Jopin H. McLaughlin, known as “Major” McLaughlin, was born on June 22, 1826, in Limerick, Ireland. After completing his education in a classical school, he sailed the seas for seven years, facing numerous adventures and perils, including shipwrecks. In 1850, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving in the Third and Sixth Cavalry, and participated in many campaigns against Native American tribes. During the Civil War, he served on the U.S. steamship “Virginia” and later the “Ida,” taking part in the capture of Mobile and its forts. Post-war, he re-enlisted and served under General Miles. From 1877, he resided at Fort Randall, South Dakota, where he held various positions, including custodian of the fort. McLaughlin, a Republican, was active in the Grand Army of the Republic, Odd Fellows, and the Masons. In 1883, he married Margaret Moran, and they had four children.
Jopin H. McLaughlin.— Familiarly known throughout the northwest as “Major” McLaughlin, the honored subject of this sketch has had an eventful career, having followed the sea for a number of years, been in the government service at the time of the Civil War, and later having seen long, arduous, and perilous service as a member of the regular army on the great frontier at a time when the Indians were a constant menace. He is a sturdy type of the pioneers of the northwest, is now custodian of Fort Randall, in Gregory County, and though venerable in years, maintains the mental and physical vigor which little indicate his age or the strenuous duties which have fallen to him in the past.
Major McLaughlin was born in the city of Limerick, Ireland, on the 22d of June, 1826, being a son of William and Mary McLaughlin, the former being of Scotch lineage and the latter of Irish. Our subject received good educational advantages in his native city, where he completed a course of study in a classical school. In 1847, at the age of twenty-one years, he sailed before the mast and continued thereafter to follow the sea for a period of about seven years, within which time he visited many of the principal ports of the world and met with numerous perils and adventures. He was in two or three shipwrecks, and at one time the vessel on which he sailed was wrecked and lay for thirty-seven days before those on board were rescued by another ship, all hope having been practically abandoned. Soon after this memorable voyage Major McLaughlin sailed from St. Thomas, West Indies, for Calcutta, India, and upon reaching that port he was offered a position as chief of the native police, but as he was unable to speak the vernacular of the country he felt compelled to decline the appointment. Shortly afterward he was attacked by the dreaded Asiatic cholera and smallpox and his strong constitution alone enabled him to recover, though he was indebted to careful nursing by a native woman after the English physicians had pronounced his case hopeless. Shortly after his recovery he sailed for the West Indies and thence came to Baltimore, Maryland, in 1846, where he abandoned for the time a seafaring life. As a young man he had learned the trade of paper making, and he was employed at the same for a time in the city of Brooklyn, New York. There, in 1850, he enlisted as a member of the mounted rifles of the Third United States Cavalry, in which he was eventually promoted to the office of first sergeant, being discharged as such at the expiration of his term of service. He soon after re-enlisted, becoming a member of the Sixth Cavalry, in which he served several years under General Miles on the western frontier, taking part in many expeditions against the Cheyenne, Arapahoe, Comanche, and other warlike tribes of Indians. In 1864 he left the army and shipped as a seaman on the United States steamship “Virginia,” which was making ready for war. He was later transferred to the government steamship “Ida.” While on the man-of-war he participated in the taking of Mobile, Fort Gaines, Blakely, and Spanish Fort and thus aided in the dismemberment of the Confederacy. While the “Ida” was proceeding down Mobile Bay under a full head of steam a great obstruction was encountered in the channel and, as the Major expresses it, the vessel was literally “blown into a thousand pieces.” Many of the crew were killed or wounded and drowned, but Major McLaughlin managed to keep afloat on a piece of timber, though seriously injured, and was finally picked up by the steamer “Tallahatchie.” He finally recovered from his injuries and a few months after receiving his discharge he enlisted as a soldier in the Third United States Infantry, which was thereafter stationed for a short time at Fort Larned, Kansas, and later the subject became a member of the Sixth Cavalry, with which he was in many spirited engagements with the Indians, being much of the time in the command of General Miles. In 1874, his former term of enlistment having expired, the Major re-enlisted, as a member of the Eighth Cavalry, with which he again served under Miles, and during this term of service he again met with many hazardous and dangerous exploits. Since 1877 the Major has lived retired from active service, residing at Fort Randall, where he held the office of wagon master and forage master for several years, while from 1891 to 1897 he was postmaster at the fort, while since 1892 he has been custodian of the fort. It is signally fitting that this valiant and honored old sailor and soldier of the republic should be thus placed, and it is a pleasure for his many friends throughout the northwest to know that this historic government post is under his charge. The Major is a stalwart Republican in politics, and fraternally is identified with the Grand Army of the Republic, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Masonic order, in which last he has attained the Knights Templar degrees. He is also a member of the Army and Navy Union, while he served for three terms as commander of his post of the Grand Army of the Republic. In 1883 Major McLaughlin was united in marriage to Mrs. Margaret Moran, widow of Michael Moran. She was born in County Clare, Ireland, being a daughter of Patrick Fitzgibbon and Susan Price, of the town of Kilkee, Ireland. Mrs. McLaughlin has four children, two boys and two girls: Dennis, J. F., Mary Ann, and Louisa C. Moran, all living.
Source: Robinson, Doane, History of South Dakota: together with mention of Citizens of South Dakota, [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen, 1904.