Singleton and Related Genealogy Pages
A history of many families.
1927 - 2005 (78 years)| Name | Charles Fredric/Frederick “Fred” McLAUGHLIN [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7] | |
| Suffix | Sr. | |
| Birth | 1927 | Dalzell, Sumter County, South Carolina  |
| Gender | Male | |
| HIST | He was a former member and president of The South Carolina Automobile Dealers Association, a life member of The Elks Lodge No. 885, a former president of The Gamecock Lions, a member of The Sumter Lions Club, headmaster of The Dalzell Grange, former president of Sumter Jaycees, was voted South Carolina Dealer of the Year in 1987, was a finalist in The National Selection by “Time Magazine” and was a former chairman of the Sumter County Board of Education. at death- he had 10 grandchildren- where do they following go? Benjamin Cole McLaughlin, Sarah Ann McLaughlin, Samuel Clayton McLaughlin, Michael Ethan McLaughlin, Mindy McLaughlin and Allen E. McLaughlin. jkh The interchange of U. S. 521 and S. C. 441 will be known as the C. Fred McLaughlin Memorial Interchange in “honor of one of the most prominent men” in the area. He died following a stroke. of Dalzell, South Carolina 50 years and counting: McLaughlin Ford reaches Milestone ITEM FILE PHOTO 50 years and counting: McLaughlin Ford reaches Milestone C. Fred McLaughlin, far right, looks over plans for what would become McLaughlin Ford some time in the mid-1960s with two unidentified men. Posted: Sunday, July 17, 2011 6:00 am | Updated: 11:10 pm, Fri Jul 15, 2011. By JOE PERRY jperry@theitem.com Although C. Fred McLaughlin died in 2005, his name lives on, looming large for 44 years at the corner of North Main Street and South Pike West. Bill McLaughlin, 56, said his father imparted some time-honored wisdom to him many years ago: Be honest with customers and employees, and be straightforward. "He'd say your reputation precedes you and follows you. That's one thing we've always tried to do - have a good reputation here in Sumter," McLaughlin said. He's done his best to follow that advice, he said, and the dealership on Wednesday was honored for being in business for 50 years as a Ford representative. "It really is remarkable," said Glen Graves, the sales operations manager for Ford's Charlotte regional office, "considering all the economic downturns and recessions. I don't know how many businesses in South Carolina can say that - only a handful." Graves pointed out that Ford has been around for 108 years. "To be here half that distance is really remarkable," he added. A PEOPLE PERSON McLaughlin Ford - now a Sumter landmark - can trace its roots back to H.C. Bland Motor Co., which was taken over by Dick Horne and renamed Horne Motor Sales. Fred McLaughlin sold insurance before he broke into auto sales, his son recalled, and was hired by Horne in 1955 to sell cars. His father was a people person. "He liked people and dealing with people, so he felt like selling cars would be a good way to meet people, and he felt like he'd be good at sales because he liked talking to people and working with people," Bill McLaughlin, a Sumter County native, said. Horne, who had several other dealerships in the state, apparently saw Fred McLaughlin's potential and skills, and it wasn't long before McLaughlin was promoted through the ranks, becoming general manager in 1961. At that point, McLaughlin bought the controlling interest and was recognized as the Ford dealer in Sumter, hence the 50-year honor. Item archives show C. Fred McLaughlin was re-elected to the board of directors of the South Carolina Automobile Dealers Association for the term of July 1, 1967, to June 30, 1968, during a convention in Myrtle Beach. OPEN FOR BUSINESS On June 1, 1967, McLaughlin Ford opened for business at its present location, an advertisement in what was then known as the Daily Item shows. "Register during our grand opening celebration and win a combination car and home TV!," the advertisement said. "Register and win Rusty (a real live pony and saddle outfit)!" The location would have "5.6 acres of modern equipment, buildings, and new Fords," the advertisement said, noting the 48 employees' combined 327 years experience with Fords. "I thought boy, this is really something. My father was very proud of it and worked real hard for it. As a youngster, I washed cars in the summer and was just always involved in the car business," Bill McLaughlin said. "I was born into it." Bill McLaughlin got a degree in automotive marketing from Northwood University in Michigan in 1978. A summer stint at a Ford dealership in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., gave him some outside experience. Whether it's the body shop, the service department, sales and finance or the insurance department, McLaughlin is well rounded in all aspects of the dealership, having served as general manager for about 15 years. He became president when his father passed away in 2005. DEALING WITH UPS AND DOWNS Car dealerships, like most businesses in the last few years, have had their share of ups and downs. "We've seen it good, and we've seen it bad," Bill McLaughlin said. "We just keep striving to provide for our customers." Assistant General Manager Bob Lybrand, 61, is proud of the dealership's reputation through the years and is also proud they've been able to weather a tumultuous economy. "We tried to adjust to the economy as the downturn occurred. We didn't have to lay off anyone. ... We were proud of that," Lybrand said of the 52 full-time employees and three part-time employees. Lybrand, a Manning native, originally started working at McLaughlin Ford in 1972. He left in 1979 to work in a family business, but came back in 2002 when Fred McLaughlin asked him to. "And we chose to do that, and I'm glad that we did," he said. Lybrand also said as president of the Sumter Automobile Dealers Association, he tries to keep fellow members informed about regulatory issues or any pending legislation that may have an effect. Bill McLaughlin and Lybrand said it can be challenging to stay up to date on the latest equipment in the service department, the latest automotive technology and the latest trends in the industry, but it's crucial to long-term stability. "You've got to keep up," Lybrand said. "There's daily changes in the industry." "And we're constantly looking for ways to improve good customer service," McLaughlin added. Reach Joe Perry at (803) 774-1272. Posted in Business on Sunday, July 17, 2011 [2, 5, 6, 8] | |
| Occupation | He was the owner of McLaughlin Motors Inc. and McLaughlin Car and Truck Leasing Company, Sumter, South Carolina [2] | |
| Religion | he was a former Sunday school superintendent at Dalzell Baptist Church, a former chairman of the Board of Deacons at First Baptist Church in Sumter, S. C., and former chairman of the Board of Deacons for 30 years in Horeb Baptist Church in Dalzell, S. C. [2] | |
| _UID | 7C5F3B4146B340D29E2E4471A64C31A5AB35 | |
| Death | 18 May 2005 | Memorial University Medical Center Hospital, Savannah, Georgia |
| Burial | 21 May 2005 | Horeb Baptist Church Cemetery [2] |
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| Person ID | I150597 | Singleton and Related Families |
| Last Modified | 2 May 2022 | |
| Father | Dr. Bush McLAUGHLIN d. Bef 14 Oct 1994 | |
| Mother | Annie Lee WATTS d. Bef 14 Oct 1994 | |
| _UID | 101D096C05794C06958DD458C3C5DC587CE8 | |
| _UID | 101D096C05794C06958DD458C3C5DC587CE8 | |
| Family ID | F102963 | Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family | Mary F. SMITH d. Bef 18 May 2005 | |||||||||
| _UID | A7AB31BDA6F842F289AE5A9C6190848C403C | |||||||||
| _UID | A7AB31BDA6F842F289AE5A9C6190848C403C | |||||||||
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| Family ID | F102964 | Group Sheet | Family Chart | ||||||||
| Last Modified | 23 Mar 2026 | |||||||||
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