Workmen dig up gravestones

STUBBS, POPE, JONES, SCOTT, BROWN, JUNKIN, YOUNG, PIKE

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 5/25/2006 at 20:16:18

"Fairfield Tribune", Wed., Aug. 28, 1912, Pg. 6, Col. 3

UNEARTHED GRAVESTONE RECALLS EARLY DAYS. When workmen employed in making an excavation at the O. D. STUBBS residence, 201 E. Burlington Street, late yesterday afternoon uncovered a head and foot grave stone from a mass of earth, they believed that a murder mystery of some kind had been unearthed. The matter was reported to Mr. STUBBS and subsequent investigation disclosed the fact that the stones had probably been placed there from purely sentimental reasons.

The head stone was of a type in use a generation ago and bore the following inscription:

ROBERT B. POPE, Died Sept. 6, 1851, Aged 28 Years.
"The Lord gives and the Lord hath taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord."

Older residents of Fairfield recall the fact that Mr. POPE was one of the earlier publishers of this city. Mr. I. D. JONES, when seen by an "Evening Tribune" representative, declared that he remembered Mr. POPE very well.

"He was a very brilliant and capable writer," Mr. JONES stated. "He was half owner of the "Fairfield Sentinel", the first paper published in this city. A. S. SCOTT established the "Sentinel" in June, 1847, and in the following summer sold it to Ezra BROWN and R. B. POPE. W.W. JUNKIN, so long identified with the "Ledger", was an employee of Mr. SCOTT.

"Mr. POPE's writings did much to build up the "Sentinel" and it prospered under his editorship. He was a man who made many friends and was generally liked by all classes of people."

Through the kindness of Mrs. W. H. YOUNG, a niece of Mr. POPE, the following interesting clipping from the "Iowa State Gazette" of Sept. 17, 1851, is furnished: "Robert B. POPE, the talented and accomplished editor of the "Iowa Sentinel", died on the 6th inst., of the flux, a disease he contracted in the Mexican War. The last "Sentinel" contains a biographical notice of Mr. POPE, from which we extract the chief incidents of his life.

"Mr. POPE was born on the 9th day of June, 1823. He served an apprenticeship to the printing business under Mr. PIKE, the venerable conductor of the "Kentucky Flag". After the termination of his apprenticeship, he published the "Gospel Herald", at Leesburg, Ohio. This he soon abandoned, and became the editor and publisher of a sprightly democratic paper at Springfield, Ohio. Soon afterwards the Mexican War broke out, and he repaired to Cincinnati and joined a corps of volunteers. He was elected a Lieutenant in a company of the 2nd Ohio Regiment and in that capacity served during the war. He was engaged in numerous skirmishes, but in only two general engagements. When this war closed he removed to Fairfield, in this state, and in 1849 became the editor and a joint proprietor of the "Sentinel"."

"The deceased was a man of kind and generous feelings. He was warmly beloved at the place of his residence, and respected throughout the state. As a political writer he was racy, nervous, and radical."

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.