opry

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

  Check the American Memory database.  Some lyric in some song (the database has lots of song lyrics) might have used "opry."
  I wouldn't be surprised if the Sam Slick novels of the 1840s used it.  I think both Artemus Ward and Mark Twain used "opry."

MICHIGANDER:  The Dictionary of Americanisms has 1835 for "Michigander," so Lincoln couldn't have coined it in 1848.  Geez!
MICHIGAN BANKROLL:  Gotta check.