LATIMER, Benjamin Fleetwood

B. F. and Eugenia Latimer

LATIMER, Benjamin Fleetwood (1840-1915), Catalina Island resident for many years. He was born in South Carolina. In 1860 he married Eugenia Hoskins (1842-1922) and they had 8 children. All three sons died young:

1. Repps Anna "Eppie" Latimer [York] (1862-1885) Thompson Family Cemetery, Westworth, TX

2. Lou M. Latimer (1866-1870)

3. Elizabeth Irene Latimer [Turner] (1868-1952) Inglewood Park Cemetery

4. Oliver Latimer (1870-1870)

5. Benjamin Fleetwood Latimer (1875-1875)

6. Eugenia Latimer (1876-1953) Inglewood Park Cemetery

7. Dorothea "Dottie" Hoskins Latimer [Brown] (1880-1966)

8. Leota Latimer (1883-1947)

The family moved from Texas to Avalon in 1890. Latimer lived on Catalina for 25 years, managing various hotel businesses. In 1903-1904 he managed tours at the Isthmus. He was elected as Justice of the Peace at Avalon in 1910. He is listed the 1910 census living in Avalon with his daughter Dottie and her family (husband and son.) B.F. Latimer died in Los Angeles on July 2, 1915. He is buried in the Santa Barbara Cemetery.

In the News~

January 1, 1893 [LAT]: “Hotel Cummings, Boyle Heights. Handsome new house, elegantly furnished, beautifully situated...B.F. Latimer, lessee and manager.

August 8, 1894 [LAT]: “There are undelivered telegrams at the Western Union telegraph office for Mrs. B.F. Latimer.”

September 3, 1900 [LAT]: “Island brevities. A change of management has taken place at the Catalina House. Mrs. Crowe, the late proprietor, has gone to Arizona, and Capt. B.F. Latimer of Tucson has leased the house.”

September 4, 1901 [LAT]: “B.F. Latimer, who has been the proprietor of the Catalina House for the past year, left today for Tucson, and will hereafter devote himself to developing some mining interests which he has acquired.”

January 13, 1903 [LAT]: “B.F. Latimer, who is to be the host of the Isthmus the coming summer, took a party of his friends, the business representatives of Avalon, yesterday in the launch Ramona and gave them all a good time. A barbeque lunch, with all the accessories imaginable, was served.”

December 29, 1903 [LAT]: “B.F. Latimer of the Grand View, who has been spending a week in Los Angeles, returned [to Avalon] today.”

February 1, 1904 [Catherine Maclean Loud diary]: “Thirty-seven business men of Avalon went to the Isthmus on the steamer Torqua, with Capt. Vincent Moricich at the wheel and Jack Crow the engineer. The men visited B. F. Latimer. Ed Stanton placed the Torqua at the disposal of the men.”

February 2, 1904 [LAT/SCat]: “Avalon. The businessmen of Avalon had a gala time yesterday afternoon and evening when they went in a body to make a call on B. F. Latimer, the host of ‘The Barracks’ at the Isthmus. Through the kindness of Ed Stanton, superintendent of the island, the steamer Torqua was placed at the disposal of the party, Captain Vincente Moricich at the wheel and Jack Crow, engineer.”

February 2, 1904 [LAH]: “Banning Company places theie power yacht Torqua at their disposal, are guests of Landlord Latimer. Avalon, Feb. 1.— The most important social event of the year was pulled off yesterday when the business men of the island attended a banquet at the Isthmus. Through the courtesy of Superintendent Stanton of the Banning company the yacht Torqua was placed at the disposal of the party and forty enthusiasts, headed by Messrs. Bloseu, Fairchild, Johnson and Scott with musical instruments, and Clarence Weaver with a hand organ—not musical—marched along for a record run up the coast...”

December 27, 1910 [LAT]: “Avalon, Dec. 26.—Celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, Col. and Mrs. B.F. Latimer of this place were host and hostess. A Christmas feast was served for them by daughters. Before marriage to her husband, Mrs. Latimer was Miss U. Hoskins of Murphresboro, Tenn. As a Confederate soldier, Col. Latimer was connected with the Eighteenth Tennessee Infantry and distinguished himself upon several occasions during the war. Nineteen years the couple have made their home at Avalon. Four daughters and five grandchildren are alive. At the recent election Col. Latimer was elected Justice of the Peace.”

July 27, 1911 [LA Evening Post]: “Violations of 8-hour law charged to Cafe proprietors at Avalon. One of the most flagrant violations of the eight-hour law for women in SOuthern California is charged against the propriwtor of the Pavillion Cafe at Catalina in a complaint issued Wednesday in Justice B.F. Latimer's court at Avalon. J.C. Dobson was immediately taken before Justice Latimer and his trial set for Saturday, August 5...”

January 13, 1914 [LAT]: “Seining for bread. Pleading guilty to violating the fish and game laws, Jack Novick and B. Bidulich of this place were fined $10 in Justice B.F. Latimer's court today. Novick told a pitiful story to the court that he had been compelled to haul a seine 'because he had no money to buy bread.' Deputy Fish and Game Warden Farnsworth stated that he arrested the men after watching them haul the seine at Banning's Beach. Since the enforcement of the new law setting aside the waters of Catalina Island as a game fish preserve, seiners have fished outside the three-mile limit.”

July 3, 1915 [LA Evening Post-Record]: “Justice of the Peace B.F. Latimer, pioneer resident of Avalon, Catalina Island and veteran of the civil was, dies.”