Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 May 1885 — GEORGE V. N. LOTHROP. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GEORGE V. N. LOTHROP.

The New minister to Russia.

George Van Ness Lothrop was born at Easton, Bristol County, Conn., August 8, 1817. His early years were spent on his father’s farm. Graduating from Brown University in 1838, he entered the law school of Harvard University, but in 1839 removed on account of ill-health to Prairie Ronde, Kalamazoo County, Mich., where his brother, the Hon. Edwin H. Lothrop, had a large farm. After restoring his health he went to Detroit in 1843 and resumed the study of law, beginning practice in 1844 as a partner of D. Bethune Duffield, under the firm name of Lothrop & Duffield, which continued until 1856. In April, 1848, he was appointed Attorney General of the State of Michigan and held the office until January, 1851. He has two or three times received the complimentary vote of the Democratic members of the Michigan State Legislature for United States Senator. He was a member of the Micfiican State Constitutional Convention of 1867. For twentyfive years he was general attorney of the Michigan Central Railroad. From the time of his entrance upon active professional life Mr. Lothrop has enjoyed a wide celebrity throughout Michigan as a lawyer and politician, and a cultured, courteous, and popular gentleman of the old school. For many years he has been considered the most prominent lawyer and orator of Michigan, and the fact was tacitly recognized that if the Democratic party ever came into power he would be given one of the best positions. Mr. Lothrop led the Michigan delegation at the Charleston National Convention in 1860, and really headed the Douglas sentiment in that body. During the war he gave cordial support to all just and necessary measures of the Government.