Name:
George Overton Pope 
Location served:
Bothwell  
Years in Practice:
1885 to 1920
Area of Specialization:
Family Physician  

Biography:

Dr George Overton Pope was born in Saline, Michigan on the 16th of April, 1862.  Dr. Pope was the 2nd of 7 children born to Dr. Francis Henry Pope and the former Mary Lutz. His older sister Elizabeth Choules Pope had been born in Illinois in 1859. His father served in the American Civil War for a brief period of time in 1862.  Dr. Francis Henry Pope formalized his medical education at The University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine and he graduated M.D. in 1868.  Upon his graduation Dr. Frances Henry Pope settled his family in Bothwell, where he developed a thriving practice.  Five more children were born in Bothwell; William Greenleaf Eliot Pope, Frances Henry Pope Jr., Mary Ritchie Pope, Roy Pope and Wayne Pope (who died at the age of 10).

Dr. George Overton Pope married Harriett “Hattie” J. Davis in 1883.  Mrs. Pope was born in Lambton County, Ontario on the 28th of April, 1864.  She was the only child of Luke W. Davis and the former Elizabeth Snodau.  Her father was a farmer in the 1840’s but eventually went in to the wool manufacturing business.  In 1881, the Davis family lived in Bothwell.

Dr. George Pope graduated from the Michigan College of Medicine in 1885.  According to the Directory of Deceased American Physicians, Dr. Pope also studied at Trinity College in Toronto.

In 1900, Dr. and Mrs Pope and her mother Elizabeth Davis resided on Macon Street in Latham, Illinois, where Dr. Pope was a practicing physician.   According to the 1910 U.S. Census, Dr. and Mrs. Pope lived in the Village of Niantic in Illinois, but by 1911 Dr. George Pope and his wife were living in Bothwell with his 91 year-old father and attending to patients.

Mrs. Hattie Pope died in Bothwell on the 30th of August, 1914 and she was buried at the West Bothwell Cemetery in Chatham-Kent.

Dr. Pope married Margaret “Maggie” J. Reid on the 15th of December, 1915 in Detroit, Michigan.  Mrs. Pope was born on the 31st of September, 1869 near Ingersoll, Ontario.  She was the 5th of 8 children born to Colin Reid and the former Mary Galbraith.  Her parents were born and raised in Scotland and in fact they married in Scotland in 1855 prior to immigrating to Canada.  Mrs. Pope’s father was a building contractor/manufacturer and her siblings were; Mary Agnes Reid, Peter Reid, Flora Reid, Colin Jr., Annie Isabella Reid, Donald Galbraith Reid and John Campbell Reid.  Sometime prior to 1871, the Reid family settled in Bothwell.  At the time of their marriage Dr Pope lived in Latham, Illinois and Mrs. Pope lived in Bothwell, but by 1918, Dr. and Mrs. Pope lived in Bothwell.  Dr Pope built a fine home located on Chestnut Street in Bothwell (see photograph below).

Dr. Pope returned to Latham, Illinois in May of 1918 and looked after the medical practice of his nephew, Dr. Harry Overton Pope, while he served overseas during WWI.  Dr. George Pope stayed for about 1 year before returning to Bothwell.

Dr. Pope died at his residence in Latham, Illinois on the 26th of November, 1928.  Mrs. Margaret Pope died on the 7th of February, 1936 in Latham, Illinois.  Dr. and Mrs. Pope were buried at West Bothwell Cemetery.

*Dr. Pope’s father Dr. Francis Henry Pope and his nephew Dr. Harry Overton Pope (son of William Eliott Greenleaf Pope) are also featured on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.

**Mrs. Margaret J. (Reid) Pope’s sister Mary Reid married Dr. Peter Lamont Graham in 1878. Dr. Graham practiced medicine in Bothwell and he is also featured on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.