James W. Pope

James W. Pope (1856–1937) was an American lawyer who was the second African American to serve on the Boston Common Council.[2]

James W. Pope
Member of the Boston Common Council for Ward 9
In office
1881
Preceded byHenry W. Swift
Succeeded byGodfrey Morse
Personal details
DiedFebruary 11 or 12, 1937 (aged 80)[1]
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Political partyRepublican[1]
Alma materBoston University School of Law[1]

Career

Pope was elected to represent Ward 9 on the Common Council in 1880 and was seated on January 6, 1881.[3] He was defeated for reelection in 1881. Pope later blamed his vote to allow the Irish National Land League to use Faneuil Hall for his loss.[4] After leaving the council, Pope moved to the Southern United States. While there, his right leg was amputated after a revolver went off in his pocket.[5] By 1896, Pope was once again living in Boston.[6] From 1929 to 1934, Pope was a master in chancery.[7][8] Pope was found dead in his Pemberton Square law office on February 15, 1937. It was believed that he had died three or four days prior.[1]

Family

Pope's grandson, Lincoln Pope Jr., served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1957 to 1964.[9] His granddaughter, Doris Pope, was the wife of Herbert L. Jackson.[10]

References
  1. "Bootblack Finds Lawyer, 80. Dead". Afro-American. February 20, 1937.
  2. Hayden, Robert C. (1991). African-Americans in Boston More Than 350 Years. Boston: Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston. p. 93. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  3. "The Common Council". The Boston Globe. January 7, 1881.
  4. "Dowd President of City Council". The Boston Globe. January 3, 1934.
  5. "For the Benefit of James W. Pope". The Boston Globe. May 20, 1883.
  6. "Orators Urge Vigilance Need". The Boston Globe. July 5, 1936.
  7. "Allen Picks Cook for Bristol Court". The Boston Globe. October 3, 1929.
  8. "Hultman Resigns, Leonard In". The Boston Globe. December 28, 1934.
  9. Hayden, Bob (June 14, 1979). "Boston's Black History". Bay State Banner.
  10. Cash, William (December 25, 1977). "At 70, he thinks of running again". The Boston Globe.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.