David H Latham

LATHAM

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 5/22/2010 at 20:25:16

David H Latham is a farmer living near the southern line of Boone, in Des Moines township, where he owns a tract of ten acres. He was born in that township, April 29, 1855, his parents being Labron and Mary (Parker) Latham. The father’s birth occurred in the state of Indiana in 1824 and he there spent his boyhood. He acquired a common school education and when a young man moved with his parents to Iowa. Throughout his entire lie he followed the occupation of farming and became a well known figure in agricultural circles in Boone county Following his demise his widow became the wife of Michael Myers and died in Boone county in 1892 at the age of fifty-eight years. Both Mr and Mrs Labron Latham were members of the Methodist Episcopal church and his political endorsement was given to the republican party. In the family were three children> John W who married Miss Sarah Doty, was a business man of Omaha, in which city he passed away. David is the second. Alice M is now Mrs Thornton of Los Angeles, California. By the mother’s second marriage there were two children: Charles R now living in Seattle, Washington and Belle, the wife o C A Ingersoll of Boone.
Reared under the parental roof, David H Latham pursued his education in the public schools of Boone, his firth teacher being a Miss Wood, while his last teacher was John M Reynolds. He left school at he age of seventeen years and the lessons which he has since learned are those which we master in the school of experience. He stated out in life a s farm hand, working on the home farm and for others. On September 25, 1878, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary F Wayne, who was born in Des Moines township, Boone county, June 11, 1858. She too, was educated in the public schools, her first teacher being Henry Lucas and her last teacher Professor Charles Tucker. Mrs Latham is a daughter of Jon M And Caroline (Hull) Wayne and her maternal grandfather was James Hull of Worth township.
At the time of their marriage Mr and Mrs Latham began their domestic life in Des Moines township, where they have since lived. His present farm was left him by his mother, his father having preempted 40 acres of land in 1854, of which this is a part. Mr Latham erected his present place of residence in 1894 in what was then a meadow. He has made many improvements and today has a most commodious, comfortable and attractive residence in the midst of pleasant surroundings. Here he has reared his family for four children. Grace Blanch the eldest is now in Des Moines. Lulu May is the wife of W H Morrison of Boone. Orville Ray, superintendent of schools at Pomeroy, pursed his education in the public school of Bone and in the university of Iowa. He was graduated hen twenty-one years of age and the same year began teaching at Coggon, Iowa, where he remained for a year. He next went to Pomeroy as principal. He was married June 5, 1913, to Miss Helen Fern Walter, of Iowa City. Esther Fay the youngest member of the family was graduated in June 1913 from the Boone high school and for a time taught in the fourth war school of his city.
Mr Latham was reared in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church. His political belief is that of the republican party and he regards it the duty, as well as the privilege of the American citizen to exercise his right of franchise. His popularity among his fellowmen has its root in the fact hat he is always considerate of the opinions of others, is always straightforward and reliable in business and loyal in friendship.

1914 Boone County History Book