M. 11 Dec 1639 in Boston, Massachusetts
Wife: Sarah Learned
D. 1707 in Barnstable, Massachusetts
Thomas Lothrop was the son of a Puritan minister who followed his father to America, and then to a town on Cape Cod.
Thomas was baptized in Eastwell, Kent, England in about February of 1612, the oldest child of Reverend John Lothrop and Hannah House. Reverend Lothrop started out as a Church of England minister, but became involved in the Puritan movement as Thomas grew up, and this would have an effect on the lives of the whole family.
By the late 1620s, Thomas’ family relocated to London where his father preached to a Puritan congregation that met in secret. In 1632, Reverend Lothrop was arrested and sent to prison; when he was released two years later, the decision was made that the family would move to New England. On August 1, 1634, Thomas, his father (who was now widowed), and his five surviving siblings boarded the ship the Griffin. Also on the ship were a group of congregants from Reverend Lothrop’s church. They landed at Boston on September 18th and soon after, settled in Scituate, a town in Plymouth Colony. Thomas, who was an adult now, was accepted as a member of his father’s church on May 4, 1637.
But Reverend Lothrop wasn’t happy with the quality of the land in Scituate, and was having disagreements with some of the congregants over theology, so with the permission of the governor of Plymouth, the family picked up and moved again in 1639, this time to a new settlement on Cape Cod that would become Barnstable. Once again, Thomas followed his father. After marrying a woman named Sarah Learned on December 11th in Boston, Thomas set up a household in Barnstable. Sarah was the widow of a man who recently died and she brought several children into the marriage, including some that were from her husband’s previous marriage. In 1640, Thomas and Sarah had a child together, and this was followed by four more by 1649. Unfortunately, she passed away in 1652; Thomas never remarried.
By the late 1620s, Thomas’ family relocated to London where his father preached to a Puritan congregation that met in secret. In 1632, Reverend Lothrop was arrested and sent to prison; when he was released two years later, the decision was made that the family would move to New England. On August 1, 1634, Thomas, his father (who was now widowed), and his five surviving siblings boarded the ship the Griffin. Also on the ship were a group of congregants from Reverend Lothrop’s church. They landed at Boston on September 18th and soon after, settled in Scituate, a town in Plymouth Colony. Thomas, who was an adult now, was accepted as a member of his father’s church on May 4, 1637.
But Reverend Lothrop wasn’t happy with the quality of the land in Scituate, and was having disagreements with some of the congregants over theology, so with the permission of the governor of Plymouth, the family picked up and moved again in 1639, this time to a new settlement on Cape Cod that would become Barnstable. Once again, Thomas followed his father. After marrying a woman named Sarah Learned on December 11th in Boston, Thomas set up a household in Barnstable. Sarah was the widow of a man who recently died and she brought several children into the marriage, including some that were from her husband’s previous marriage. In 1640, Thomas and Sarah had a child together, and this was followed by four more by 1649. Unfortunately, she passed away in 1652; Thomas never remarried.
Location of Barnstable on Cape Cod.
Thomas took on several civic duties during his years in Barnstable. In 1641, he worked with another man to measure out the lands that had been assigned to each settler, using stakes to mark the boundaries. On June 7, 1642, he was appointed constable, and again in 1665. He also served as a “surveyor of highways” in 1642, and in 1656, he was a member of the “Grand Enquest,” which was similar to a Grand Jury.
The exact date of Thomas’ death is unknown, but the year was said to be 1707, meaning he was well into his 90s. Thomas’ descendants include Eli Whitney, J.P. Morgan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and Jeb Bush.
A note about the name
Another variation of the surname Lothrop is Lathrop, and many descendants used that spelling, but the Barnstable records of the family seemed to favor the name Lothrop.
Children:
1. Mary Lothrop — B. 4 Oct 1640, Barnstable, Massachusetts; M. (1) John Stearns (~1630-1669), 20 Dec 1656, Barnstable, Massachusetts; (2) William French (~1603-1681), 6 May 1669, Billerica, Massachusetts; (3) Isaac Mixer, 1684
2. Hannah Lothrop — B. 18 Oct 1642, Barnstable, Massachusetts; D. 1715, Barnstable, Massachusetts
3. Thomas Lothrop — B. 7 Jul 1644, Barnstable, Massachusetts; D. 1697
4. Melatiah Lothrop — B. 22 Nov 1646, Barnstable, Massachusetts; D. 6 Feb 1711, Barnstable, Massachusetts; M. Sarah Farrar (1648-1712), 20 May 1667, Barnstable, Massachusetts
5. Bethiah Lothrop — B. 22 Jul 1649, Barnstable, Massachusetts; D. 10 Jul 1697, Barnstable, Massachusetts; M. John Hinckley (?-1709), Jul 1668, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Sources:
John Lothropp (Wikipedia article) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lothropp
A Genealogical Memoir of the Lo-Lathrop Family in this Country, Elijah Baldwin Huntington, 1884
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