Auction to sell home and possessions of original Washingtonville family

Washingtonville — Three generations of E.J. McLaughlins (pronounced MicLawlin) have lived in the house at 59 East Main St. in Washingtonville. The house, along with its contents, including antiques and historical artifacts, will be auctioned off. The auction will be led by Bob Connelly, an accredited senior appraiser, at the house beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 14. A preview starts at 9 a.m. During the auction, the Monell Engine Company Auxiliary will be selling food and beverages. The Friends of Moffat Library will have for sale notecards and prints of Washingtonville, scenes made from original drawings by E.J. McLaughlin III. In addition, his book, “The Library and Empire of David H. Moffat Jr.,” will be available. The most recent generation of McLaughlins to live at the residence was E.J. III and his wife, Joan, Washingtonville High School sweethearts who married on Dec. 4, 1942, in Sacramento, California, where he was stationed for part of his tour of duty in the army air corps at McClelland AFB. E.J. and Joan loved their home and its property and dubbed it “Moodna Hollow.” They cherished the memories and heritage of his distinguished ancestors. E.J.’s relatives included JohnJaques (pronounced Jakes). Originally a bootmaker, he started Jaques Winery, which became Jaques Bros. Winery in 1859, when he gave it to his sons Charles and Oren. The winery was sold to the Emersons in the 1880s and became Brotherhood Winery. Sarah Jaques was John Jaques’ daughter and became Nathan McLaughlin’s wife. Nathan, a Civil War veteran, started the general store on East Main Street that E.J. Sr. and E.J Jr. owned and ran. Nathan was also the postmaster of Washingtonville, and the certificate proclaiming that will be in the auction. E.J. III’s great-great grandfather was John Jaques, and Sarah was his great-grandmother. In addition, E.J. III’s grandmother Helen Burnet McLaughlin was the great-granddaughter of Robert Reid Burnet, the last surviving officer in General George Washington’s Continental Army. After her mother’s death, her father, Charles Fowler Burnet, lived at 59 East Main St. with them. Many of the pieces belonging to these ancestors will be in the auction, including the home itself. The chest of drawers made by Washingtonville furniture maker O. Moore and given by Nathan McLaughlin to his wife, Sarah Marie Jaques, as her Christmas gift in 1864 as well as coin silver owned by Helen Burnet McLaughlin and the 100-inch-long J. Jaques bootmaker sign made by Alexander Moore will be in the auction. E.J. III was the Village of Washingtonville historian until his death in April 1995. In addition to the books he wrote — one on the history of the village, the other on David Moffat — he painted and drew historical scenes of Washingtonville and its environs.