BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF
DAVID LAURY.
Pages 536 to 538
The
Laury family are of Scotch lineage, Michael Laury, the great-grandfather of David,
having been a native of Scotland. He married Barbara Goodshall, born in
Würtemberg, Germany, and with his wife emigrated to the United States in 1756.
Among their children was Godfrey, born November 22, 1756, in Philadelphia, and
married April 4, 1781, to Susanna Rockel, whose son, John, the father of David,
was born September 12, 1784, in Lehigh County, and married in 1804 to Maria
Magdalena Kuhns. Their son, David, was born June 1, 1805, in Lehigh County, Pa.
He was raised as a farmer-boy, his schooling, which was in German, being quite
limited. After attaining a suitable age he
learned the blacksmith trade, and during this time employed his leisure hours
in study and reflection. While by self-application he gained in book-knowledge,
he also educated himself by close observation, judgment of men and things, and
keen perceptions. On the 12th of August 1827, he
was married to Maria Kline, a daughter of Jacob Kline, of Lowhill township,
with whom he lived happily for a period of over fifty years, and during which
time they were blessed with ten children, - four sons and six daughters, - of
whom seven survive. In the year 1832 he moved to Laury’s Station, then called
Slate Dam, and there engaged in the mercantile business in copartnership with
Messrs. Rupp & Shifferstein. Later on the firm dissolved partnership, and
Mr. Laury continued the business on his own account. Encouraged by his well
doing, and believing that a grist-mill was a need in that section, he erected
one. The enterprise proving a success, he established not only a business
reputation, but also a credit which few men in those days enjoyed. In company
with James Newhard he at the same time held the agency of the Union Slate
Company, of Baltimore, Md., and did so well that in the year 1844 he associated
with himself Hon. James M. Porter, Samuel Taylor, Thomas Craig, Sr., and Robert
McDowell in the slate quarrying business at Kern’s Mill, in Washington
township, the spot now known as Slatington. His business prospered amazingly,
and when yet a young man he manifested an interest in politics. He also
connected himself with the military companies of the county when the volunteer
organization was a power, and afterwards held various commissions from captain
to major-general. Being a warm democrat, his military association led him to an
active participation in the politics of the county, and gradually he acquired
considerable influence in his party, and ultimately shared its honors.
In 1846 he was nominated for the Assembly by his party for the legislative
district then entitled to two members jointly, the Democrats of Carbon having
at the same time put in the field Peter Bowman. Mr. Laury was, however,
defeated. In 1850 he was renominated for the Legislature, and elected, and so
also in the years 1851-53, in each instance contrary to his own wishes, and
without opposition. In 1856 he was elected Presidential elector of the
district, and on the electoral college meeting at Harrisburg, on December 3d of
that year, he was present and recorded his vote for James Buchanan for
President of the United States. In 1853 he was appointed postmaster at Laury’s
Station, and held the position until after the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln.
A year later he was reappointed to the position, without his consent, by the
very party that had charged him with disloyalty, and reaccepting the commission
forwarded he held the position until his death. In 1865 he was elected justice
of the peace of his township, and in 1867 was appointed by the courts of Lehigh
and Northampton to represent the district in the Board of State Revenue
Commissioners for adjusting the amount of taxation to be raised in the
different sections and counties in the State. In 1868 he was elected associate
judge of the courts of the county, and five years later, after the expiration
of his term, was re-elected to the same position. In 1855 he was appointed
express, freight, ticket, and station agent at Laury’s by the Lehigh Valley
Railroad Company, and held the position until his death.
In 1870 Mr. Laury was elected president of the North Whitehall Loan and
Building Association, which he carried successfully through in less than nine
years. In the year 1838 he and Robert McDowell established a Sunday-school,
known as the Slate-Quarry Sunday-school. It was at first
exclusively English, though the exercises were later conducted in English and
German. It was the first Sunday-school projected in Lehigh County outside of
Allentown, and Mr. Laury maintained his love for the cause to the end of his
days, having at the time of his death been the superintendent of the St. John’s
Sunday-school near his own home. In the year 1844 he was foremost in having the
common-school system adopted by his township, and aided in overcoming a strong
and violent opposition to it. He was elected one of the directors of the first
school board chosen, and being made its treasurer, he retained the position for
six years successively. In 1872, he was made one of the building committee of
St. John’s church, and gave much valuable assistance to the furtherance and
completion of the project. He also manifested great interest in the projection
of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. He was called to discharge many responsible
trusts, and every one proved faithful to
the letter. His career was interesting and extended. Perhaps no citizen of the
county had more influence in public affairs during his life than he. In the
Democratic party of the county he was when in his best years a power, - his
reputation, sagacity, intelligence, and force of character giving him an
influence that did much to shape its character and policy. He possessed
enormous energy, and wonderful activity. He was a man of decided convictions
and of great courage. He did not believe in concealing his convictions for
policy’s sake. He never hesitated between two opinions. His personal welfare
was never for a moment taken into consideration. That a thing was right was
enough to commend it to his hearty support. That a certain policy was wrong was
sufficient to
command his instant and unrelenting opposition. While in the Legislature he
stood pre-eminent among the public men of this State for the peculiar
straightforwardness of his views, for the tenacity with which he stood by them
after having arrived at a conclusion, and for his unswerving fidelity to the
doctrines of the Democratic party. A man well informed on public matters, he
was notable for his interest in debate, and for the unmistakable directness of
his arguments. He was characterized by quick perception, an excellent memory for
facts, and an unusual correctness of judgment. He lived emphatically a
blameless life, whether as a private citizen or as a public official. His
religious convictions were as strong as his political convictions. He felt a
deep interest in the welfare of his church, and was ever ready to give his time
and means for its advancement. He was a man of genial, sociable disposition,
formed strong attachments toward his friends and neighbors, and possessed those
estimable qualities which endeared him to all classes. He was wonderfully
liberal in his gifts to every deserving cause, but for doubtful objects he had
nothing. He loved truth and manliness. He hated falsehood, humbug, and
cowardice. He was not a man to regard with complacency anything which savored
of evil. Dubious or immoral projects were always sure of his unrelenting
hostility. But those movements which had for their object the advancement of
religion and the benefit of humanity could always count upon his substantial
aid.
The death of Mrs. Laury occurred March 12, 1878. From this great loss Mr. Laury never fully recovered. His death followed that of his wife on the 28th of September, 1883, in his seventy-ninth year.
END
********************************************************************************
RETURN
TO THE MATHEWS & HUNGERFORD
INDEX
PAGE
From
The History of the
Counties of Lehigh & Carbon, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
By
Alfred Mathews &
Austin N. Hungerford
Published
in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1884
Transcribed
from the original during winter 2006
by
Shirley
Kuntz
Proofing and web page by
May 2006