C. W. POPE

FROM:  The History of Gallatin, Saline, Hamilton, Franklin, and Williamson Counties, Illinois (Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1887).  P. 735-736.

          C. W. Pope, proprietor of the McLeansboro saw-mills, was born August 13, 1844, in Goetingen, Germany, the second of four children of William and Lucinda (Smith) Pope, natives of Germany and born near the same place in 1807 and 1816 respectively.  The father, a cutter, died in 1885, and the mother is still living at the old home.  Our subject was educated in the schools of his native home and at a mechanical college at Goetingen.  When fifteen he was apprenticed for three years as a machinist; after two years’ travel was impressed into service; after eighteen moths, in which he was in the battle of Langen Salts, he embarked at Bremen, and after a rough voyage and being nearly wrecked, they reached New York, December 17, 1867, after twenty-one days.  He at once settled for eighteen months in Equality, Ill., and learned blacksmithing and carriage making.  Then, after a year in Shawneetown, in July, 1870, he came to McLeansboro.  In 1872, he went to St. Louis, engaged on the river bridge a short time, went to Natchez and began traveling for cotton ties.  In the fall of 1872, he worked in the railway shops at New Orleans, and the following year again began blacksmithing and carriage-making at McLeansboro.  In 1882 he built a saw mill, and began manufacturing a patent coiled hoop, and, in 1884, bought the Daily, Rice & Co. mill, and has converted both into saw mills, doing now a $4,000 to $5,000 business annually, with all their products in demand.  The mill in town is run but about four days per week, the one north of McLeansboro continuously.  July 4, 1876, he married Irene, daughter of Dr. S. E. and Lucinda Gates, born in 1848 in McLeansboro.  Their only child is Reginald.  He owns about seven acres with his mill in the corporation, and 120 acres with his other mill, and is now one of the leading men of McLeansboro.  He is a Democrat and voted for Seymour.  He is an Odd Fellow and Knight of Honor.  He and his wife are Old School Presbyterians.