Latta Ancestry – Emigration from the United States to Canada

John Latta (1782-1846) and Susannah Pitman (1783-1854)

John William Latta (1782-1846)

When John William Latta was born on August 11, 1782, in Manhattan, New York, United States, his father, William John Latta (1761-1796) and his mother, Anne Jackson (1761-1847), were both 21 years old. It is noteworthy that William John Latta was born in Ireland and emigrated to the United States with his parents about 1768 at the age of 7 years.

John William Latta married Susannah Pitman on November 17, 1800, when he was 18 years old at Adulphustown, Lennox Addington Prince Edward, Ontario (known as Upper Canada at the time). The family tree of John William Latta and Susannah Pitman shows that they had 13 children (6 boys and 7 girls) over a 30-year period. Our direct Latta lineage is with Gilbert James Latta (1822-1906), who was their youngest son.

Family of John William Latta and Susannah Pitman
(click to enlarge)

According to family records, John William Latta was a Quaker. He moved to Canada where he acquired and developed the Latta Mills property in 1833. He put up a flour mill, saw mills and a factory about 11 miles north of Belleville, Ontario. There, he followed the trade of his ancestors in manufacturing flour.

Latta Mills Painting

Latta Mills Ruins (click to enlarge)

John William Latta died of dropsy on December 5, 1846, in Latta Mills (pictured above), Thurlow, Hastings County, Ontario, Canada, at the age of 64. He is buried at Denyes Cemetery. In his will, dated April 5, 1847, he leaves all his property to his sons Archibald and Gilbert Latta.

Susannah Pitman (1783-1854)

When Susannah Pitman was born about 1783 in North Hero, Vermont, United States, her father, Russell Pitman (1750-1815), was 33, and her mother, Diannah Fraser (1760-1837), was 23. Susannah was the oldest of 5 children in their family (3 girls and 2 boys).

Family of  Russell Pitman and  Diannah Fraser

According to the 1851 Canada Census, Susannah Pitman (age 68) was living with her son Archibald Latta. She died about 1854 in Thurlow, Ontario, at the age of 71, and was buried there.