The
author of
this little work is a
self made practical phrenologist. He was
moved to gather up this history into
a shape for publication by the many questions asked about his worthy
relatives and himself in his perambulations
throughout the country in the
prosecution of his profession.
When I first
began to travel I was
constantly meeting with persons who
would ask me if I were related to
such and such a Tope whom they knew, and
knowing little or nothing of the
relationship, I frequently could not tell,
though I supposed we were related in
some way. Being thus made ashamed of
myself so often for my ignorance, I
resolved to get posted.
Finding that there had been at least
six generations of Topes in this country,
and that no one had ever yet, that I
know of, attempted to record their history
in a special way, while the older
generations, on whom we would have to depend for information about
their
early history, were rapidly passing away, it
seemed high time that someone should
write it up. 1 reasoned in this way: Why
should not the Topes have a written
history? and why should not a search be
made for correct information that
will tend to bring them closer together and
keep them better acquainted with one
another, and hold their bond of friendship more closely intact? This I
have done pretty thoroughly, I think, consideding the circumstances,
and the
result is here given.
However, it is offered with
considerable reluctance, because of its
unavoidable incompleteness, and
imperfections. If the writing of this history
had been begun at an earlier date,
it might have been made much more comprehensive, interesting, and
satisfying. But the graves have closed over the first
and second generations, and nearly
all of the third, and much of their history
cannot now be obtained. Besides, the
Topes are a mighty numerous family,
and, scattered as they are all over
the American Continent, some of whom
have been slow to respond to
inquiries, time and patience were required. To
gather history and biography from
the four winds of the earth by piecemeal, as
it were, under such a condition of
affairs, and under depressing financial circumstances as well, has been
no
small task and necessitated delay. Yet this
book was bound to come. It is better
late than never!
Our excuse fbr not waiting longer to
collect more data is, that delays are
dangerous, and besides being a
burden to us, the notes and manuscript we had,
if not put into print, were liable
to be lost and the history would never be
printed; and better what we have
than none at all. Moreover, the older ones
may have the pleasure of reading it
before they die and can make valuable corrections and additional notes.
The historical facts are given as
nearly correct in every particular as possible,
though there may be incorrect
statements. For the benefit of every reader, we
have inserted a number of blank
pages on which may be noted any correction,
additional notes of past history, or
bits of interesting information of any kind
relating to it, and especially
future history as it may come up; all of which
from each one, with this, may at
some future time be revised into a larger
volume. Photographs were not
obtainable or available for the present work,
but many ought to be had to make the
larger book more useful and gratifying.
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