My Genealogy Hound

SILAS LATTA was born in Seneca county, Ohio, April 16, 1844. He is the youngest of three children, all sons, born to David and Arteles (Burnett) Latta, both natives of Ohio. He was reared mainly in La Grange county, Ind., whither his parents moved when he was two years of age. He grew up on his father’s farm and led the active and industrious life common to that calling. He enlisted in the Union army in February, 1862, entering company G, Thirtieth Indiana volunteer infantry. He enlisted for three years and served with the army of the Cumberland. He saw his first battle at Shiloh and following that was in the engagements at Stone river, Tennessee; Chickamauga, Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw mountain, Atlanta, Lovejoy’s Station, Franklin, Nashville and others, and the term of his enlistment expiring while he was at Huntsville, Ala. After the dispersion of Hood’s forces at Nashville, he was mustered out there and returned to Indianapolis, where he received his discharge. He was wounded at Stone river and captured while in the hospital there and transported to Andersonville, where he was held for over two months and then taken to Libby and held there for thirty-four days, being exchanged at the end of that time. He got a taste of prison life during this time and knows from experience something of its horrors. When he came out of Libby he weighed only eighty-six pounds. Besides himself, Mr. Latta had two brothers in the Union army, one of whom was killed in the service.

Returning to Indiana he remained there awhile and went then to Michigan where, January 1, 1870, he married Miss Lorinda Busk, a daughter of George Busk, a native of New York. Mr. Latta came to Nebraska and settled in Industry township, Phelps county. He took a homestead and timber claim in section 20, township 5, range 19 west. These he improved and resided on for three years, when he moved into Rock Falls township and took a pre-emption. Leaving there in 1883 he moved to Holdrege, where he has since resided, engaged at first in the livery and afterwards in the general stock business. He still owns his farms, having one hundred and sixty acres in Phelps county, six hundred and forty acres in Harlan county and three hundred and twenty acres in Perkins county. He has been actively engaged in handling live stock, especially horses, for several years, being a great fancier of horse flesh and remarkably successful with them. When Mr. Latta came to Nebraska he had his family and household goods and $29 in money. He began almost on the bottom round of the ladder. What he has now, he has made in the intervening years. He has eaten no idle bread as the foregoing facts show. He is a shrewd trader, and his knowledge coupled with his industry and sound sense have made him the bulk of what he has. Mr. Latta has some very fine stock, graded and thoroughbreds, and he is making strenuous efforts to raise the standard of horses in his county. He is devoted strictly to the pursuit of his own affairs, never having had any public career.

Could he have been as fortunate in his domestic affairs as he has been prosperous in business, he would have much less to regret in connection with his residence in Phelps county. He and his excellent wife have had four children born to them, all of whom they have lost, three dying within thirteen days of each other in 1882. His life like that of most others has been checkered with sunshine and shadow.