The Russell R. Pope Family

Russell R. Pope was the fourth child of Francis Pope (a Civil War veteran) and Sarah Croninger who came to Henry County at the age of 5 and 11 respectively. They were married May 9, 1869. Their other four children were: Elmus Pope, who married Maude Fisher; Alice Pope, who married Pliny Meyers; and Ella Pope, who married Milton Mowery.

All four children were born and grew up on Randall Hill sometimes called Sandy Hill in Harrison Township, Henry County.

Frank and Sarah Pope moved to Pope Road, now known as County Road in Damascus Township. Russell married Anna Wulff, daughter of Harmon and Anna Cornelius Wulff, from near Texas, Ohio. Anna's parents came from Oldenberg, Germany, and Harmon cleared and settled the land on which he raised his family. (The log cabin in which Anna was born in 1873 still stands on the Joe Wulff farm near Liberty Center.) Harmon Wulf made several trips back to Germany to bring many relatives and friends back with him to Henry County. On one of these trips he brought back his bride and to this union five children were born.

Russell met Anna Wulff at a 4th of July celebration at Texas, Ohio. In order to court her, it was necessary for him to drive to the ferry to cross the Maumee. Usually the ferry would be on the Texas side of the river, so then he would row a boat across, bring back the ferry, then go back across with his horse and buggy. (There should be an enclosed picture of the same ferry.)

Previous to this courtship Anna Wulff attended Defiance College in 1890 and majored in penmanship. She also was a self-taught seamstress and became an accomplished dress maker for some of the wealthy families in Defiance.

After courting a short time, Russell and Anna were married on Aug. 19, 1900.

Housekeeping was set up and when the property across the road from Frank Pope on N Road was for sale, Russell bought it.

Besides farming, he supplemented his income by opening a blacksmith shop. Being a very large and powerful man, he did well in that business until he took over the dealership for the Coleman Actelyne Lamp Co. He was very successful selling this new lighting system for miles around.

It soon became necessary to erect a barn on the farm, so with the help of all the neighbors, a barn raising was had - topping it all off with a big, old fashioned barn dance. Friends and neighbors came for miles around. The orchestra consisted of 3 pieces. Russell played the fiddle, Mrs. Harry Gray, the piano and Grant Conn, the drums. This was only the beginning for the small orchestra. They soon became famous, playing at Saturday night dances at the Grelton K. of P. Hall and many other functions, for $3.00 each.

Saturdays for the family were usually spent shopping in town. Eggs and homemade butter were traded for staple groceries, and enough money was left over for a stick of candy, or maybe a pair of shoes.

The church the family attended was the Grelton United Methodist, which is still active, and the children attended the Fisher School, and then the Grelton High School.

One highlight of the year was the Henry County Fair. With a well filled picnic basket, the family would ride the 10 miles to Napoleon in a surry, and spent the entire day at the fair.

Another form of entertainment, in the winter was sliding down the big hill on the Fred Kelly farm. Kelly's Hill as all the children of the Grelton area have called it for over 100 years.

Mr. and Mrs. Russell Pope, McClure, Ohio

In 1923 the Grelton General Store was for sale and Russell bought it and moved his family to Grelton. He did a very profitable business and when he sold the store, he took the family on an extended trip out west.

When they returned, Russell had the opportunity to buy the John Conn store in McClure. Since no homes were available, he had the large house they lived in, in Grelton, moved to McClure, which was five miles. This was quite a project in those days, as it was necessary to cut telephone wires. The house was placed on the south main street of McClure where it stands today.

In Russell's early years he had very little education, (about 4 years). But without much formal education, he became a very successful businessman.

Paul Pope, Bowling Green, Mrs. Virgil (Grace Pope) Howe, Grelton, Mrs. Howard (Frances Pope) Mercer, Toledo, Mrs. Edward (Rozena Pope) Mauk, Toledo.

His store in McClure became widely known for its fresh meat, they had their own slaughter house, and also was the first frozen food locker plant in Henry County, and all of the area. The store was bought by his son Paul Pope who used it as a stepping stone to begin the widely known Food Town Super Markets of northwest Ohio and southeastern Michigan, of which he is now vice-president and co-owner. At the present time there are about 48 of these stores in the area.

There were four children born to the union of Russell Pope and Anna Wulff: Rozena, a graduate of St. Vincent's Medical Center, married to Edward Mauk, lives in Toledo. (Their son Edward Mauk, Jr., married Julie Nagy, their children are Gary Maukand Amy Mauk); Frances, a graduate of St. Vincent's Medical Center, who married Howard Mercer, and lives in Ottawa Hills, Ohio; Grace, married to Virgil Howe and lives in Grelton. Their two children are Jacqueline, married to Robert Sautter, children Renee Sautter and Rochell Sautter. And Gary Howe, married to Bonnie Pease, (their children are: Richard D. Howe, Faith Howe, James Howe, and Charles Howe); Paul, married to Lillian Patterson, lives in Bowling Green. (Their two children are Douglas Pope, married to LuAnn Hess; their children are: Paul Douglas and Erica Pope, and their other child is Diane Pope.)

Submitted By Grace Howe (Mrs. Virgil)