Memorial William McLaughlin

Reprinted from "INSULATORS - Crown Jewels of the Wire", September 1975, page 18

"IN REMEMBRANCE"

Memorial Services for William McLaughlin 
A Native of Kansas 
Passed away July 17, 1975

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It was with saddened hearts July 26 that Don and I received from his son this notice of Mr. McLaughlin's death. Since he lived in southern California, it had always been a fond hope of his and ours that some day we might meet and talk in person. But it was not destined to be, so we were acquainted only through our letters.

Mr. McLaughlin was the founder of the McLaughlin Glass Company in 1920, with its plant in an industrial suburb of Los Angeles. This plant produced McLaughlin insulators until 1935.

In 1972, at the age of 87, Mr. McLaughlin had a mold made commemorating his years in the glass making business. The insulators were made of slag glass and dated 1897-1972. They were made in limited quantities in his back yard in a small glass furnace he had built. The production of these was halted because of a couple of adverse letters he received telling him he was ruining the hobby with fake insulators. This thought was the farthest from his mind when he made these, and he was very hurt. Therefore he stopped production for the general public. He did, however, make about one hundred red glass (opaque) insulators for his family, friends and McLaughlin insulator specialists. I shall treasure mine always and also his letters to me. He was a grand person and will be missed by many of us.