Branch No. 23

No Branch Captain at this time.  Volunteer needed.

Updated by Geoffrey Latta, Secretary Historian, Issue 52, Spring 2014

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LAST NUMBER USED: 52
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As part of the ongoing review of branch information, I have been looking at Branch 23.  When Robert Latta originally compiled the branch information, he started this branch with Colin Lata who he listed as having married twice to Mary Muir and to Janet Bauch and some of those grandchildren emigrated to the USA.

Subsequent to Robert Latta's work others have tried to take the family line back by stating that Colin was born in 1744 in Dalgety, Fifeshire.

The specific known facts are as follows.  A Colin Latta did marry a Mary Muir in Dalgety in 1789 (not 1780 as the branch information claims).  Their first child, John was born in 1790 but presumably died young as another John was born to them in 1799.  Both Robert Latta's original work and the revised branch information agree that there were seven other children.  I can trace birth records for six of these but not for a Colin Latta who was allegedly born in Colin's second marriage to Janet Bauch.  Nor can I trace a record for the marriage to Janet Bauch.

Further, one must question the belief that the Colin who married Mary Muir was the one born in 1744.  If this assumption was correct, he would have been 45 years old when he married and would have fathered children up to the age of 65.  While this is not impossible, it would have been very rate at a time of much lower life expectancy when most marriages were contracted when people were in their 20s.  Moreover, the Colin born in 1744 was the son of Colin Latta and Margaret Beveridge (both names had varied spellings so I am using these forms for convenience).  Yet in defiance of Scottish naming conventions no child was named Margaret (although there were four daughters) and the only possible child named Colin was one whose birth cannot be traced and who would in any case have been named after three other male names had been used.

On balance, I would conclude that this is not the right birth.  Now it is certainly possible that the birth was not recorded but if it was there are two candidates.  the first is Colin born in Largo, Fifeshire in 1762 and the second, Colin born in Dalgety in 1771.  in favor of the first is that he was the right age (27) for marriage.  Against is that Largo is not very close to Dalgety and he did not use either of his parents names (William and Isobel) for his children in defiance of normal Scottish naming conventions.  for the latter, again is the fact that he was rather young for marriage (18) assuming he was baptized in infancy as most children were.  In favor is the location in Dalgety and the fact that he used both his parents' names (John and Helen) for his children.

On balance, therefore, I would conclude that the Colin who married in 1789 was the one born in Dalgety in 1771 and not the one born in 1744.  the Colin born in 1771 was the son of John Lata and Helen Beveridge who married in  Dalgety in 1766.  John Lata was born in Dalgety in 1746 and was the son of Colin and Margaret Beveridge.  John Lata and Helen Beveridge had seven children in total - Grisle (born 1767), Euphen (1769), Margaret (1769), Colin (1771), John (1773), Janet (1775) and James (1777).

                                                                                            COLIN LATA

Colin and Margaret Beveridge married in 1740 in Dalgety, Fifeshire, Scotland.  From a search of the Dalgety parish records, I have determined that Colin died on April 12, 1760.  There is also a death of Jean "a child" for 1753, which would most likely be Jean born in 1751.  There is no matching birth for Colin so the family cannot be carried back further than 1740.  Of Colin and Margaret Beveridge's nine children, I can find no matching marriages among the girls and none for the boys with the exception of John. 

                                                                                                         JOHN LATA

John Lata, son of Colin Lata and Margaret Beveridge married Helen Beveridge on February 21, 1766 at Dalgety, Fifeshire, Scotland.  John Lata married Ann Thomson on April 4, 1780 at Dalgety, Fifeshire, Scotland.  Also entered in Largo, Fifeshire, Scotland on May 6, 1780.Of John Lata and Helen Beveridge's seven children, I can find no matching marriages for the females.

                                                                                              ALEXANDER LATTO

Alexander Lata (Latto), son of Colin Lata and Margaret Beveridge, was born December 14, 1755 at Falgety, Fifeshire, Scotland.  Married Agnes Webster.

                                                                                     1 COLIN (1) LATTA
Lived in Dalgety, Fifeshire, Scotland, b. 1771 at Dalgety, Fifeshire, Scotland, son of Collen Lata and Margaret Bevrich (Beveridge); m. Mary Muir (also seen as Margaret Muir) in 1780 at Dalgety, Fireshire, Scotland, and Janet Bauch.   Returning to the Colin, who married in 1789, Robert Latta gave information mainly on the family of his son, Thomas, who married Margaret Keddie.  The revised Branch 23 data gave dates for the births of Thomas and the other children.  This shows correctly and contrary to Robert Latta's information that Thomas was born in Dalgety not in Brinton, Stirlingshire.  However, further on in the branch information the error about Brinton reappears.  The family moved from  Dalgety to Kilsyth, Stirlingshire in the period between 1799 and 1804 and it would appear that his brother John followed shortly after.

Children with Mary Muir:
2    THOMAS (2) LATOW - b. February 10, 1793 at Dalgety, Fifeshire, Scotland (to Colline Latow and  Mary Mour).
3    JOHN (2) LATTA - b. June 2, 1799 at Dalgety, Fifeshire, Scotland.
8    HUGH BAIRD (2) LATTA - b. July 8, 1804 at Kilsyth, Stirling, Scotland; d. young.
9    COLIN (2) by second wife; m. Helen Beveridge.
10  JANNET (2) b. March 5, 1802; d. 1867 in W. District of Old Monkland, Scotland; m. William Irvine on May 1, 1821 in Liberton, Edinburgh.
11  HELLEN (2) b. June 6, 1797 at Dalgety, Fifeshire, Scotland; m.
12  SOPHIA (2) b. July 9, 1809 at Kilsyth, Stirling, Scotland; m. Peter Drummond in Kilsyth on December 14, 1844.
13  ELIZABETH (2) b. March 15, 1807 at Kilsyth, Stirling; mother listed as "Marion Ure" (Mary Muir); m.

                                                                                     2 THOMAS (2) LATTA
Colin (1). Born July 8, 1804 at Kilsyth, Stirling, Scotland; d. in 1841 or 1842 at 48 years of age. Coal miner. Injured in the mine near Glasgow then kept store. Married Margaret Keddie in Edinburgh in 1821 and had nine children.  He appears in the 1841 census, but by 1851 his wife is listed as a widow.  Of Thomas' nine children, three went to the US, one went to Australia, one to New Zealand and two stayed in Scotland (one died as a child).

Children:
4   COLIN (3) Born at Gilberton Parish of Liberton near Glasgow, Scotland on October 15, 1822; d. at Inkerman, Luzerne Co., Pa. October 25, 1852. Killed in coal mine.
14  ROBERT (3) When three years in America was drowned in the Ohio River. Born April 23, 1823; d. 1850.
5   THOMAS KEDDIE (3) Born March 19, 1826; d. about 1876 at Blythswood, Glasgow, Scotland.
15 JANET (3) twin with Thomas b. March 19, 1826; m. Robert Simpson, brother of the wife of Thomas. Lived in Pittston, Pa. Her daughter married Dr. D. Thompson and lived in Denver, Colo.
16  MARY (3) died at age of 5 years.
17 MARGARET (3) d. April 1887 in New Zealand where she went for her health; m. John Atkins in Falkirk, Scotland.
18 GEORGE (3) twin with John. Went to Melbourn, Australia when 20 years old.
6   JOHN (3) twin with George.
19 DAVID (3) d. 1855 at Calton, Glasgow, Scotland, at age of 16 years.

                                                                                   3 JOHN (2) LATTA
Colin (1). Branch information states only that he married and had two children.  A potential marriage match would be John who married Jean Burnside in Barony, Glasgow in 1818 and had two children, Colin (b. 1820) and Jean (b. 1824).  The use of the name Colin and the match on the two children outweighs the slight concern that 19 was a bit young to marry. 
20 possibly, COLIN (3). b. 1820?
21 possibly, JEAN (3). b. 1824?

                                                                                  4 COLIN (3) LATTA
Thomas (2) Colin (1). Born at Gilberton Parish of Liberton near Glasgow, Scotland October 15, 1822; d. at Inkerman, Jenkins Township, Luzerne Co., Pa. October 25, 1852. Came to American in May, 1848, and was killed in a coal mine at the age of thirty; m. Janet McGregor in Falkirk, Stirlingshire on 31 December 1844.  In 1850 he was in US census at Newcastle, Schuylkill County, PA.  Janet was the daughter of Alexander and Ellen (Henderson) McGregor, of Falkirk, Ayrshire, Scotland. Her people were Highlanders. After Colin's death, Janet (seen as "Jeanette") married John Black, a fire-boss in the mines at Inkerman on March 8, 1854. They had 4 children, two of whom were Ellen (Mrs. John B. Evans), and John P. Black, of the firm of Doyle & Black, proprietors of the Metropolitan Theater, Cooper Avenue, Aspen, Colorado. Jeanette's husband, John Black, was a member of the IOOF and the K. of H., a Republican and a member of the Board of Mine Examiners. 

Children:
22 THOMAS  (4) b. in Falkirk, Scotland February 27, 1846; d. 1847.
23 ALEXANDER (4) b. April 14, 1849 in Schuylkill County, PA.
24 THOMAS (4) b. December 2, 1850 in Pa. Was a hotel keeper in Aspen, Pitkin Co., Colo. In 1906 lived at Glenwood, Colo. Single. (See story of the "Red Onion" in Aspen)
25 COLIN (4) b. January 5, 1853; d. July 9, 1854 in Pa.

"History of Luzerne County, PA"

JOHN BLACK, fire-boss at the No. 5 Colliery, Pennsylvania Coal Company, Inkerman, Jenkins township, was born in the County of Northumberland, England, May 13, 1832, a son of Pearson and Margaret (Atkinson) Black. His father, who was an outside stable-boss at the mines, reared a family of six children, three of whom are still living, viz.: Mary (Mrs. Henry Heffern, Colo.), John, and Jacob, who is a retired railroad accountant in England. Our subject embarked in life, working about the mines, at the age of eleven years, and this has been the occupation of his life. He came to America in 1852, and was engaged in mining for six months at each of the following places: St. Clair, Gold Mine Gap and Sweet Aaron, Pa. He then came to Inkerman, where he followed mining till 1880. From 1880 to 1890 he was fire-boss and miner, and since 1890 he has been fire-boss alone. Mr. Black was married March 8, 1854, to Mrs. Jeanette Latta, daughter of Alexander and Ellen (Henderson) McGregor, natives of Scotland, and widow of Colin Latta, by whom she had four children, two of whom are living. This happy union has been blessed with four children, two of whom are living, viz.: Ellen (Mrs. John B. Evans, Plains), and John P., of the firm of Doyle & Black, proprietors of the Metropolitan theater, Cooper Avenue, Aspen, Colo. Mr. Black is a member of the I.O.O.F. and the K. of H. He is a Republican in his political views, and is at present a member of the board of miner examiners.

                                                                                5 THOMAS KEDDIE (3) LATTA
Thomas (2) Colin (1). Born March 19, 1826; d. about 1876. Twin with Janet. Married Elizabeth Simpson. They lived near Glasgow, Scotland in 1890. Ten children.

Children:
26 THOMAS (4) b. May 25, 1851 Slamannan, Stirling, Scotland; m. Beatrice Fairley at Bothwell, Scotland in 1875 and Mary Dunn at Holytown in 1893; d. 1930 at Bothwell, Scotland.
27 ROBERT (4) b. May 13, 1853 at Falkirk, Stirling, Scotland; m. Mary Wotherspoon Andrews at Bothwell, Scotland in 1879; d. 1928 at Bothwell, Scotland.
28 COLIN (4) b. 1855 at Falkirk Landward, Scotland; d. 1856 at Slamannan, Scotland.
29 HELEN (4) b. 1857 at Slamannan, Scotland; d. 1873 at Bothwell, Scotland.
30 MARGARET "Maggie"  (4) b. 1861 at Slamannan, Scotland; m. 1884 at Bothwell,Scotland.
31 ELIZABETH (4) b. 1864 at Bothwell, Scotland; m. 1892 at Bothwell, Scotland.
32 JANET (4) b. 1866 at Bothwell, Scotland
33 MARY (4) b. 1868 at Bothwell, Scotland; d. 1872 at Bothwell, Scotland.
34 HANNAH (4) b. 1870 at Bothwell, Scotland; m. 1895 at Bothwell, Scotland.
35 Unknown (4) female, b. 1872 at Bothwell, Scotland


                                                                                        6 JOHN (3) LATTA
Thomas (2) Colin (1). Twin with George. Married Mary Lang, who died on voyage to New England. In 1890 he lived in New Zealand.

Children:
36 THOMAS (4) born about 1866.
37 Unknown (4) died when her father landed in New Zealand.

                                                                               7 ALEXANDER (4) LATTA
Colin (3) Thomas (2) Colin (1). Born in Pa. April 14, 1849; m. Jane Robertson August 17, 1878. In 1890 lived at Inkerman, Pa.

Children:
38 JESSIE (5) b. March 30, 1879; at Inkerman, Pa.
39 MAY (5) b. May 20, 1880 at Inkerman, Pa.; d. July 16, 1880.

                                                                             23 ALEXANDER (4) LATTA
Colin (3) Thomas (2) Colin (1). born in Schuylkill County, PA on April 14, 1949 to Colon Latta and Jeanette (McGregor) Latta, natives of Scotland. Alexander was a miner in Jenkins Township. Educated in the public school, and in the select school of Benjamin Evans, Pittston, and at the age of eleven years began working about the mines, which vocation he has since followed, including twenty-one years mining. He built his residence in 1887. Mr. Latta was married August 17, 1878, to Miss Jane Robertson, daughter of William and Barbara (Laird) Robertson, natives of Scotland. He and his wife attended the Presbyterian Church, of which Mrs. Latta was a member. Mr. Latta was a member of the K. of P. and was a Republican in his political views.

Children:
40 JESSIE (5) b. _________.
41 unknown (5) b. _______________.

"History of Luzerne County, PA" shows the biography of Alexander Latta:

ALEXANDER LATTA, miner, P.O. Inkerman, Jenkins township, was born in Schuylkill county, Pa., April 14, 1849, a son of Colon and Jeanette (McGregor) Latta, natives of Scotland. His father, who was a miner, came to America in May, 1848, and died October 25, 1852, at the age of thirty years. The family consisted of four children, two of whom are living: Alexander, and Thomas, a hotel keeper in Aspen, Pitkin Co., Colo. Our subject was educated in the public school, and in the select school of Benjamin Evans, Pittston, and at the age of eleven years began working about the mines, which vocation he has since followed, including twenty-one years mining. He built his present residence in 1887. Mr Latta was married August 17, 1878, to Miss Jane, daughter of William and Barbara (Laird) Robertson, natives of Scotland. They have two children, one of whom is living, Jessie. He and his wife attend the Presbyterian Church, of which Mrs. Latta is a member. He is a member of the K. of P., and is a Republican in his political views.

WILLIAM ROBERTSON, who in his lifetime was a prominent citizen of Inkerman, Jenkins township, and who had worked in the mines in Scotland and America for forty years without receiving any injury, died at his residence, October 7, 1874, at the age of fifty-two years. He came to America in 1854, and followed mining till the time of his death. Mr. Robertson was married September 30, 1841, to Miss Barbara, daughter of Edward and Jane (Beverage) Laird, natives of Scotland, and the fruit of this union was as follows: William; Jane, married to Alexander Latta, a miner, of Inkerman; John, engaged in mining, and living at home; Barbara (Mrs. William Jones), who died at the age of twenty-six years; Marion, married to William F. McIntyre, a boiler maker, in Ohio; Alexander, engaged in mining, and living with his mother; Edward, who died at the age of five years; Edward (second), engaged in gold and silver mining in Colorado; and David, living at home. This family have been identified with the Presbyterian Church, and are Republican in their political views. [Since the above was written, information has been received of the death of Mrs. Barbara Robertson. Ed.]

                                                                                    24 THOMAS (4) LATTA
Colon (3) Thomas (2) Colin (1). b. December 2, 1850 in PA; married Laura _________; was a hotel keeper and saloonkeeper in Aspen, Colorado; 1900 Federal Census of Pitkin County, CO lists Thomas, 49, his wife Laura, 40, and a stepdaughter Grace, 16, at 313 East Hopkins St, Aspen. Laura was born in England, as were her parents, and Grace was born in Kansas. (See story of the "Red Onion" in Aspen)

Children:
42 GRACE (4) b. _________

                                                                              26 THOMAS (4) LATTA
Thomas Keddie (3) Thomas (2) Colin (1). b. May 25, 1851 Slamannan, Stirling, Scotland; d. 1930 at Bothwell Scotland; m. 1) Beatrice Fairley at Bothwell, Scotland in 1875,  and 2) Mary Dunn at Holytown in 1893.

Children with Beatrice:
43 CHRISTINA FORREST (5) b. 1876; d. 1877

Children with Mary:
44 THOMAS (5) b. 1893; d. 1969
45 MATTHEW DUNN (5) b. 1897; d. 1973; m. Margaret Hendry Morrison in 1931 in Bothwell.

                                                                     27  ROBERT (4) LATTA
Thomas Keddie (3) Thomas (2) Colin (1). Born May 13, 1853 at Falkirk, Stirling, Scotland; m. Mary Wotherspoon Andrews at Bothwell, Scotland in 1879; d. 1928 at Bothwell, Scotland.  Nine children.  Both of the boys who survived infancy were killed during the First World War.  The only girl who married was Robina Simpson in 1922 in Bothwell.

                                                                            44 THOMAS (5) LATTA
Thomas (4) Thomas Keddie (3) Thomas (2) Colin (1). b. 1893; d. 1969; m. Anne McLean Small at Cathcart, Glasgow in 1925. 

Children:
46 THOMAS (6) b. 1929; d. 1988

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THIS IS THE END OF THE BRANCH......................................NOTES BELOW

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NOTES:

Colon Latta was a member of Company E, 155th PA Vol. Infantry in the Civil War. Company E was recruited from Allegheny County, PA. The 155th PA Vol. Infantry served at Antietam at Sharpsburg, MD, in the Battle of Fredericksburg, the Battle of Chancellorsville, the Battle of Gettysburg, the Pursuit of Lee, were on duty at the line between the Rappahannock and Rapidan till October of 1863, were in the Bristoe Campaign, the Mine Run Campaign, the Rapidan Campaign, which consisted of the Battle of the Wilderness, Laurel Hill, Spottsylvania, Spottsylvania Court House, the Siege of Petersburg, and the Appoxmattox Campaign, where they were at the Appomattox Court House during the surrender of Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia. They also participated in Washington D.C. at the Grand Review of May 23, 1865, and were mustered out on June 2, 1865. Colon Latta's dates of service are unknown at this time, but of the total enrollment of 149 when they were mustered into service, 5 were not on muster out or never joined, 16 were killed, 14 died of disease, 44 were discharged for wounds and disabilities, 7 were transferred to V.R.C., 18 were transferred to other units, 3 were discharged for various reasons, 4 were discharged by G.O. or expiration of terms, 21 were wounded, and only 38 were mustered out with the Regiment.