San Benito-El Dorado-Trinity County CA Archives Biographies.....Lathrop, Levi B. 1815 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 17, 2007, 9:50 pm Author: Luther A. Ingersoll, Editor (1893) LEVI B. LATHROP, a retired and substantial citizen of Hollister, a pioneer of California, crossed the plains in 1850, from Illinois, via Salt Lake, as Captain of a company of fifty-three emigrants, who were equipped with sixty horses and the usual outfit of an old-time emigrant train. He was young, ambitious and hopeful, and quick to discover the possibilities of the new and Golden State. The spirit of mining was at the time of his arrival at Placerville, at "fever heat" and he saw a rapidly growing demand for supplies, and almost immediately he betook himself to Trinity county, where he was one of the first to embark in the growing of vegetables, and farm produce, for which he found a ready market, and large prices. He soon engaged in milling, and built the first dam across Trinity river that stood the floods, and erected the first sawmill in Trinity county. He sold his pine and spruce lumber in the mining district at a great profit. In the fall of 1851 he went East and returned to California the following spring, via Panama, with his wife. She suffered sickness on the way, and in 1855 he sold out from business with a competency at San Jose. He soon found it impossible to rest without an occupation, and embarked in the nursery and orchard business, on a large scale. He planted an orchard of 13,000 trees, and in 1855-756 he bored six artesian wells on his estate which furnished an ample supply of water, boring the largest in the State, and irrigating 100 acres of orchard. On this orchard Mr. Lathrop took the first premium as being the best in the State both times it was entered at the State fair. This property he finally platted and made it an addition to the city of San Jose. This property he finally sold and then came to Hollister in 1875, when he purchased a claim of 2,000 acres, and engaged in an extensive trade of dairying. He erected the first hay warehouse in Hollister, and established a business that has developed vast proportions. This he conducted for a few years, and then sold the same to a son, R. R. Lathrop, who still operates it. Mr. Lathrop was born in Onondaga county, New York, April 30, 1815. He is of English ancestry, and descends from one John Lathrop, an eminent clergyman of the Church of England, who came to America as a clergyman, and founded the family in this country. Mr. Lathrop, the subject of this sketch, was educated for the ministry, and started out as a Wesleyan Methodist preacher and finding it an occupation insufficient for the support of a family, he took up business pursuits. He read extensively and he early imbibed and developed a spirit of independence, and he became imbued with a spirit of untrammeled thought and a dislike for all secret orders or societies, and he has ever been an enemy to secret orders. He has carried his belief into practice, and has opposed all secret societies and combines. The following family records, which are inscribed on the beautiful Scotch granite monument in the cemetery at Hollister, and every one will reflect on his thoughts and belief. On the north side of the monument is written as follows: Record of the children born to L. B. and Laura Lathrop: In Illinois: Cynthia A., March 29, 1840, died March 29, 1841, buried at Malugin's Grove; Martin A., January 7, 1842; Nancy M., December 12, 1843, died December 13, 1844, buried at Inlet Grove; Curtis G., December 30, 1845. In California: Martha E., December 25, 1852: Mary E., January 1, 1854; Ransome P., December 6, 1855; Cyrus F., September 1, 1858; Hattie A., October 11, 1861, died January 22,1883; Ida M., October 11,1863. South side: This lot was bought in 1884, when secret societies were all the rage, in order that the owner might have a place where his family could be buried without indorsing secret orders. All secretly taught religions are delusive. Christ never taught in secret: John 18, 20; Isa. 45, 19. There is but one way to Heaven: Christ is that way; His name, the only ladder; he that climbs up any other way is a thief and a robber: John 10, 1; 7, 10. Heaven is love organized; secret societies are selfishness combined. West side: Levi Bennett Lathrop, born in New York, April 30, 1815; converted at seventeen, and at once engaged in Christian reform. He never smiled on slavery; never used whisky or tobacco; and never joined a secret order. Died in ________; Laura Judd, born in Vermont, March 26,1819; converted at eighteen, married to L. B. Lathrop, at twenty. Died in ______. A funeral service ignoring the name of Christ is an insult to His Majesty: Col. 3, 17. East side: " Whatsoever maketh manifest is light; whatsoever conceals is darkness. Men choose darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil, and they will not come to the light, lest their deeds should be reproved." True philanthrophy seeks light; selfishness seeks concealment. Heaven has no dark corners or secret conclaves. No Hiram Abiff or Osiris of old Can afford any help in saving the soul; Our trust is in Jesus, the sinners friend; On Him, and Him alone, our souls depend. There is no grand lodge in Heaven above; There is a grand lodge in the regions below, Where devils assemble and wicked men go; And, when all are entered from every way, The door will be shut for ever to stay. Rev. 20. Mrs. Lathrop, whose maiden name was Laura Judd, is a daughter of Ira Judd, who was a farmer of Orange county, Vermont, where she was born, in the town of Strafford, in 1819. She came West from Vermont when she was nineteen years of age, and was married at twenty years of age. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Memorial and Biographical History of the Coast Counties of Central California. Illustrated. Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the Earliest Period of its Discovery to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of its Auspicious Future; Illustrations and Full-Page Portraits of some of its Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers, and Prominent Citizens of To-day. HENRY D. BARROWS, Editor of the Historical Department. LUTHER A. INGERSOLL, Editor of the Biographical Department. "A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants."-Macaulay. CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY. 1893. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/sanbenito/bios/lathrop478gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/ File size: 7.0 Kb