LATHAM, FRANCIS W. (c.1819–?). Francis W. Latham, rancher and legislator, was born in Groton, Connecticut, around 1819. Other sources claim that he was born in Providence, Rhode Island. Latham came to Texas during the Mexican War and served under General Zachary Scott. In 1848 he settled near Brownsville and began to farm and ranch.
He was first elected to the Sixth Texas State Legislature as a representative from Cameron County in 1855 and continued to serve in the Eighth Legislature. In 1858 President James Buchanan nominated Latham to serve as the customs collector for Brazos de Santiago. In addition Latham served as a county clerk. Latham was a member of the Secession Convention and voted to leave the United States on February 1, 1861. After the war Latham served in the Eighteenth, Nineteenth and Twentieth legislatures, and was the chairman of the Committee on Claims and Accounts during the Nineteenth.
Latham was married to Mary Anna Sprague of Providence, Rhode Island. He remained politically active throughout his life. He was a Mason.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: American Memory (http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field(DOCID+@lit(ej0114))), accessed August 22, 2006. Lewis E. Daniell, Personnel of the Texas State Government, with Sketches of Representative Men of Texas (Austin: City Printing, 1887; 3d ed., San Antonio: Maverick, 1892). Family Search: "Francis Latham" (http://www.familysearch.org), accessed August 22, 2006. Ordinance of Secession (http://www.csawardept.com/documents/secession/TX/index.html), accessed August 21, 2006.
