The Lathrops and their engines

Kimball, Carol W.

Mystic's Lathrop Engine Company
Mystic Twine Company
Schooner Wharf, Riverwalk restaurant, Flat Hammock Press, Mystic River Yarns
Book, "Recollections of a Small-town Yankee Mechanic", Ed Welles
Rum Runners
Prohibition
Mystic River Historical Society and the Flag Committee
Gasoline and then diesel powered marine engines
Fishermen, Yachtsmen, Rum Runners, Coast Guard
Burmeister and Wain

Kim12-068

Scrapbook

8: Communication Artifact

Documentary Artifact

The Day

New London, CT

12/21/2009

Carol W. Kimball

Jim Lathrop's death last month brought to mind the story of the Lathrop Engine Company and its place in Mystic history. Jim was named for his great grandfather "J.W." who founded the business more than a century ago. J.W. came to town from Worcester in the 1890s, associated with the Mystic Twine Company in Greenmanville. He built his original one-cylinder gasoline marine engine in 1897 in the barn behind his house at the corner of Elm and Burrows Streets in Mystic. The business grew so fast he moved to a little shop on Front Street, now Holmes Street. In 1900 he added on and by 1916 the Lathrop Engine Company, with more than 90 workmen, occupied a long wooden building on the river plus a a large brick building across the street. Now known as Schooner Wharf, it presently houses Riverwalk restaurant, Flat Hammock Press, Mystic River Yarns and other attractions. Through the years many company changes and different models of gasoline and diesel powered engines would appear. J.W.'s son, Walter H. Lathrop, suceeded his father and they would manufacture diesels as well. After the depression and Walter H.'s sudden death in 1937, his son, Bud Lathrop, (Jim's Father), came home from college to take over the business. Lathrop engines were known for reliability and local fishermen swore by them. They were also popular with yachtsmen. Ed Welles of Old Mystic, a Lathrop factory representative, wrote about the company in "Recollections of a Small-town Yankee Mechanic" published by the Groton Public Library in 1987. He recalled that during prohibition Lathrop produced swift engines for rum runners and at the same time was building fast engines for the Coast Guard to pursue them. But in 1957 the business was sold to Burmeister and Wain. Bud and his family left Mystic. Jim served on the board of the Mystic River Historical Society and the Flag Committee and he also found time to help Ed Welles with his book. He will be remembered for his, and his family's, contributions to our community.

Lathrop, Jim
Lathrop, James W. (Jim's great-grandfather)
Lathrop, Walter H.
Lathrop, Bud (Walter's son and Jim's father)
Welles, Ed of Old Mystic

Mystic's Lathrop Engine Company
Mystic Twine Company
Schooner Wharf, Riverwalk restaurant, Flat Hammock Press, Mystic River Yarns
"Recollections of a Small-town Yankee Mechanic", Ed Welles
Prohibition
Mystic River Historical Society and the Flag Committee
Gasoline and then diesel powered marine engines
Fishermen, Yachtsmen, Rum Runners, Coast Guard
Burmeister and Wain