[Portrait included]
...J. T. Frank Laughner, one of the best known and most capable of Boone county's young men, formerly connected with the Citizens Bank at Whitestown, but now the able and popular treasurer of the county. He came from a family noted for their sound principles and exemplary habits, seldom any word of reproach being spoken against them since taking up their residence in this locality many years ago.
Mr. Laughner was born in Worth township, Boone county, October 27, 1874, on the home farm and there he grew to manhood, assisting with the general work when of proper age. He is a son of Ambrose M. and Ranna (Neese) Laughner, the father a native of Tennessee, where he spent his earlier years and from which state be came to Boone county when a young man, where he married our subject's mother, who was born and reared in this county. These parents received a common school education and established themselves on a farm in Worth township, acquiring a comfortable home by their thrift and perseverance.
Our subject remained under his parental roof-tree until he was eighteen years of age, when he went to Marion, Indiana, and there entered college, taking the scientific course, also bookkeeping and a commercial course, in all of which he made a splendid record and was graduated from the latter department in 1809, having spent three years there. He then became a teacher of penmanship, which he followed two years, after which he accepted a position with the Muncie Normal school, as principal of the commercial department, which he held most satisfactorily for two years. Later he purchased an interest in a drug store at Whitestown, Indiana, with his brother, Clyde O. Laughner, July, 1901, but not long afterwards he sold his interest to his brother and accepted a position as bookkeeper in the Citizens Bank at Whitestown, filling the same with satisfaction to the officials and stockholders, and in June, 1905, was promoted to the position of cashier of this institution, the duties of which responsible position he continued to discharge in an able and satisfactory manner until January 1, 1914, doing much the meanwhile to increase the prestige and success of this popular bank. Upon severing his connection with the same he assumed his duties as treasurer of Boone county, which office he is now filling in a manner that reflects much credit upon him self and to the eminent satisfaction of his constituents and all concerned, being an able, careful, faithful, painstaking and courteous and obliging offi cial, popular with all classes, irrespective of party alignment.
Mr. Laughner was married on May 4, 1897, to Dora Scott, who was born in Worth township, Boone county, where she grew to womanhood and attended the public schools. She is a daughter of Charles O. and Flora (Bartles) Scott, the former born in Marion county, the mother a native of the state of Louisiana. The union of our subject and wife has been without issue.
Politically, Mr. Laughner is a Democrat and has been more or less active in party affairs for some time. He is also active and influential in church affairs, having been a deacon in the English Lutheran church since 1902 and superintendent of the Sunday school since 1906; in fact, he is regarded as one of the "pillars" of the local church of this denomination. He has been president of the Indiana State Lutheran League since June, 1913, and many commendable comments have been heard as to his work in this connection. He has been a trustee of the Weidner Institute at Mulberry, Indiana, since 1910. He has been secretary and treasurer of the Boone County Sunday School Association since 1912. Mr. Laughner is equally prominent in fraternal circles. He is a member of the Masonic Order at Whitestown and the Chapter at Lebanon, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Improved Order of Red Men, all of Whitestown; the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Lebanon, and the Modern Woodmen of America at Whitestown, and has been clerk of the latter since 1910.
https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/006793314
