Elias Lothrop moved from Durham, Maine to Chicago around 1843 to run a small store there. By 1845 he was back in Maine, teaching school near Bath. In 1849 Lothrop joined the Kennebec Trading & Mining Company, a group of Maine men who pooled their resources to go to California and mine gold. He worked with the Kennebec Company on the Yuba River until October 1850, after which time he formed various partnerships in staking claims and mining for gold near Rough and Ready, California. He was sick with "mountain fever" for four months in 1850, and then suffered a life-threatening bout of erysipelas in 1850-1851. He worked at Rough and Ready for nearly two years, became ill and went to Sacramento where he worked as a policeman for a brief time before succumbing to cholera morbus in August 1853. He and his wife Jane, a milliner, had at least two children, one of whom, Mary, was born during his absence.
Warren Lothrop was Elias' brother, a member of a company of engineers in the Mexican War. He was made 2nd Lieutenant in the 4th Regiment Artillery in February 1857, and fought in the Civil War, and was brevetted Lt. Col. in March 13, 1865. R. J. Morse was a brother or brother-in-law to Jane Lothrop, and ran a store in New Orleans. Levitt Lothrop was probably Elias and Warren's father, and was also the name of Elias' son.
From the description of Lothrop family papers, 1843-1865. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 702138205
