Today I was asked who the first elected woman official in Christian County was. In terms of being elected to a county wide office it was Loma Layton. Before the passage of the 19th Amendment, giving women the national right to vote (1920) it would have been tough for a woman to legally serve in office through an election! I would like to tell you a little bit about Loma Layton. She was born Loma Hilton in 1896 to Samuel Hilton and Mary Carter who had moved to the Spokane area from the Walnut Shade district around the time Loma was born. Mary was probably the first teacher at the Chestnut Ridge School. Mr. Samuel Hiltons father (also Samuel) was instrumental in getting a decent wagon road built from what is now Hi 160 at Spokane to Walnut Shade. That road actually led to the later founding of Spokane itself. Lomas dad Samuel (1866-1933) was an elected Christian County official himself, and he died tragically in a car accident on the way home with friends from a Republican rally in Springfield! From her start Loma blazed ground somewhat unusual for Spokane girls-------she graduated from high school at then Forsyth School of the Ozarks that was later moved to Hollister. She then attended the Springfield State Teachers College.(MSU) In 1919 she married Ross Layton who had already been the postmaster of the Day Post Office on Bear Creek in northern Taney County, when he was only 21 years old; before he was called into World War I service!! Ross and his bride Loma chose to live at Day were Rosss folks ran a general store for a time. They had 2 little girls when tragedy struck. In 1922 while Ross was working on an early auto motor the gas exploded killing him on the spot!! Loma was left with 2 little girls and no income; so she and her babies left Day Post Office on Bear Creek, near Bonniebrook and moved to Ozark. In 1924 she ran on the Republican Ticket and was elected as county treasurer! So she was the first lady county office holder in Christian County! Meanwhile she met an Ozark mechanic who had been reared on Chestnut Ridge---his name was Fritz or Fred Schupbach (1895-1973). They wed and when her term of office was up (1929) they moved to Highlandville where they bought Henry LeComtes Lone Maple gas station and store with a few small cabins for the tourist trade. They remained at Highlandville and added more little Schupbachs to their family. Fred was known far and wide as a premier auto mechanic and gentleman. Sometime around World War II Fred sold out his store and garage and moved his family to the mouth of the Finley in Stone County. Here Fred and Loma were living when my mother and dad (Myron and Irene Glenn) brought their baby Wayne home from a Springfield hospital in July, 1947. My dad had bought a farm across the road (now Two Rivers Road) from the Schupbach place. The Glenns only lived near Jamesville for about 3 years before moving back to the Nixa district. But I grew up hearing my mother and dad talk about what GREAT neighbors Fred and Loma were. My folks always said that the Schupbachs were a major reason they did not want to leave Jamesville. And my folks often went by the Schupbach farm to say hi to them after they had moved away. *********In September, 1951 one of Fred and Lomas sons---Ward Schupbach was killed in action in Korea and even though I was only 4 years old, I do vaguely remember my folks talking about this tragedy-----they were so upset----I must have sensed their surprise and sadness. There are other stories to tell about Fred and Loma but perhaps they can be told some other time. Through the tragedies of her life Christian Loma always remained a positive upbeat wife, mother, and friend who lived a long life from 1896-1992. Photos: left (or top) we see Loma Layton in 1924 (90 years ago) with her children Imogene and Hazel when she was campaigning for office. It is 1925 and Loma is in her courthouse office with: County Superintendent of Schools Tom Mapes standing; circuit clerk and recorder of deeds Lewis L. Moore on the left and county collector L. N. Farmer on the right. Years later a more mature Loma Schupbach smiles for the birdie in the Highlandville district.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 04:18:10 +0000
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