Married: Helen Florence (Canton) Sterrett in 1913.
Garnett and Helen were divorced by the time oif the 1930 census.
Helen was born on 17 May 1885, in Evansville, Indiana. She was adopted
in 1894 by William H. Sterrett and Mary Elizabeth Grismer. She attended
college in Louisville, and spoke four languages fluently. Helen worked
as a milliner. Her grandson says that "she told us she was full blood
Cherokee Indian, however we believe her father was Irish and perhaps
Shawnee Indian.", although the census records show her race as white.
Helen died in September 1972, in Cook county, Illinois.
Census: 1900: Kimbark Ave., Chicago, Cook county, Illinois 1910: Chicago, Cook county, Illinois 1920: Chicago, Cook county, Illinois 1930: Chicago, Cook county, Illinois
Occupation: Dentist
Notes: After his divorce, Garnett lived
with his secretary. Presumably this was the Pauline Hamman who is
listed on his 1942 draft registration as the "person who will always
know your address". Garnett's grandson says that "He divorced her after
my mother was born and went to live with his secretary, putting her two
children through college and ignoring his own children until death."
Married: Jay Waldemar Lawton in 1914
Jay was born on 7 March 1891, in Viola, Wisconsin, the son of James W. Lawton and Sarah Elizabeth Saubert. He was
a member of the 1907 class of Lafarge High School, and graduated B.S.A from the University of Wisconsin in 1914. University of Wisconsin Alumni Register p196 (1921) Lawton, Jay Waldimar, B.S.A. 14. County Agricultural Representative. Lac Qui Parle County, Minn.
After Gladys's death, Jay married Mollie Thoreson
in 1916 and had
three daughters. He taught at the Dawson high school in
Minnesota, and in 1918 was the director of the agricultural department
at the high school in Chatfield, Minnesota, then county agricultural
agent for Wabasha county, Minnesota and in 1920 was the manager of
Underwood Farms in Lake City, Minnesota. Jay was the inventor of the
the Lawton Seed Corn tester, a major improvement in testing seed corn rapidly, cheaply and accurately. He was awarded a patent
for a seed tester in 1919, but he gave the invention free to the world without royalties. The invention is described in great detail in The Farmer 9 March 1918 pp1-3 in an article headlined: A Wonderful New Method Of Testing See Corn
The "Lawton Tester" the Most Practical and Efficient Method of Testing
Corn Ever Devised - It Will Test Accurately Six Hundred Ears at a Time
and Any Farmer Can Have it Made for Less Than Three Dollars
In 1945, Jay's occupation is listed as "Army Air
Base". RUS: A register of the rural leadership in the United States and Canada p272 (L. H. Bailey, 1920) Lawton, Jay Waldemar, manag. Underwood Farms, Lake City, Minn.
Formerly co. agrl. agt., Wabasha, Minn. Originator of the Lawton
seed-corn tester, given to the public without patent rights. Auth.: The Awakening, 1914. - b. Viola, Wis., Mar 7, 1891; s. J. W. and Sarah (Saubert) L.; reared on dairy farm; m. Mollie Thoreson, July 29, 1916. c. Beatrice June. B.S.A. Univ. Wis., 1914.
Census: 1900:
Forest, Richland county, Wisconsin 1905:
Forest, Richland county, Wisconsin 1910:
Forest, Richland county, Wisconsin 1920:
Wabasha county, Minnesota
1921: Lac Qui Parle county, Minnesota (University of Wisconsin Alumni Register p196) 1945:
1000 S Menlo Ave, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Education: University of Wisconsin, where Gwendoline graduated B.A. in 1916. University of Wisconsin Alumni Register p138 (1921) Hargrave, Mrs. M. (Latham, Gwendoline) B.A. 16. 1313 Leland Ave., Chicago, Ill.
Notes: John emigrated to the United
States in 1882.
Biography: History of Dane County pp546-8
(1906): John
Cuthbert Latham,
a progressive farmer of the town of Fitchburg, where he has won an
evitable position by dint of honest effort and superior mental
qualifications, was born in Lancashire, England, on February 17, 1860,
and is one of five children born to John and Mary Ann (Whaley) Latham,
also natives of England, where the father died in 1878, aged seventy
seven years. He was an eminent physician and was twice married, five
children being born to each of the unions, making a total of ten in the
family, and it is proper to incorporate in this review interesting
facts concerning them. Dr. P. W. Latham of Cambridge, England, a son of
the first marriage and a half-brother of our subject, is the father of
the wife of James Avon Clyde, Scotland's present solicitor general. Mr.
Clyde is the second son of Dr. James Clyde, formerly rector of
Edinburgh academy, and he was born in 1863, was called to the bar in
1887 and became king's counsel in 1901. His success as an advocate has
been remarkable and it is said that he has acquired one of the largest
practices of modern times. He is a unionist in British politics. Of the
five children born to the second marriage of Dr. John Latham, Adah Anne
is deceased; Mary Zilla Eva Linda is unmarried and resides in the city
of Madison; Helen married Thomas William Oldham (deceased), and is
given a more extended mention on another page in a review dedicated to
her husband; Vida Annette is unmarried and resides in Chicago; and John
C. is he whose name introduces this memoir. Miss Vida Annette Latham,
mentioned above is a lady of much prominence, and was elected one of
the vice presidents of the American Microscopic society at its recent
meeting in Buffalo, where she took a prominent part. At the time of the
meeting the Buffalo Courier gave her the following complimentary
notice: "It is to be expected that a gathering of scientists from all
over the United States would not fail to bring together some
interesting characters, and the American Microscopical Society
convening here this week brought to the city a number of people
prominent in the world of science. One of the most distinguished and
interesting scientists at the convention proves to be a woman. Dr. Vida
Latham of Chicago, who was one of the most interested observers at
yesterday's sessions, is a woman with an unusual history. Born in
England at a time when women had not yet invaded the professional
field, Dr. Latham became imbued with the idea that she would like to
study medicine. She met with manifold difficulties, the strongest of
which was the traditional prejudice against 'woman out of her sphere.'
She however entered the doors of one of London's medical colleges and
made a specialty of tuberculosis. Coming to America, she entered
college at Ann Arobor, where she was graduated. On leaving college Dr.
Latham went to Chicago, where she has since lived. She is considered by
authorities to be one of the cleverest teachers of histology and
pathology in the medical world. She occupies the chair of professor of
histology in the Northwestern University; she is a member of the
American Medical Association and chairman of one of its sections; a
member of the Chicago medical societies, and has a large practice. Dr.
Latham is a striking example of grit and perseverance, and for one who
meets her, a woman of delicate appearance and modest manners, it is
difficult to believe that she has overcome almost colossal difficulties
to attain such a degree of proficiency in her chosen profession. Dr.
Latham has visited England several times since making her home in
America." John Cuthbert Latham, who is the immediate subject of this
review first attended the Wiggins grammar school at Lancaster, England,
in which he received a very good education, and in 1882, at the age of
twenty-two years, he migrated to America. Comng directly to Wisconsin,
he worked as a farm hand in the town of Sun Prairie, Dane county, about
one year, after which he purchased one hundred and thirty acres of land
in the town of Fitchburg and began general farming on a somewhat
extensive scale. He remained on that farm about two years, and then
sold it and purchased the farm where he now resides near Syene in the
same town. He has made many necessary improvements on his present
homestead, which comprises one hundred and eighty acres of
exceptionally fertile land, and the progress which he has made and is
making is a striking example of what can be accomplished by singleness
of purpose and intelligent effort. Mr. Latham was married on October
24, 1884, to Miss Theresa Hasler, born near Birmingham, England, July
22, 1867, daughter of William Frederick and Frances (Slater) Hasler,
also natives of England, where they still reside, as do also their
children with the single excepton of Mrs. Latham. In the Hasler family
there were nine children, five of whom are living. Theresa, who is now
Mrs. Latham, is the only one residing in America. The others, Ida,
Winifred, Blanche and Gwendoline, remaining in England. To Mr. and Mrs.
Latham there have been born four children: Gladys, Garnet, Nellie and
Gwendoline. In politics our subject gives an unswerving allegiance to
the tenets of the Democratic party, and his worth has been appreciated
by his fellow citizens. Although he has never been an aspirant for
public office he has served four terms as town assessor and for ten
years as treasurer of the school district in which he resides. He and
his wife are members of the Episcopal church.
Birth: England Birth Index (1Q1860
Wigan vol 8c p81); exact month from 1900 census; exact day
from History of Dane County p548; exact
place from 1861 census
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