Latta Ancestry – Ireland to Canada

According to family records, William John Latta (1761-1796) was born in Donegal, Londonderry, Ireland. William's parents emigrated to New York, United States in 1768. His son, John William Latta (1782-1846) was born in the United States but subsequently moved to Canada where he acquired and developed the Latta Mills property near Belleville, Ontario in 1833.

The Latta family in Canada spans four generations beginning with Gilbert James Latta (1822-1906) and Margaret Ann O'Donnell (1820-1912). Gilbert was the first in the Latta ancestry to be born in Canada. Margaret was born in Ireland and emigrated to Canada about the time that Ireland was suffering through the period of the Irish Famine. Their son, James Gilbert Latta was born in Hastings County, Ontario, Canada on March 12, 1852. 

  

 According to the 1901 Canada Census, James was a sawyer. He married Julia Ann Latta who was born on February 20, 1856 in Hastings, Ontario. In combination, the 1891 and 1901 Canada Census data states that James and Julia had the following children: Walter James (1873), Robert (May 18, 1878), Bertie (February 27, 1880), Maggie (1882), Millie (May 2, 1884), and Norman (July 8, 1889). In 1891, three more people were living in that household: their son Hulen (August 12, 1875), Sarah (Hulen’s wife born on June 30, 1881), and their son James G. (March 18, 1901). Furthermore, the 1891 Canada Census states that James Gilbert’s mother was born in Ireland. His older brother Andrew (born in Ireland about 1842), who was a tinsmith, was also living with them at that time. 

Walter James Latta, as previously mentioned, was born on August 12, 1873. He was a cheesemaker (chaumber) and he died on April 3, 1932 aged 58 in Healy Falls, Northumberland, Ontario. Walter was married to Sadie E. Coulson, who was born in 1881 in Hastings and died in 1941 aged 59. Walter and Sadie had two children. Their first child, James Cyril Latta, was born in 1901 in Northumberland. According to Walter’s Ontario Death Certificate, James Cyril signed as the informant.

Marjorie Uldean Latta, 1968

Their second child, Marjorie Uldean Latta, was born in Toronto on April 28, 1905. She died in November 1988 aged 83. According to the Ontario Marriage Certificate, James Cyril Latta signed as a witness on the marriage certificate for Marjorie Uldean Latta and Harold William McConnell. Harold and Marjorie married on January 9, 1924 in Campbellford. Harold was 23 and Marjorie was 18. Their marriage lasted 64 years.

Marjorie Uldean Latta (1905-1988) and Harold William McConnell (1900-1988) had nine children, several of whom are currently interested in their family ancestry. Together with their children and grandchildren, they can now explore their Latta lineage back to Ireland in the early 1700s.