He received a gold medal at the Panama–Pacific International Exposition (1915) in San Francisco, which showcased works by many of the major American artists of the time.

After traveling to Europe in the 1880s, Lathrop returned to the United States, where he endured financial difficulty and briefly turned away from art before friends convinced him to enter his watercolors in a prestigious New York City show.

In 1916, six local artists formed "The New Hope Group," including Lathrop, Charles Rosen, Daniel Garber, Morgan Colt, Rae Sloan Bredin, and Robert Spencer.

In October 1928, local artist William Taylor was appointed to head a subscription committee for the purchase of the mill as a community center.

[2] In 1899, Lathrop and his family moved to New Hope, Pennsylvania, where they resided on River Road near the present-day Phillips Mill Historic District.

Charles Rosen, Robert Spencer, Rae Sloan Bredin, Mary Elizabeth Price, and John Folinsbee were frequent visitors.

He continued sailing for pleasure in his later years, and painted scenes of the Atlantic shoreline and once entertained Albert Einstein on board as a guest.