Edward Blddle Latch

Chief engineer, United States Navy; born in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pa., Nov. 15, 1833; son of Gardener and Henrietta Latch (old German name Lutz). He was educated in public schools and was at the Norris Locomotive Works, 1851-1857. He entered the Navy as third assistant engineer, Sept. 20, 1858; served on the Paraguay Expedition, 1858-1859; on west coast of Africa in suppression of the slave trade, 1859-1861; second assistant engineer, Oct. 8, 1861; first assistant engineer, March 17, 1863. During the Civil War, 1862-1864, was attached to the flagship Hartford (Admiral Farragut). He participated in engagements at Forts Jackson and St. Philip, and the Confederate Fleet, on the Mississippi River, Chalmette, New Orleans, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Grand Gulf, Warrenton, Forts Morgan, Gaines and Powell, gunboats and ram Tennessee at Mobile Bay; served on the East Indian Station, 1865-1868; at Naval Academy, 1869-1870; West Indies, Greenland and European Station, 1870-1872; member of Board of Inspection, 1873-1875: on sick leave, 1870-1877; retired, 1878. He is the originator and developer of the Mosaic System of Chronology, also methods for the recovery and elucidation of the history of the world by the Mosaic System. He is editor of The Greater Light, a Philadelphia monthly, and is author of: A Review of the Holy Bible, 1884; Indications of the Book of Job, 1889; Indications of Genesis, 1890: Indications of Exodus, 1892; Indications of Romans, 1900-1901; Indications of the Revelation of St. John the Divine, 1901-1903, and Indications of Leviticus, 1903-1905 (the last three serials in The Greater Light); also Indications of Numbers, and a brief life of the Christ, also, now running in Greater Light; numerous other papers in relation to universal history. Address: Academy, Montgomery County, Pa.

Source: John W. Leonard. Who's Who in Pennsylvania: A Biographical Dictionary of Contemporaries, 2nd ed. New York: L.R. Hamersly & Co., 1908, p. 423.

Submitted by Nancy.