William Latham (1609-bef1651)

Biography
William Latham came on the Mayflower in 1620 as an 11-year old servant/apprentice to John Carver (1565-1621).

Plymouth Colony
After the death of John Carver in April 1621, William Latham appears to have finished out his term of service with William Bradford (1590-1657). He was still in the Bradford household at the time of the May 1627 Division of Cattle.

1638 Court Hearings
In 1638, William Latham had a couple of brushes with the Plymouth Court. On June 5, he was fined 40 shillings for the "entertaining of John Phillips into his house contrary to the act of the Court" and for "lavish and slanderous speeches." Jonathan Brewster was a witness against him. By September, Latham had only paid half the fine.

1644 Warrant against Mary Latham
On 24 February 1643/4, a warrant was issued against William Latham's wife Mary for adultery. Governor Edward Winslow of the Plymouth Colony wrote: Whereas divers and sundry complaints have come in to me from Weymouth sent and delivered by godly and credible persons against Mary the wife of William Latham late of Marblehead but now at Marshfield for adultery committed upon the body of the said Mary by one James Brittain of Weymouth. And having apprehended the said Mary and examined her, have sent her with the examination according to my duty to that Government where the fact was committed.

1645 Departure to The Bahamas
On 28 October 1645, William Latham and Roger Cooke sued John and Ann Baker for £20, for Ann's accidental burning of their house. The jury could not reach a verdict, but John Baker agreed to pay 20 shillings for damages.

The accidental burning of Latham's house is the last record of him in Plymouth Colony. He apparently returned to England and then shortly thereafter made a trip to The Bahamas, where he and the group he was traveling with all died of starvation by 1651.

Research Notes
Note: !RESIDENCE: Nahum Mitchell, HISTORY OF THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER, IN PLYMOUTH COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS; Henry T. Pratt, Bridgewater, 1897; p 230; DAR Library, Washington, D.C.; Wm L was at Plymouth 1623, at Duxbury 1637, at Marshfield 1643. A William Latham, a boy, is on the Mayflower manifest, but apparently never married and died childless in the Bahamas.

He was NOT the father of Robert Latham. See that profile and the g2g discussion associated with it for details.