William Henry Pope was born in Bedeque, P.E.I on May 29,1825. The elder son of James Pope and Lucy Colledge.
He was educated on P.E.I and later in England, he was studing Law. He was called to the bar in 1847, In addition to practicing Law, he acted as a land agent. Through the 1850's he became very involved with the Concervative Party. He began his official political career in 1859. He was not elected that year, but was appointed colonial secretary new policy of "nondepartmentalism" - an effort to combat patronge. He also became the editor of "The Islander", a prominent Conservative newspaper.
With the differences between the Protestants and the Catholics, Pope became involved with the attempts in reconciling their differences, with many failed attemps the matter was given up in favour up of solidifying Protestents support of Concervatives. Resulting in a Conservative win in the 1863 general election. Pope won a seat as a member for Belfast.
In 1866, Pope resigned his seat and did not run in the 1867 election. After resigning from the legislature, he continued to support the Confederation campaign by writing letters and doing lectures, and rebuilding the Conservatives into a Pro-union Party. It was his coalition that led the island into Confederation that July.
William Pope remained as editor of "The Island" until 1872. With the coming of Confederation, he was appointed Prince County Court Judge. His term as judge was very successfull.
In 1878, he did a revision and consolidation of thr province's (P.E.I) statutes. Willian Henry Pope died October 7, 1879, in St. Eleanor, P.E.I at the age of 54.
Interesting facts
- James Colledge Pope, the government of Sir John A. Macdonald appointed him judge of the Prince County Court.
- He married Helen DesBrisay in 1851.
- Father MacDonald and William Pope had clashed in public concerning the temporal powers of the papacy.
- The reason for Pope's resigning of his seat, was because his