Samuel Lathrop was born on May 1, 1772, on the
western side of Springfield (which would later be incorporated as a separate town in 1774) in the
Province of Massachusetts Bay. He was the son of Reverend Joseph Lathrop, longtime pastor of the First Church of West Springfield. He pursued classical studies and graduated from
Yale College in 1792. He studied law, was
admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in West Springfield. Lathrop served as West Springfield's clerk and treasurer from 1796 to 1798, and was town meeting moderator eight years. From 1817 to 1821, he served as
Hampden County Attorney. Lathrop was elected as a
Federalist to the
Sixteenth and
Seventeenth Congresses, reelected as an Adams-Clay Federalist to the
Eighteenth Congress, and reelected as an Adams candidate to the
Nineteenth Congress (March 4, 1819 – March 3, 1827). He served as chairman of the Committee on Revisal and Unfinished Business (Seventeenth and Eighteenth Congresses). In 1824, Lathrop ran unsuccessfully for
Governor of Massachusetts, losing to
Levi Lincoln Jr. Lathrop was the last Federalist nominee for Massachusetts governor. After leaving Congress Lathrop resumed the practice of law and became a gentleman farmer. He served as member of the
Massachusetts State Senate in 1829 and 1830 and served as President pro tempore. In 1831 and 1832, he ran unsuccessfully for governor as an
Anti-Mason, losing both times to Lincoln. From 1829 to 1840, he was a trustee of
Amherst College. ==Death and burial==