From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
First Lady of California
Sophie Latham
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In office
January 9, 1860 ? January 14, 1860
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Preceded by
| Lizzie Weller
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Succeeded by
| Maria Downey
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Born
| Sophie Birdsall
c. 1835
Yates County
,
New York
, U.S.
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Died
| September 10, 1867
(1867-09-10)
(aged 31?32)
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Spouse
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Sophie Latham
(
nee
Birdsall
;
c.
1835
? 10 September 1867) was
First Lady of California
as wife of
Milton Latham
,
Governor
from 9 to 14 January 1860.
Life
[
edit
]
Latham was born around 1835 in
Yates County
, New York, to Lewis A. Birdsall and Mary Jane Lee.
Sophie was a favorite of Sacramento and San Francisco society, and was known by the soubriquet the "Belle of the Prairie." In 1853, her father, Lewis, was appointed as the first Superintendent of the
San Francisco Mint
. Sophie married Milton Latham in San Francisco, on 1 October 1853. They had no children. Milton was governor for five days before he was elected to the United States Senate, filling the vacancy created by
David Broderick
's death. Milton was not re-elected and they moved back to San Francisco.
Latham died 10 September 1867 and was buried at the
Laurel Hill Cemetery
in San Francisco. Both Sophie and Milton were moved to the
Cypress Lawn Memorial Park
in
Colma
around 1940, when the cemetery was closed due to an ordinance prohibiting graveyards within city limits.
[1]
References
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edit
]