Mary Louise "Lou" Jenkins Lathrop 1859-1940

LATHROP, JENKINS

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 6/17/2015 at 00:47:47

Former Resident Celebrates 80th Birthday April 15
Friends and relatives of Mrs. Frank H. Lathrop, formerly Miss Lou Jenkins of Estherville, celebrated her 80th birthday anniversary with her at the family home, Saturday, the 15th instance.

Mrs. Lathrop was born in Emmet township on April 15, 1859, the second white child to be born in Emmet county. Mr. Lathrop one of the country’s prosperous farmers and a county supervisor moved to Oregon where he passed away some years ago.

Many old time Iowa friends will join in wishing Mrs. Lathrop many happy returns of the day. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, April 18, 1939)

Funeral Held For Lathrop
Second White Child Born in Emmet County Buried in Portland, Oregon; Passed Away on March 11th.
Reference was made in these columns last Thursday of the passing of Mrs. Louise Jenkins Lathrop, widow of the late Frank H. Lathrop, former residents of Emmet county, at her home in Portland, Ore., shortly past midnight, March 11th. [Per cemetery records, March 12] The following brief biography has been forwarded to the Vindicator-Republican by a brother and former editor of this paper, James E. Jenkins.

Mary Louise Jenkins was born in Emmet township, near Estherville, April 15, 1859, and would have been 81 years old had she survived another month. She had been in good health up to about six months ago when she suffered a heart attack followed by cardiac asthma, from which she failed to recover.

The first child of Adolphus and L. [Lydia] Ellen Jenkins, early pioneers of the county, saw that section of Iowa grow from a wilderness to a region of beautiful farms and homes, schools and churches and modern industrial activities. In this progress she has always had a keen interest and generously contributed her fine talents and her energy to everything for the community’s betterment.

She taught in the county schools and was the inspiration, and often the main-stay, of a large family. Dec. 2, 1880, she was married to Frank H. Lathrop, who prospered as a farmer and breeder of fine stock, and who was for a time a member of the Board of Supervisors.

Four children were born, all of whom survive: Herbert F., James A., Willis and Nellie. The family moved to Oregon, July, 1906, where Mr. Lathrop died, April, 1911. In addition to the children Herbert F., the eldest son, a civil engineer of the S.P. Railroad, lives in San Francisco; James is [line missing] agent of the S.P. Railway at Portland; Nellie is secretary for the National Vermont Life Ins. Co., at Portland; and Willis is agent for the General Electric Co., Davenport, Iowa.

Five brothers also survive: Will and Ralph at Portland, both retired; Charles, proprietor of the Pioneer Printing Co., Seattle; Horace, retired at San Francisco, former assistant to the president of the N.W. Pacific Railroad, and James E., at Los Angeles.

Burial was at the cemetery in Portland, where her husband and mother are interred. A large number of old Emmet county friends and relatives were present at the simple ceremony to pay a last tribute to the passing of a good neighbor, a fine woman, a loving mother, and as this writer well knows, a dear and devoted sister. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, March 19, 1940)