The original Lathrops in America fled England to escape religious persecution. At the time, Lathrop was spelled Lothrop. Rev. John Lothrop grew up in East Riding of Yorkshire. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree from Queens' College, Cambridge, he married Hannah House in 1610. They went on to have eight children together. He became ordained in the Church of England which was the only church in the country at that time. The church and the state were one in the same, and Rev. John Lothrop believed it to be a corrupt system. The Catholic church had a strong hold over the country, and Rev. John Lothrop believed in freedom of religion. In 1623, he refused to take the oath of loyalty and renounced the Church of England, which made him a heretic. He joined a religious group known as the Independents and became their second pastor when their first pastor, Rev. Henry Jacob, boarded a ship and headed to Virginia in the New World where the Pilgrims and other Independents had already begun establishing Puritan colonies.

As the new pastor of the First Independent Church, Rev. John Lothrop began holding private meetings in people's homes which were kept secret to avoid conflict with William Laud who became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1632. Archbishop Laud found out about Rev. John Lothrop's meetings and sent the officers of the king to incarcerate all the Independents they could capture. Rev. John Lothrop along with 42 out of 60 followers were arrested and put in the Clink. During the months of their arrest, they were tortured and some died. Eventually, the Independents were released, but Rev. John Lothrop was held behind bars for a total of two years. While locked up, Hannah became extremely ill. He pleaded to see her and eventually was permitted a visit. During his temporary release, Hannah died. Rev. John Lothrop was allowed to attend her funeral, and then the officers of the king took him back to the Clink leaving no one to care for his eight children. The Lothrop children were apprehended by the officers of the king when found begging for food on the street. They were taken to Archbishop Laud along with a plea for Rev. John Lothrop's release. Archbishop Laud pardoned Rev. John Lothrop based on family hardship and exiled him to the New World along with his family and any other Independents who refused to take the oath of loyalty. Rev. John Lothrop agreed and was released.

After his release, Rev. John Lothrop did not immediately leave England, and when Archbishop Laud got wind that he was still there, he sent the officers of the king to find him. Rev. John Lothrop was warned about Archbishop Laud's manhunt, and he, his children, and several other Independents rushed to board the ship Griffin along with 70 other passengers and a lot of cattle to head to the New World to avoid once again being incarcerated. After 49 days, the Griffin landed in Boston, Massachusetts with Rev. John Lothrop and 30 of his followers on September 18, 1634.

Shortly after stepping foot into the New World, Rev. John Lothrop and his people headed to Scituate, Massachusetts where he married Ann Dimmock. He and Ann went on to have seven children, giving him 15 children total. Two of their children were born in Scituate, the second one, a girl, died the same day as her baptism at less than a year old. After a short stint in Scituate, he and his people moved on to Barnstable, Massachusetts where they arrived on October 11, 1639. They joined several other settlers and the Wampanoag Native Americans who were friendly. Rev. John Lothrop and the Independents were granted land and built homes and a meeting house. Barnstable is located in Cape Cod, and Rev. John Lothrop is considered a founder of the town.

Lybrook, Lathrop. Blood. 2019.

The original Lathrops in America fled England to escape religious persecution. At the time, Lathrop was spelled Lothrop. Rev. John Lothrop grew up in East Riding of Yorkshire. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree from Queens' College, Cambridge, he married Hannah House in 1610. They went on to have eight children together. He became ordained in the Church of England which was the only church in the country at that time. The church and the state were one in the same, and Rev. John Lothrop believed it to be a corrupt system. The Catholic church had a strong hold over the country, and Rev. John Lothrop believed in freedom of religion. In 1623, he refused to take the oath of loyalty and renounced the Church of England, which made him a heretic. He joined a religious group known as the Independents and became their second pastor when their first pastor, Rev. Henry Jacob, boarded a ship and headed to Virginia in the New World where the Pilgrims and other Independents had already begun establishing Puritan colonies.

As the new pastor of the First Independent Church, Rev. John Lothrop began holding private meetings in people's homes which were kept secret to avoid conflict with William Laud who became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1632. Archbishop Laud found out about Rev. John Lothrop's meetings and sent the officers of the king to incarcerate all the Independents they could capture. Rev. John Lothrop along with 42 out of 60 followers were arrested and put in the Clink. During the months of their arrest, they were tortured and some died. Eventually, the Independents were released, but Rev. John Lothrop was held behind bars for a total of two years. While locked up, Hannah became extremely ill. He pleaded to see her and eventually was permitted a visit. During his temporary release, Hannah died. Rev. John Lothrop was allowed to attend her funeral, and then the officers of the king took him back to the Clink leaving no one to care for his eight children. The Lothrop children were apprehended by the officers of the king when found begging for food on the street. They were taken to Archbishop Laud along with a plea for Rev. John Lothrop's release. Archbishop Laud pardoned Rev. John Lothrop based on family hardship and exiled him to the New World along with his family and any other Independents who refused to take the oath of loyalty. Rev. John Lothrop agreed and was released.

After his release, Rev. John Lothrop did not immediately leave England, and when Archbishop Laud got wind that he was still there, he sent the officers of the king to find him. Rev. John Lothrop was warned about Archbishop Laud's manhunt, and he, his children, and several other Independents rushed to board the ship Griffin along with 70 other passengers and a lot of cattle to head to the New World to avoid once again being incarcerated. After 49 days, the Griffin landed in Boston, Massachusetts with Rev. John Lothrop and 30 of his followers on September 18, 1634.

Shortly after stepping foot into the New World, Rev. John Lothrop and his people headed to Scituate, Massachusetts where he married Ann Dimmock. He and Ann went on to have seven children, giving him 15 children total. Two of their children were born in Scituate, the second one, a girl, died the same day as her baptism at less than a year old. After a short stint in Scituate, he and his people moved on to Barnstable, Massachusetts where they arrived on October 11, 1639. They joined several other settlers and the Wampanoag Native Americans who were friendly. Rev. John Lothrop and the Independents were granted land and built homes and a meeting house. Barnstable is located in Cape Cod, and Rev. John Lothrop is considered a founder of the town.

Lybrook, Lathrop. Blood. 2019.