When Lafayette Gladwell was born on 6 May 1887, in Craigsville, Augusta, Virginia, United States, his father, John William Gladwell, was 61 and his mother, Lucy Ann Harvey, was 37. He married Mary Violet Smiley on 22 August 1911, in Staunton, Augusta, Virginia, United States. They were the parents of at least 5 sons and 5 daughters. He lived in London, Kanawha, West Virginia, United States in 1930 and Loudon Magisterial District, Kanawha, West Virginia, United States in 1940. He died on 24 January 1947, in Charleston, Kanawha, West Virginia, United States, at the age of 59, and was buried in Charleston, Kanawha, West Virginia, United States.