Nathaniel Pope

Nathaniel Pope was an American government leader in the early history of the State of Illinois. He served as the Secretary of the Illinois Territory, then as a Delegate to the United States House of Representatives from the Illinois Territory, and for over thirty years as the United States district judge for the United States District Court for the District of Illinois.

Early life and education

Born on January 5, 1784, in Louisville in what was then District of Kentucky, Virginia, to the former Penelope Sanford Edwards and her husband Col. William H. Pope. Although the youngest boy in his family, Pope could trace his ancestors in Virginia back to around 1650 when Nathaniel Pope moved from strife-torn Maryland into what became called the Northern Neck of Virginia, as did Humphrey Pope and James Pope, probably his brothers. Both this man's parents had been born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, as had his grandfather Worden Pope and great-grandfather Nathaniel Pope III, although his grandmother Hester Netherton Pope was born in what was then Stafford County, Virginia. Although the Pope family was well-established in Virginia, its members would only begin holding statewide office after the Revolutionary War, in which they supported the Patriot cause under the leadership of their neighbor, George Washington was born in Prince William County, Virginia and would also become a lawyer and hold high political office, including in both houses of the Kentucky legislature as well as the U.S. Congress before becoming governor of the Arkansas Territory. Other brothers included William H. Pope Jr who was born as the family continued moving westward into Fauquier County, Virginia, and Alexander Pope and Nathaniel Pope, both of whom were born as the family moved to Louisville in what became the state of Kentucky when he was a boy. His birth family included several sisters who survived to adulthood and married including Penelope Edwards Oldham, Jane Pope Field and Hester Pope Edwards. After a private education appropriate to his class, Nathaniel Pope attended Transylvania University, then read law in 1804.

Early career

Admitted to the bar, Nathaniel Pope entered private practice in Ste. Genevieve, Louisiana Territory in 1804. He later moved across the Mississippi River to practice in Kaskaskia, Indiana Territory, which became part of Illinois Territory on March 1, 1809. When the Illinois Territory was created, President James Madison appointed Kentucky politician John Boyle as the Territorial Governor and Pope as the Territorial Secretary.
Boyle resigned after three weeks to become Kentucky's Chief Justice and was succeeded by Ninian Edwards. Edwards, a lawyer and Maryland politician who had moved to Kentucky and then the Illinois Territory, was related to Pope's mother. Pope served as territorial secretary from 1809 to 1816. He was acting Governor of the Illinois Territory in 1809. He was an Illinois Territorial Militia officer in 1812. Pope was a member of the Democratic-Republican party.

Congressional service

Pope was elected on September 5, 1816, as a Delegate to the United States House of Representatives for a term of two years, serving in the 14th and 15th United States Congresses from December 2, 1816, to November 30, 1818. He was a register for the United States General Land Office in Edwardsville, Illinois Territory from November 30, 1818, to March 3, 1819.

Notable legislation

Pope was instrumental both in securing the new territory's admission as the 21st State on December 3, 1818 as well as in adjusting the new state's northern boundary from the southern extremity of Lake Michigan extending it north to the 42° 30' parallel. Adding the land now included in the thirteen northern counties became very important for Illinois' development, because it included what was to become its largest city, although it also slowed Wisconsin's qualification for admission to the Union. Furthermore, Pope drafted the statehood resolution to ensure that 2% of land sales would be used to fund roads and 3% to fund schools, unlike the previous statehood resolutions which required 5% to be used to fund roads.

Federal judicial service

Pope was nominated by President James Monroe on March 3, 1819, to the United States District Court for the District of Illinois, to a new seat authorized by 3 Stat. 502. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 3, 1819, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on January 23, 1850, due to his death in St. Louis, Missouri. He was interred in the Colonel O'Fallon Burying Ground and later reinterred at the Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis.

Unsuccessful campaign

Pope was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the United States Senate in 1824.

Honor

Pope County, Illinois, was named for Pope, as was the recently closed Nathaniel Pope Elementary School in North Lawndale, Chicago, Illinois.