George Lathrop

PIONEER DIES: George Lathrop State Pioneer Answers Death Call

Originally published in the Niobrara News.

George Lathrop, a well known pioneer and old timer, known all over the state died at the Black ranch, where he made his home the past few years, early Sunday morning, December 26th, after a lingering illness. He had been a sufferer from asthma and throat trouble for some time but the immediate cause of his death was heart failure. He was born in Pottsville, Penn., Dec. 24, 1830 and came to Kansas in 1854, and to Colorado in the early sixties, coming to Fort Laramie, Wyo., in 1865 and to Fort Fetterman in 1866. Shortly after that entering the services of the Cheyenne Black Hills Stage Co., as driver, which then ran six and eight horse coaches between Cheyenne and Deadwood. He drove the last coach out of Cheyenne in 1877, then owned by the late Russel Thorpe. At that time the building of railroads through the country did away with the stage coaches. Freighter, cowboy, Indian fighter, and stage driver through all the hardships and perils of early frontier life, he represented one of those characters which are rapidly passing away from us one by one and will be missed by those who knew him.

The remains were brought to Manville Sunday and the funeral services were held at the Methodist church Monday, December 17th, Rev. Beatty, Episcopal Minister of Lusk officiating. The pall-bearers were Russel Thorpe, H. C. Snyder and James William of Lusk, Paul Richards of Douglas and H. B. Card and A. A. Spaugh of Manville. Interment was held at Dellview Cemetery and Rev. O. C. King read the prayers at the grave. Niobrara County News.

The Lusk Herald, May 1,1930
Under the supervision of Jess Payne, mortician for the Midwest Mortuary, the body of George Lathrop,old stage driver and Indian fighter, was removed from its resting place in the Manville cemetery, and re-interred at the site along Highway 20, about 2 miles west of Lusk, where the Lathrop Memorial will be erected.

Note: Although this obituary indicates Mr. Lathrop's death was December 26, which was a Sunday, other sources say he died on his 85th birthday, December 24.

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