The Layton Family

George B. Layton in History of Marshall County, Kansas (1917

The full biographical sketch as printed in 1917, transcribed from the public-domain book. Spelling and wording are the original author’s; a few scanning errors may remain.

GEORGE B. LAYTON.

George B. Layton, one of the prominent and well-known farmers and stock raisers of Blue Rapids City township, Marshall county, and at present one of the commissioners of the county, was born in Union county, Kentucky, on April 28, 1864. and is the son of James and Elizabeth (McClure) Layton.

James and Elizabeth Layton were natives of Kentucky and Virginia,

respectively, the father having been born in the year 1838 and the mother in 1843. The parents received their education in the schools of Kentucky and Virginia. Shortly after their marriage, they came to Marshall county and established their home on a farm four miles south of Irving, where the father engaged in general farming until the time of his death in 1870. Some years after the death of her husband, Mrs. Layton was united in marriage to Dewit C. Calhoun, a native of Indiana, and who came to Kansas in 1872. George B. Lavton was the eldest of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Layton, the others being Charles, now of New Mexico, where he is engaged in stock raising, and James M. of Irving, Mar.shall county, where he is a general farmer and stockman. To Mr. and Mrs. Calhoun was born one child, Francis, now a resident of Kansas City, Missouri. Mrs. Calhoun is now a resident of New Mexico.

George B. Lavton received his education in the schools in Marshall and Riley counties, Kansas. His father having died when he was but six years of age, he was soon thrown on his own resources. He being the eldest of the family, at an early age assumed the responsibilities of looking after the interests of his mother and the other members of the family. At the age of twenty he was working as a farm hand at thirteen dollars per month. In 1886 he rented land near Irving, and engaged in farming for himself. The next vear he purchased his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres, which was at that time improved with only an old stone house and a small horse stable. Since that time he has erected a splendid nine-room, modern brick house. The house is supplied with hot and cold water and gas lights and is one of the well finished homes in the county. In 1904 he built his fine barn, fortv bv one hundred feet, one of the best in the township. His farm is recognized as one of the best tracts of farming land in the county, and Mr. Layton has it all in a high state of cultivation. Where once stood the old stone house and a shed for a barn, now stands one of the finest houses and best barns in this section of the state, and where was then seen the unbroken and undeveloped prairie land, is now seen beautiful fields of golden grain and, pasture with numbers of fine horses and cattle and droves of hogs.

Politicallv, Mr. Layton is identified with the Republican party and has for a number of years been recognized as one of the leaders of the party in the county. He is a man of exceptional ability and excellent judgment. His worth and ability were recognized in 19 12, when he was elected to the impor- tant position of countv commissioner. In this position he gave valuable service, and the confidence placed in him was not misused. In 1916 he was again solicited to accept the position and he was re-elected by an increased

majority. He represents the second commissioners' district of the county and aside from his duties on the board and cm his farm, he is engaged in the buikhng of good roads. He has made the latter work a study and has given it particular attention and is known as one of the most successful builders of good highways in this section of the state.

On May 7, 1889, George B. Layton was united in marriage to Jennie L. Rodkey, a native of Huntington county, Indiana, where she was born on j\Iarch 14, 1865, and is the daughter of Joseph and Frances (Dohner) Rod- key. Her parents were natives of Pennsylvania and when but children moved to the state of Ohio with their parents, and were there educated in the pu1)lic school and were married. They later moved to Indiana, where they established their home on a farm in Huntington county. In the fall of 1880 they came to Kansas and they located on a farm in Blue Rapids City township, where the father engaged in general farming and stock raising until his death in 1907, since which time the mother has made her home with her daughter, Mrs. Layton. Mr. and Mrs. Rodkey were always held in the highest regard by the people who knew them. At the death of the husband and father, the family lost a kind and affectionate father and the community one of the best and most honored residents. Mr. and Mrs. Rodkey were the parents of ten children, six of whom are now living: John J., of Blue Rapids; Clayton, a well-known and successful farmer of Blue Rapids City township; Abraham Lincoln, of Oklahoma; Mrs. Anna Koutz. of Nebraska City; Jennie L. and Grant C, a resident of Colorado.

To Mr. and Mrs. Layton have been born three children, Fred M., Anna V. and Charles F. Fred received his primary education in the public schools of Marshall county and completed the course at the Kansas Agricultural and Scientific College at Manhattan, Kansas; Anna is a graduate of the Blue Rapids- high school and of the college at Manhattan, and is now one of the successful teachers of the state, being assistant principal of the high school at Kensington, Smith county, Kansas; and Charles is attending Manhattan Col- lege, where he is taking a veterinary course. Mr. and Mrs. Layton are prominent members of the Presbyterian church and have long been active in the social and the religious life of the community. They are members of the Knights and Ladies of Security and have had much to do with the success of the local society. They have long taken an active interest in the moral and educational development of their township, and feel that in the schools of the district much of its greatness depends.

Mr. Layton has lived an active life and through his own efiforts he has risen to a position of honor and influence. He has seen many changes in

the country since he first came here from his Kentucky home, the trip hav- ing been made by his father and mother with horses and wagon. His first home in the county w^as at the junction of Bhie river and Black Vermillion river. There the father erected a small log house in which the little family lived for some years. The roads were at that time most impassable and much of the district was undeveloped and unimproved. In all this wonderful transition, Mr. Layton has had his part and to him and such as he, is due much honor.

Source: History of Marshall County, Kansas (1917. See the original pages at the Internet Archive.