Dyer Lathrop (1787-1855) [Section 11, Lot 21]
Treasurer of Albany Orphan Asylum, Father-in-law to Leland Stanford, Largest monument in Albany Rural Cemetery.
Dyer Lathrop was born on May 4, 1787, into Jedidiah Lathrop, Jr., and Amy Gardner in New London, Connecticut. Not much is known about his early years. He would arrive in Albany in 1811 and would reside on Lion Street, which would later be changed to Washington Avenue. Directories of the time would indicate that he was a merchant.
On May 24, 1824, he would marry Jane Ann Shields, the daughter of Daniel Shields who served as the sergeant-at-arms for the New York State Assembly. One of his sons Henry Clay Lathrop most likely was named after the early 19th century Kentucky political powerhouse, Henry Clay. Clay served as 9th Secretary of among numerous other titles, and would also serve as Speaker of the House. Known as the “Great Compromiser”, he would delay the Civil War for 40 years as well as help establish the Republican and Whig Parties.
Lathrop would help establish the Albany Female Hospital; though he would be most remembered as helping establish the Asylum for Orphan and Destitute Children in 1829. Being familiar with the parentless children as a business owner, he would be approached by Orissa Healy and Eliza Wilcox, looking for financial support to establish a place for this vulnerable population. Lathrop would become be a financial donor as well as serve on the board as their first treasurer. He would serve alongside his friend, Edward Delevan.
The original site was on Washington Avenue which housed 70 children but quickly outgrew this the site, building a new location at the corner of Western Avenue and Robin Street. Lathrop devoted much of his time to the Albany Orphan Asylum of his life to this institution for the remainder of his life. The organization still operated today but under a different name, the Northern Rivers Northeast Parent & Child Society Parsons Child and Family Center. Upon the death of his wife, Jane in 1902, their family home was donated to the institution.
Lathrop passed away on 19, 1855 at the age of 68. His daughter, Jane Lathrop Stanford, erected the tallest monument in Albany Rural Cemetery in his honor. Towering at more than 30 feet, a Greek goddess sits on top of an obelisk. Jane and her husband Leland Stanford went on to establish Stanford University in Palo Alto California, due to the death of their son, Leland Stanford, Jr. Lathrop’s youngest son, Charles served as treasurer of Stanford.