Pope County Notes

»77.599l |A^5p cop. 3 Pope County Notes John W. Allen Museum of Natural and Social Sciences Southern Illinois University L I B R.AFLY OF THE UNIVERSITY or ILLI NOIS IlllNOlS HISTORICAI WnB Pope County Notes John W. Allen Acting Director Museum of Natural and Social Sciences Southern Illinois University Introduction Chester F. Lay Former President Southern Illinois University Illustrated Map Loraine Waters The thix'd in a series of County Histories prepared by the author, Randolph County Notes and Jackson County Notes pre- ceding the present publication. Contribution No. 22, Museum of Natural and Social Sciences Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Illinois Approved by the Publications Committee (Printed by authority of the State of Illinois) ADLAI E. STEVENSON, Governor State of Illinois 1949 I (Pref,ace No history of Pope County has heretofore been published. This booklet does not pretend to tell the county's story fully. How- ever, it does attempt to assemble materials that may aid in kindling an interest in local history. The author wishes to acknowledge the countless courtesies and kindnesses extended to him by many persons on his numerous trips to the region. County officials and others whose work has made them acquainted with parts of the county's story have been especial- ly helpful. Older persons have contributed from their memories of earlier days. All have expressed interest in having even a brief i-ec- ord, such as this, publish e^d. JOHN W. ALLEN April 1948 n : With the Ridges and Valleys of Pope County in His Face As a high school boy in Golconda, I was thrilled when my father, who was County Clerk of Pope County at the time, showed me, with care ap- proaching reverence, the old records referring back to the days when Pope, like the rest of Southern Illinois, was a part of Virginia. Not only did the pioneer move westward to settle Illinois, but also he moved from the south ever northward. Judged by its civilized population at that stage, Illinois and Southern Illinois were synonymous. The author of this brief history of my home County has ably shown the place of Pope County in this westward and northward march of the pioneers. The world's greatest earth scientists agree with the schoolroom teacher that anv real understanding of geography must begin in the school boy's foot tracks. ' In the same way, any real feeling and appreciation of the truths of history must begin with an understanding and appreciation of the school boy's home people and home places. For these reasons, we at Southern are pleased to present, for the use of teachers and all those interested in the area served by this University, a series of regional histories, of which this is the third. This southern area in a northern State has successively based its eco- nomy upon the frontiersmen's hunting, fishing, and sustenance farming; sell- ing the fine hardwood timber down the rivers; wheat and corn farming; live- stock growing after the Kentucky pattern; mining; fruit growing; and mod- erate beginnings in manufacturing. With a higher birthrate than that further north, and with an exceptionally high percentage of the people with Anglo- Saxon background, it is gradually being realized that the richest remaining resources of Southern Illinois are the young men and women who constitute this area's greatest export crop. "Pope County Notes," we hope, will make some contribution toward the growth in knowledge and appreciation of their own people by the school children of Pope and its neighboring counties. I am entirely confident that the manv who have made their way to places of respect and even promin- ence in near or far places will read this first history of their home county with both homesickness and pride. Once while I was a professor in the troub- of led Near East my thoughts kept returning to the rugged people and hills remmiscences Pope and I was struck by the aptness of Omar Khayyam's when philosophizing "Mvself when young did eagerly frequent Doctor and Saint, and heard great argument About it and about; but evermore Came out by the same door wherein I went." Or, as mv father says, in the language of our hills, "You can take of the boy." the boy out of Pope County, but you can't take Pope County out to know that this simple For all such "boys and girls," we would be proud record "pleasures ye." Chester F. Lay February 11. 1948 President CFL:mmp Southern Illinois University HI Pope County Notes BACKGROUND pioneer possessed. The fact that they wrought intelligently and well Even to a casual observer many will become very evident. localities in Southern Illinois yield evidence of the pioneer era. For In some ways, pioneer Southern those who observe carefully, a Illinois was kind, but altogether it wealth of artifacts connected with was an exacting and difficult task the early years of the region's his- that faced the first settlers. That tory awaits an opportunity to tell its they did their work well and laid a stories. Many log houses that have solid foundation for the things we lived from the early years of settle- have today, clearly indicate a high ment still stand. Sunken roadways, degree of intelligence, industry, and often desex'ted and overgrown with capability. forest trees, mark the early immi- grant trails. Old fords indicate the Pope County may well be consid- places where these roadways crossed ered typical of a vast area of South- the streams before bridges were ern Illinois hill land. Its relative built. Numerous abandoned ceme- convenience to the Ohio River at a teries, with shapeless and unlettered time when good roads were practi- grave markers, reveal the spots cally unknown was an advantage. where the now forgotten pioneer The highways to and from numerous was buried. Homely devices and ferries, across both the Ohio and the Mississippi strange tools of the first settlers are Rivers, led through its forests. yet to be found in attics and lofts Its virgin soil, now badly eroded where they have lain for a lifetime. and otherwise depleted, pro- These and many other evidences duced excellent crops. Its spring- fed await the one who would study the streams assured a bountiful sup- ply of good humble life of those who laid the water. These streams also furnished foundation of our state's greatness. power for the grist- mills of the pioneers. Its forests A knowledge and appreciation of yielded a practically unlimited sup- the contributions which the pioneers ply of building materials. In its hill made help much toward a better un- lands, malaria was not so prevalent derstanding of our life today. At as in the lower and swampier lands the same time, it will increase re- found at many other places along spect for the skill, the sturdiness, and the river. This county was an at- the all-round capabilities that the tractive area for settlers. One cannot be positive as to the Pope County, once traversed by many very first ones that came into the thousands of immigrants, was defi- county. At the time of their com- nitely out of the lines of major tra- ing, the land had not been surveyed. vel. No systematic records were kept. pioneer environment of Pope Into the unsurveyed wilderness the The thus left to be influenced settlers quietly came. Sometimes County was less immigration. they built homes, cleared a spot in less and by new crafts prac- the vast forests, and remained as Many of the skills and remained in residents of the new land. At other ticed by the pioneers times they paused for a year or so use here after their disappearance and passed hopefully onward. Oth- in more accessible regions. Until ers did not halt as they journeyed the coming of improved state high- within comparatively recent along the lonely woodland trails ways rural toward points north and west. years, the residents of the areas of the county clung to much of the pioneer culture. Evidences of Relatively few people returned this culture are fast disappear- along the roads that led many to now ing. the westward. For most persons the trails led to new homes and to a This booklet is written in the hope measure of happiness. Others per- that it may help toward a better un- ished on the journey and were buried derstanding and greater apprecia- beside the trail. Some very old per- tion of the significance of that all- sons yet recall the sites of these lone- but-vanished era. It may thus not ly and generally unmarked graves. be out of place to include in this di- Most of these burial places are for- vision certain general information gotten, as are the names of count- that may serve as a background less thousands that hopefully plod- against which the homely informa- ded toward the ever-beckoning west. tion given may be viewed. Even though only a few names re- main, it is not difficult to pause be- To the middle-aged person who side a worn and deserted roadway grew up in an isolated community of that once was an important immi- Southern Illinois, much of the infor- grant trail, and in imagination, see mation concerning pioneer life may the unending stream of people silent- seem commonplace. Even so, it is ly trooping past. With the passing hoped that such references may years, the number of people moving arouse memories of other days, mem- along these old roadways grew less. ories from which passing years have Some were going by steamboat, and removed all the sting.

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