Notes for Gates POPE

Another source say he and his brother Arnold were born in Plainfield, CT

Notes for Gersham Eliphelet POPE

Changed his name from Gersham to George

Notes for Gershom POPE

Gershom Pope was born Aug 22, 1743. On March 1, 1762, his father gave him half
of the homestead farm on the Eastern edge of Plainfield, Conn. About this time
he married Hannah Smith, a daughter of a Voluntown neighbor. He served in the
Northern Armyunder Arnold and Gates, and tradition says he attained the rank
of Captain. The War Department gives this record of him: “It is shown by the
records that one Gershom Pope was a member of Captain Samuel Hall’s company
of Light Horse, 4th ConnecticutRegiment commanded by Major Ebenezer Backus,
Revolutionary War. His name appears on a payroll of the above named company,
without date. with remarks as follows: When march Sept. 8; when discharged,
Nov 2; Days in service 60. The company was in servicein the year 1776.” On
Sept. 8, 1776, his regiment marched for New York but was relieved on Nov. 1,
and highly complimented in general order of George Washington. In 1779 he sold
his property in Plainfield and removed to Bennington, Vt. In1792 hepurchased
from Judge Cooper 240 acres of land in the extreme northern portion of the
present township of Burlington, N.Y. for which he paid twelve shillings per
acre. Gershom and his seven stalwart sons, four of whom had grown to manhood,
as well astwo sons-in-law, Joseph Smith, and William Monroe, all of whom were
settled in the vicinity of Burlington when the Census of 1790 was taken.The
first town meeting in Burlington was held April 2nd, 1793; on which occasion
Gershom Pope was elected Commissioner of highways, a position that meant more
with the unsettled and primitive conditions of the country than now. He
continued to residein Burlington, an honored and respected citizen, until his
death March 22, 1810, at the age of sixty-seven. His wife survived him twenty
years, and in the courtyard at Burlington Green their mortal remains rest side
by side. Two white marble slabs marktheir graves. These in contrast with the
dark stones usually found on old graves. His stone has the following
inscription:“In memory of Mr. Gershom Pope, who departed this life the 22nd
of March 1810, in the 68th year of his ageLo! here entombed the body
mouldering lies,Till the Arch-Angels trump shall bid rise.The soul released
with rapture wings its wayTo the bright regions of eternal days.”There is
also a marker placed by the D.A.R. It is traditional that he was a man of fine
personal appearance, strong and positive character, unblemished integraty,
consistant Christian, liberal in supporting thye institutions of religion,
generous toless successful neighbors, an srbitor and peace-maker always,
traits which we know to have been abundantly reproduced in his posterity to
this day.