James Melyne Latta

The LaGrange (Ind.) Standard, May 21, 1814, says: "This family is an old one in this country, and in Ireland, where the first James M. Latta was a nobleman, with estates near Donegal." Had at least one son, William. It is thought the other sons came to America, as many of the name lived in Westmoreland Co., Pa. about the time William settled there. -- Source http://www.latta.org/Branches/Branch%201.htm (dead link)

immigrated from Ireland

JAMES MELYNE LATTA

Latta.org has James Latta's bio:

Born in No. of Ireland between 1690-1700. In winter of 1738 he came to America. The vessel was wrecked and his records lost.

Married Mary Alison, a sister of Rev. Francis Alison, a noted divine and pastor at New London, Chester Co., Pa. She was born at Lac, Ireland.

He settled near Elkton, Md. about 1740 and he and his wife were buried in the Rock Church Presbyterian burial ground near Elkton, as his son James told a daughter. The letters on the tombstone are obliterated.

C.B. Springer, great grandson of Sarah Latta, his granddaughter, writes: "The history of the old Rock church in Cecil Co., Md. says that without a doubt the parents of the noted James Latta were members of that church and are buried in ground belonging to that church at Lewisville, Pa." This does not agree with the above.

Miss Allison was his second wife. Had one child, James. Four sons by his first wife. One of them settled in Westmoreland Co., Pa., one in Ohio and one or two in N.C.

Mrs. Katharine C. Malone, daughter of William Wilson Latta, writes: "The only one I ever heard of speak of my great grandfather's half brothers was my father's eldest sister. She seems to have been in the home of her grandmother and maiden aunts than any of the other grandchildren, and taking greater interest in family affairs than the others. She was recognized as an authority in such matter." She also says that tradition said the Latta's fled from France like so many of the protestants after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, first going to Scotland, then to Ireland and then to America. She thinks that James was taken by Dr. Francis Alison who she always understood was a brother of his mother so his wife could not have been a sister of Dr. Alison.

James was a soldier in the Revolutionary War.

Rev. S.A. McPherson of Wazahachie, Texas branch No. 19 writes: "The history of James Latta, one of five brothers, is well authenticated (He lost the proof.)

He had four sons by his first wife, William, Samuel, Thomas and John.

After her death he married Mary Alison and had one son, James.

Sailing from Ireland, they were shipwrecked near Elkton, Md. 1738. His family records were lost. One of the five brothers, Robert, possibly two of them, went to Orange Co., N.C. soon after arriving. A second or third son, Thomas, came in 1760 or 1775. One, name unknown, father of Matthew Latta (Is this 2 Matthew Latta branch No. 22 that was born in Maryland and lived and died in Trimble Co., Ky.?) remained in Maryland with James who with his wife was buried near Elkton, Md.

James, the six year old boy, grew up and went to school in Pennsylvania and became a prominent Presbyterian minister. After being licensed he was appointed by the Synod to work half a year among the vacant churches of Carolina. He was ordained in 1759.

His half brother, John, had gone to Orange Co., N.C. probably with the first emigrants to that section. He accumulated property rapidly and in the crisis after the battle at Guilford Court House, March 15, 1781, he furnished the Militia of the State with supplies and cash amount to L572. See note in branch No. 15. Also pages 9 and 10 of this history.

Children by first wife:
As they were old enough to make a choice they did not settle in Md. with their families -- Mary A.A. Latta Jones, daughter of 11 William S. Latta.
SAMUEL (2)
WILLIAM (2)
THOMAS (2)
JOHN (2) said to have gone to Orange Co., N.C.. See above.
2 JAMES (2).

1 JAMES (1) LATTA Born in No. of Ireland between 1690-1700. In winter of 1738 he came to America. The vessel was wrecked and his records lost. Rev. Robert P. Du Bois later wrote a sketch of the life of Rev. James Latta (his father-in-law, and son of James (1) Latta above, where he stated that "the vessel in which they sailed from Ireland was wrecked upon the American coast, and the family records being then lost, the exact date of his birth is not known." Du Bois further stated that "they settled near Elkton, Maryland, and are believed to have been connected with the Elk River Congregation - now called "the Rock." He once, in riding by a graveyard belonging to that church, pointed it out to a daughter who was with him, as the place where his parents were buried." Regarding the shipwreck, Du Bois stated "During the three days and nights that he remained with others on board the foundering vessel, before they could be relieved - so remarkable was his attachment to his Bible, that he kept it continually under his arm."

Issue 51: Shipwreck Story Proven True, by Sue Lattea Cox, Br. 17 - I was recently searching through the older published books on http://archive.org/ looking for information on the early settlers in Pennsylvania. I came across a letter written by Rev. Robert P. DuBois, containing a sketch of the life and character of Rev. James Latta. Rev. DuBois was married to Jane H. Latta, daughter of John Ewing Latta, who was the son of James Latta. Rev. DuBois had a brother named Charles E. DuBois who was an attorney. He married Mary Smith Latta, a sister to Jane H. Latta. The DuBois families both lived in Doylestown, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Rev. DuBois stated in his letter, written May 9, 1850, that James Latta was born in Ireland in the winter of 1732. His family was Protestant, of the Scotch Irish Presbyterian stock. His mother's maiden name was Alison, and she was related to the Rev. Dr. Francis Alison. Nothing more is known of the family in Ireland. His parents migrated to this country when he was about six or seven years of age, bringing him with them. (This would be Branch 8, the year about 1738 or 1739) The vessel in which they sailed from Ireland was wrecked upon the American coast, and the family records being then lost, the exact date of his birth is unknown. During the three days and nights that he remained with others on board the foundering vessel, before they could be relieved, so remarkable was his attachment to his Bible, that he kept it continually under his arm. He seemed to think that the most precious of his treasurers, and if he should go down, that he must carry it with him. Rev. DuBois noted in his letter that he had gathered his information from Rev. Latta's son and other family members. Rev. DuBois noted Rev. Latta's fine character, and that all of his sons became Presbyterian ministers as well.

Married:{ His 2nd wife ?}: Mary Alison, a sister of Rev. Francis Alison. {Please read the end notes}, a noted divine and pastor at New London, Chester Co., Pa. She was born at Lac, Ireland. He settled near Elkton, Maryland about 1740 and he and his wife were buried in the Rock Church Presbyterian burial ground near Elkton. The children were old enough to make a choice, they did not settle in Maryland with their families -- Mary A. A. Latta Jones, daughter of 11 William S. Latta, born in north of Ireland between 1690-1700. In winter of 1738 he came to America. The vessel was wrecked and his records lost. Married Mary Alison, a sister of Rev. Francis Alison, a noted divine and pastor at New London, Chester Co., Pa. She was born at Lac, Ireland. He settled near Elkton, Md. about 1740 and he and his wife were buried in the Rock Church Presbyterian burial ground near Elkton, as his son James told a daughter. The letters on the tombstone are obliterated.

C.B. Springer, great grandson of Sarah Latta, his granddaughter, writes: "The history of the old Rock church in Cecil Co., Md. says that without a doubt the parents of the noted James Latta were members of that church and are buried in ground belonging to that church at Lewisville, Pa." This does not agree with the above. Miss Allison was his second wife. Had one child, James. Four sons by his first wife. One of them settled in Westmoreland Co., Pa., one in Ohio and one or two in N.C. Mrs. Katharine C. Malone, daughter of William Wilson Latta, writes: "The only one I ever heard of speak of my great grandfather's half brothers was my father's eldest sister. She seems to have been in the home of her grandmother and maiden aunts than any of the other grandchildren, and taking greater interest in family affairs than the others. She was recognized as an authority in such matter." She also says that tradition said the Latta's fled from France like so many of the protestants after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, first going to Scotland, then to Ireland and then to America. She thinks that James was taken by Dr. Francis Alison, who she always understood was a brother of his mother, so his wife could not have been a sister of Dr. Alison. James was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Rev. S. A. McPherson of Wazahachie, Texas branch No. 19 writes: "The history of James Latta, one of five brothers, is well authenticated (He lost the proof.) He had four sons by his first wife, William, Samuel, Thomas and John. After her death he married Mary Alison and had one son, James. Sailing from Ireland, they were shipwrecked near Elkton, Md. 1738. His family records were lost. One of the five brothers, Robert, possibly two of them, went to Orange Co., N.C. soon after arriving. A second or third son, Thomas, came in 1760 or 1775. One, name unknown, father of Matthew Latta (Is this 2 Matthew Latta branch No. 22 that was born in Maryland and lived and died in Trimble Co., Ky.?) remained in Maryland with James, who with his wife was buried near Elkton, Md. (This could be "John Latta" whose Will is recorded in Cecil County, MD in 1806) James, the six year old boy, grew up and went to school in Pennsylvania and became a prominent Presbyterian minister. After being licensed he was appointed by the Synod to work half a year among the vacant churches of Carolina. He was ordained in 1759. His half brother, John, had gone to Orange Co., N.C. probably with the first emigrants to that section. He accumulated property rapidly and in the crisis after the battle at Guilford Court House, March 15, 1781, he furnished the Militia of the State with supplies and cash amount to L572. See note in branch No. 15.

Children by first "Unknown wife": 15 SAMUEL (2) No History (Could this be Samuel #1 of Branch 45?) 16 WILLIAM (2) No History (Could this be William #1 of Branch 1?) 17 THOMAS (2) No History (Is this Thomas #1 of Branch 7?) 18 JOHN (2) No History, Said to have gone to Orange Co., N.C. (Is this John #1 of Branch 15?)

Child of his 2nd Wife: 2 JAMES (2) born in Ireland in 1732; d. January 29, 1801 in Pleasant Level, PA.

The family genealogy traces our branch to an "Irish nobleman" named James M. Latta who lived in County Donegal, Northern Ireland, during the early 18th century. The Northern Irish Genealogical Society said there was no record of a Latta among the nobility of Ulster and suggested that James Latta probably was a wealthy merchant instead.

Whatever, Latta is said to have disinherited a son named William, forcing the young man to take his wife, Katherine, and head for the Colonies. They tried New Jersey, but quickly left to join the hordes of Scotch-Irish who were carving out the Cumberland Valley wilderness in western Pennsylvania.

When the Revolutionary War broke out, according to unverified family lore, William joined a militia raised at Carlisle, Pa., but oddly known as Morgan's Virginia Riflemen. The unit's official name was the 11th Virginia Regiment.

Unknown Latta born about 1652. At the time of the battle of the Boyne, July 12, 1690, he lived near Donegal, Ireland. Was a man of Wealth. He was a Protestant, but had Catholic cowboys. When Catholic King James II, defeated, hungry, army passed through that part of the country, the cowboys drove all the live stock into the mountains. When the army had passed they drove the live stock back again. I was told he was my ancestor. He was Scotch or Scotch descent. Say his grandson, 3 Moses (3) Latta, was 25 years of age when his son 5 William (4) Latta was born in 1730, and allow one year for birth of William, then 3 Moses (3) Latta would be born about 1704. William H. Latta, family No. 90 suggests: that if 1 UNKNOWN (1) Latta was born in 1652, allow 26 years for birth of his father, would make him born in 1626. Then allow 26 years for birth of his father in Scotland, would make him born in 1600. Allow 26 years for his father, would make him born in 1574, the immigrant from Scotland to Ireland. This is all supposition, but interesting.

References

1. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:GS2D-FGD
2. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064750354289
3. Not listed at the cemetery in narrative https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2332167/old-stone-graveyard