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Lewis A. Laflin
First Mayor of Leonardville
Lewis
A. Laflin is one of Leonardville's retired business men and an
honorable, upright citizen, who enjoys the fullest confidence and
respect of his fellow-townsmen. He was born in Springfield, Vermont,
the 20th of June, 1835, and is a son of Lewis and Rosella Laflin. He
was the youngest of eight children: Edward, Peter, Abigail, John,
Olive, Celia, Mary and Lewis.
Lewis
was reared on a farm and educated at St. Albans, Vermont. During his
youth he followed the plow and became a practical farmer. In the year
1854 he went to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and secured an engagement as an
engineer, which be pursued until 1857, in which year he went to the
Territory of Kansas, but shortly afterward left and started East. He
stopped at St. Joseph Missouri, and engaged as an engineer on a
steamboat on the Missouri River. He continued in that occupation until
1860, when he engaged in farming until 1862, and then went to Clay
County, Kansas, and took up a homestead on the Republican River.
In
1863 he enlisted in the Army as a Private, but was soon afterward
promoted to Corporal, and in that capacity served to the close of the
war. His field of service lay in Missouri, Arkansas and Dakota. His
record as a soldier is highly honorable, and his comrades in arms can
bear witness to his repeated acts of gallantry, which frequently won
for him words of praise from his superior officers.
Peace
having been established, Lewis returned to Clay County, Kansas, and
"turning his sword into a plowshare," began to till the soil, and also
raise stock for the market. He followed the dual occupation of farming
and stock-raising until 1883, when he removed to Leonardville and
engaged in the mercantile business. He built up a large and extensive
trade, and continued to follow the business until 1888, when he sold
out and retired from the cares of active life.
During
his business career he made many warm friends by his liberal and fare
dealing, and their good wishes go with him as he lays aside the duties
of business and devotes himself to the enjoyment of his well-earned
repose. At the first election of town officers for Leonardville in
September 1885 he was elected Mayor, and was re-elected the following
year.
He
owns a fine farm on sections 9 and 4 of Grant Township in Clay County.
He commenced life as a poor man, and has been the architect of his own
fortune, which is a very good one. The I.O.O.F. Lodge, No. 222, of
Leonardville, numbers him among its members, and the Republican party
counts upon his vote and influence.
Lewis
was married to Miss Ester A. Phelps on the 6th of July, 1860, and has
since proved to be a true union of heart and hand. Mrs. Laflin is a
daughter of Almon and Matilda (Rugg) Phelps, natives of New York and
Connecticut. Mrs. Laflin was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, January
23, 1844, and resided at the time of her marriage in Doniphan County,
Kansas.
Mr.
and Mrs. Laflin have had nine children born to them: Norman A., Milton
F., Rosella, Nettie, Nellie, Lewis, William, Eddie, and Delos.
Rosella, Nettie, Nellie and Lewis are deceased. ________________ (Information taken from the book, Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties, published by Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1890.) ________________
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(Taken from the book, "City of the Plains, A Story of Leonardville" - Chapter 1)
Leonardville
was incorporated as a city of the third class on the 19th of August,
1885. An election, held on the 3rd of September made Lewis Laflin the
first mayor. Councilmen were R. Allingham, W. H. Sikes, A. W. Newman,
George Erpelding, Sam A. Foster; James Campbell was police judge. At
the first meeting they appointed Charles Bacon city clerk, R. Burk
treasurer, and James Kelly city marshal.
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(Taken from The Leonardville Monitor, Thursday, April 8, 1886)
City Elections.
The following is the vote at the city election last Monday.
MAYOR.
Lewis Laflin, 61.
W.H. Sikes, 39.
COUNCIL.
R. Allingham, 59.
Geo. Erpelding, 52.
Sam Foster, 57.
C. Hudson, 62.
A. W. Newman, 91.
S. Thompson, 35.
H. Livinsberger, 43.
M. Anderson, 46.
W. N. Vanpelt, 44.
Chas. J. Wood, 8.
James Campbell, Police Judge, 98.
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The
next month after being re-elected mayor, their 11 year of son Lewis
Jr., who also went by Delbert, died in a drowning accident on Saturday,
May 15, 1886. Here is the story of the accident and his funeral,
taken from the newspaper. He was buried in the Leonardville City
Cemetery.
(Taken from The Leonardville Monitor, Thursday, May 20, 1886.)
Last
Saturday about two o'clock our city was startled by the announcement
that Delbert Laflin, a little son of Mayor Laflin, had just been
drowned in Erpelding's pond south of town. He with some other little
boys had gone to the pond after dinner, and two of them had gone in
bathing. It was but a little while till Delbert was taken with cramp
and went down. He rose to the surface a couple of times, but sank the
third time to rise no more. One of the boys ran to town and gave the
alarm. A number of men hurried to the pond and the body was soon found
and taken from the water, but life was extinct and all efforts at
resuscitation was unavailing. The grim destroyer had fully done his
work.
Funeral services were held at the German church at 2 o'clock Sunday, Rev. Howels, Congregational minister, officiating.
A
touching and appropriate feature of the occasion was the part taken by
the teacher and pupils of the city schools of which Delbert was a
member. By request of Mr. Swingle the children met at the school house
and marched in a body to Mr. Laflin's residence. From here the remains
were borne by six little boys acting as pall beareres, viz., Henry
Christensen, Bertle Stafford, Willie Newman, Willie Anderson, Tommie
Moffet and Carl Bredberg, and followed by the little boys and girls,
his former schoolmates and playmates, and by the afflicted parents and
friends.
The services at the church were solemn and impressive,
and the building was crowded to its utmost capacity. Almost immediately
after the close of the service a heavy rain set in and prevented the
greater portion of those present from joining the procession to the
cemetery, which otherwise would have been the largest and most imposing
ever witnessed in this vicinity. As it was the remains were consigned
to their last resting place while the watery element seemed to weep, as
it were, in violent contrition over the cruel blow by the element
inflicted.
Mr. and Mrs. Laflin have the sympathy of the entire
community in their sad affliction, and it is the sincere wish and hope
of the Monitor that through this dark cloud of sorrow and gloom that
has so suddenly overshadowed them, they may be able to discern a silver
lining -- that even in this seemingly cruel and crushing blow they may
recognize the hand of Him who requires His children to pass under the
chastening rod as "Whom He loveth He chasteneth," and that they may be
able to derive comfort and consolation from this thought and say with
reverent resignation "Thy will be done."
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(Taken from The Leonardville Monitor, Thursday, May 20, 1886.)
Card of Thanks.
We
desire to extend our sincere and heartfelt thanks to all for the many
acts of kindness shown us on the occasion of our recent sad affliction,
and for the kind words of sympathy and condolence so generously
bestowed. No words can express our warm appreciation of your kindly
offices and they will ever be held in grateful remembrance.
Lewis Laflin.
Esther A. Laflin.
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(Taken from The Leonardville Monitor, Thursday, May 20, 1886.)
The
misfortune that has fallen upon Mr. and Mrs. Laflin in the drowning of
their little boy is peculiarly sad. He was an unusually bright boy, the
pride of the family, and their hopes were centered in him above all the
rest. They have also been unfortunate in years past in the loss of
three bright little girls. The hope of their earlier days, and within a
few weeks their oldest son but one, a young man, has lost his sight,
and another little boy is also hopelessly afflicted. In view of all
this it is not to be wondered at that this blow, coming like a
thunderbolt out of the clear sky, should fall with crushing weight upon
them.
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