be a "Lace Curtain" Irish lady. She would not use the term "Bull." All of her references to that animal was "The Critter." Her way of cautioning me about safety was to warn me to be on the lookout for the "Little People." That was her term for the "Leprechauns." She claimed that they were apt to be in the trees, so I should be very careful about climbing trees. They were known to be in the smoke house, the root cellar and could be among the crocks of salted meat that were stored in the basement.

It is a pity that I cannot remember more of the stories that Grandad and Grandmother told me on the many evenings that we three spent together over many summer nights. I do recall that they seemed to delight in telling me stories about my Dad as a youngster. My favorite is a Halloween story. One of the stunts that seemed to appeal to Dad and his contemporaries was to upset their neighbor's outhouses. Grandmother told me that her son John led a raid on their own outhouse with his friends. But John had moved the outhouse earlier in the evening away from the direction of a normal raid. As his friends and he made the run to overturn his home outhouse, he lagged back and his friends fell into the open pit. It is a wonder that his friends didn't retaliate said Grandmother. Maybe they did and Grandmother never heard about it.

This story reminds me that my Grandparents did not see any need to have toilet paper available in their outhouses. They found that the Sears and Montgomery Ward Catalogs that they received annually were an excellent source of toilet paper.

One day Joe and Margaret and Walt and Marcella took Rosemary and me to Clear Lake with them, probably on the Fourth of July. They even took us with them to the famous Clear Lake dance pavilion, "The Surf". This pavilion was one of the stops on the "Big Band Tours," bands like Glenn Miller, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. Not being one to sit idly by while others were having a lot of fun, would you believe I danced with my sister Rosemary. That was the very first time that Rosemary had danced outside of a ballroom dance school. Much to my delight she was very light on her feet and managed to keep her feet out from under mine.

In looking back on my experiences in Dougherty, there are a number of subjects worth noting, especially given some things that I have learned about since my last summer on the farm.

After Grandad's death, Grandmother would take me over to the cemetery at least once a week, but never on Sunday when others might be there. On these visits she would talk to me about what a fine man Grandad was. I was in complete agreement with her. She never even once mentioned any other person who was buried in that cemetery. Why I didn't ask her about some of the others I have no idea. After all I must have known several of those buried there. Grandmother's parents for example were there, though, I never did know them. This is a good time to give a little background on the McMenimen family. Grandmother's Dad was a member of the famous "Molly Maguires" of western Pennsylvania. They were one of America's first labor unions, and they represented the coal miners in that area. He got fed up with the violence that existed at the mines and moved his family to Dougherty. Great-Grandmother, Anna Shovelin McMenimen, had run a boarding house in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. It was the money from the boarding house that enabled them to buy a farm in Iowa. It is worth reporting now that Great-Grandad John McMenimen heard of a fire that destroyed an orphanage in Philadelphia. He and others in Dougherty made an offer to the orphanage that they would adopt a large group of the orphans and arrange for their transportation to Dougherty. Almost every family in Dougherty adopted one of the children. John McMenimen's adopted child was the guy that I knew as Uncle Jim McMenimen.

I was amazed to discover only recently that Great-Grandad, Daniel McLaughlin and Great-Grandmother, Julia (McMonagle) McLaughlin are also buried in the Dougherty cemetery.

During my days in Dougherty as a youngster, I never discovered the existence of Grandad's brothers, John Francis, James Patrick and William. I can now understand, perhaps, why I never heard of James and William. James was an embarrassment, I'm sure, due to his behavior, (One of the town drunks) and William was mentally retarded from a birth injury and his twin died. John Francis died the same year that his Mother died, so he must be buried in that cemetery as well.

By the end of this period of my visits to Dougherty, I did begin to acquire some first cousins that I did enjoy. They were all a great deal younger than me, but they were my cousins and I made the effort to get to know them.

I do have fond memories of them. They were Aunt Lewine's and Uncle Maurice's Bob and Marion Cassidy, Eleanor's and Leonard's Darlene and Mary Margaret Zweck. Mary Margaret acquired the nickname "Muggsy." Where that came from, I have no idea, but she was a barrel of fun and a true McLaughlin.

Grandmother lived another eighteen years after Grandad's death. Her death scene was most remarkable. She had a number of what she referred to as "heart spells" in her later years. She was hospitalized on several of these occasions, but she was a tough lady. After each one she would return home and take up her normal life. She was slowed up some, primarily due to the arthritic condition in her hands. She never became unable to do her thing and go on without help or artificial aids of any kind. On the occasion of her last attack she called the family to her bedside. Dad was the last to arrive, and shortly after his arrival she called for Marcella and visited with her for some time, and then called for each of her children in reverse order of their ages. Dad, of course, was last. After visiting with Dad for awhile she finally said, "Now John it's time for me to go." She closed her eyes and passed away quietly and peacefully, Easter Sunday, April 5, 1953. We were living in Pittsburgh and were not notified until it was too late for us to even attend her funeral. This seems to be a family trait as I've missed all of the Dougherty funerals.

I cannot be absolutely certain, but I believe that I was in Dougherty for the summer the following listing of years after 1929.

I have previously mentioned two other visits to Dougherty that were after World War II. It seems appropriate to mention them again at this time, the end of my stories about my McLaughlin relatives in the context of the Dougherty community.

The first one was immediately after I returned from the South Pacific in February 1946. I wanted my Grandmother to see my new son, Jeff and me, before I got all tied up in trying to launch my career as a civilian. Grandmother had met Jeff earlier while I was overseas, but not being there, I wanted a repeat performance. Dad, Mother, your Mother, Jeff and I drove to Dougherty to visit Grandmother and the other Dougherty relatives.

It was a trip that was very worthwhile. On the way to Dougherty, I said to Dad, "I'll bet that you didn't know that I often drove this road in my Chevy at 85 mph." I noticed in the rear vision mirror that Dad had a smirk on his face. Then Gen commented, "Your Dad is going 95 mph right now."

There were three other visits to Dougherty that I made that I should mention.

One of these was a very interesting visit because we saw Joe and Margaret, Walt and Marcella, Lewine and Maurice, Eleanor and Leonard, Leone and Foxy and Uncle Dan. They regaled my beloved wife, Jeff, Margie, martin and Danny with their own versions of some of my childhood exploits among the McLaughlin relatives. all of the Dougherty relatives had come over to Clear Lake where we

During the summer of 1940, I took three of my classmates from Dowling High School to Clear Lake to attend the "Big Band" dances at the Clear Lake's "The Surf" Ballroom.

Afterwards I took them to Mason City where I invaded Aunt Marcella and Uncle Walt for an overnight stay. I was introduced to a new fist cousin, Jim Jackson, who was about fifteen months old at this time.

The last visit was in October 1988. We went to Iowa for a memorial service for Mom's brother, John and his wife, Clarice, both of whom died on the same day, August 6, 1988. We drove to Rockwell, Iowa, where Aunt Lewine was living with her son Bob. We had a great visit with her and then drove to Dougherty to see Mary Margaret Reed and some of her family. we also had a breakfast meeting with Marcella and Walt Jackson. We visited the Dougherty cemetery and you wouldn't believe it, Lewine took us over to Great-Grandad's grave. Before this incident, she wouldn't even admit that she knew what her Grandad's name was. I will probably never uncover the mysteries of the McLaughlins in and around Dougherty, even though I lived among them for a large part of my young life. I do know they were considered to be upstanding citizens in their community.

It must be quite clear, that my McLaughlin relatives had a major impact on my life.