George R. Latham
George Robert Latham | |
|---|---|
William G. Brown | |
| Succeeded by | Bethuel Kitchen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 9, 1832 Haymarket, Virginia, US |
| Died | December 16, 1917 (aged 85) Buckhannon, West Virginia, US |
| Political party | Unconditional Unionist |
| Profession | Politician, Lawyer |
George Robert Latham (March 9, 1832 – December 16, 1917) was a 19th-century Virginia farmer, lawyer and politician who helped found the state of
Early and family life
Born near Haymarket, Virginia, on March 9, 1832, Latham received an education suited to his class, then read law.
In 1857 in Taylor County, Latham married the former Caroline Thayer, daughter of blacksmith Franklin Thayer, who had been born in Massachusetts but married Virginian Nancy Mason and raised their children in Virginia. In the 1860 census, Latham's young family in Grafton in Taylor County also included Caroline's 15-year-old sister and two printers, presumably boarders.[2] By 1870, Franklin Taylor was incapacitated and had moved from Boothsville in Marion County to Pruntytown in Taylor County (at the intersection of the Northwestern Turnpike and the Beverly/Fairmont Road), and was the head of a household which consisted of his wife, three sons (including West Virginia infantry veteran Franklin T. Thayer) and another daughter, as well as George and Caroline Latham and their by then five children.[3] The Lathams would have eight children. Franklin Thayer's great-grandfather, Capt. Abel Thayer, had been a patriot during the American Revolutionary War who had raised the alarm at Lexington and fought to defend Boston.[4]
Career
Latham crossed the
Latham soon commanded the local militia, the Grafton Guards. When contrary to the wishes of western Virginia delegates, the
Thus, Latham began serving in the Union Army as captain. Latham was promoted to
West Virginia voters elected Latham an
Death and legacy
Latham died in Buckhannon, West Virginia on December 16, 1917. He was interred in Heavner Cemetery in Buckhannon.
References
- ^
- United States Congress. "George R. Latham (id: L000107)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- ^ 1870 U.S. Federal Census for Taylor County, Virginia, family no. 785
- ^ 1870 U.S. Federal Census for Webster District, Taylor County, West Virginia, family no. 140
- ^ DAR genealogy on ancestry.com
- ^ Atkinson, George Wesley; Gibbens, Alvaro Franklin (1890). Prominent Men of West Virginia: Biographical Sketches, the Growth and Advancement of the State, a Compendium of Returns of Every Election, a Record of Every State Officer. W.L. Callin.
- ^ "West Virginia Sesquicentennial Timeline: November 28, 1864".
- ^ National Archives, RG 153, Entry 15A, Court martial case file NN-3449
- ^ Prominent Men p. 405
External links
- The West Virginia & Regional History Center at West Virginia University houses the papers of George R. Latham in A&M 66.
