LATTA, LUCY

We know that Lucy’s mother, Fannie, was born in 1817.¹Fannie Latta death certificate: “North Carolina Deaths, 1906-1930,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6S23-X63?cc=1609799&wc=MJ49-PTL%3A1042556901 : 3 May 2019), 004163098 > image 1180 of 2019; State Department of Archives and History, Raleigh. We know even less about Lucy’s father. Lucy herself was born either in August 1844 (per the 1900 Federal Census) or in 1846 (per her death certificate.²Lucy Latta 1900 census: “United States Census, 1900,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-68FX-55?cc=1325221&wc=9BWW-4WG%3A1030551601%2C1032311101%2C1032325101 : 5 August 2014), North Carolina > Durham > ED 26 Durham Township (excl. Durham city) > image 7 of 70; citing NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

Lucy Latta death certificate: “North Carolina Deaths, 1906-1930,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-62V3-LCT?cc=1609799&wc=MJWB-N38%3A1042557901 : 3 May 2019), 004163101 > image 2251 of 3029; State Department of Archives and History, Raleigh. The former, being more specific, seems more likely.

Lucy’s marital status is likewise uncertain. The 1900 census shows her as single and the 1910 census as widowed.³Lucy Latta 1910 census: “United States Census, 1910,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRVY-XD5?cc=1727033&wc=QZZ4-6NQ%3A133642301%2C137874101%2C137991701%2C1589088925 : 24 June 2017), North Carolina > Durham > Durham Ward 4 > ED 40 > image 47 of 60; citing NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.). She had three children: Gaston (b. 1880 or 15 July 1874), Fannie (b. 1884 or 1888), and Ernest or Earnest (b. 1887 or 1890).⁴Ernest’s 1887 birthdate is from Lucy Latta 1900 census. 1890 birthdate is from Lucy Latta 1910 census, which also incorrectly lists Ernest as her grandson rather than her son. The 1900 census records Lucy’s mother Fannie living with her and the children in 1900 in the suburbs outside the Durham city limits, where she probably stayed until her death on Christmas Day, 1909. For more (but not much more) information, see the life story for Fannie Latta.

Nor do we know much about Lucy’s occupation. The 1900 census lists her as a “house servant,” though we don’t know for whom. The 1910 census just shows “house” and her death certificate says she was working at a tobacco factory when she died on 2 July 1911. Her death was due to pellagra, a vitamin B3 deficiency caused in her case by gastrointestinal cancer.⁵Lucy Latta death certificate.

We know the Latta family had a complex relationship with branches of the Allen families (see The Three Tailors), but we are still figuring out the details. Lucy’s son Ernest worked as a porter (1907) and presser (1909) for J. H. Allen.⁶Durham, N.C. Directory 1907-1908 (Durham, N.C.: Hill Directory Company, 1907-1908) p. 172, Latta surname; digital image, “North Carolina City Directories,” DigitalNC (https://lib.digitalnc.org/record/25126 : accessed 21 Aug 2021).

Durham, N.C. Directory 1909-1910 (Durham, N.C.: Hill Directory Company, 1909-1910) p. 200, Latta surname; digital image, “North Carolina City Directories,” DigitalNC (https://lib.digitalnc.org/record/25158 : accessed 19 Aug 2021), PDF p. 210. This would be John Hubert Allen, as James H. Allen was not yet in business at the time. When Ernest married, on 9 Dec 1913, Lafayette Allen, son of prosperous Durham builder Richmond Allen, was a witness at his wedding.⁷“North Carolina, U.S., Marriage Records, 1741-2011,” [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1286150:60548 : accessed 6 Dec 2021). Original data: North Carolina County Registers of Deeds. Microfilm. Record Group 048. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC Given the nearness of their ages, the two might have been friends.⁸Lafayette was born on 22 Feb 1891 according to his WWII draft card: “World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942,” [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/7981653:1002 : accessed 15 Dec 2021). Original data: United States, Selective Service System. Selective Service Registration Cards, World War II: Fourth Registration. Records of the Selective Service System, Record Group Number 147. National Archives and Records Administration. Full Source Citation.

His WWI draft card shows 23 Feb 1892: “U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/26236829:6482 : accessed 15 Dec 2021). Original data: United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M1509, 4,582 rolls. Imaged from Family History Library microfilm.

Lucy’s older son Gaston was in the Durham County Home and Work House at the time of the 1900 census, age 20. The County Home was a multi-purpose facility housing prisoners with sentences less than 10 years, the homeless, and the mentally ill.⁹“Durham County Home,” Open Durham, updated 21 Aug 2011, https://opendurham.org/buildings/durham-county-home. Gaston was there as a convict, working on public roads.¹⁰“U. S. Census 1900,” County Home: “United States Census, 1900,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-68F6-NL?cc=1325221&wc=9BWW-4WR%3A1030551601%2C1032311101%2C1032345101 : 5 August 2014), North Carolina > Durham > ED 29 Durham Township > image 34 of 35; citing NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.). The 1909 city directory and the 1910 census find him living with Lucy at 906(?) Arnette Ave., but after that he disappears again.¹¹Durham, N.C. Directory 1909-1910; Lucy Latta 1910 census.

BORN: August 1844?¹³Lucy Latta 1900 census.

DIED: 2 July 1911¹⁴Lucy Latta death certificate.

BIRTH PLACE: Unknown

DEATH PLACE: Durham, NC¹⁵Lucy Latta death certificate.

SPOUSE: Unknown

PARENTS: Fannie Latta¹⁶Lucy Latta 1900 census.

CHILDREN: Gaston (b. 1880)
Fannie (b. 1886 or 1888)
Ernest or Earnest (b. 1887 or 1890)¹⁷Lucy Latta 1910 census.

OTHER FAMILY: N/A

FAMILY BURIED IN GEER CEMETERY: Fannie Latta (Mother)

OCCUPATION: Housekeeping, tobacco worker¹⁸Housekeeping: Lucy Latta 1900 census.

Tobacco: Lucy Latta death certificate.

CHURCH: N/A

AFFILIATIONS: N/A

ADDRESS: 903? Arnette Ave.¹⁹Lucy Latta death certificate.

MILITARY SERVICE: N/A