Descendants of Jean Le Pape
Generation No.8
Continued
66. SILAS8 POPE (JOHN POPST7 (POPE), HENRICH PABST6 (BOBST,POPST,POPE), HANSS HENRICH5 PABST, ABRAHAM4 BAPST/PABST, ABRAHAM3 BAPST, JOHANN2 BAPST/PABST, JEAN1 LE PAPE) was born Abt. 1820 in Lincoln County,NC, and died Abt. 1895 in Probably Van Wyck , Lancaster County,SC. He married (1) ANNA DEAL Abt. 1839 in Probably Lincoln Co NC, daughter of SOLOMAN DEAL and SARAH YOUNT. She was born Abt. 1820 in Lincoln County,NC, and died in Probably Lincoln Co NC. He married (2) MARGARET WAGES Bef. 1870 in Probably Chester County,SC. She was born November 17, 1849 in Probably Chester County,SC, and died September 15, 1919 in Fort Mill,York Co,SC.
Notes for SILAS POPE:
Gail Pope Barnes , Great Grandaughter of Silas Pope , researched and provided information on Silas Pope and his decendants.
The German ancestors of Silas Pope were among a great number of "Pennsylvania Dutch" emigrating from Pennsylvania Counties of Montgomery,Berks,Lancaster,and York in the middle of the 1700's to North Carolina. The course of travel southward taken by the early Germans is described by Colonel W L Saunders in his " Prefatory Notes" to the Colonial Rercords of North Carolina. He writes: " The route these immigrants from Pennsylvania took to reach their future home in North Carolina is plainly laid down on the maps of that day. On Jeffrey's Map, a copy of which is in the Congressionall Library at Washington City, there is plainly laid down a road called,"Tge Great Road from Yadkin Valley thro' Virginia and Pennsylvania to Philidelphia, distance about 435 miles.' It ran from Philidelphia thro' Lancaster and York to Winchester, thence up the Shenandoah Valley crossing the Fluvanna River at Looney's Ford, thence to Staunton River, and down the river through the Blue Ridge,thence southward crossing the Dan River below the mouth of the Mayo River,thence still southward near the Moravian settlement to the Yadkin River,just above the mouth of Linville Creek.and about ten miles above he mouth of Reedy Creek." The sturdy Germans, so called "Pennsylvania Dutch" because the were "Deutsche" ( the Gernman word for "German") who settled in the Colony of Pennsylvania,settled chiefly the South Fork Valley of Lincoln County,now Catawba County,North Carolina(1.)
In 1820 John (Popst) Pope an dhis family lived in Lincoln County, North Carolina. John, who was probably the father of Silas Pope, was listed in the census as a 26 to 45 year old free white male head of the family with a 26 to 45 year old free white female,probably Silas' mother. There were three free white males from 0 to 10 years of age and one free white male from 10 to 16 years of age(2) No direct evidence has been found to confirm a father-son relationship for John and Silas Pope. My research has yielded sufficient indirect evidence to suggest that John probably was Silas' father. Further research is required to gather all evidence to reach a clear and concise conclusion regarding their true relationship. Additional research is needed to identify Silas' mother and truly identify all of his brothers and/ or sisters.
Silas Pope was probably born between 1820 and 1822,although no birth certificate or birth record ha been located. (3.) When he volunteeered for military service in 1862,Silas indicated that he was 42 years old and that his birthplace was Catawba County,North Carolina. (4.) Of course, he provided this information as it was told to him.
Silas did not appear in the 1840 census, but he probably was married and living in Lincoln County,NC. Although no marriage liscence,certificate or church record has been found for a marriage of Silas Pope, I do believe he was first married by 1838 or 1839 in Lincoln County,NC, with one child who was born about 1840 or 1841.(5.) The grave marker in Pisgah Church Cemetery near Lenoir,NC, for Silas' eldest son , John , indicates his date of birth as 12 March 1840.(6.) This evidence of John's date of birth supports all other evidence researched to date,which is the basis for my previous statement regarding the date of Silas' first marriage.
My 86-year old,half 1st cousin once removed,Caroline(Carrie) Obenoskey Truesdale who was born 28 July 1891, informed me that Silas was indeed married to Ann, called Ann, Deal, but she did not know when or where they were married. Carrie knew this because her mother,Sarah Jane Pope,born 2 April 1862, was one of Silas' and Ann's daughters. Per Carrie, her mother , Sarah Jane Pope Obenoskey, died 6 April 1920. (7.)
It is possible that Silas was living in his father's household in 1840, but this has not been proven. In 1840 John Pope ,age 40 to 50 was living in the Upper Regiment Militia region or township with the following persons living in his household:
Males: Two, ages 5 to 10 ; Two, ages 10 to 20; and One age 20 to 30 . ( it is possible that this male was Silas Pope) and Females: Two, ages 15 to 20 (8.) I beleive that the absence of a female of sufficient age to mother a small child ,such as the two ages 5 to 10,indicates that possibly John Pope's first wife could have died between 1835 and 1840. Of course,she could have left,but my research strongly indicates ther were very few, if any , divorces in the Pope families studied. It is likely that John Pope remarried before 1850 in Newton Township,NC, with Nancy Pope,age 40 (9.)
In 1842 Catawba County,NC was formed from Lincoln County. Catawba County derives its name from the "Catawba River", which forms its eastern and northern bounderies. The name "Catawba", was taken from the tribe of Indians of that name who at one time inhabited the area. In 1842,the population of Catawba County was as follows: White Population 7272; free Negros 21; Negro slaves 1569; Total 8862 (10.)
By December 1850,Silas Pope, age 28,was living in the Newton Township in Catawba County and making a living as a farmer. In his household were his wife and children: Ann,female age 27;John, male age 9;Franklin,male age 7;Catherine,female age 5;David,male age 2 and Barbary,female age 1. (11.) In September 1860, Silas was living in the vicinity of the Flint Rock Post Office in Catawba County. He was working as a 40-year old day laborer with $50 personal property. Living with him were his wife and children: Ann,female age 40;John,male age 20; Franklin,male age17; Mira,female age 15;Deborah, female age 13; Barbara,female age 11;Amy, female age 9; Margaret,female age 6; Delila,female age 1. (12.) Family tradition indicates that Silas worked as a day laborer in the local sawmill camps in and around Newton,NC. , area.(13.) In 1860,the year before the great war, the population of Catawba County was as follows: White Females 4703; White Males 4330; Free Negros 32 ; Negro slaves 1664 Total 10729
The people of Catawba County were a conservative people,and in 1861, when South Carolina and other states , and even parts of North Carolina, were excited and agitated,Catawba County residents remained calm and cool, but when President Lincoln called on North Carolina for her quota of troops,then it was that the young men of Catawba County were stirred up;and when Governor Ellis called for troops,it was astonishing how the young men of the county responded. (14.) Not all of those in Catawba County who responded were young, for it was a 42 year old Silas Pope,living and working as a farmer in Newton,NC , who voluntarily enlisted on the 19th of March 1862 for three years or the duration of the war as a Private in Company I, known as the Catawba Marksmen, of the 49th Regiment of the North Carolina Infrantry(State Troops) . He mustered into service at Camp Mangum,NC, on 6 April 1862 (15.).
Silas was wounded 1July 1862 at the Battle of Malvern Hill,that was the last of Seven Days Battles around Richmond,Virginia. He was also wounded at Globe Tavern,Virginia, 21August 1864. He survived his wounds and returned to duty prior to 1 September 1864. On 1 April 1865, Silas ws captured at Five Forks, Virginia, and arrived at City Point, Virginia, on 5 April 1865. He was held prisioner of war at Point Lookout,Maryland,a federal POW Camp. My great grandfather signed all his military papers by making an"x," and on 16June1865, Silas made his mark on an Oath of Allegiance to the United States and was released.
During Silas' military service,he received $6.72 for rations from 8 June 1863 to 24 June 1863 and he received clothing on 19 June 1864. (17.) Silas' military records give a personal discription of him, for which I am most thankful as I do not have a personal photo of Silas, my great grandfather. His complexion was dark and his hair was black. I have neither of these traits, but I do have hazel eyes,as Silas did. He stood 5'9", which was th esame height as my father,Walter Lee Pope. (18.)
The Catawba Soldier of the Civil War, written by George W. Hawn in 1911, commemorates Catawba County residents who served as soldiers in the War Between the States. In a biographical sketch of Andrew B Powell,a soldier in the same Company as Silas, Mr Powell reminisced as follows: " At another time Silas Pope and I slipped up to a rifle pit and found there two Federals dead. One had an open Bible in his hand. I reached over,took the Bible,Pope remarked: "Too late noe to read the Bible,if you're killed today , you'll go to h-- - -anyway.' Soon after we had to retreat,and hearing a familiar voice, I looked and heard Pope praying, and behold, a shell had cut off a sapling and it had fallen on Pope,holding him fast. I had to guy(sic) and laugh,until POpe got to swearing instead of praying. I called to several Federal prisioners t help me loose him." (19.)
Mr. Hahn indicated taht "Silas Pope was one of our best soldiers, always ready for any emergency,and cheerful under any circumstance. The harder the duties, the more cheerful he seemed to be; and when everyone was worn out and cross,Silas would sing his little song,Let it hail,rain or snow,we poor soldiersare bound to go" (20.) Silas survived the war and it is reasonable to beleive that he returned home to farming or working as a day laborer in Catawba County.
The period after the war was a period characterized by hard poverty in evry walk of life,but especially in the home. The Confederate soldier returned to labor and to hard work. The mothers, wives, and daughters took upon their shoulders uncomplainingly the drudgery of the houdsehold tasks. Truly i tmay be said of them that by the "Sweat of the brow did they eat bread" (21.) Very little is known about Silas and his family from late 1865 until August 1870, except taht in 1868, Silas was still residing in Catawba County and he registered to vote along with several men named Pope,namely,Marcus,Alfred,Franklin,George and Miles. Franklin could haave been Silas' second son. Also , listed were Amos and Cany Pope as black men registering to vote. My personal belief is that both were white, but their complexions were very dark. Dark complexion with dark hair was a very common trait among the Popes to Silas.
No information has been found on Silas' wife,Ann Pope,from 1864 and foward. Family tradition indicated that Ann and Silas had another daughter named Laura who was born in 1864. (23.) It is possible that Ann died when Laura was born,but this has not been proven. It's possible taht Ann Pope died during an outbreak of typhoid fever in Catawba County,which occurred after the Civil War. (24.) Further research is required to locate more information about Ann.
By 1 August 1870, Silas entered an agreement with James Pagan,Agent for teh R Patterson Company,to grow and produce crops. The Agent provided financing to the limit of $2000, to Silas, who planted and harvested crops until th 15th November1871,when financing had to be repaid with the proceeds from the sale of the crops produced. The agreement with the agent represented a lein against the crops produced. All profits realized, above the amount of money advanced to Silas, were shared between the parties of the agreement. (25.)
On 8 September 1870, the census taker arrived at the home of Silas Pope,white male farmer age 48,living in the Township of West Blackstock,Chester County,South Carolina. Margaret Pope,white female age 21,was living with Silas and keeping house. The census taker indicated that Silas was born in NC and Margaret was born in SC. Also indicated on the census record was the fact that Silas could write, but could not read. Margaret could read and write.(26.)
According to family tradition,Silas married a second time to Margaret Wages of Chester,SC. It is possible that Silas and Margaret were married in NC as his people were from NC.(27.) I beleive they were married in SC,but I have found no marriage license and certificate of marriage for them in either state.
Family members beleived Silas came to be in SC because of other family members who lived there.(28.) Further research in required to determine if Silas did have other family members living in the area. By 8 June 1880, Silas was living and farming in Fairfield County,SC. He was 65 years old and living with him were his wife and children: Margaret,wife age 26,keeping house,Jonas,son age6;George, son age 4;and Thomas T,son age 2. (29)
It is fairly certain that Silas resided in SC for the remainder of his life, but there is little information about Silas Pope from 1871 untill 1895. In June 1895, Silas was probably living in York County,SC,probably with his wife,Margaret,and their children George,Age 18 and Walter age7.(30 ) The last record of Silas alive is found in the Register of the Minutes of Session for th eSix Mile Creek Presbyterian Church in Fort Mill,York Co,SC as follows: " June 1895 Sessions met at the home of Silas Pope. Present: Rev. W R Boggs,Moderator with Elders J J Perry and J G Howie. Session opened with a prayer by Moderator. Silas Pope ws received on profession of faith. Session closed with prayer. J G Howie,Clerk" (31.)
This entry leads me to beleive Silas was sick and unable to go to church. He was aged and may have been unable to travel. So the Reverend and Elders of the church came to his house. I beleive he died between June 1895 and 1900 in the community where the church was located, which was Van Wyck,SC. In 1900 Silas' second wife,Margaret, a widow, lived with her son,George, who was head of household. (32) Much of the knowledge I have about my great grandfather,Silas Pope, came to me from a very special person: Caroline (Carrie) Obenoskey Truesdale. She was the oldest Pope relative living when I began my family research. Carrie and I spent many hours together, rocking on her front porch,talking about our ancestors. One day in the fall of 1976, we drove to the cemetery at Six Mile Creek Presbyterian Church, in Van Wyck,SC. There she showed me the unmarked grave of Silas, her grandfather. Only a concrete block marked the grave(33). Carrie died 14 September 1991 after living to be over 100 years old. (34)
My line continues through Silas Pope's last son and my grandfather,Walter Tate, born about 1888 in Newton,Catawba County,NC.(35) Walt died 26 November 1939.(36) Walt's eldest son,Walter Lee Pope, was my father.
In 1995, I worked with the United States Veterans Department and had the priviledge and honor of having a Civil War marker made for the unmarked gravesite of Silas at SIx Mile Creek Presbyterian Church. The descendants of Silas through Lee Pope's family members paid to have the headstone placed in the cemetery in August of 1996.
My research of Silas Pope and his life's history is still a work in progress. The things listed in this sketch are but a few of the occurrences in his life. Much more research is needed to fill in a great many "gaps". If I never do another day or hour's research on Silas, my life would still be so greatly enriched by what I have learned about him to this date. All of the facts, possibilities, and probablys have rendered the story and life of a man who beleived in God,although he did not make a public profession in Christ untill the end of his life. The fact that he fathered a large family is a strong testimony to his beleif in family. His willingness to fight for his country, when he was in the middle of his life with a family to support, shows his love for his country.
In all the records I've researched, I've never found any records to indicate any criminal activity committed by Silas or his family members and their descendants.
END NOTES
1.Charles J Preslar,Jr, A History of Catawba County( Salibury: Rowan Printing Co.,1954),36,38-39
2. 1820 U S Census(population),North Carolina,Lincoln County,p. 394,line 21,National Archives Microfilm Publication M33,roll 83.
3. 1850 U S Census(pop),NC,Newton Twp,Catawba Co.,p350,nos.1230/1230,National Archives Mic. Pub. M432,roll 624;1860 U S Census (pub),NC,Catawba Co.,Flint Rock P O,p 918,nos. 898/877, Nat. Arch. Mic. Pub. M653,roll 891; 1870 U S Census(pub),South Carolina,Chester County,West Blackstock Twp.,p203,nos.,137/138, NAMP M593,roll1490.
4. Confederate Compiled Military Service Record for Silas Pope,Co.,I,49th Regiment,North Carolina Infantry,War Department Collection of Confederate Records, Record Group 109, National Archives Mic. Pub.,M270, roll 478.
5 1850 U S Census,NC,Catawba Co.,p350,M432,roll 624
6 Jennings Bland Pope, Pabst/Bobst/Pobst/Pope Family in the South(Austin: J Bland Pope, 1978),43. 7 Caroline "Carrie" O Truesdale,1891-1991, oldest living Pope relative in 1976, family information obtained orally over a period of 3-4 years.
8 1840 U S Census(pop),NC,Lincoln Co.,Upper Regiment Militia,p 92,line 18, NAMP M704,roll364
9 1850 U S Census(pop), NC,Catawba Co.,Newton Twp.,p271,nos.111/111,NAMP M432, roll624
10 George W Hahn, The Catawba Soldier of the Civil War(1911;Hickory: Clay Printing Co.,1978),7.
11 1850 U S Census,NC,Catawba Co.,p350,M432,roll 624
12 1860 U S Census,NC,Catawba Co.,p918,M653,roll 891
13 Walter L Pope,1918-1980,grandson of Silas Pope and father to Gail Pope Barnes.
14 Hahn, The Catawba Soldier of the Civil War,8
15 Confederate Military Record for Silas Pope,CO.,I, 49th Regiment NC Infantry, Record Group 109,M270,roll478.
16 Ibid
17 Ibid
18 Ibid
19 Hahn, the Catawba Soldier of The Civil War,307-308
20 Ibid, 306
21 Ibid,31
22 1868 Voter Registration Ledger for Counties of Cabarrus to Cleveland,NC, North Carolina State Archives,Raleigh,NC,Stack File Number A G 59.
23 Caroline "Carrie" O Truesdale
24 Ibid
25 Deed of Agreement from Silas Pope to James Pagan,Agent of R Patterson,Co.,1 August 1870(recorded 10September1870),Deed Book P, Deed No.28,p34,Clerk of Court Office,Chester County Courthouse,Chester, SC.
26 1870 U S Census,SC,Chester Co.,p203,M593,roll1490.
27 Caroline "Carrie" O Truesdale
28 Ibid
29 1880 U S Census(pop), SC,Fairfield Co.,Twp.,#3,ED69,p95,nos.,184/184,NAMP T9,roll1229
30 Caroline "Carrie" O Truesdale
31 Six Mile Creek Church ,Minutes of Session,1893-1926,p 4, in the custody of Mrs Grace R Kell, 8922 Community House Road,Charlotte, NC 28277.
32 1900 US Census(pop), SC,York Co.,Catawba Twp,E D 88,p12,line 55, NAMP T623,roll 1545
33 Caroline "Carrie" O Truesdale
34 Obituary,Rock Hill Herald(SC), September 1991,p7A
35 Copy of Military Honorable Discharge from the U S Army for Walter T Pope,Military Records,Clerk Of Court Office,York County Courthouse,York,SC recorded 2 January 1927
36Certified copy of Death Certificate for Walter Tate Pope,File No 16668,Office of Vital Records and Public Health Statistics,SC Department of Health and Enviromental Control,Columbia,SC
Marriage Notes for SILAS POPE and ANNA DEAL:
It is believed that Anna Deal and Silas married sometime in 1839 as their eldest son, John, was born in March 1840. No records have been located to substantiate this beleif.
Notes for MARGARET WAGES:
On May 9,1910, Margaret J Pope is found in the U S Federal Census as head of the household #251/253, a 62 year old widow living in the Indian Land Township in Lancaster County, SC. Walter T Pope, her son age 20 is living with her. Both of them are shown as farm laborers working out. The census shows her father was born in SC andd her mother was born in Mississippi.
Marriage Notes for SILAS POPE and MARGARET WAGES:
No marriage record has been located , but i tis believed that Silas Pope and Margaret Wages married in South Carolina between 1868-1870. It is possible that they married in Catawba County,NC,but unlikely as records indicate Margaret was born in SC and they both appear on the 1870 Census records in Chester County,SC.
Children of SILAS POPE and ANNA DEAL are:
92. i. JOHN ALEXANDER9 POPE, b. March 12, 1840, Lincoln County,NC; d. June 26, 1917, Caldwell County,NC.
93. ii. WILLIAM FRANKLIN POPE, b. Abt. 1843, Catawba County,NC; d. Bef. 1900, SC.
94. iii. ELMIRA CATHERINE POPE, b. October 10, 1845, Catawba County,NC; d. December 18, 1917, Iredell County,NC.
95. iv. DEBORAH POPE, b. Abt. 1847, Catawba County,NC.
v. DAVID POPE, b. Abt. 1848, Catawba County,NC; d. Bef. 1860, NC.
96. vi. BARBARY POPE, b. January 07, 1849, Catawba County,NC; d. April 06, 1932, Sandy Ridge Township,Union County,Waxhaw,NC.
97. vii. EMMA POPE, b. Abt. 1851, Catawba County,NC; d. 1925, Bowling Green,NC.
98. viii. MARGARET ELIZABETH POPE, b. Abt. 1854, Catawba County,NC; d. Hico,Hamilton County,Texas. ix. DELILAH POPE, b. Abt. 1859, Catawba County,NC; d. Lancaster County,SC; m. (1) JIM MASSEY; m. (2) THOMAS W ANDERSON; b. September 09, 1836; d. February 20, 1916, Van Wyck,Lancaster County,SC.; m. (3) JIM OSBOURNE; d. Lancaster County,SC.
99. x. SARAH JANE POPE, b. April 02, 1862, Catawba County,NC; d. August 06, 1920, Van Wyck,Lancaster County,NC.
100. xi. LAURA POPE, b. Abt. 1864, Catawba County,NC.
Children of SILAS POPE and MARGARET WAGES are:
101. xii. JONAS9 POPE, b. Abt. 1874, NC.
xiii. GEORGE W POPE, b. January 1877, NC; d. Bef. 1910, SC.
Notes for GEORGE W POPE:
According to records from SIx Mile Creek Presbyterian Church, George Pope, was admitted by profession of faith in 1895 and he later transfered his membership to a church in Rock Hill SC. According to Carrie Truesdale, George married a Yates woman. George W Pope enlisted at age 22 in the Spanish-American War and served from May 4,1898-November 10,1898, in Co.G,1st Infantry( Catawba Rifles). According to his military records, he was living in Belair,SC with his mother,Margaret Wages Pope,2nd wife of Silas Pope when he enlisted. His name is listed as George Pope and George W Pope. A discription of him is givin in his military file: brown eyes,dark complexion,black hair,5'9" in height and his occupation was listed as farmer. On June 13,1900 George Pope is found in the US Census records in Catawba Township,Yrok County,SC,as head of household#183/185. Others in his household were: George's brother, Walter Tate age 12 born in NC in August 1888 and his mother,Margaret, widow age 49,born May 1851. The census showed Margaret as a mother of six children with three living( these would be: George, Walter Tate and Thomas Thorne Pope) It is assumed that George Pope died before 1910 census. He is not found on the 1910 census. His mother is found in the 1910 census as head of the household with her son Walter T. The census record shows she had six children, but only two are living.
102. xiv. THOMAS THORNE POPE, b. July 21, 1878, SC; d. August 17, 1938, SC.
103. xv. WALTER TATE POPE, b. January 19, 1889, Newton, Catawba Co.,NC; d. November 26, 1939, Rock Hill,York Co.,SC.
xvi. INFANT POPE.
xvii. INFANT POPE.
Generation No.8
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