John Latta (politician)

John Latta (March 2, 1836 – February 15, 1913) was an American lawyer and politician from Pennsylvania who served as the first lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania from 1875 to 1879. He also served as a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1872 to 1873 and the Pennsylvania Senate from 1863 to 1866.

For other people with the same name, see John Latta (disambiguation).
John Latta
1st Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
In office
January 19, 1875 – January 21, 1879
GovernorJohn F. Hartranft
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byCharles Warren Stone
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
In office
1872-1873
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate for the 23rd district
In office
1865-1866
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate for the 22nd district
In office
1863-1864
Personal details
BornMarch 2, 1836
DiedFebruary 15, 1913 (aged 76)
Political partyDemocratic

Early life and education

Latta was born in Unity Township, Pennsylvania, to Moses and Eliza (Graham) Latta. He was educated at Sewickley Academy and Elder's Ridge Academy. He read law under D.H. Hazen in Pittsburgh,[1] entered Yale Law School in 1857 and graduated in 1859. He was admitted to the Westmoreland County bar in 1859 and opened a law firm in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.[2] In 1865, he married Emma Hope and together they had 4 children.[3]

Career

He served as a member of the Pennsylvania Senate for the 22nd district 1863 to 1864 and for the 23rd district from 1865 to 1866. He served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1872 to 1873.[4] Under the new Pennsylvania Constitution that went into effect on January 1, 1874,[5] he was the first elected lieutenant governor and served under Republican Governor John Hartranft.[6]

He died on February 15, 1913, in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and was interred at St. Clair Cemetery.[7]

References
  1. Tuttle, Roger W. (1911). Biographies of Graduates of the Yale Law School 1824-1899. New Haven: The Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor Company. p. 216. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  2. Boucher, John Newton (1918). Old and New Westmoreland. New York: The American Historical Society, Inc. pp. 4–5. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  3. Jordan, John W. (1906). History of Westmoreland County Pennsylvania. New York: The Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 18–19. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  4. "Pennsylvania House of Representatives - JOHN LATTA Biography". www.legis.state.pa.us. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  5. Wiley, Samuel T. (1890). Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: John M. Gresham & Co. pp. 121–122. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  6. "Pennsylvania Senate - John Latta Biography". www.legis.state.pa.us. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  7. "John Latta". www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
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