Yolo County
Biographies
JOHN H. LAUGENOUR
John
H. Laugenour, city attorney for Woodland and a successful practitioner at the
Yolo county bar, was born in College City, Colusa County, California, November
23, 1893, and is a representative of one of the pioneer families of the state. He is a son of John H. and Elle (Grover)
Laugenour, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of Hangtown,
now Placerville, California. The father
arrived in this state during the period of its early settlement and developed a
farm in Colusa County. He also engaged
in business as a contractor and was called to the office of county supervisor
in 1893. The grandfather of John H.
Laugenour on the maternal side purchased the Yolo Mail, which was published at
Knights Landing, and later removed the paper to Woodland. The great-grandfather was the proprietor of
the Hunter Hotel in Woodland in an early day, and thus both families were
closely associated with the pioneer development of the state.
John
H. Laugenour attended the public schools of College City and in 1912 became a
law student in the office of Arthur C. Huston, who directed his reading until
his admission to the bar on the 1st of March, 1916. In 1919 he was elected to the office of city
attorney and has since been reelected, continuing in office to the present
time. In addition he has a good private
practice and his loyalty to the interests of his clients is proverbial.
There
is also an interesting military record in the life history of Mr. Laugenour,
for he reported for duty as a member of Company F, Second California Infantry,
at Woodland, on the 26th of March, 1917. Three days later he was appointed sergeant of
his company and was mustered into the federal service at the Presidio in San
Francisco on the 9th of April.
He attended the third officers’ training school of the Fortieth Division
at Camp Kearney, California, and was commissioned a second lieutenant of the
One Hundred and Fortieth Headquarters Division at Camp Kearney. He was then ordered to report at Camp
Hancock, Georgia, June 17, 1918, and was there commissioned a first lieutenant
on the 19th of September, 1918.
He qualified as assistant instructor of machine-gun work on the 9th
of September following, and the war having closed he was discharged at Camp
Hancock on the 20th of December, 1918.
Mr.
Laugenour has been pleasantly situated in his home life. He married Miss Georgia Howard, of Woodland,
and they are well known socially. He is
a member of the Christian Church and his political allegiance is given to the
Democratic Party. He is very fond of
children and takes particular delight in making kites for the boys in the
neighborhood. He was the first
scoutmaster of the Boy Scouts of Woodland and is ever ready to extend a helping
hand or speak a word of encouragement to the youth of the community. He is regarded as an authority upon antique
furniture, which he buys and repairs, putting it in condition for use. He enjoys archery and he is a well known
member of the Lions Club and Woodland Post of the American Legion, of which he
is a past commander and past adjutant.
He also belongs to Woodland Lodge, No. 1299, B. P. O. E., and to the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His
activities and interests are well balanced and his genial nature and sterling
qualities have drawn to him a wide circle of friends, who speak of him in terms
of high regard.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J.W.Major History of Sacramento Valley
California, Vol. 2 Pages 423-424. Pioneer Historical
Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010 Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Yolo County Biographies