The Winterthur Library

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE 19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Creator: Latta family

Title: Papers

Dates: 1880-1944, bulk 1880-1930

Call No.: Col. 104

Acc. No.: 91x102, 92x182; 10x48

Quantity: 5 boxes, 2 map case drawers

Location: 17 I 3, map case 6, drawers 2 and 3

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

William James Latta was born on November 21, 1852, in Chester County, Pennsylvania. His father, William Sutton Latta (1822-1872), was the first surgeon of the Pennsylvania Railroad. William J. began working at the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. as a telegraph operator at the age of eighteen. He rose through the ranks to become agent of the railroad, a position he held until his retirement in 1899. William was also an avid collector of Napoleoniana.

William J. Latta married Kitty Nigh (Catherine Nigh) Bingham (1852-1929; daughter of Thomas Bingham) on October 23, 1884. They had five children: Margaret Douglas (later Mrs. W. Griffith Gribbel), William James, Jr. (1888-1958), Katherine, Mary (later Mrs. Dozier Finley), and Rachel Whitehill (later Mrs. Harry A. Franck). The family lived at 430 West Moreland Ave., in the Chestnut Hill area of Philadelphia, in a home known as "Grey Arches." For periods of time, William and Kitty Latta’s unmarried sisters, Elizabeth Bingham, Mary Virginia Bingham, and Margaret Douglas Wilson Latta, resided with the family. "Grey Arches" remained in the possession of the family until 1958 when it was torn down. The Lattas also had a summer home in Rockport, Maine, called "White Cedars."

SCOPE AND CONTENT

Most of this collection is comprised of household and personal bills, various types of railroad passes, family letters, information about William J. Latta’s collection of Napoleoniana, diaries kept by Rachel Latta, and architectural drawings, photographs, and legal documents relating to "Grey Arches" and its greenhouse; many of the legal papers pertain to a sale of property in 1930. The bills were incurred by several members of the family who lived at "Grey Arches." They were for clothing, food, pharmaceutical items, house furnishings, funeral expenses, and general upkeep of the house. The bills date from ca.1880-ca.1912. Some of the billheads include illustrations. Other papers relating to the house are dated ca.1892-1930.

The railroad passes were for baggage, transportation and telegraph privileges. This collection also includes catalogs from the sale of William J. Latta's collection of Napoleoniana, held in 1913 at the Anderson Galleries in New York City. His collection included letters, bronzes, portraits, caricatures, mezzotints, memoirs and other documents. The catalog of William J. Latta’s library is arranged by title, and includes the author, publisher, date of publication, the number of volumes, the size of the book, the year purchased, and if illustrated, the artist’s name and the number of illustrations. The cataloged was last added to in the 1880s and does not include Napoleon-related materials. Some materials shed light on William J. Latta’s career after his retirement from the Pennsylvania Railroad.

Many of the letters were sent from the Latta children to their father, mother, or Aunt Gertie between 1899 and 1919. As well, there are two letters written to Santa Claus. Another series of letters was sent from William Latta, Jr., to his father and sisters during his tour of duty in the United States Navy on Sub Chaser 212 during and after World War I. Rachel Latta's diaries cover the years 1904 and 1910-1914. She describes her life in Maine, Chestnut Hill, and Westover School in Middlebury, Connecticut. Also featured are details of her trip to the St. Louis Exposition in 1904. A transcript of many of the letters and diaries is in the collection.

As for the family home “Grey Arches,” the collection includes blue prints, floor plans, and an album with exterior and interior views of the home. Site plans show the location of the home, orchard, gardens, and stable. As well, there is a photo of the log cabin used for the children’s play house. A very few family photographs are included, and most of them are scans of photos which are in private hands.

ORGANIZATION

The collection is divided into three series: I. Bills and blue prints and documents relating to “Grey Arches”; II. William J. Latta Papers and Memorabilia; and III. Latta family papers.

Series I is found in Boxes 1 and 2 and Map Case 6, Drawers 2 and 3. Series II is in Boxes 2 and 3 and map case 6, drawer 2. Series III is in Boxes 4-5 and map case 6, drawer 2.

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

The materials are in English.

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.

PROVENANCE

Accessions 91x102 and 92x182: gift of Katherine Frank Huettner.

Accession 10x48: gift of Jane Wike, a great-granddaughter of William James Latta.

RELATED MATERIALS

The University of Michigan Special Collections Library holds further Latta family material in its collection of the papers of Harry Alverson Franck, who was the husband of Rachel Latta.

ACCESS POINTS

People:

Latta, William J., 1852-1938.

Latta, William Sutton, 1822-1872.

Latta, Kitty Bingham.

Latta, William J., Jr.

Franck, Rachel Whitehall Latta.

Latta, Katherine.

Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821.

Topics:

Grey Arches (Philadelphia, Pa.)

John Ragatz and Son.

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Architectural drawing - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia.

Architecture - Designs and plans.

Architecture - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia.

Building materials.

Children’s playhouses.

Clothing and dress - Prices - 19^th century.

Cost and standard of living - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia.

Dwellings - Maintenance and repair - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia

Finance, Personal - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia.

Food prices - 19^th century.

Greenhouses - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia.

Home economics - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia.

House furnishings - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia.

Household supplies.

Interior decoration - Photographs.

Interior lighting.

Logbooks.

Private libraries – Catalogs.

Private libraries – Pennsylvania – Philadelphia.

Railroads - Employees - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia.

Railroad passes - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia.

Railroads - United States.

Santa Claus – Correspondence.

Upper class - Social life and customs.

World War, 1914-1918.

Young women - Diaries.

Philadelphia (Pa.) - Social life and customs.

Rockport (Me.) - Social life and customs.

Bills of sale.

Clippings.

Autographs.

Architectural drawings.

Photographic prints.

Reports.

Catalogs,

Tickets.

Schedules.

Correspondence.

Vouchers.

Floor plans.

Blueprints.

Wedding invitations.

Visiting cards.

Rewards of merit.

Cards.

Surgeons.

Agents.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Location: 17 I 3 and map case 6, drawers 2-3

Series I: Bills, and documents relating to “Grey Arches”

Box 1: Bills, arranged by name of store or person from whom items were purchased

Folder 1: Bills – A

includes bills for groceries, clothing, plants (especially fruit trees and bushes), dues for the Art Club of Philadelphia, ice, etc.

Folder 2: Bills – B

includes bills for clothing, tuning a piano, funeral expenses for several members of the Bingham family, repairs to jewelry and silver, additions to the Napoleon collection, luggage, flowers, soap, vegetable seeds, etc.; also receipt for a donation to Berea College

Folder 3: Bills – C

includes bills for drugs, groceries and household products (a great many of these), wallpaper, china, light fixtures (with list of rooms), books and prints (many additions to Napoleon collection), shoes, etc.; also receipts for donations to Children’s Aid Society and The Country Nursery

Folder 4: Bills – D

includes bills for dress goods (a great many of these), furniture, household linens, curtains (naming rooms), shoeing horses, stationery (including calling cards), etc.

Folder 5: Bills - E-F

Includes bills for gilding child’s coach, wallpaper, seafood, membership in Eurydice Chorus, dressmaking, milk, etc.

Folder 6: Bills – G-H

Includes bills for slip covers, 14 aprons, milk, hats, meat and fish, horse and carriage equipment, repairs to wagon and buckboard, liquor, furniture, photographs, etc.; includes a bill from a convent for smocking a dress; also a donation to the Home Missionary Society

Folder 7: Bills - I-K

Includes bills for waists from Dr. Jaeger’s Sanitary Woolen System Co., ice, coal, meat, bread, furniture, carpet cleaning, milk, brass fire set, plumbing supplies, etc.

Folder 8: Bills - L-N

Includes bills for clothing, fire buckets and other household supplies, confectionery, flowers, laundry stove, milk, wiring for an x-ray machine, table linens, kitchen utensils, groceries, corsets, bathing suits, sneakers, vegetable seeds, repairs to silver and jewelry, etc.; also information from Lord & Burnham Co. about a greenhouse; donation to the Mariner’s Church

Folder 9: Bills - O-Q

Includes bills for horse shoes, and bills from Philadelphia Exchange for Woman’s Work; dues for Philadelphia Cricket Club, Philadelphia chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts; also donations to the Philadelphia Home for Incurables and the Presbyterian Home for Widows and Single Women

Folder 10: Bills - R

Includes bills for groceries and milk, carriage repairs, furniture bought from John H. Ragatz, clothing and hats, electricity (in Maine), fencing, etc.

Box 2:

Folder 1: Bills – S

Includes bills for food, clothing, table linens, a laundry stove, coal, apothecary goods, furniture and furniture repairs, a clavier, cleaning a well, etc.; also donations to St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, the Church of St. Simeon, and the Ladies’ Aid Society of the Polyclinic Hospital

Folder 2: Bills - T-Z

Includes bills for clothes, pew rent at Tabernacle Presbyterian Church, china, furniture (including a Morris chair), tent and hammocks, food, plumbing repairs, apothecary goods, cut glass bowls, a bicycle stand, goods purchased from the Whosoever Gospel Mission and Rescue Home Association, rental of an x-ray machine, ice, gas for home; dues for Transatlantic Society of America; also donations to the Visiting Nurse Society, the Women’s Christian Association of Germantown

Folder 3: Brief of Title for lot of ground at east corner of 33^rd Street and Moreland Avenue, 22^nd ward, Philadelphia, listing owners and transfers 1689-1890, when deeded to Kitty B. Latta

Folder 4: Mortgages, Bonds and Warrants, 1892, 1897, 1928

Folder 5: Sale agreements for various properties; also children’s agreement that mother’s estate is to be used to support father

Folder 6: Miscellaneous letters addressed to William J. Latta, Jr., about using mother’s estate to support father

Map case 6, dr. 2:

Proposed addition to house, 1899

Floor plans

Plans of the grounds

Photograph album containing interior and exterior views

Pencil drawing of a children's log cabin, built in the 1890s as a playhouse for the children (see also photo of the log cabin)

Profile of property

Plan of property bordered by Moreland, Huron, Towanda, and Mermaid streets, showing placement of structures, 1930

Plan of property, location unknown, but includes a stretch along a sea shore, ca.1909

Map case 6, dr. 3:

Architectural drawings and elevations of "Grey Arches"

Blueprints of house and property

Series II: William J. Latta Papers and Memorabilia

Box 2:

Folder 7: Baggage passes from Adams Express Co., New York Transfer Co., and Union Transfer Co. (78 items)

Folder 8: Club membership passes: Brooklyn Annex (1880-1888), Franklin Institute (1885-1899), Germantown Cricket Club (1892-1903), National Export Exposition (1899), Nittany rod and Gun Club (1898-1902), Pennsylvania Railroad Department of the YMCA (1895-1905), Philadelphia Cricket Club (1898-1903), Republican National Convention (1900), World’s Columbian Exposition (1893), and miscellaneous organizations (75 items)

Folder 9: Railroad and transportation passes: Chesapeake & Ohio (letter, 1882); Cornwall & Lebanon (1887-1899); Lehigh & Lackawanna (1883-1899); Merchants & Miners Transportation Co. (1897-1899); New York, Philadelphia & Norfolk (1897-1898); Newport & Shermans Valley (1898-1899); Old Colony (1881-1882); Omnibus Co. General (1894-1895); Pennsylvania, and associated lines (1896); Pullman’s Palace Car Co. (1879-1888); Shenandoah Valley (1884-1885); State Line & Sullivan (1887-1888); Upper Delaware River Transportation Co. (1892-1899); West Chester & Philadelphia (1878-1879); miscellaneous other railroad, steamship, and omnibus passes (67 items)

Folder 10: Railroad tickets, timetables (25 items)

Folder 11: Telegraph passes, also Western Union rates and rules booklet (no date), and booklet about the Postal Telegraph System (ca.1905)

Passes are for American District Telegraph Co. (1886-1899), American Union Telegraph Co. (1881), Philadelphia Local Telegraph Co. (1887-1894), and Western Union (1881-1912)

Folder 12: Report of a study of a harbor at Southport, S.C. by Wm. J. Latta when acting as a consultant on railway matters after his retirement, 1914

Folder 13: Latta, William J.: American Sandless Casting Co. and Custer Sandless Casting Process, and related business correspondence and agreements, 1909-1914 (acc. 10x48)

Folder 14: Latta, William J.: Tacony Iron Company, correspondence, 1905-1913 (acc. 10x48)

Box 3:

Folder 1: Latta, William J.: Business correspondence, including a blueprint for profiles and proposed grade of Mermaid Lane, 1899, which accompanied one of the letters; 1882-1899

Folder 2: Latta, William J.: personal papers, 1884, chiefly relating to his 1884 wedding; also includes a New Year’s card in the form of an Annual Pass (for Good Luck), two bookplates, a picture of William Howard Taft with a piece of fabric added to it; and a photocopy of his marriage certificate

Folder 3: Latta, William J.: personal papers, 1930, 1944, and no date (acc. 10x48)

Folder 4: A Glimpse of the United States Military Telegraph Corps and of Abraham Lincoln, by William B. Wilson, read before the United Service Club of Philadelphia, 1889

Folder 5: “Meeting an Emergency,” pamphlet about Broad St. Station fire, 1923

Folders 6-7: “The Napoleon Collection of William J. Latta,” parts I-IV, auction catalogs, 1913

Folder 8: Clippings about sale of Latta’s Napoleon collection

Folder 9: catalogs of exhibitions of Latta’s Napoleon collection Napoleoniana held in the home of Prof. E. Hershey Sneath, New Haven, Conn., March 17, 1909, and May 10, 1911

Folder 10: Napoleoniana, information about Latta’s collection, including a newspaper article mounted into a booklet

Folder 11: “Catalogue of the Library of William J. Latta”

In a blank book printed by Porter & Coates of Philadelphia, especially for recording one’s library holdings

Folder 12: Patents of Isidor Kitsee related to telegraphy, in patent number order; 1895-1906; also drawings to accompany patents; a letter to Latta is attached to patent 777,259 (acc. 10x48)

Map case 6, dr. 2:

Certificate from Philadelphia Commercial Exchange congratulating Latta on a promotion, 1881;

Photo of William James Latta (acc. 10x48)

Series III: Latta family material:

Box 4:

Folder 1: Bingham family, includes replies to invitations to the 1884 wedding of Kitty to William J. Latta; calling cards of family members; also Photostat of instructions from Mary Virginia Bingham about distribution of personal property, dated 1932

Folder 2: Latta, Rev. William: typed copy of a blessing asked at banquet for General Lafayette by the Rev. Latta, West Chester, July 26, 1825

[with note: this William Latta was great-uncle of William J. Latta]

Folder 3: Latta, William Sutton: letter naming him examining surgeon for Aetna Life Insurance Co. (1867), and a document pertaining to his estate (1872)

Folder 4: Latta, Mrs. Kitty N. Bingham: Letters, circa 1883-circa 1908, etc.: includes dance card from Logan House, 1882, her calling card

Folder 5: Latta, Mrs. Kitty N. Bingham: Will, 1914

Also list of jewelry distributed to each child in 1933

Folder 6: Latta, William J.: Letters from his children, one of which is illustrated with a train

Folder 7: Latta, William J.: Letters from William, Jr., written from Princeton and Rockport; some of the letters are addressed to mother [Kitty Bingham Latta]

Folder 8: Letters to Aunt Gertie from the Latta children; also one addressed to Grandma, illustrated with a little girl in bed

Folder 9: Letters to Santa from the Latta children

Folder 10: Letters to Katherine from her father, 1906, 1919;

Also a Christmas card to Katherine from Will Kaltenbach

Folder 11: Letters to Rachel from Latta family members, ca.1911-ca.1915

Folder 12: Latta, Rachel: Diaries, 1904; 1910-1914 (in one volume)

Folder 13: Latta, Rachel: Diary of trip to Louisiana Purchase Exposition, [September 16-24,] 1904, with other notes, including some further diary entries for 1904; notes about a trip to Ragged Mountain in 1905; a list headed “Christmas things,” but whether presents to her or from her is not clear; recipes for fudge; a list of fish caught in the summer of 1907; rules for daisy bead work; etc.

Folder 14: “Westover School: 1909-1984,” pamphlet about Rachel Latta’s school in Connecticut

Folder 15: Photos of “White Cedars,” the Latta summer home in Rockport, Maine

Folder 16: Latta, William, Jr.: letters during World War I, also a photo of 4 naval officers

[According to a pension record, William James Latta, Jr., enlisted in the U.S. Navy in March 1917 and was on active duty until October 1919. During this time, he was promoted from Boatswain’s mate 2d class to Ensign to Lieutenant (j.g.). He re-entered serviced for several months in 1920. Then, during World War II, he served in the office of Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, D.C.; he was working for Bell Telephone Co. before re-entering naval service in 1943.]

Box 5:

Folder 1: Cruise of the Satana, from Rockport, Maine, July 10-13, 1910, William J. Latta, Jr., captain, with Edgar S. McKaig and Albert Nutter

Folder 2: Copies of newspaper clippings about Latta family members

Folder 3: Miscellaneous, including calling cards, memo pad for Armstrong & Latta Co. (engineers and contractors, 1923), reward of merit cards (one to Willie Latta, but others blank), two lists of names (3 pages; one list includes many Binghams, the other a number of Lattas, perhaps both are wedding invitation lists?), recipe for sugar biscuits, and autographs of opera singers collected by Rachel Latta in 1908 (includes Enrico Caruso, Louise Homer, Angelo Bada, Pasquale Amato, Maria Gay, and others).

Includes announcement of opening of a tea room by Mrs. Gertrude L. McKnight; perhaps this is Aunt Gertie.

Folders 4-5: “Latta Letters and Diaries,” with annotations by Katharine Franck Huettner [typescripts of letters and diaries in this collection]

Folder 6: Scans of Latta family photos (originals in private hands)

Folder 7: photographs: (acc. 10x48)

Photocopy of photos of Mary Steele Mitchell Bingham and Thomas Bingham, ca. 1885;

Log cabin at “Grey Arches,” in the snow; trolley car in background, n.d.;

Laying cornerstone of Pennsylvania Railroad YMCA, 41^st and Westminster, n.d. (bur circa 1894), photo taken by William H. Rau