Obituaries

V. B. LATHAM

V. B. Latham of Eden Dead
Well Known Concho Cattle Breeder's Funeral Pending
   
V. B. Latham, 76 years old, a resident of Eden since 1880, was found dead in bed Wednesday morning. He resided seven miles west of Eden, operating a large Hereford stock farm.
    Latham came to the Eden country from Tennessee, working for the mother of Fritz Wilhelm in the Menard country for several years.
    Latham was unmarried. He was a booster o the Concho County Fair and one of its originators. It was largely through his efforts that the residents of Concho county secured the site for the fairgrounds at Eden. He paid for the building of the live stock shed at the fair grounds.
    No arrangements had been made Wednesday for the funeral.

San Angelo Times
August 30, 1933

V. B. LATHAM DIES AT EDEN
Pioneer Resident of Concho Is Found Dead In His Bed
  
Eden, Aug, 30- V. B. Latham, 76 resident of this section for mare than a half century, was found dead in bed at his home seven miles west of Eden this morning.
    The pioneer Hereford stockman and ranchman came to this section in 188- after working for the Wilhelms in menard county for several years. He came here from Tennessee.
    Mr. Latham was unmarried. His ranch and farm home was a show place with its modern barns and stock improvements. Widely-known in this section, he was a booster for the Concho Fair and one of its originators, being largely responsible for securing the fair grounds and paid for the livestock building there.

San Angelo Times
August 31, 1933

   Eden Pioneer Leaves Bulk of Estate To Neighbor's Children
   
Staff Correspondent
    Eden, Sept. 7- A quarter of a century ago a little girl of about ten walked into the room of a quiet old cowman, placed a birthday cake before him and smiled.  V. B. Latham stroked his full beard, and smiled in return. The little girl is now Mrs. Louis McMurtry, and at the death of Mr. Latham last week, the bulk of his estate went to her in the will which has just been filed. Mr. Latham came to this section 56 years ago, worked for the Wilhelms at Menard for a time, forked broncos on other ranches saved his money and soon became a man of property.
    Loving children and having none of his own, he turned his affections to the children of John Weaver who also lived in the Live Oak community, Miss Stella Weaver, who later married McMurtry of Menard, was aided by Mr. Latham in her schooling at C. L. A. in Denton. When she married a few years ago, he deeded to her a 320 acre plot of land. Now at his death she becomes the heir of an estate estimated conservatively at $25, 000. There were other bequests, $1000.00 to a half brother, $100. each to his half brothers.
    Mr. Latham named as the administrator of his estate R. G. (Bob) Armor, Eden civic leader and banker, who rode a horse into this country 33 years ago looking for a job and has become one of the southwest's best fixed and most conservative business man.  Mr. Latham in his will made Mr. Armor the administrator without bond.
    Mr. Latham was a raiser of registered cattle, and was an extensive banker of the Concho county fair. Not interested in money, his friends tell of his placing sums of money in an unmarked envelope, sending it to widow women, and others in distress. "All that he wanted to do was to make a good living, have a little over and be he helped numerous people," said Mr. Armor. He visited many of the cattle shows of the southwest and his bulls were always in demand.

San Angelo Times
September 8, 1933