Latta, James 1732-1801

LATTA, James, clergyman, born in Ireland in 1732; died in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, 29 January, 1801. At an early age he emigrated to this country with his parents, who settled near Elkton, Maryland He was graduated at the College of Philadelphia in 1757, and became tutor there, while he studied theology with Dr. Francis Alison. He was licensed by the presbytery of Philadelphia in 1758, ordained in 1759, and appointed to the destitute settlements of Virginia and Carolina. In 1761 he became pastor of a church in Deep Run, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, but he resigned in 1770 to accept the charge of Chestnut Level, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Here he established a school, which was acquiring celebrity when its progress was arrested by the Revolution. During the war he served as soldier and chaplain in the American army. He published several sermons and a pamphlet showing that the principal subjects of psalmody should be taken from the gospel. (From Famous Americans Web Site)

Annals of the American Pulpit, Volume 3 - 1860 (see page 199)

Letter from the Rev. Robert P. Du Bois : containing a sketch of the life and character of the Rev. James Latta, D.D., published in the Annals of the American pulpit 1901 - DuBois, Robert Patterson, 1805-1883

Biographical Sketch: University of Pennsylvania Archives

A.B. Diploma of James Latta (1757)

Writings:

A Discourse on Psalmody; in which it is clearly shewn that it is the duty of Christians to take the principal subjects and occasions of their psalms, hymns, and spirituals, from the gospel of Christ. With corrections and additions / By James Latta, A.M. Minister of the Gospel at Chesnut Level - 1798 98 pages