John Lathrop, Jr
John Lathrop, Jr. was an American poet and lawyer born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1772. He was the son of a pastor from a Puritan lineage and graduated from Harvard University in 1789. Lathrop began his literary career that same year, publishing his first poem in Massachusetts Magazine, and he subsequently contributed to various periodicals while studying law. In 1793, he married Ann Pierce and briefly practiced law in Dedham, Massachusetts, before returning to Boston and focusing on his writing. He founded the magazine Nightingale in 1796, where he served as editor.
In a significant career shift, Lathrop moved to Calcutta, India, to establish Wellesley College, remaining there for a decade as a lecturer while continuing to write and publish his works. His most notable poem, "The Speech of Caunonicus," gained recognition when published in Hircarrah magazine in 1802. After returning to Boston in 1809, he served as a preceptor and shared his experiences in India through lectures. Lathrop later relocated to Washington, D.C., where he worked in a post office until his passing in 1820. Despite his contributions to literature, he published few volumes of poetry during his lifetime, focusing instead on individual works in various publications.
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Subject Terms
John Lathrop, Jr.
Poet
- Born: January 13, 1772
- Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts
- Died: January 30, 1820
Biography
John Lathrop, Jr., was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1772, the son of a pastor and the descendant of Puritans. He attended Harvard University, graduating in 1789. Latham published his first poem that same year in Massachusetts Magazine. He then began studying law in Boston and writing poetry for local periodicals. In 1793, Lathrop married Ann Pierce and left Boston for Dedham, Massachusetts, where he opened his own law practice. However, Lathrop only remained in Dedham briefly, and he left his wife behind to return to Boston.
While living in Boston with two friends, Lathrop published a great deal of work in journals. In 1796, he started his own magazine, Nightingale, and served as its editor. Three years later, Lathrop left the world of Boston and law behind to establish Wellesley College, an English school in Calcutta, India. He spent a decade as a lecturer at this school. While in Calcutta, Lathrop married Jane Thompson and later married Grace Eleanor Harrison. He also continued writing, contributing work to Calcutta publications. Lathrop’s most famous poem, The Speech of Caunonicus: Or, An Indian Tradition was published in Hircarrah magazine and the magazine published the poem in book form in 1802.
In 1809, Lathrop returned to Boston. He became the preceptor at the Salem Street School and began lecturing about his experiences in India. In 1816, he moved again, this time to Washington, D.C., where he worked in a post office until his death in 1820. With the exception of The Speech of Caunonicus, Lathrop never released volumes of his poetry during his lifetime but published singular poems in various journals and newspapers.