Ladru M. Layton

As printed in 1902

LADRU M. LAYTON.

Ladru M. Layton has gained a reputation as an educator, reader, impersonator and lecturer which extends beyond the confines of Ohio and which has gained for him re-.

nown in other districts beside those in which he is well known because of his citizenship in Springfield. He is a man who deserves great credit for what he has accomplished in life, because he owes his intellectual advancement entirely to his own efforts. may well be called a self-educated and a self-made man and his life history proves conclusively that the road to success is open to all who have the determination to continue therein. Professor Layton is now principal of the Dibert avenue school in Springfield and has been connected with the public school system of this city as an educator since 1891. He is probably yet more widely known by reason of his splendid ability as a reader, possessing the highest elements which contribute to artistic success in this line.

Professor Layton is one of Springfield's native soms, his birth having occurred on the 27th of September, 1869, and his father, Orrin A. Layton, was born in Mad River township in 1847 and represents one of the old and honored pioneer families of this portion of the state. It was in the year 1801 that Joseph and Robert Layton came from Pennsylvania. to Ohio, settling on Mad river. The former was one of the first trustees of Mad River township and afterward served as justice of the peace and was also one of the first judges of the court of common pleas of the county. They came of a distinguished family and in person, in talents and in character Professor Layton of this review is a worthy schon of his race. John E. Layton, the grandfather of our subject, owned one of the first farms that was developed along Mad river. He served his country as a lieutenant of the Civil war and came of a race of people noted for their Orrin A. Layton, the father of our subject, pursued a common school education and was reared under the parental roof. ‘He has one surviving sister, Mrs. W. W. Latta, who is now living in Indiana, her husband being the owner of Haw Patch stock-farm. For some years Orrin A. Layton*was in the railroad postal service and about 1886 he accepted the position of baggage man with the Big Four Railroad Company, in which capacity he has since served. He married Jennie Serviss, a sister of O. She died in 1876 at the age of longevity.

Serviss. twenty-eight years.

Of their family two died in infancy, leaving Professor Layton, of this review, the only surviving child. He was the second in order of birth and pursued his education in the public schools of Springfield, being graduated in the high school with the class of 1887. Fortwo years he acted as bookkeeper for the firm of Weldon € Merrill and in the meantime he prepared for college and pursued his studies in that direction. In 1891, he began teaching in the North street school as its superintendent. Later he acted as

As printed in A Biographical Record of Clark County Ohio (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.