BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF EFFIE JANE (SCHAUB) LATTA

(12 Jun 1883 - 30 Sep 1972)

By Betty Latta Kitchen

Monroe County, Ohio Church Records: Nineteenth Century Records of Lewisville, Middle and Miltonsburg German Evangelical Protestant Churches compiled by Dr. Shirley A. Harmon has this listing: "Effie Jane SCHAUB, daughter of George SCHAUB and wife Lucie born HERLAN; born l2 June 1883; baptized 22 March 1899; confirmed 2 April 1899. It also lists the 2 April 1899 confirmations on page 227. We have the original documents also for the above. The baptismal is a sepia l2 x l5 which states: "Effie Jane Schaub, child of Mr. George Schaub and his wife Lucy, nee Herlan, born at Summit tp, Ohio, June l2th, 1883, was baptized in St. John's Evang. Church, Summit tp. on the 22d day of March 1899. In the Name of THE FATHER, OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY GHOST. Sponsors were: _____________. F. W. Gretzler, Pastor." Her l0 x l5 confirmation document is decorated with flowers, a Bible, a chalice, a church, all in color. This one is in German and states: "Crinnerung an den Tag der Confirmation. " Effie Jane Schaub ist narh empfangenem Unterrichf im Morte Gottes am 2 April 1899 in der St. Johannes Kirche in Summit tp., Ohio." In big letters: "Confirmirt" wareden und hat hiernuf zum ersten Mal am briligen Abendmable Theil genommen. Solches bezrugt unter herzlirhen Segenswunschen." Signed by "Friedr. W. GretZler, Pastor." [Because of the fancy lettering it is very difficult to distinguish "f" from "t" and "c, r, and e"'s.] There are also scriptures in German. Effie could run like the wind when she was a kid. Her cousin Toni (Schaub and later Stewart) was so large, Effie thought Toni could make two of her. When she was about 8 to l0 her cousins (John Herlan's kids) gave her a treasure chest which I now have. Aunt Jan used it for her doll clothes. Effie enjoyed playing baseball with the kids at school. She and her mother were riding a horse and stopped to talk to some people in a carriage. Someone put down a parasol and spooked the horse. Effie fell off, but her mother was dragged quite a distance. Her mother was pregnant at the time with Wesley and bedridden so Effie had to help take care of her younger brother Homer and do the housework. The family lived with Grandma Herlan for a time. This was where Wes was born. Grandma Herlan taught her to sew when she was four and a half. When she was l2 - l4 she made a blouse for a neighbor who gave her $2. She thought she was rich. Then the family rented the Niesz farm. She dated Ben Niesz for awhile (we have his picture too). At this time Ben lived in the brick or newer house on the farm and Effie lived in the older one. Aunt Jan told me that you went in the back into the kitchen and the bedrooms were upstairs. This is when she went to school with the kids in the Foxhollow picture. She labeled almost all the names on the picture which is currently hanging in the home of her granddaughter Betty Latta Kitchen in Twinsburg, Ohio. She at one time attended Saint John's Lutheran Church in Lewisville. She met David Latta at singing school. She and her brother Homer went in the evenings, probably at the school house. I have one of her old singing books but cannot read the inscription. I have two of Effie's autograph books. It is so interesting to look at the inscriptions and rhymes, many of which are similar to what we still would write. Many of the people I can match to pictures.

The first book the title page:

Dec 25^th 1889 Effie J. Schaub ???Book

Woodsfield Monroe County Ohio Christmas gift

In the thinner book with only l4 or so sheets the autographs range from l897 to l904 and one was from David Latta: "May l8th, l902 To Friend Effie:--- May thy life be fair and sweet. From your friend, David Latta." They were married a couple years later. I have included the wishes of several of the other people in the autograph books under their names.

She moved to Canton after she and Dave Latta were married. We have her l5 by l2 Certificate of Marriage, flowered and with empty ovals for pictures. [This is rather ironic since Dave was very involved in photography.] "This Certifies that David W. Latta of Calais Ohio, State of Ohio, and Effie J. Schaub of Sparta, State of Ohio, were by me United in Marriage according to the Ordinance of God and the Laws of the State of Ohio at Canton on the 26" day of May A.D. 1904. Jas. S. Reager." No witnesses were listed. Aunt Jan wrote that she would get mail from Monroe county addressed to Effy Latty since that is how the name was pronounced down there. However, Dave nicknamed her Peggy and that is how she was referred to as I was growing up, but Aunt Jan does not know why he picked Peggy as a name other than he did not like the name Effie as well.

In l9l0 Effie lived at 3l6 l/2 S. Hartford St., Canton, then a few houses down at 308. From there she, and David, and the children moved to the Bulley Mansion on South Cherry (we have a picture), then corner of Gibbs and 15th, N.E. (l4ll l5th), then 426 l8th, N.W. David decided to move from 18th Street when he broke a neighbor's window playing football with the kids. She moved to 3803 East Tuscarawas St. in 1924 and then to 2200 Broad Avenue, N. W. about l948. Throughout her life she liked to sew. Aunt Jan said my Uncle Elton never had a store-bought shirt until he was almost a teenager. I have the dress she made for her wedding (the shoes too.) Aunt Jan said she was very organized. (See the note under Vern Latta about her bailing him out of jail for speeding.) She always made sure that a box of candy was mailed to Grandma Latta (David's mother) on Mother's Day. Her African violets were glorious, and she certainly enjoyed her posie room. I was always told that my grandmother liked poetry. I found this poem written on the back of an envelope which I feel pretty well sums up my grandmother and her personality:

"Home is where the heart is

And friendship is a guest

A book--a fire--a handclap,

And a place to rest.

Home is where the heart is

Where children romp and play,

A blossom by the window

And a little bird to sing.

Home is where the heart is

Be it mansion on the hill--

A cabin in the valley

Or cottage by the rill.

Home is where the heart is

And friendship is a guest

Where love, peace and gentleness

Can lull a heart to rest."

To me my grandmother was very special. Unlike most adults who just talked with one another when they were all together, Granny played with me. She taught me solitaire, played canasta, killed my butterflies, made things with me, and got me interested in crossword puzzles ( which I still do except on weekends when they are too hard). She let me explore in her upstairs storage room. Many weekends the whole family was there for Saturday night supper. Every summer I got to spend a week with her and Aunt Jan. All my friends spent time at her place. It's good to have a place that you know you were always welcomed. One of my fondest memories was the last summer of her life. My daughter Kelli was about one and a half and she and her Great Grandma were having a tea party. They had little fake fruits too. Grandma was trying her hardest not to laugh at her little great granddaughter and her tea party antics. After all, it was such a formal occasion! I was so blessed.

Provided by Betty Latta Kitchen e-mail: Betty Kitchen

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