The Lathrop Surname

In the United States there are many surnames of great prominence: Washington, Jefferson of the revolutionary days, Lincoln & Grant of the 1800s, and Roosevelt & Kennedy in the 1900s. One great surname that has always been present behind the scenes is the surname of Lathrop.

Approximately 95% of the people in the U.S. that have the surname Lathrop are descended from John Lathrop. He himself spelled his name Lothropp. It is estimated that 70% of his descendants use the derivation of Lathrop, while the other 30% use Lothrop. Surname spelling changes were common before the middle part of the 19th century - for example the German surname Maier being changed to Myer, Meyer, and the plurals thereof. Another example is the Von Bran surname changing to Brown. Because of this surname change many people can be related to John Lathrop without realizing it.

One interesting thing about John Lathrop is that many leaders & innovators are descended from him:

Marjorie Meriwether Post, Founder of General Foods

Benjamin M. Spock, Physician, Educator

Sir Robert Laird Borden, Prime Minister of Canada

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd US President

Willard Mitt Romney, current Governor of Massachusetts

Eli Whitney, Inventor of Cotton Gin

Ulysses Simpson Grant, 18th US President

George W. Romney, Governor of Michigan

George Herbert Walker Bush, US President

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Poet

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Supreme Court Justice

Terrel H. Bell, US Secretary of Education

Joseph Smith - Founder of the LDS Religion

Thomas E. Dewey, Governor of New York

Allen Welsh Dulles, Director of CIA

John Lathrop was born in the late 14th century in Yorkshire England. He received a masters from Queens College, Cambridge in 1609. After receiving his masters he was placed in charge of a region of the Church of England. During this period of John Lathrop’s ministry King James I was the monarch of England. The king was sick of the influence of the puritans and instead preferred more sanctimonious, ornate rituals. John Lathrop tolerated these rituals for as long as possible until 1623 he left the Church of England and became a minister for an independent church.

Leaving the Church of England was not only seen as a great offense, it was also illegal. Soon John Lathrop’s entire congregation was arrested for practicing another religion, including his wife and children. Soon most of the congregation was allowed to leave prison, with the exception of John Lathrop, who remained under lock & key until 1634. Even then he was only allowed to leave after promising to depart from England for the American colonies.

The congregation of John Lathrop sailed with him to the new world. 6 of his children also went with him. Unfortunately his wife, Hanna Howse, had passed away while he was in prison.

John Lathrop and his congregation took residence near the area of Plymouth. Having strict religious notions, he would not even partake of communion with the Puritans.

Because of the strong religious situation in the American colonies at the time, John Lathrop and his followers were soon given land near the modern area of Barnstable, Massachusetts. While there John Lathrop raised more descendants with his second wife Ann. All of John’s children founded families of great importance in shaping America’s future.

400 years later there is a good chance that many modern people on the American Continent are related to John Lathrop. If his children each just had 4 children, and those children had 4 children down to modern times, there would be over a million people descended from the Lathrop family today. So it is entirely possible that you are as well.

Christian Farmer is a web content specialist at 10x Marketing, and as such has performed research on a wide variety of topics. For more information on John Lathrop, the Lathrop Surname, or other famous immigrant families, visit http://www.pricegen.com.

Choosing The Best Dry Dog Food

Sometimes, the best dry dog food is the one that your dog will eat the most. It is easier to buy something that your canine will eat as opposed to having them eat dog food that may be better for them, but one that they may not necessarily like. However, there are a few things you need to consider when you walk down the pet food aisles at your local retailer.

Consider the price of the dry dog food. Often, dry dog food that are cheap or are not branded are made with ingredients like fillers and seasonings that are not necessarily good for dogs. These ingredient may be tasty, but they can be harmful to your dog. These dry dog food often have too much preservatives, which can cause your dog to develop health problems that may eventually cause them to suffer later on in life.

To increase the vitality and life expectancy of your dog, go with good quality dry dog food. You don't really need to purchase the most expensive dry dog food there is, but it is best if you stick with dry dog food that is manufactured by a reputable dog food company and is priced reasonably.

The main ingredient in the best dry dog food is rice, corn or soybean. High quality dry dog food will also have other ingredients such as beef and chicken. Stores also sell dry dog food formulated specifically to a dog's age. Manufacturers classify the different types of dry dog food as being for puppies, adult dogs and senior dogs. Purchasing the dry dog food that's most suitable for your dog's age is always important.

If you want to know what are the best dry dog foods, ask your veterinarian. Veterinarians would often recommend the branded dry dog foods. These brands are more expensive, but if you have an older dog, it may be to your advantage to pay a little more for the best dry dog food.

You will know if you've picked the best dry dog food by the way your dog looks and feels. When you take your dog for yearly shots, his coat should be healthy, his eyes should be clear and he should be full of energy. If your pet doesn't look well and seems lethargic, there could be something wrong with his diet. It is always wise to keep notes about what your dog is eating on a daily basis. This way, a veterinarian can diagnose your dog more quickly and recommend the best dry dog food for your pet.

George Chao, owner of Digital Excellent Free Online Magazine - http://www.digitalexcellent.com/

The Royal Pug

People love Pugs! There is something about that rogue-like face that tugs at your heart strings. This dignified toy breed is loved by royalty and commoners alike. These loving, intelligent, little clowns are extremely popular and ranked 12th out of 154 dog breeds registered by the American Kennel Club in 2005. The Pug is the largest of the Toy Dog Group weighing in a whopping 14 to 18 pounds. You can get free pictures and additional information on the Pug at Pug Pictures.

The Pug has a fascinating history and one that is somewhat controversial. No one disputes that the English painter William Hogarth owned Pugs and portrayed them many times in his paintings. For example, Hogarth's 1730 painting shows a black pug in House of Cards. Similarly everyone agrees that the Pug became the official dog of the House of Orange after saving the life of the Prince of Orange, by giving alarm at the approach of the Spaniards in 1572. Later when William of Orange went to England in 1688 to be crowned King William III, he took along several Pugs. So we know how the Pugs got from Holland to England but the controversy arises over how the breed got to Holland in the 16th century. One group of historians thinks the Pug was developed as a result of crossing several small Bulldogs. Another group thinks it is a miniature form of the rare French mastiff called the Dogue de Bordeaux. However the majority of historians think that the Pug originated in China and was brought back to 16th century Holland by the Dutch East India Company traders. This is the history that we will assume is true.

The Pug is of Chinese origin and its development seems to pre-date the Christian era. Early records indicate that there were three types of short-nosed dogs bred by the Chinese. They were the Lion Dog (probably the Shih Tzu), The Pekingese and the Foo Dog or Pug. These dogs became very popular with Chinese royalty and the Pug breed was highly prized by the Emperors of China and lived a pampered existence. In fact, ordinary citizens were not allowed to own them. However, European traders managed to obtain some Pugs and introduce them to Europe - particularly Portugal, Spain, Holland and England which were the home countries of the traders. There, these adorable little animals became the pampered favourites of many royal families. We mentioned earlier that William III and Mary introduced Pugs to Britain from Holland when they became King and Queen in 1688 and the little dogs became a favourite at the royal court. This small dog breed was also extremely popular in the European courts and was a favourite of Napoleon's wife, Queen Josephine of France. Later Queen Victoria of England succumbed to the Pugs charm and introduced several Pugs into her household. This British royalty love of Pugs continued down the line into the 20th century with the Duke of Windsor becoming a Pug owner. However by the time of Queen Victoria and her descendants, Pugs were no longer restricted to royalty. Members of the aristocracy became enamoured with Pugs as well.

Because the Pug was becoming very popular, English breeders were importing Pugs from other countries such as Russia, Austria and Holland. In 1860 British soldiers overran the Imperial palace in Peking and brought back a number of Pugs to England. The black Pug probably was imported at this time. Subsequent to this period, breeders established standards for the breed. In 1881, the Pug Dog Club of England was established and in 1883 the British Kennel Club formally recognized this breed club. By 1885, the Pug had been accepted for registration by the American Kennel Club but no national American breed club was created until 1931. By the beginning of the 20th century, large numbers of Pugs were exported to the United States from the United Kingdom. These Pugs were expensive - as they were still very much upper-class dogs.

Now we no longer have to be members of the royalty or the upper classes to own a Pug. Pugs are low maintenance dog breeds that require little grooming and get enough exercise playing indoors. They are well suited for apartment living. Pugs have a tendency to put on weight and should be taken for walks when the weather isn't too hot.

Many royal and well known people have been owned by a Pug. This started with the Chinese Emperors many centuries ago and continued right up to the Dowager Empress of China who died in 1908. Many European royal families including Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine fell under the spell of the Pug. More contemporary (and quite diverse) Pug owners included Sir Winston Churchill, Valentino, Andy Warhol and Sammy Davis Jr.

Perhaps it is time for you to consider being royally entertained by the uncommon Pug!

Mike Mathews is a contributing writer and editor for the popular dog breed site: http://www.dog-breed-facts.com. He provides informative, real-world advice and tips on dog breeds, dog health, dog grooming and more. As well be sure to check out his free report on Dog Training.