Justice Henry Jepson Latham was born on December 10, 1908 in Brooklyn and raised in Queens. He was educated at Richmond Hill High School before graduating from St. John’s University and then Brooklyn Law School in 1931. He began the private practice of law and unsuccessfully ran for the New York State Senate in 1938. In 1940 he was elected to the State Assembly and in 1944 he was elected to Congress. He served in Congress until 1958, representing the Third and then the Fourth Congressional Districts in Queens. He was a member of the Rules Committee, and as a conservative Republican supported strengthening the country’s armed forces.
Latham served as a justice of the State Supreme Court from 1958 until 1972 and as an associate justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department from 1970 until 1979, retiring when he reached the age of 70.
Latham served in the United States Navy as an officer during World War II and in the Korean War.
He was married to Elizabeth Schwarze and had a son and three grandchildren. He died in Southold, NY on June 26, 2002 at the age of 93.
Sources
“Henry J. Latham, 93, Queens Congressman.” New York Times (1923-Current file): A21. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times (1851-2008). Jun 26 2002. Web. 26 Mar. 2012.
“LATHAM, Henry Jepson.” Biographical Directory of the United States Congress 1774-Present. United States Congress. Web. 26 Mar. 2012. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=L000108.