Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-06-17
At the time of his death, DR.. Latha

/
was in his 9th year. He was born in
Fairfield county, on December q, 1922
of Scotch Irish parentage. His father was
farmer, and though Of limited means, q
man of good education, and from an early
age it was the one ambition Of the son to
be scholar. The school facilities Of the
neighborhood were poor, and there was q
great deal of teamwork to be done |; but
obstacles like this were not allowed to
stand in the way, In the parental home
there was quite large collection of useful
and instructive books, and applying him
selfto these, without neglecting his mum :
erous outside duties, by the time the de-
termined student was lS or 10 years ofage
he had laid the foundation for a thorough
education.
When about 10 years of age, Mr.. Latham
began to feel that he was called upon to
preach the gospel, and from then on be
began to work even more persistently
than before. He entered school taught
by Rev. James Gilland, a Presbyterian
minister, and was here fitted for college.
In 1858 he entered the sophomore class at
Erskine, and after brilliant career Of two
years was graduated. in 1855 with high
honor.
After leaving college, Mr.. Latham COM
menced to study for. the ministry under
Rev. R. w. Brice, pastor of Hopewell A.
R. church, in Fairfield county. He sup
ported himself by teaching school and re-
mained under Rev. Mr.. Brice for two
years. Then he went to Erskine seminary,
finished his course. In 1885, he was
licensed to preach and was sent to Virgin
ia, where he remained until the following
fall meeting of synod.
It was about this time that Mr.. Latham
received his first call. 1t was to the pas
torate of the churches of Yorkville and
Tirzah. He accepted the call, and early
in the year 1859, took mp his residence in
Yorkville. On the 10th of May, 1859, he
was united in marriage to Miss Fanny K.
Barron, daughter Of the late DR.. A. I.
Barron, of Yorkville and on the 10th of
the same month, he was ordained as
pastor Of the Associate Reformed church
es at Tirzah and Yorkville.
In connection with his pastoral labors,
DIR. Latham also engaged in school teaching
in and near Yorkville. He kept it up
for 20 years. His schools were what are
known as the "old field" kind; but in
them he did some splendid work. His pu-
pills were often from distance of 20 or 80
miles, and there are many substantial,
we'll educated citizens of the county to-
day, who have never known any other
teacher. His schoolwork was thorough.
Nothing that he taught ever had to be
"unlearned," and those pupils who were
so fortunate as to 90 through an entire
course with him, were we'll prepared
either to enter high class at college, or
with confidence into the battle of life.
Shortly after the warm 1s66-Mr.
Latham was elected school commissioner
for York county. Owing to the unsettled
state of affairs, politically, however, he
held the office only for short time. He
was supplanted by the Radicals; but in
1874 he was elected again. The condition
of the public schools at that time were
worse than chaotic. His predecessor, who
was Negro, had done not hing whatever
during hisincumbency and the race prob
lem was just being presented In all
it's confusing original force. Under the
circumstances not more than one man in
a thousand could have restored order.
Mr.. Latham was that man. The school
laws were vague and clumsy in their
meaning and of but little help. There
was nothing for the school commissioner
to do but to take the law in his own hands
and make the most of the situation.
This Mr.. Latham did with the result that
there was speedily organized with the
small means available, a syst EN- of public
school, which, for efficiency, was without
a superior in the State. He continued to
serve as school commissioner until 1884.
In connection with his work as minis
ter, q school teacher, and public official,
Mr.. Latham also found some time to de-
vote to literature. He was for years a
valued contributor the THE ENQUIRER.
His weekly column of "Reading for the
Sabbath" will be remembered with
pleasure by most of the older readers ofthe