Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-09-05
JOHN w. LAFLIN DEAD.
High MASON and Veteran of the Twenty.
ninth Regiment Expires at His
Home in Milwaukee,

John w. Latin, well-known here
through his associations as a prom
inent Mason, and as being a member
of the twenty ninth Wisconsin volun-
teers, company of which was furn-
ished by Watertown, died Thursday
morning at his home on Twentieth
street. Milwaukee, aged 56 years.
] Mr.. Latin was a son-in-law of orr
! former townsman, n. c.. Daniels, now
OF Milwaukee, and when boy lived
on a farm near this city He was a
person of the finest qualities of heart
and mind, which brought to him uni
yersal esteem and admiration. A
very numerous acquaintance will
sincerely mourn him as brother.
From The Sentinel we take the follow
ing extracts from the obituary notice:
"toF some years Mr.. Latin had
been Il poor health, his condition be-
ing the result to a marked extent of
an accident which he sustained some
years ago while dismounting from a
street car. Early in the spring his
! complaint returned with complica-
tions. and this summer he was granted
a vacation to recnperate. Since his
| return home, however, he failed to
| improve, and his death was not un-
| expect ID, as of late he had been sink
| ing rapidly. Mr.. Latin is survived
! by a wife and three children, Herbert
n. Latin, an attorney employed In
! the legal department Of the North
western Mutual Life Insurance com
| pany, and the Misses Mary aud Helen
| Latin.
| ''John Warren Latin was born in
/ h rtford, Conn. November "a, 1914.
| and the year after his birth his
parents moved to Wisconsin, settling
near Watertown, where the father.
who was a cabinetmaker, died
| in 1S4i. Mr.. Latin therefore
had but limited educational op-
portunlties and the important posi-
tlon which he gained in Masonic
circles was attained almost wholly
| through his own efforts. Upon the
death of his father, the family was
broken up, and lived with different
families until 1856, when he went to
New Lisbon and began work in a
general store. living with the family
of the proprietor For short time
| he attended school at Aztalan and
New Lisbon. but this was all. In
1859 he was clerk IL the New Lisbon
postofffce and two years later he
went to live with his brother on
farm near Fox Lake, remaining there
until 1862, when he enlisted in the
Twenty ninth Wisconsin regiment.
MIR. Latin served through the
| V1cksburg campaign, and later. after
recovering from severe attack of
| typhoid fever, he wss sent with a
company OF convalescents to Missouri.
Subsequently MIR. Latin held various
| clerical posts under Gen Rosencrans
and Gen. Dodge, and he was not
| mustered out of the service until the
close of the war. Returning to bis
home n New Lisbon, he engaged in
the mercantile business until 1872.
when he removed to Oshkosh and con-
Quoted grocery store. In 1888 he
was chosen secretary of the Masonic
grand bodies of the state and changed
his residence to Milwaukee In 1886
in company with M. L. Youngs he
began the publication of Masonic
Tidings, monthly fraternal paper
which compares favorablv with the
leading Masonic monthlies of the
countrA
''Mr Latin became a member of
the Masonic order upon attaining his
majority, and he continued a Jealous
and active member, attaining all the
degrees including the Thirty-third
and the last degree of the Ancient
Scottish Rite. Mr.. Latin was not
member of any other society with the
exception of the Grand Army of the
Republic. When boy he became
imbueG in the Fremont and Dayton
campaign with the spirit of Republi-
canism, and he always remained an
advocate of the principles of that
party. though never a candidate for
any political office. Mr. Latin was
married Decelnb Der 3, 1868, to Miss
Helen M. Daniels. of New Lisbon, and
four children were born to them. The
oldest daugh ter Mrs. w. G.. Cook, of
Oshkosh, died but few years ago.
'.The funeral will be held Satur-
day afternoon at Calvary Presbyter-
ian church, Of which Mr.. Latin was
a member. 1t will be under Masonic
auspices and the pallbearers will be
selected from members of the order.
There will be Masonic escort from
the residence to the church and to
Forest Home cemetery, where the re
mains will be interred''
OTHER DEATHS.
John j. Sprenger died Friday morn
ing at his home, 819 Division street.
aged Sd years. Death resulted from
injuries which Mr.. Sprenger received
the evening p''asjons while in the
pursufrof his dtii - rs i,t:;for Of st.
Johns lutheran church and Sc.la1l.
Mr.. Sprenger was trimming trees in
front q the parsonage and fell from
ladder on which he was standing. suf-
fering the fracture of two ribs The
broken points punctured the lungs and