JOHN RICHARD LAUBACIL secretary of the Farmer's Mutual Fire Insurance Company, son of Adam and Marietta Haupt Laubach was born Nov. 7, 1857, near Georgetown, Lower Nazareth township, Northampton County, in the log house still standing and now owned by his brother, Robert Adam. In the spring of 1859 he removed with his parents to the Daniel Farr farm situated on the Mauch Chunk road, where his grandparents resided. Here he passed his boyhood, and is now the happy possessor of the farm of his childhood days. He attended the eight corner schoolhouse, which was erected in 1827 and torn down in 1877, which stood along the Mauch Chunk and Easton Road, and, also the private (summer) schools at Christian Springs, and Hecktown, and the private school at Bath, taught by Miss Alice Kern, and later the Latin Trach academy, at Easton. In the fall of 1877 he entered the profession of teaching and taught twenty-two consecutive terms in Lower Nazareth, and neighboring townships and in. the schools of the borough of Nazareth. He taught his first term in Michael's schoolhouse, Upper Nazareth. During the summer and vacation periods he engaged in painting and paper hanging. On April 1, 1899 he was appointed assistant postmaster to C. E. Michael. He had charge of the registry and money orders, and clerical department. During his incumbency, owing to the influx of foreigners, the receipts of this department rose to and exceeded 475.000.00. He planned and mapped out the rural routes, radiating from Nazareth. On April 1, 1907 he left the post office and entered upon the duties of the secretary ship of the Farmer's Mutual Fire Insurance Company, which position he graces with efficiency and dispatch. During 1910-1911 he was treasurer of the borough of Nazareth. In addition to his many duties, Mr. Laubach has collected a vast amount of local historical and genealogical data, especially on his own family. He is a member of the Northampton Historical and Genealogical society and of the Moravian Historical society. Fraternally Mr. Laubach enjoys membership in the Nazareth Council O. U. A. M.; Nazareth Castle No. 396, K of G. E.., and of which he has served for a number of years as treasurer.


In 1883 he was married to Ida Carnilla Kahler, a daughter of Charles and Julian (Nol Kahler, of Nazareth- and the following spring removed to Nazareth in the house where he still resides, 341 South Broad Street. This union was blessed with five children, two of whom died in infancy.