Detective Landon Jethro Osborn, Sr. | Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad

Age: 66
Served: 27 years
After 1900 to 1917 Dayton Police Department
1917 to September 19, 1932 C&O Railroad

Landon was born April 10 or September 13, 1866 in Westboro, Clinton County, Ohio to Jacob and Wealthy Ann (Brown) Osborn.  His great grandparents were two of the first inhabitants of Hamilton County and he could trace his paternal lineage back to New Jersey a century before the American Revolution.

Little is known about him until September 24, 1895 when he was residing at 304 Elm Street and married Mary J. Lotz.  During 1900, they were the proprietors of a laundry at 532 Findlay Street and had two children.  By 1905 they had three children and were living in Dayton, Kentucky.  During 1910, he was driving a laundry wagon.

Landon joined the Dayton Police Department, probably aft 1910.  As a Patrolman, he had some success in clearing up box car thefts.  During 1917 he was appointed as a Detective for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad.

By August 1932, Detective Osborn and his wife were empty nesters living at 532 W. 5^th Street in Dayton.  The last of his four children, Landon J. Osborn, Jr., had just gotten married on July 27^th.  He had served in law enforcement for more than 15 years.  On September 18, 1932, he was working at the railroad yards and terminal near 4^th and John Streets in Cincinnati.

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