John Lathrop (February 8, 1835 – August 24, 1910) was an associate justice of the

Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Although the claim is disputed by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the SJC claims the distinction of being the oldest continuously fun ...

Early life and education

Lathrop was born in

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, on February 8, 1833, to Rev. John P. Lathrop and Maria Margaretta ( Long) Lathrop. His father was the minister of the

Allin Congregational Church Allin Congregational Church is an historic United Church of Christ church in Dedham, Massachusetts. It was built in 1818 by conservative breakaway members of Dedham's First Church and Parish in the Greek Revival style. History The preaching o ...

Dedham, Massachusetts Dedham ( ) is a New England town, town in, and the county seat of, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Located on Boston's southwestern border, the population was 25,364 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. First settled by E ...

. Other ancestors, also with the name John Lathrop, were among the original pilgrims of Plymouth Colony and

the minister ''The Minister'' () is a 2011 French-Belgian political drama film directed by Pierre Schöller. Plot French Transport Minister Bertrand Saint-Jean arrives at the scene of a serious bus crash with many fatalities. He later attends a news inte ...

at Second Church, Boston. Lathrop attended the

Dedham Public Schools The Dedham Public School System (Dedham Public Schools) is a Pre-kindergarten, PK–Twelfth grade, 12 graded school district in Dedham, Massachusetts. It is the oldest public school system in the United States. History On January 2, 1643, the ...

and then Burlington College in New Jersey, receiving a degree in 1853. He then attended

Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, Harvard Law School is the oldest law school in continuous operation in the United ...

and was graduated in 1855. He received an honorary doctor of laws degree in 1906 from

Williams College Williams College is a Private college, private liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established as a men's college in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim ...

Career

After graduation, Lathrop entered the law offices of Charles C. Francis and William Caleb Loring in Boston. He was admitted to the bar in 1856. In 1862, after the outbreak of the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, Lathrop joined the Dedham Company of the 35th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment as a captain. He fought at the

Battle of South Mountain The Battle of South Mountain, known in several early Southern United States, Southern accounts as the Battle of Boonsboro Gap, was fought on September 14, 1862, as part of the Maryland campaign of the American Civil War. Three pitched battles ...

, at

Antietam The Battle of Antietam ( ), also called the Battle of Sharpsburg, particularly in the Southern United States, took place during the American Civil War on September 17, 1862, between Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virgin ...

, and at the

Battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. The combat between the Union Army, Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Major general ( ...

. In the fall of 1863 he contracted

malaria Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects vertebrates and ''Anopheles'' mosquitoes. Human malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, Fatigue (medical), fatigue, vomitin ...

and resigned on November 13, 1863. In 2020, the letters he and his brothers, who also served in the Union Army, sent to their mother were transcribed and published by the Dedham Historical Society. Lathrop returned to the law and specialized in

maritime law Maritime law or admiralty law is a body of law that governs nautical issues and private maritime disputes. Admiralty law consists of both domestic law on maritime activities, and private international law governing the relationships between pri ...

. In March 1874, Governor Emory Washburn appointed him as the reporter of the Supreme Judicial Court. In this position, he began the custom of reporting decisions as they were handed down, and not in the order in which they were heard. In 1888, he was appointed as a judge of the

Superior Court In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general jurisdiction over civil and criminal legal cases. A superior court is "superior" in relation to a court with limited jurisdiction (see small claims court), which is restricted to civil ...

by Governor Oliver Ames and was placed on the Supreme Judicial Court by Governor William E. Russell in 1891. Lathrop resigned as justice on September 11, 1906, as a result of failing health. He was also a lecturer at Harvard and

Boston University School of Law The Boston University School of Law (BU Law) is the law school of Boston University, a private research university in Boston. Established in 1872, it is the third-oldest law school in New England, after Harvard Law School and Yale Law School. Ap ...

Personal life

Lathrop was a member of the Union Club of Boston and the

St. Botolph Club The St. Botolph Club is a gentlemen's club, private social club in Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 1880 by a group including many artists. Its name is derived from the English saint Botolph of Thorney. Among the club's other activities in its q ...

, serving as president of the former from 1905 to 1907. He died August 24, 1910, in Dedham and his ashes are buried in Brookdale Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lathrop, John Lawyers from Dedham, Massachusetts Military personnel from Dedham, Massachusetts Justices of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Harvard Law School alumni Boston University School of Law faculty People of Massachusetts in the American Civil War Union army officers 1835 births 1910 deaths Burials at Brookdale Cemetery 19th-century Massachusetts state court judges 19th-century American lawyers Massachusetts Superior Court justices