San Joaquin County Biographies This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm JOHN F. LAYMAN. Of the hardy pioneers who settled in the wilds of the Golden State in the early days none were more worthy than the late John F. Layman, who passed away February 25, 1922, at the age of eighty-eight years. He was born in Ohio, January 7, 1834, a son of John and Francis (Fry) Layman, who were farmer folk there. At Bloomfield, Iowa, March 19, 1861, Mr. Layman was married to Miss Phoebe Dieffenbach, a native of Bavaria, Germany, and a daughter of Jacob and Katherine (Nauert) Dieffenbach, both born in Germany, and farmers there. When Phoebe was eight years old, her parents left Germany for America. They first settled in St. Louis, Mo., where they remained only three months, and then moved to Lee County, Iowa, and later to Davis County, where Phoebe met and married John F. Layman. Mr. and Mrs. Layman's eldest son, Joseph, was born in Iowa, and when he was six months old Mr. and Mrs. Layman started across the plains intending to go to the state of Washington but en route they changed their minds and came to California. arriving here in the spring of 1863 bringing with them two spans of horses. The family traveled over the central route through Utah and Nevada where the Union Pacific Railroad now runs. By chance they stopped at what is known as the Fowler Ranch. southwest of Lodi, where Mr. Layman was asked in keeping with the early California hospitality, to remain a few days until his teams were rested. It was during this period that he made a trade with a man named William Spencer for 160 acres of land for a span of his horses. The land was then all covered with brush, so thick in places that a passage could hardly be forced through it. West of his land, however, there were more open places sprinkled with magnificent oak trees. As Mr. Layman's ranch was covered with brush, he leased several acres from a man named Wardrobe, who owned the land east of his, and went into debt for seed barley at one dollar a bushel, purchased from John Levinsky at the store in Woodbridge. His bill at the store this year was $700, including seed and groceries, which at the end of the season he paid for in full. He then purchased eighty acres more of land at two dollars and fifty cents an acre. During this first year Mr. and Mrs. Layman lived in a little rude cabin without a floor, and with the crude furniture of the time. It was located near what is now known as Sacramento Street on West Walnut Street. Mr. Layman in time came to own what is now most of the western part of the city of Lodi, including 240 acres lying west of what is now the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks and north of Lodi Avenue and the Sargent road. However, in 1867, he sold his entire holdings to Allen Ayers for $6.50 an acre. He then removed to Merced County, and later to Lake County, but finally came back to Lodi, where he leased 160 acres from John Pope and raised a crop of barley. Then he returned to Merced County and bought 500 acres of wheat land. Mr. Layman crossed the plains, or a good part of them, several times. He was in the mining business in Colorado in 1859, and returned from there to Iowa and was married. He passed away at his home at 333 East Walnut Street, Lodi, on February 25, 1922, leaving his widow, Mrs. Phoebe Layman, and six children. Joseph D. Layman, librarian in the University of Nevada at Reno, is married and has five boys: Randall, a civil engineer, of Los Angeles; Harold, a professor in the schools of Kansas; Oliver, a C. E., residing in Los Angeles; Everett, an attorney in San Francisco, and Theo., at school; Harold, Oliver, and Everett were all in the World War. Mary F. Layman, born in Lodi, married Nathan Bartlett, who was a farmer near Ukiah. There Mr. Bartlett died, leaving a son, William L. Bartlett, who served in the World War and is now in San Francisco. Mrs. Bartlett resides on her ranch in Ukiah. Edward Layman resides in Ukiah. He is married and has two children: Lawrence, also in the World War; and Leona. Daniel Layman also lives in Ukiah. Anna Elizabeth Layman became the wife of J. M. McKisson, of Ukiah and has a child, Phoebe. Lulu N. Layman, the youngest daughter, was born in Lakeport, Cal., and received her education in the Ukiah and Merced grammar schools. On August 9, 1904, she was married to James W. Hake, a native of Wisconsin, who came to California in 1900. They became the parents of four children: Mary Phoebe, now Mrs. Doster; Lilly Elizabeth; and Ruby and Jewel, twins, deceased at the age of three months. Mr. Hake is a carpenter by, trade, and the family reside at 333 East Walnut Street, Lodi. History of San Joaquin County, California � Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1923 p 1023 Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.