12 Facts About Milton Latham

Milton Slocum Latham was an American politician, who served as the sixth governor of California and as a US Representative and US Senator.

Milton Latham was admitted to the Alabama State Bar in 1848, working as Russell County's circuit court clerk for two years until 1850, when he relocated to San Francisco, California following the Gold Rush.

In San Francisco, Milton Latham continued in law, becoming a recording clerk for the county, and in 1851, the district attorney of Sacramento.

Only a year after returning to San Francisco, Milton Latham was appointed US Customs Collector for the Port of San Francisco by President Franklin Pierce, a post the former congressman protested initially, but reluctantly later accepted.

Milton Latham suggested that the Office of the governor should not be made more powerful, and be securely checked by the legislature and courts.

Milton Latham had become the second California Governor to resign from office.

Milton Latham travelled to Washington, DC to take his US Senate seat later that year.

Milton Latham lost his bid for a second Senate term to Republican John Conness, himself a former Anti-Lecompton Democrat.

In 1872, Milton Latham bought and began renovating a 50-room Menlo Park mansion, Thurlow Lodge as a gift to his bride, only for the estate to burn down before completion.

In 1874, Milton Latham commissioned Carleton Watkins to photograph the huge estate and produce two presentation albums of mammoth plate prints.

Milton Latham later moved to New York City in 1879 to become president of the New York Mining Stock Exchange.

Milton Latham was originally buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery in San Francisco, and later re-interred at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in 1940.