September 1, 2010

I received this email last week. What follows is very interesting.

Lona Laughlin Boudreaux, Monroe, Louisiana US of A, , , , I have a 1938 post card of the Hotel Kenmar that my great grandma pasted into her post card scrap book. The front is fine and most of the back and I've scanned it. I'm willing to e-mail it to you for posting on this site, if you like. I was born in New Kensington but left when I was 8 and raised in Texas. Genealogy is an addiction for me so always looking for information on Western Pennsylvania. Thanks.

My Reply:  Thank you. Yes, I will post it and credit you for the offering. Any comment you would like to make to accompany the photos I will add to the post. Thank you again. Just return to the email address on this email. Thank you, Sam

Her reply:   Hi Samuel, Attached is the post card front and back. I hope they come through O.K.

John Minnick was one of my mother's maternal cousins. My maternal great grandparents, William and Martha Clouse Chaney lived at 1519 Woodmont Ave. from the early 1920's till the early 1950's. Many members of my great grandparent's family lived in this house during the depression including my mother, Earlabon Irene Hamilton and her parents Alex and Dee Chaney Hamilton. I'm also told I lived in the house when my dad came home from WWII and my parents couldn't find a place to live that would take children. My great grandfather died in 1951 and my great grandmother continued to lived in the house. Sometime after 1952 she moved into my maternal grandparent's home on 305 5th Ave.. New Kensington.

My dad, Dave (Red) Walton Laughlin, graduated in 1938 from Arnold High School and joined the navy in Jan. 1939. He served the whole time in WWII aboard 3 different submarines. My paternal great grandfather was Squire Reynolds Laughlin and at one time was Chief of Police and also Justice of Peace in New Kensington. I used to hear about the mafia and New Kensington called "Baby Chicago" when I was growing up in Texas :).

Thank you. Lona Laughlin Boudreaux, Monroe, Louisiana Here is the postcard:

My Reply:  Great photo - I will post it soon.
Some years after my father died, my Mother married Robert Laughlin, from
New Kensington. A real nice guy. They settled in Silver Springs, Florida. We may be related.
Regards, Sam

Her reply:  Hi Sam, I didn't connect your last name until you sent this e-mail. Robert Laughlin was my dad's brother. I've attached a picture that was taken in Uncle Bob and Aunt Peg's apartment in New Kensington on his birthday. Rocky, Michael and I took a vacation to Pa. that year and would be the last time I saw my aunts and uncles. My dad had died in Jan of that year and mother spent the summer in Pa. We were up there about a week and brought her back with us.

Left to right:(1) Rocky Boudreaux (my husband), (2) Jane Laughlin Johnson (Aunt Jane), (3) Dee Chaney Hamilton (my maternal grandmother), (4) Earlabon Hamilton Laughlin (my mother),  (5) Lona Dee Laughlin Boudreaux, (6) Martha Laughlin Dunmyer (Aunt Martha), (7) Peg (your mother), (8) Uncle Bob, (9) Michael Boudreaux (my son), (10) Bill Dunmyer (Uncle Bill - Aunt Martha's husband). Rocky, Michael and I are the only ones still living.

So, yes I would say we are related. Lona