Joel Lathrop Family

Joel & Louisa (Dove) Lathrop

I've been thinking about posting this again after Ruby Shelton died.

Joel Lathrop was born August 1, 1859 in Lawrence County, Illinois.  He died January 13, 1958 in Fairfield, Illinois.  He was the 9th of Levi & Louisa (Draper) Lathrop's eleven children.  He was 8 years old when his mother died and 14 when his father died.  He and his younger brothers George & Grant were raised by their older sisters.  Joel moved to Wayne County, IL following his older siblings Thomas, Ezra and Charlotte.  Joel purchased a farm on Scrub Hill in Section 34 of Four Mile Township.  Charlotte and her husband Corbin Irwin lived in Section 3 directly south of Section 34 and Ezra owned land in Section 15 which is south of Section 3.  I'm not sure where Thomas lived, but it had to be close by.  He died in 1893 and is buried in Farnsworth / Mt. Zion Cemetery.  After his death, Thomas' wife Anna lived near Snowflake in Franklin County for awhile and in Wayne City.  Ezra left the territory ca. 1883.  Corbin & Charlotte took their family back to Lawrence County.  

Joel  married Louisa Miranda Dove Nov. 18, 1896.  He was 37 and she was 18.  Louisa, born July 8, 1878, was the daughter of William Dove and they lived on the Jefferson/Wayne County line near Salem Church.  Joel & Louisa lived in a  two room house on Scrub Hill.  It is said that he chose the location b/c of Scrub Hill School which was nearby.  They had 11 children and Louisa's siblings lived with them early on, probably helping with the children.  Louisa died March 15, 1946.

The photo below shows Joel Lathrop probably at one of his birthday celebrations at Howard Shelton's farm.  The family gathered on his birthday each August 1st.  After his death the reunion was moved to the Leo French Park in Fairfield, Illinois and is held on Labor Day Sunday.

Joel Lathrop with 10 of his 11 children

Standing left to right:  Gertie, Lova, Zelphia, Tressie (behind), Ruby, Bernard, Roscoe, Forrest and Raymond.  Albert is kneeling.

Lova May b. Sep. 6, 1897, d. Nov. 25, 1963 married Don Austin March 14, 1928 and had   one son.

Gertie Ellen b. Mar. 30, 1899, d. Dec. 18, 1982 md. Herb Shaw Dec. 25, 1961, had six children.

Roscoe Teddy b. Nov. 17, 1900, d. Mar. 9, 1963 md. Viola Brown March 3, 1928, had three sons.

Rufus Dwight b. Feb. 28, 1903/04, d. May 13, 1976, never married..  He was committed to the Illinois State Hospital in Anna, Illinois after attempting to kill one of his brothers.  He spent the rest of his life there.

Tressie Pearl b. Dec. 29, 1904, d. Jan. 19, 1982, never married.

Albert Joel b. Oct. 30, 1906, d. July 18, 1971 md. Grace Butler, had seven children.

Zelphia Frances b. Dec. 25, 1908, d. Sep. 4, 1984 md. Clyde Shelton, no children.

Forrest Glen b. July 29, 1911, d. Apr. 29, 1968, md. Mildred Shelton, had seven children.

Bernard George b. June 6, 1914, d. Mar. 9, 1984, md. 1) Mary Shreve and had one son; md. 2) Zella Merritt, no children.

Ruby Marie b. May 5, 1917, d. May 14, 2013, md. Howard Shelton Jan. 5, 1935, had three children

Raymond Edward b. Apr. 29, 1919, d. Apr. 6, 1978, never married.

So far I have information on 185 of Joel & Louisa's descendants in six generations.