A native of New London County, Connecticut, he was born in 1826. He acquired in the common schools of his native State such education as they afforded, after which he took a thorough academicals course at Leicester Academy, Worcester county, Massachusetts. He studied law with Judge Dwight Loomis, of the Supreme Court of Connecticut, and was admitted to the bar in 1854. He went to Illinois the same year and engaged in the practice of law in Elmwood, Peoria County, where he remained two years, when he returned to his native State and engaged in teaching. He came to Butler County in 1860, settled at Butler Center, and resided there in the practice of his profession until the removal of the county seat to Allison, when he took up his residence there. Mr. Lathrop is a well-educated gentleman and a successful lawyer. His twenty-two years’ practice at the county seat has given him a large experience and thorough knowledge of the various branches of his profession. He was county superintendent of the public schools of Butler County for four years, two years by appointment of county board and two years by election. He was also a member of the Tenth General Assembly of Iowa, representing the counties of Butler, Franklin and Grundy. Mrs. Lathrop was formerly Miss Adelaide Hyde, a native of Connecticut.