Milford chronicle., 1930-11-14
DIR. c. R. LAYTON,
EK-CONGRESSMAN,
DIES AT Age OF 70
[Continued from First Pagel

CONTINUED from FHT PageJ
ing the degree of bachelor of arts
He matriculated in the University OF
Pennsylvania where he completed
his course with graduation in 1876
receiving the degree of doctor OF
medicine.
He at once returned to George
town and started a general practice
of medicine which he continued fol
25 years. He became interested in
politics when a boy and had contin-
uedl all through his life. He became
leader of the Union Republican
forces in Delaware.
In 1900, DR.. Layton was appointed
Secretary of State OF Delaware by
the late Governor John Hum, TAX
ing Office in January, 1901, and ser
wing four years. In 1906, he was
appointed by the late President The
odore Roosevelt as auditor for the
State and other departments in
Washington in which office he sery-
ed for five years. At the end of that
time he again took up the practice
of medicine in Georgetown and con-
tinued until a few months ago when
failing health preve..sed.
He made strong efforts during the
World War to get into the Medical
Corps of the U. S. Army, but was
barred on account of age. He finally
managed to make connection with
the dupont interests, being station
ed at Indian Head where he was
with the engineers of that company
where a powder plant. was being
built for the Government.
In 1918 he was nominated on the
Republican ticket for Representa-
tive in Congress and was elected.
In 1920 he again was elected and in
1922 was nominated for third term
but was defeated.
DR.. Layton's defeat for third
term was ascribed to his failure to
vote for the passage of the Dyer
Anti-Lynching Bill, his action arOus-
ing the hostility of the negro voters
of the State 1t was said by his
friends that while he favored any
measure to protect the cOlOred race
against mob law, he did not sub
scribe to the radical view that
lynch law could be checked by leg
islation.
He was a member of the Progress
sive State Committee from 1912 to
1918, and was an ardent supporter
of Roosevelt who was running for
President against Wilson and Taft.
He was a strong COnstitutionalist,
o,,J IN, xrOfad for no u1aaC-
uTe which seemed to nullify the U.
S. Constitution. In Congress he SER
we'd on the standing committee of
rivers and harbors and was
staunch friend of ]. Hampton
Moore. At the time of his death he
was a member of the Inland Water
ways Association, and the Sentinels
of the Republic. On several occa-
sions he served as a member of
Georgetown City Council and on the
Georgetown Board of Education.
He was a member of the Delaware
State Medical Association and the
Sussex County Medical Society.
During service in the Goth and 9th
Congress, he became widely known
throughout the country, and also
was widely known throughout the
country as the leader of the Addicks
forces in Delaware. At that time the
eyes of the nation were on this
State.
In 1891 he helped to start for J.
Edward Addicks "The Union Repub-
lican," a weekly paper of George |
town and edited it from 1891 to 1905
when it was sold to Mrs. Lavisia
Faucet, of Georgetown, and recent
ly purchased by Elmer e. Wilson |
and Fred L. McGee. At one time af-
ter Addicks got out of Delaware pol
itics, he owned the paper. While SER
wing as Secretary of State he edited |
the State Sentinel of Dover.
He was a member of Franklin |
Lodge, No. IL, A. F. and A. NJ, and .
Delta Upsilon college fraternity.
He first married Annie Elizabeth
Sipple, who died in 1925. By the un-
ion there are three children-Daniel
J. Layton, former deputy attorney (
general of Delaware; Caleb Sipple
Layton, city solicitor of Wilmington,
and Mrs. Rachel Layton, wife of
Robert Reese Layton. of Bridgeville.
DR.. Layton married for his second
wife Miss Fannie S. Harrington who
for about 35 years was an assistant
in the office of the Secretary of
State of Delaware and who in 1925
and 1926 served as Secretary of
State of Delaware, being the first
woman in the country to be named
to that office. 1t is a coincidence
that both DR.. Layton and Mrs. Lay
ton have filled the office of Secre-
tary of State of Delaware.
The Layton family is of English
origin. The early ancestors settled
in New Hampshire, coming from the
southern part of England. From
New Hampshire some of the family
went to Virginia. Tilghman Layton
was the first to come into Delaware
by way of the Chesapeake Bay and
Nanticoke River, the latter stream
being navigable at that time as far
IS Bridgeville, eight miles from
what now is considered it's source.
1t was about the year of 1900 that
lilghman Layton came to this State
md the line descends through his
eldest son, William, who had a son
named Louder. The second son of
Louder Layton also was named
Louder and this second Louder Lay
on married Sarah Sipple, daughter
Jf Caleb Sipple, prominent man of
lis time living in Kent county and
If ScOtch-TriSh and English anceS-