USA > Ohio > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of Wayne County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families > Part 52
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ENELON FREDERICK HIPPEE POPE, M. D., son of Rev. Benja- min Pope, a minister of the Luther- an Church, is the eldest of a family of three-two sons and ono daughter-all living. His brother, G. Warren L. Pope, two years his junior, is a railroad passen-
ger conductor, who bears a reputation for efficiency and thoroughness in the dis- charge of his duties, making him indis- pensable to the company officials; while his drolleries, wit and sympathy with his fellow employes, make him an idol among them. His sister, Miss Anna M. Pope, resides with her mother at Wooster, Ohio; she is the youngest of the family and is possessed of remarkable musical talent, which has been fairly developed. She is a teacher of piano music, and possesses an enviable reputation both as a teacher and as a performer on the organ, being the organist of one of the churches in Wooster.
In the sketch of his ancestors which follows it will be seen that the Doctor comes of old colonial stock on both sides, running back into German families, ex- cept an infusion of Scotch or Scotch-Irish, in a distant line. A remarkable line of coincidences exists in his and his ancestral line. He is the eldest child of his father's family ; his wife the eldest of her father's family; his father was the youngest and his mother the eldest of their respective fathers' families; his grandfather the youngest, and his great-grandfather the eldest of their respective fathers' children. Dr. Pope was born in Delaware, the county seat of Delaware County, Ohio, October 29, 18H, his early education be- ing conducted in the then famous Second Ward public schools of Wooster, Ohio,
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while Wilmot, Gens. Wiles and Wylie were principals; later he studied under the supervision of his father and mother in the home institution. He read medi- cine under the instruction of the late Dr. L. Firestone, and graduated February 24, 1870, from the Charity Hospital Medical College of Cleveland, Ohio (now merged into the Medical Department of the Western Reserve University), and Uni- versity of Wooster both located at Cleve- land. In the spring of 1860 he was ap- prenticed to his uncle, George M. Hippec, of Des Moines, Iowa, in the drug trade, in which he served three years, excepting a term of service in the Union army. On the breaking out of the War of the Re- bellion, in 1861, he offered his services, but on account of his age was later rejected. In 1863 he obtained a recruit- ing commission for the Fourth Iowa Battery of Artillery, which Capt. Mitchel was then recruiting. After eulisting a number of men he was notified that be- cause of his age, no commission could be issued to him in the United States military service. In 1864 he again en- tered the United States military service as first sergeant, Company C, One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served at Fort Ethan Allen, at the time of Early's raid on Washington, and the engagement at Fort Stevens and Ten- leytown. He is a member in good stand-
ing of Wayne Post No. 297 G. A. R., at Orrville, Ohio. He has been practicing medicine at Dalton, Ohio, where he re- sides, for twenty-two years, enjoying a large and lucrative practice.
July 6, 1870, the Doctor was united in marriage, at Wooster, Ohio, with Laura Elenora, eldest daughter of Israel and Mary Jane (Ilginfritz) Clippinger, also of German descent, but with a distant line of English. Two daughters were born to this union: Alice Gertrude, born November 23, 1871, a graduate of the village high school, and Edna May, born May 3, 1879. In 1869 Dr. Pope was elected mayor of Dalton, but shortly after taking the oath of office he resigned. He has since been repeatedly elected to conn- cil, and has always been a most efficient member upon whom the burden of busi- ness devolved. As an evidence of his labors we may mention that more than two-thirds of the ordinances on the books were framed by him. He is now serving his third term as mayor, and is conceded by all to be the most efficient incumbent ever elected to the office. He is now serving his fifth year as member of the board of education, and to him, more than to any one else, are the schools in- debted for their magnificent system and courses of study. In polities he was formerly a Republican, but of late years he Is identified himself with the Prohi-
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bitionists. He is the worthy medical ex- aminer of Dalton Subordinate Ruling Fraternal Mystic Circle. In his dealings with his fellow men he is courteous, open and frank. He possesses marked oratori- cal abilities, his admirers recognizing him as the most eloquent in his portion of the county. As a writer. he is forcible, pointed, inclined toirony and sarcasm, but evincing a love for the descriptive, and is just and fair in his criticisms. Perhaps one of his best productions was the report of the committee of Wayne Post, G. A. R., which was appointed to report on the fitness of Gen. Wylie in seconding his nomination by Given Post of Wooster, Ohio, for his election to the department commandership in 1888. He is in the prime of his mental powers and bodily vigor, has a fondness for exercise on his lands when not otherwise employed, and is, perhaps, the hardest worked man in all parts in the village, in furthering the material interests of which he is over foremost. He is a man of fine tastes; loves his home, which is an artistic cottage of unique design, evidencing his love for the beautiful and ability to arrange. In In religion he is an Evangelical Lutherau communicant. For years he has been en- trusted with the civil engineering of the village, all grades having been established under his supervision, and he is authority on all lines and corners. While the village
is not what it should be, the older citizens mark the improvement made during the last decade. The Doctor's readings are broad and liberal, not confined alone to his profession; he knows something of and can talk on nearly every subject, not without having formed an opinion. He has few, if any, confidants, perhaps be- cause his secrets are not his own alone; is a good judge of human nature, makes few mistakes in men, and has little cause to change an opinion of men once formed. One thing is frequently remarked by his associates, namely his freedom from vulgar conversation, and his frown on such language or jests from others. In prose- cution of a purpose he is constant, persis- tent, relentless; in defense of a principle, religions, political or moral, when once grounded, he is fearless and defiant. llis motives have never been impugned, and are recognized as free from selfishness.
Rev. Benjamin Pope was born May 6, 1815, on a farm in Fairfield County, Ohio, six miles north of the city of Lancaster, and was the seventh son and youngest chill of his father's family. It is possible that the innocent superstition about the seventh son prompted his father to set aside at the time of the son's birth a sum of money for his education for the ministry, a provision which was faithfully carried out, both on the part of the guardian. Rev. Waganhals, of Lan- caster, and by the ward, who never slacked his labors in the ministry until broken in health. He died June 5, 1861. while his
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son, Dr. Pope, was absent in the military ser- vice of his country. How well he wore the harness may be seen when it is known that at times he served eleven different charges in the County of Wayne, Ohio. His collegiate education was conducted under the charge of Prof. Schmidt, of the Seminary of the Joint Synod of Ohio, located at Columbus, now called Capitol University, an institution which at that time was conducted on the plan of the German universities, with for- eign instructors, teaching from imported German text-books, covering a course of seven years, which was so rigid that the Am- eriean youth rebelled and compelled it to change its course to four years, which change took place after Rev. Pope had completed his course. His prominent mental charac- teristics shone forth as a linguist, and he always read his Scripture texts in the origi- nal before sermonizing. As a German scholar his proficiency was conceded. At one time during the carly " forties" Edwin M. Stan- ton, who knew of his abilities, was conduct- ing a trial for attempted murder in Steuben- ville, Ohio, in which a German Jew was a most important witness, who insisted on mix- ing Hebrew with his German. Several at- tempts made at interpretation ended in fail- ure. In this dilemma Stanton had Rev. Pope subpoenaed and sworn as an interpreter, with entire satisfaction. In theology he was scarcely less able. His exposition of the Godhead is said by scholars to have been among the clearest. During the War of the Rebellion he was a warm and earnest sup- porter of the Union canso. His brothers were divided, those who lived in the North going with him and sending their sons, those in the South, who were planters, sending forth their sons to battle on their respective sides. At the last election before his death, when quite feeble, he was told to wait until
a conveyance could be provided for him, but he became impatient and said "I do not know how soon I may be called away. I want my vote to go in, and to go in right," and so tottered on his staff to the polls, but was car- ried home. This was in the Vallandigham campaign, and against him.
Rev. Pope was a man of magnificent physique; tall, erect and muscular, with a natural military dignity, but mild disposi- tion. He was calm and deliberate in judg- ment, pained to see suffering, kind to the sick and distressed, rock-bound in his con- vietions, very social and pleasant in company, an enthusiastic student, having great rever- ence for the authorities and writings of the leaders of his sect. With the exception of the eldest none of his father's family devel- oped any love for learning. It is but just, however, to state that they were among the pioneers of the Ohio wilderness, and during their school days the nearest school was four miles distant from the Pope homestead, and only held during the three winter months. Rev. Pope frequently referred to his trudging along, when he was five years of age, with his older brothers through a trackless forest where it frequently became necessary for the older ones to carry him on their backs through the deepest snow and over foot-logs spanning torrents. With one exception (he a hotel landlord and owner) his brothers were all successful owners of farms in the North or plantations in the South, and the only sister, who died early in married life, was the wife of a farmer. With the exception of Rev. Benjamin all were born in Greenbrier County, Va., whenee the family moved to Ohio.
Their father, Frederick Popo, was the youngest of a family of seven children, tive sons and one daughter, and one who died in infancy, sex unknown. Frederick was born
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February 7, 1773, in Rockingham County, Va., and May 21, 1804, he married Mary Ketner, also born in Rockingham County, who had inherited from her Scotch-Irish grandparents a very large estate in lands and slaves. A very pretty story is told of her father, who, as a German redemptioner, was ยท retained by his purchaser as a teacher for his children, but who, by his superior accom- plishments and learning, secured the parents' confidence, wooed the daughter, and with one bold stroke won his wife, a nice estate and his freedom from seven years' service, in less than one year. After his marriage Fred- erick Pope removed to Greenbrier County, Va. In 1813 he had espoused the Abolition doctrine, once such a warm political question in Virginia, and which, on a heavy vote, came very near being carried by the people of the State. From conviction he concluded to re- move to the free State of Ohio, and to give his slaves their freedom, which he did the following year, abandoning a large estate and setting free 194 slaves, of all ages. It has been claimed by some that he was being eaten up with his slaves, that they were un- remunerative, and that it was not convic- tion, but necessity, that drove him to the act. Circumstances show that this can not be so. Nancy, an old house slave, who had nursed him in his infancy, had been given to him upon his marriage, and, in turn, nursed his family as they were born. When the family moved to Ohio, she, with the other slaves, was given her freedom, but, after remaining behind for a time, followed, and asked to be permitted to return hor papers and come into vohuitary servitude. Her former master told her he had left Virginia to clear himself and his family of the sin of slavery, but that he would build her a home, which he did, the remains of which, on the old homestead, in Fairfield County, Ohio, were
visible in 1872, and to which the descendants pointed with pride as an evidence of their father's humanity and justice. In his will he provided for her support and burial. Years after Nancy referred to the subject in frequent conversations, and gave much evi- dence of her master's conscientious motives. Again, after he and his wife had been in Ohio for some time, the wife's heart turned to their former home, but the husband said: "The property is there unincumbered: there is money wherewith to purchase other. slaves, if you want them; you may return if you want to; but, as for me, I prefer to remain among freemen, even though they be savage Indians, rather than see the humblest man as a slave." She seems to have been of a different mold, for to the day of her death no line of reasoning, faith, religion or creed, could convince her that an Ethiopian was Imman in the sense of a white man, or that a higher responsibility accorded man's deal- ings with them than with a brute. She felt that they were dependent, and a sense of humanity toward the lower creation should prompt their care and oversight. During the winter of 1816 Mr. Pope returned on horseback to Virginia, to transact some nn- settled business. While on his return he contracted a fever, but, nothing dannted, he pressed forward toward home. From expos. nre and other canses concomitant to such a condition, he never recovered, gradually growing worse, until November 7, 1517, when he expired, leaving an enviable repu- tation. Of his brothers, Adam, the eldest, culisted carly in the Revolutionary army, and served nearly seven years. Jacob, the see ond, served one year, contracted disease in the army, returned home, and soon after died. Abraham entered the same army some time in 1778, serving until 1781, being pres ent at and witness of the surrender of Lord
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Cornwallis, at Yorktown, and returned home with his discharge about the time he entered his twentieth year. Of the remaining brother and sister little is known, farther than that Henry removed to Kentucky, and became the head of a respected and influential family.
Of such a line of honorable descent, it is not surprising that the later members of the family should be proud, but it becomes prof- itable to pursue the ancestors farther. The father of Frederick Pope was John Christ- man Pope. His father's given name is un- known, but it is known that he held some kind of a franchise, title or office, and was the possessor of considerable estates. It has always been hold as a legend of the family that they came from the mountains of Ger- many, of the province of Hohenzollern ex- traction, and of ancient German family. In some papers in existence their origin is given as from the Kingdom of Wittemburg, but another sentence says their home was but eighteen miles from the river Rhine. This would indicate a case of mis-spelling, and place them from the Schwartzwald near the Bavarian line, a portion of the now King- dom of Wurtemberg. However this may be, and the equally disputed question as to whether the name was originally Bobe or Pope as insisted upon by the more modern family, it is not disputed that the family carly espoused the Protestant or Lutheran faith; that one of the early fathers laid down his life on the altar of his religion under the banners of Gustavus Adolphus, and that the family, along with others of a most worthy Protestant community, were outrageously treated and driven from their homes, and took refuge in England. That after the con- test ended, the Austrian emperor, seeing the great wrong that had been done his country, sent embassadors to treat for their return, guaranteeing them the restoration of their
property, estates, security in their religions worship, and immunity from military service at their option, enumerating that they were recognized as a superior class of artisans and agriculturists, in possession of scientific and craft knowledge indispensable to the superior standing of his empire, and that he did induce many to return, among whom were some of the Popes. . The country was Roman Catho- olic in religion, and the returned exiles being in the minority, a long line of abuses are enumerated as following.
At length the guarantee was broken by a later monarch, and an attempt made to force the young men into the hateful army of the Roman Catholic government, to fight against those of the same faith as was then possible. This was the state of affairs in 1730, when John Christian Pope was eighteen years old. He appears to have been the center of a circle of well-to-do young men of Protest - ant families. The notice to enter the mili- tary service had included sixteen others be- sides himself, of the same circle. By some preconcerted arrangement the circle con- vened, discussed the perfidy of the govern- ment, and resolved to flee. The precise order or details are unknown, but a time was agreed upon and passports secured, where required, but in what manner, if divulged, is equally mysterious. This much is known. that on a certain night at 10 r. sr., they left their place of rendezvous, walked over the eighteen miles, and crossed the Rhine River before the following morning, into another country. Short of funds, with every avenne shut off by the now vigilant government of. ficials, they spent what money they had to reach the seashore, where they bound them- solves as redemptioners in America for their passage across the Ocean. In the month of October, 1830, or 1531, they landed in Phil- adelphia, where they were all sold | so says
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the chronicler ]. By the same ship which brought Mr. Popo to America, he sent word back to his mother, brothers and sister. For the reason of his refusal to report, the gov- ernment during his absence had confiscated his estate and title, to which, as the eldest son, he had fallen heir, when he was twelve years old, on the death of his father in 1724. In keeping with his station he was liberally and carefully educated, and at the age of seventeen was considered quite proficient. This confiscation left the mother and remain- ing children no means of support. The country was ravaged by past wars and dis- tracted by internal feuds; there was little loft them there, and humiliated and im- poverished they resolved to follow. Accord- ingly, two years later, in the month of Octo- ber, the mother and family followed and landed at the same port. John C. had been sold to a Quaker in Philadelphia, and his mother was also sold to a party in or near the same city. One of the boys was sold to a Hollander who took him to where a por- tion of the city of New York now stands. The other went with a planter to South Carolina, near Charleston; what became of the daughter is unknown, and the boys never met again.
The education and advantages which John C. had enjoyed served him well, and he was enabled to complete his seven years' contraet in three years, as well as serve two years for his mother, who had been sold for a term of five years. When their terms had expired, John, with his mother, immigrated to Rockingham County, Va., about 1737, and settled on public land. He was quito suc- cessful as a planter, aud remained a bachelor until after his mother's death. In 1758, when he was forty-six years of age, he married a Miss Burghart. The date of his death is unknown. It has been derisively said that
he left his home in Germany for fear of mil- itary servico, but such a position in the face of facts can not for a moment bo maintained. His position at home must have given him preferment in the military service; and if it was from hatefulness of military restraint, certainly he could not have bettered his con- dition by an uncertain service of seven years in an unknown land, and possibly with a brutal master in a strange tongue. Besides, there is abundant evidence that he was a man who loved the excitement of danger, and songhit the outposts of civilization during his most vigorous years. It will thus be seen that on the paternal side, with one exception so far as known, there is a line of pure Ger- man blood, from the great middle class, clinging to the religion, customs and tradi- tions of their fathers, with tenacity, a people of conscience rather than policy or diplomacy. Thinkers in advance of their age, living and dying for their fellowmen, yet hated and persecuted by their beneficiaries. Such lives of conviction, religious devotion when it cost so much, practical abolitionists when it re. quired such a sacrifice, are seldom found in family lines. Plain and simple in habits, social and generons in their relations with their fellowmen, brave, fearless and out- spoken in public matters, defiant in defense of, or aggressive in proseention of, convic- tion, but never vindictive; exacting of them- selves, and just in their dealings and morals: set in hereulean frames, with constitutions of iron, they were Nature's true noblemen.
Dr. Pope's mother comes of different stock, in many respects the antipodes of his father's people: Cold, cautions and calenlat- ing; mathematical, methodical, exact and ox- acting, they show long lines of financiers aud business men, possessed, in many cases, of magnificent if not gigantic intellects. Where they have gained distinction it is mainly for
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their wealth and colossal business methods. Their advent in America was during the colonial period, settling in Southern Penn- sylvania and Maryland. The family claim to be of pure German, Protestant families. It has been said by some that they are of French origin, and before settling in Ger- many were known as Rappee; but the family ' diselaim any knowledge of this, and give it no weight.
Mrs. Elizabeth Mary Pope, the wife of Rev. Benjamin Pope, is the eldest child of George and Ann Hippee, who were among the pioneers of Canton, Ohio, where the fa- ther built the sixth honse in the place, for himself, at a very early date, on a lot on East Tuscarawas Street, a part of which lot is now occupied by the Cleveland, Canton & South- ern Railroad depot and offices, and in which house Mrs. Pope was born, September 14, 1823. Her education was principally con- dneted in the Canton Female Seminary, un- der the care of Dr. Goshorn, from which institution she graduated. On her twentieth birthday, September 14, 1843, she was mar- ried to Rev. Benjamin Pope, and they settled in Delaware, Ohio, where he was pastor of a church. She and her husband conducted a private school in that city, but, from appar- ently failing health, she was compelled to relinquish her work. We quote from Dong- lass' History of Wayne County, of her work in the city of Wooster:
In the spring of 1849 she became the successor of Mrs. McKee, wife of the Seceder minister of the long gone by, she transferring to Mrs. Pope her pupils, numbering five or six, whom she instructed about two months. In October she opened the session, assisted by Miss Sarah Hippee, with be- tween thirty and forty pupils upon the roll. * * * In the spring of 1853 she took possession of the old academy building, and continued her Inbors as principal of the institution until 1865, establishing for herself and her school a reputation that made the name of " Mrs. Pope's Seminary nt Wooster," popular throughout Wayne and neighboring conn- ties.
The statement, "Mrs. Pope's Seminary," in the foregoing extract is incorrect, It was known as Grove Female Seminary, and for years had more boarding pupils than there were rooms to supply in the building, while the entire roll averaged about 200, tak- ing one year with another. It had a full corps of teachers, in which Rev. B. Pope tanght the languages, and literature, Mrs. E. M. Pope the higher mathematics and sciences, inelnding mental and moral philosophy, while others taught the other requirements of a young lady's education-music in all its branches, drawing, painting, embroidery, etc. The institution furnished some of the finest teachers in the country, while its diplomas are considered prizes of rare worth, even at this day. Mrs. Pope is possessed of remark- able mental powers. Mathematics she is passionately fond of, and few men possess so extensive a book knowledge, or a clearer per- ception of the exact sciences. It was this re- markable faenlty which brought her forward so prominently among the eminent educators of the country. Her ability to reason and draw conclusions has been the subject of re- mark by those able to judge. Her govern- ment and executive ability is remarkable; her attention to details is large. Her every mo tion marks her as possessing a consciousness of hor superiority, while her carriage is the pulsation of greut nerve force in which her whole frame trembles. Her mastery at once combines the dignified military precision and the judicinl detection." For this reason her school always contained the incorrigible girls of the period, and gave her the dietatorial and anstore air, which drew from the youth the nickname for the school of " The Nummery," and for the principal that of " Mother Supe rior." It will thus be seen that while her fam- ily have shown individual guns of large cali ber, viewed from their special environments,
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