Mary Jane (Morris) Latta (1837 - 1927)
By Betty Latta Kitchen
Momentos of the
life of Mary Jane (Morris) Latta include her "English Grammar" book
copyright l848 in which she wrote "Mary J. Morris her book" and
practiced making other letters with pen and ink. Other names in the family are
also scribbled therein. We found her Marriage
Certificate to
John Copeland Latta in the Morris family Bible. They were married by John J. Egger. I know that my grandfather David Wilson Latta spoke of his mother
reading from the Bible on Sundays. We have a
picture of Mary Jane smoking her clay pipe.
This wonderful picture was taken by her
grandson Heber (Reginald Heber). She did not like poeple to see her smoking and
was probably not too happy when Heber snapped the picture. Aunt Jan said Mary Jane started smoking
after her husband died whenever she had a toothache because it was soothing.
During the years
1909-1922 Mary received over 96 penny post cards
from family and friends. She saved them in a special burgundy padded cardboard
box imprinted "post cards" and they are currently (1994-2003) with
me, Betty Latta Kitchen, her great granddaughter. Many are from her daughter Mary Bell, her son Tom and his wife,
and the majority from the grandchildren for birthdays, Christmas, New Year's,
Valentine's Day, Easter, and just to keep in touch. She seems to have been very
much loved by her family.
Mary Jane lived
her entire life in the house on the Morris farm where she was born except for
about two years when she first married.
Following the death of her father, her husband John Copeland Latta
bought out the rest of the heirs to obtain full title to the property.
She and her
husband are buried in the Calais Cemetery.
Provided by Betty Latta Kitchen
-- e-mail: kitchen2@adelphia.net