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Laughter Cemetery |
* From list compiled by Maurice Cotham
"Possum" Shelby
#Included in list submitted with Historic Texas Cemetery application
~ From list in Victoria Crossroads of South Texas, Victoria Genealogical
Society, Volume XIX, No. 2, Summer 1998
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NAME |
PIC | BIRTH | DEATH | INSCRIPTION | VET |
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*#Laughter, Charles Pyron (s/o William Pearson & Lavoina Pumphrey Laughter) |
04 Apr 1882 | 20 May 1944 | |||
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~Laughter, Infant (Charles Pyron & Verda Milby Laughter) |
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Laughter, John Gordon, Jr. (John Gordon Laughter, Sr. & Carrie Kone Fisher Laughter) |
18 Dec 1919 | 31 May 2017 | V | ||
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*#Laughter, Lavonia Pumphrey (w/o William Pearson Laughter) |
24 Nov 1852 | 15 Sep 1931 |
Mother |
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*Laughter, Lockie Roberta |
15 Dec 1888 | 16 May 1890 |
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*#Laughter, Lois Lee (s/o William Pearson & Lavoina Pumphrey Laughter) |
12 Mar 1885 | 18 Oct 1900 |
Sister |
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*Laughter, Michael Hunt |
30 Sep 1816 | 23 Aug 1880 |
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*#Laughter, Maury Pearson (s/o William Pearson & Lavoina Pumphrey Laughter) |
05 Aug 1872 | 06 Jan 1895 |
Sacred to the Memory of; He Had A Kind And Most Unselfish Heart, Was Ever Ready To Help The Needy Or Distressed; Blessed Are The Merciful |
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*#Laughter, Ray Pumphrey (s/o William Pearson & Lavoina Pumphrey Laughter) |
04 Jan 1880 | 08 Sep 1881 |
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*Laughter, Robert F. |
13 Oct 1857 | 25 Feb 1890 |
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*#Laughter, Robert Gordon (s/o Charles Pyron & Verda Milby Laughter) |
21 May 1909 | 24 Jul 1916 |
We Love Our Little Man |
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*Laughter, Sarah Vardaman |
24 Jul 1820 | 05[04] Nov 1878 |
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*#Laughter, William Pearson (h/o Lavonia Pumphrey Laughter) |
07 Feb 1840 | 2 Oct 1900 |
Father [Regimental Sgt.-Major, Second Texas Cavalry, Civil War] |
V | |
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~Unknown Infant |
(died while parents were traveling) |
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Photos courtesy of Texas Historical Commission Historic Texas Cemetery File
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The history of the W. P. Laughter Cemetery begins with Stephen F. Austin and his friendship with Major James Kerr, who received a league of land from Austin May 6, 1827. Major Kerr's daughter, Sarah G. Kerr, married William Pearson Laughter September 14, 1864, while he was on furlough from Company D, Second Texas Cavalry, Confederate States of America. Sarah Kerr Laughter died February 7, 1868, and is buried near her father in the Kerr Cemetery, only a short distance northwest of the W. P. Laughter Cemetery (both are situated on the James Kerr League). W. P. Laughter enlisted as a private in Captain James Walker's Company of the Second Regiment of Texas Mounted Rifles at Hallettsville, Texas, on April 16, 1861. The company was known at various times as "Captain Walker's Company," "Captain Patrick's Company," "Company G" and "Company D." In 1863 W. P. Laughter became Sergeant Major of the Regiment and was discharged with that rank at Victoria, Texas before August 8, 1865. The regiment was known as "Second Regiment, Texas Mounted Rifles," "Second Regiment, Texas Cavalry," and as "Pyron's Regiment." W. P. Laughter named one of his sons "Pyron" after Colonel Pyron, and another "John Gordon," after General Gordon. W. P. Laughter had a law degree from Oxford College, but never practiced law, preferring to manage his property. He was a farmer, ginner, fluent speak and writer, a Methodist and a Mason.
On May 4, 1871, he married Lavonia Pumphrey;
the couple had nine children. Their home and large gin were
located near the cemetery. When the City of Edna was founded in
1882, the Laughters purchased a city block, erected a large gin,
and built a house there for use during ginning season. |
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Information and
scans courtesy of William A. Matthews |
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Mrs. Lavonia Laughter, widow of the late William P. Laughter, was born in Jackson County. Texas, on the 24th of November, 1852, a daughter of Jesse Newton and Mary Sauls Matthews Pumphrey. The Pumphrey family is descended from George Pumphrey, who with a brother left his native land of either Scotland or England and came with one of Lord Baltimore's colonies to this country, where they assisted in the founding of the city of Baltimore. They remained there until reaching years of maturity when the brother removed to the then territory of Ohio while George made his way to Georgia, where he became a prominent planter, reared his family and died. It is supposed that his descendants participated in the Revolutionary war. His son Sylvanus became the father of Jesse Pumphrey, who removed to Alabama, where he became a large slave owner and spent the remainder of his life. His children were John R., Levan. Nathan, Lewis, Louisa (Mrs. Pratt), Florida (Mrs. Brazill) and Margaret (Mrs. T. L. Bennett).
Mrs. Laughter, the first of the Pumphrey family born in Jackson
County, has spent her entire life here, and in 1871 was married
to William P. Laughter, who was born in Mississippi, February
7th, 1840, a son of Michael H. and Sarah (Vardman) Laughter;
both natives of Mississippi, where they were people or
prominence. The father was an extensive planter and also
operated a large saw mill. After his removal Texas, he continued
his agricultural pursuits, and was well known and honored for
his family sterling characteristics. To Michael H. and Sarah
Laughter were born nine children, namely:
Information courtesy of William A. Matthews |
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Laughter Family Bible |
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Copyright 2018-
Present by submitter |
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| Created Jul. 4, 2018 |
Updated Jul. 11, 2018 |
