My Genealogy Hound

ALEXANDER C. P. LAURY. This representative and well known citizen of Laury’s, Lehigh County, is the Postmaster, ticket and freight agent of the Lehigh Valley Railway Company. He was born in this place January 26, 1849, and is a son of Judge David and Maria (Klein) Laury, also natives of this county. His great-grandfather was a native of Scotland and emigrated thence to America, where he founded that branch of the family to which our subject belongs.

In 1832 Judge Laury settled in the village which was named in his honor, and here he continued to reside until his death, in 1883, when in the seventy-ninth year of his age. For ten years he served as one of the Associate Judges of Lehigh County, and also represented his district in the Lower House of the State Legislature. During the late war he was appointed Revenue Commissioner. Throughout this section he was esteemed as a man of integrity of action and nobility of heart. In financial matters he was successful, and at his death left a valuable estate to be divided among his children. Public spirited and enterprising, he was ever ready to bear such part as he could in the progress of the county. He was active in religious work, and assisted in the establishment of the Lutheran Church at Laury’s, in which he served in an official capacity. Socially he was a Mason and an Odd Fellow. For a time he filled the position of Major-General of the State Militia for the five counties of Lehigh, Northampton, Monroe, Pike and Carbon.

The children who survive of the parental family are: Mary, the wife of Thomas Newhard, of Laury’s; Henry K., who makes his home in Whitehall; Caroline, Mrs. Adam Laubach, of Seigfried’s Bridge, Pa.; Maria K., wife of Peter Nichols, who is foreman in the car shops at Stemton; Josephine P., Mrs. George F. Kimball, of Laury’s; Rebecca S., widow of Joseph L. Bibighaus, and Alexander C. P. The last-named was reared in the village of Laury’s. In 1864 he became assistant to his father, who was the first station agent at this place, and on the death of the latter, in 1883, he assumed full control of the office, which he has since filled. His primary studies were conducted in the common schools, after which he attended Gregory’s Academy, at Allentown. Later he entered theAllentown Military Academy, now known as Muhlenberg College, where he continued his studies, thus obtaining a fine literary education.

The lady whom Mr. Laury married in 1871 was Miss Mary R., daughter of Thomas Hirst, of Bethlehem. Their home has been blessed by the birth of three daughters, namely: Bessie M., the wife of Samuel E. Thomas; Helen M., who is attending school in Bethlehem, and Marion H. Mr. Laury is a stanch Democrat politically and is a reliable citizeD, an intelligent man, and one whose life has won for him the respect of those about him. He is a valued member of the Lutheran Church, in the work of which he takes great interest. Together with his father, he has virtually built up the village of Laury’s, and during his lifelong residence here he has become well known throughout the community, and has a host of warm friends who esteem him highly.