John Latta

The following biography of my grandfather, Lieutenant Governor John Latta, Branch 3, was originally published in 1918 in Old and New Westmoreland, Capt. Fenwick Y. Hedley, editor, by the American Historical Society, New York, Volume III, pages 4-5.  It is interesting to note that Robert H. Latta corresponded extensively with my grandfather in his effort to establish branch assignments and possible linkages.  Corrections are noted in [ ].
Born March 5, 1836*, to Moses and  Eliza (Graham) Latta, Unity Township, Westmoreland County; attended the Sewickley and Elder's Ridge academies, entered Yale College of Law School, 1857, graduated 1859; admitted to the Westmoreland bar, 1859; served in the State Senate in 1864-1866; elected to the state House of Representatives, 1872-1873; Democratic state convention nominee in 1874 for Pennsylvania’s first Lieutenant-Governor; elected Lt. Gov. at general election as Democrat, serving with Republican Governor John Hartranft; returned to Greensburg and resumed the practice of the law.  On September 12, 1865, Governor Latta married [first] Emma A. Hope, daughter of C.C. Hope, of Uniontown.   Mrs. Latta died 1876, and in December, 1877, he married second, Rose McClellan, daughter of E. B. McClellan. He died February 15, 1913, interred in the St. Clair Cemetery, Greensburg.
Bio:  Fenwick Y. Hedley, ed., Old and New Westmoreland, vol. III (New York: American Historical Society, 1918)
*Note: Pennsylvania Manual 2003, indicates birth date of March 2, 1836.