William Latta

Origins

Children of James Latta 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?)

                                                    2 WILLIAM (2) LATTA

    William (1.) Born: Before 1740 in Ireland ?. Died: April 2, 1808.   Married: Katharine or Jane Taylor. With his wife, he came to America.  Settled in N.J. in 1740. About 1760, near Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland Co., Pa.  In 1782 he lived in Lancaster Co., Pa.  Katherine was said to be a great beauty.  She died of apoplexy.    His will was executed in Bullship Tr. Fayette Co., Pa. April 21, 1803--John Milton Latta, M.D.  Probated April 30,   ____.  See my loose leaf book of wills. {Please see the end notes for more details.}

3 JOHN (3) b. September 15, 1756; d. Oct. 4, 1843. 4 WILLIAM (3) (may be head of Branch 36) 93 CATHARINE (3) m. Mr. Huey; lived in Wilmington, Pa., l son, Samuel. 94 MARGARET (3) m. Mr. Cibbles. 5 ANDREW (3) b. April 29, 1769. 6 JAMES (3) (may be head of Branch 20) 7 ROBERT (3) b. Sept. 29, 1773; d. April 38, 1851. 95 MAYOR COTTER (3) daughter. 8 SAMUEL (3) b. June 11, 1775; d. July 24, 1851. 9 EPHRAIM (3) 10 MOSES (3) b. b. Sept. 14, 1782; d. Nov. 18, 1854. 96 JANE (3) Married 3 times: first to Mr. McConnell, 1 son, Alex. Second, to Michael Crosser. (See note to branch No.13 & 38). Third to Wm. Cochran, had 3 children, Mary, Samuel and ___. Her son, Alexander, wrote to Samuel Latta, Mt. Pleasant, Pa., October 25, 1841 from Eckmansville, Adams Co., Oh. http://members.aol.com/ntgen/taylor/jno_t_bio.html

                                    ____________________________ Last Will  and Testament of John  Taylor.  Westmoreland Co., PA. (wife was Jean or Jane)  His will is dated June, 1800. In his will, he identifies his property by naming the neighbors of his property. The neighbors in the will, and his children, are all listed in South Beaver Township, Beaver Co, PA in the 1800 census.  Elizabeth Taylor is identified in her father's will, as the wife of William Latta. They are in the 1800 South Beaver Township, pg 163, four pages from Thomas Taylor (pg 167), showing dad and mom aged 26-45, 3 boys under 10, and one girl under 10. One of those boys is identified in will of John Taylor as John Taylor Latta and that he is to receive the property willed to his mother upon her death.

1930's Detail Note about:

2 WILLIAM (2) LATTA,

    William (1.)  There are a number of stories about his history.  One is that he married Katharine or Jane Taylor, daughter of a clergyman.  Was disinherited by his father.  With his wife, he came to America.  Settled in N.J. in 1740, afterwards near Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland Co., Pa. about 1760.  In 1782 he lived in Lancaster Co., Pa.  Katherine was said to be a great beauty.  She died of apoplexy.  He served during the Revolutionary War in Morgan's cavalry--James M. Latta, Jr. Goshen, Ind.

    Another history is: William was born in Ireland.  Came to America during or just previous to the Revolutionary War.  He quarreled with his father over his (the son's) proposed marriage to a beautiful but poor orphan girl, borrowed money from a friend, married the girl, and came to America the day of the marriage.  Lived near Laurel Hill, Fayette Co., Pa.  Settled in Lancaster Co., Pa.  His will was executed in Bullship Tr. Fayette Co., Pa. April 21, 1803--John Milton Latta, M.D.  Probated April 30, 1808.

    There must be an error about the poor orphan girl, as Mary Latta, daughter of Robert Latta, son of William, told that Robert Latta said that Katherine was a sister or aunt of Lord Conwallis, and that William had dozens of boxes of finely embroidered clothes, and that Robert had received from his mother's people very fine clothes to be married in.

    Another history is: Under the laws of Ireland was one known as the law of primogeniture.  The father selected the wife for his son.  The selection did not please my great grandfather, but the one he loved was Jane Taylor.  They got aboard a vessel, married while crossing the water and landed in New York.  As for the name of Katharine, it might have been a part of her name.  If so, it is new to me.  They finally settled in Westmoreland Co., Pa., where my grandfather was born.--James A.M. Curl, 77 years of age, September 22, 1907.  Grandson of Robert Latta.

    I believe that Katherine was  Jewess, as James, Caroline Hackstaff, Gustavus Alonzo, Mary Bivins, and other children of William, son of Robert Latta, had very pronounced Jewish features.--Dr. William Johnston Latta, son of Milton M. Latta.  This would account for the opposition to marriage.  See my loose leaf book of wills.

Whatever, James 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.

• Updated from MyHeritage Family Trees via son James Latta by SmartCopy: Dec 26 2014, 21:27:29 UTC