Mary Clarke (Bass) Laughlin (1801 - 1840)

Born 19 Jun 1801 in Brunswick, Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Samuel Hervey Laughlin — married 20 Oct 1816 in Rutherford, Tennessee, United States

Descendants

Died 11 Nov 1840 at age 39 in Warren, Tennessee, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Cynthia Curtis [send private message]

Biography

Children include: Ellen Tempe Laughlin, born Rutherford Co. Tennessee, July 18, 1817.

Sarah Louisa Laughlin born, Rutherford, April 3, 1819.

Mary Virginia Laughlin, born Rutherford May 13th 1821.

A son born, surviving but a few hours, Rutherford, Murfreesboro, May 4, 1823.

Isabella Smith Laughlin, born Rutherford, Murfreesboro, May 3, 1824. Isabella Smith Laughlin, was named for Mrs. Isabella Smith, the wife of Maj. Bennett Smith of Murfreesboro, who was a daughter of the late Gen. Joseph Dickson of Rutherford, once a member of Congress from North Carolina in 1800-1, and once Speaker of the House in the Tennessee legislature, perhaps in 1811-12

Samuel Houston Laughlin, born Rutherford, Murfreesboro, December 12, 1826.

John James Laughlin, born Rutherford, at Mrs. (late Mr. Bass,' place) Bass,' Rutherford, March 8, 1832.

Andrew Jackson Laughlin, born at Nashville, Tenn. June 25, 1834.

A female child born dead a Runnemede, Cannon Co. Oct. 15, 1837.

A male child born at McMinnville, Tennessee, which survived a few minutes, August 19th 1838.

Cora Kezer Laughlin, born at Hickory Hill Warren Co. Tenn. Sept. 3, 1839.

"On the day last mentioned, having heard that a Miss Bass---I had not heard her Christian name---and several other young ladies, who were staying at Maj. Bennett Smith's, with his daughter Margaret, (afterwards married to Uriah Cummings and since dead) and attending a sacramental meeting at the place mentioned, I went to hear preaching there on the day under consideration, getting there late, in company with Daniel Barnes and others we could not get into the House, so great was the crowd. We stood out by the door and could hear and see in the House. Near the conclusion of the service, with Miss Smith, and in a pew near the door standing up during the concluding prayer, Miss Bass was pointed out to me. She had her face towards me, so that I had a full view of her contenance and person. She was dressed in white, and stood resting on the staff of a folded parasol. Her contenance was meek, modest, very youthful, and her whole attention seemed engrossed by the prayer which I think was made by the Rev. Mr. Alexander before mentioned. I was greatly struck by her appearance. From having heard Dr. Clarke, then a physician in Murfreesboro (a Virginian and cousin of her father) mention Miss Bass, and having heard Daniel Barnes, then a clerk in Estills Store, and Wm H. Smith, now General Smith speak of her, I had gone to the meeting, not being well at the time, more with a desire to see her than any other person---and more from that desire than to hear preaching. When I saw her, all I had favorable to her person and merits, fell far short of what I at once conceived to be her due. Although I had not seen her move, except to turn round and take her set at the conclusion of the prayer, and had never heard her speak, and although I withdrew and went home to Mitchells Tavern without seeing any more of her, I had from that hour a sentiment that she was at some time to become my wife. I was young and poor, but full of ardent ambition, and never feared but what I could make my way in the world if I should continue in health. I had no view or purpose, however of marrying. I had formed no such resolution or wish. I had only wishes to see Miss Bass from no other motive than the natural desire of youth of either sex to see persons of the other sex whom they have heard praised. But from the moment I saw her, I determined to see her again and learn more about her face to face. I knew Dr. Clarke visited at her father's, six miles West of Murfreesboro, where he lived on a large farm on the old road from Nashville to Shelbyville."

"Here we got down, and went in. Capt. Bass was not at home or at the House. He introduced me to Mrs. Bass, to her daughter Temperance Smith, then the wife of Thomas B. Smith, a son of Bennett Smith, who was then a merchant in Fayetteville, Lincoln County, and to Miss Mary Clarke Bass, her sister, who afterwards, in less than a year became my wife; and whom I here first saw at home, in a fine plain dress of neat homespun, which had been made by some of the relations of the family, and sent to her as a present, and which, as I afterwards learned she and her sister had just finished making (that is in the needle work, the spinning and weaving been done by the family who presented it) and which she had just put on. If my first impressions at the first sight in Murfreesboro were favorably, those I now received were more so. I had an opportunity of exchanging a few words with her and her sister. I told them while Dr. Clarke had gone into another to beg Mrs. Bass for some toddy, that I was riding out with the Doctor, whom I much esteemed as a stranger, to try to get him sober, and by arrangement to myself and his friends---that I hoped to succeed. He had previously told me, that when he first came to the country, and when he had stopped to practice medicine I think at old Godfrey Shelton's, thirteen miles East of Nashville, and even after he had gone to Murfreesboro, that he had been in the habit of going to Capt. Bass and staying for weeks to rest, and to sober off from his sprees. I therefore knew that the ladies knew his habits, and Mary's middle name had been given in honor of the Doctor's father, and her first name for his mother.---They expressed a hope that I might succeed. From the moment I heard her speak, some strange, sentimental emotions arose in my mind and heart in regard to Mary. I was dressed in my everyday office clothes---a lead colored suit of lead colored gray coat and pantaloons---a brown frock coat, and long fairtopped boots, buff cassimere vest, and black hat. I remember it well now, though probably I did not in those days or a week afterwards. I remember it, because Mary, afterwards, and all her after days my most affectionate wife, often repeated to me, after our marriage the precise garments which I wore.---It would almost seem that our meeting was providential and preordained, for she has expressed me a thousand times, that the moment she saw me, on being introduced and before she knew who I was except by the name by which I was introduced, she was strangely struck with a strong sentiment that I was to become her husband. Miss Susan House, the eldest daughter of Mr. Ambrose House, then grown, who afterwards married Turner B. Henley and is now dead, was at Mrs. Bass', or came in while Dr. Clarke and myself were there. After we left, and during the same evening, Mary told Miss House, as they both afterwards often told me, that she was perfectly satisfied I would pay my attentions to her, and that I would become her future husband.---These are facts. I am not superstitious---but I have a firm belief in these unexplained and inexplicable sentiments which all persons I believe sometimes have, whether they notice them or not, of coming events.---I state the facts exactly as they occurred---and must be pardoned for entertaining my own honest opinion of them."

Sources

Extensive info about Mary can be found in the diary of her husband: http://sites.rootsweb.com/~varussel/families/samuelherveylaughlindiary.html

• Find A Grave: Memorial #29990373