Liberty U. McLaughlin was Spanish American descent, and spent his entire life in Springfield, MO. where he was born. He was a retired garage owner, that died of degenerative heart disease. He was a widower at the time of his death.
His father was Liberty McLaughlin and his mother was Lula J. Washburn McLaughlin.

Hazlewood,Springfield, MO, Liberty U McLAUGHLIN
I am not directly related to Liberty U. McLAUGHLIN, but he was half brother to my great grandfather Robert E. WASHBURN b 1864 Christian Co MO to Louisa Jane COIN b about 1844 in Arkansas Territory to James COIN b Hawkins Co TN.

Look for an unmarked grave to the right and next to Liberty U's ...it is Lula J. SMITH, his mother and my gg grandmother who died 1912. Her last husband was Chancey SMITH.It's been a long search for Louisa aka Lula Jane COIN (Coen, Cowen, Cowan) who had several confusing marriages. In 1870, she was Louisa WASHBURN and 5 yr old Robert were living Springfield, MO with Martha KING and Martha's GASSAWAY son.

And yet she had a brief first marriage to James BOLIN / BOLEN, divorced and according to the only record found, married 1868 to Seth E. WASHBURN ..who I find was born in Illinois to Thomas D. WASHBURN a physician. However immediately after that marriage record was filed, Seth E. WASHBURN is brought up on bigamy charge in Greene Co. However, in 1870 he is in Black Hawk IA (Davenport area) still single, laborer. He does marry eventually, after returning to Illinois, but in 1900 he claims to have had only his 1 marriage to that wife.

Lula next marries Liberty Hall McLAUGHLIN, who by 1880 census is dead and she's a widow, living with her son Liberty U. and her son Robert E. WASHBURN shown in that 1880 household as McLAUGHLIN (not in Green County ...Jasper as I recall.) and perhaps Robert is twice enumerated as I find him as a laborer on the farm of BRADBURY in Jasper.

Then this ...by 1889 and 1890, Lula Jane, perhaps trying to survive the only way she could, was brought up on charges of running a bawdy house in Greene County, and the case was referred to Christian County.

There is a bio on her in a site online for Christian / Greene County. (More info) where she says her father was one of the first settlers of Greene County, coming there first when there were only 3 houses. I am trying to find out when she died and where she is buried. She was still alive in 1889-1890 and living in Springfield apparently.

For your info, her son Robert E WASHBURN mar #1 Annie MOORMAN (Meerman) 1885 in Greene Co and they divorced there July 1888 ..Greene County court records online, found through Library site). He next is in the St Louis City Directory 1889-90 in the music business. He composed waltzes, marches (called himself King of Marches just like his contemporary SOUSA) ..schottishes, children's songs, folk songs (Fun on the Levee was one) ..and I have (and my siblings) a stack of lead plates with his music imprinted on them. They were his printing plates he used to publish / print his own music. He was also a music teacher of piano, violin, mandolin, etc. and his 3 children and wife comprised a Family band I am told by my mother. His compositions date from about 1889 through around 1903 / 1904. Maybe he has more, but that's all I have and all MO Hist Soc in St Louis could tell me (They had 5 pieces in their collection. ) He mar again 1896 in St Louis to Mary Elizabeth CAVANAUGH (b1878,d 1963 St Louis) who was a professional singer, beautiful soprano voice says my mother, and her passing was mourned in a short news clipping I have been sent by a nephew of her son John Louis WASHBURN's wife Ruth FRANKE. (Buried in Memorial at Lucas rd in St Louis).

Robert E. WASHBURN died Oct 20, 1910 of a heart attack and notice of his death was supposed to have been published in the "Springfield papers" per his wife Mary Elizabeth's request to the St Louis Post Dispatch. He is buried in a common grave at St Peters cem in St. Louis. They were living on Natural Bridge Road when he died.
Audrey