Commemorative Biographical Record of the Upper Wisconsin Counties 
of Waupaca, Portage, Wood, Marathon, Lincoln, Oneida, Vilas, Langlade, and Shawano

J. H. Beers & Co. [Chicago] 1895 - pp 262 - 263
Transcribed by Anne Taylor-Czaplewski

GEORGE W. LATTA, attorney at law in Antigo, Langlade County, has the distinction of having been the first lawyer in that county, and prominent place in the public and social life of the thriving little town.

The father of our subject, Benjamin Latta, was born in Erie county, N. Y., in 1816, and but little is known of his ancestors, except that they came from Ireland. His father visited Wisconsin at one time and died of cholera on the boat on his way home.  The mother had   died sometime previous to this, leaving ten children, of whom five sons and two daughters were Benjamin's own; brothers and sisters, and two were step-brothers.  Benjamin Latta was married in New York, in 1841, to Deborah C. Stevens, who was born in 1817 in Clarence Hollow, that State.  Her father, whose ancestors came from Germany, was a farmer and hotel-keeper, and had a family of ten children.  Mr. Latta came west in 1845, and located on government land in Rock County, the same property on which he now resides.  Two years later his wife and family, consisting at that time of three children, joined him, coming by boat from Buffalo to Chicago and thence to their future home.   It was then a wilderness, but time and hard labor have wrought great changes, and Mr. Latta has not only made of it a valuable property, but has increased the acreage until the farm now comprises about 300 acres, all highly cultivated. As an incident of those early days it may be mentioned that the material used in the house then built, and in which the family still reside, was brought by team all the way from Milwaukee.  To this pioneer couple ten children were born, as follows: Susan, who became the, wife of William Stewart, a farmer in Rock county; William, also farming in that county; Benjamin Frank, an attorney in St. Paul; Almettie E., deceased; Albert W.; George W., our subject; Darius K., who lives on the old homestead; Josephine, who is now Mrs. Coles; Ida, who is Mrs. Liddle and Ulysses G., who is a physician in Chicago. Sickness came and the wife and mother was taken from them in 1887. Mr. Latta is a quiet, unassuming man in the locality in which he has lived, and commands the respect and esteem of all who know him.

George W. Latta, the subject of this sketch, was born in the town of Bradford, Rock Co., Wis., July 29, 1851. He was graduated from Albion Academy, in Dane county, Wis., at the age of twenty-one years, after completing a four-years' course. He then went to the State University, at Madison, entering the Law Department, from which he was graduated in 1874. In October of the same year he took up his residence in Shawano, Wis., and began the practice of law. He remained there until the spring of 1881, when he removed to Antigo, Langlade County, where he has since made his home.  He has an extensive practice, and commands the respect and confidence of the entire community. In politics Mr. Latta is a Republican, and has always been prominent in his party, having held many minor offices and been a frequent delegate to State conventions. He was the first district attorney of Langlade County, and after holding the office four years declined to accept it again. Although his district was considered as strongly Democratic, he was elected to the Assembly in 1894 by a majority of 330 votes. He is a member of the Masonic Order, belonging to the Blue Lodge at Antigo, and Concatenated Order of Hoo-hoo.

Mr. Latta was married, October 1, 1878, to Rachel Lawton, who was born in Dane county, Wis., daughter of Alancen B. and Abigail (Potter) Lawton. The father was a farmer, mill owner and merchant, and now resides with his daughter Rachel, the mother having died in 1886. There was but one other child in this family, Sarah also deceased.  To Mr. and Mrs. Latta three children have been born: Maud A., Grace D., and Georgiana W.  Mr. Latta occupies one of the finest homes in Antigo, a beautiful house surrounded by large and well-improved grounds, and he and his estimable wife dispense a generous hospitality which makes them very popular hosts.