John Pope
English
John Pope, a native of Prince William County, Virginia, came to Kentucky with his family in 1779. After receiving an excellent education, Pope studied law and was admitted to the bar. From 1802 to 1804 Pope represented Shelby County in the State legislature and Fayette County in 1806. A year later he was elected to the United States Senate and served a full six-year term, acting as president pro tern in 1810 and 1811. In 1816 he was appointed secretary of state of Kentucky by Governor Gabriel Slaughter, but resigned after a few years, perhaps because of public reaction to his espousal of Federalism, unpopular in Kentucky. From 1825 to 1829 he served in the State senate. He relinquished his position to serve as Governor of the Arkansas Territory, having been appointed by President Andrew Jackson, until he again played a controversial role in the conflict over the charter of the Bank of the United States. Between 1837 and 1843 he served as a member of Congress. - NRHP, 24 August 1977