This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: batchelorw Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.roper/1896/mb.ashx Message Board Post: I was recently contacted through the message board of Ancestry.com by Bonnie Samuel, who claims descent from Herndon Samuel of Caswell County, NC, and his wife, Jane F. Roper (third great grandparents of Bonnie Samuel). She stated that secondary sources have assigned Jane F. Roper as a daughter of William Roper and Keziah Yates of Caswell, NC, for which she could find no evidence. She said that she has been reading my posts with interest, because the naming pattern within Samuel Herndon's family suggests Jane F. Roper's father might be a John Roper. She further stated that there was a John Roper "buying land and living in close proximity to the Samuel's of the County Line Creek area of Caswell County, NC. Jane F. Roper is the probable daughter off John Roper of Halifax County, VA, and not the daughter of William Roper and Keziah Yates. Jane F. Roper married "Harndon Samuel" on November 4, 1815 in Caswell, NC, for which there is an extant Caswell County record. Samuel Brandon was the bondsman. I cannot find an 1820 census record for Herndon Samuel. However, he appears in the 1830 Caswell County, NC census, 4 properties away from Henry Roper, son of John Roper of Halifax County, VA. Herndon Samuel is shown as age 40-49, and his wife is shown as age 30-39. Herndon Samuel is next found in the 1840 Rockcastle, KY census, as age 50-59, with a wife age 40-49. I cannot find a Herndon Samuel in an 1850 Mercer, KY census, unless it is Hernandoe Samuel, age 62, laborer, born NC, living in the household of James Hatchel, age 30. He appears to have no wife living with him at that household. However, the important census record for me is the 1860 Rockcastle, KY census that has an appearance by Jane Samuels, age 67, widow, born in Virginia. She is living in the household of George Thompson, age 37, married to a Martha, age 39. Secondary sources list the following children, among others, of Herndon Samuel and Jane F. Roper: Martha Ann Samuel b. 21 Aug. 1820, Caswell, NC; d. 03 April, 1862, Rockcastle, KY; m. George Thompson. John C. Samuel b. Aug 1819 Caswell, NC; d. 24 July, 1896, Marmaton, Bourbon, KS. Why would John Roper of Halifax, VA, rather than William Roper and Keziah Yates of Caswell, NC, be the father of Jane F. Roper? First, secondary sources have mistakenly attributed all of the children of John Roper to William Roper and Keziah Yates. I have pointed this out in past postings. Second, John Roper purchased property from a George Samuel as seen in the L. David Roper database. This property was on the west side of Country Line Creek: "K:104: George Samuel to John Roper of Halifax Co. VA for 200 lbs 255 acres on creek near Ragsdale's old mill. 12 May 1797. Wit: Asa Thomas, James Robertson, Will Thomas." "N:133: John Roper to William Yates for 50 lbs 50 acres W side Country Line Cr. at Roper's Spring Br. 13 Nov 1798 Wit: Saml S. Farley, Abner Robinson." The Samuel Family, including Archibald Samuel, the attributed father of Herndon Samuel, can be seen in the L. David Roper database in numerous deeds in Caswell, NC, living next to John Roper and his family: "Caswell Co. Deeds: N:41: Joab Robinson of Linkham Co. (Lincoln Co.) KY to Matthew Terry for $177 88.5 acres on Miry Br of Country Line Cr adj Thomas Boulton, John Roper 4 Jan 1803 Wit: Danl S. Farley, Archd Samuel, John C.Rogers O:119: Allen Yates to Josiah Samuel for 100 lbs 150 acres on Country Line Cr. adj. John Roper, Thomas Boulton, John Rogers, Craften Williams, Lewis Vaughan, William Rainey, Joseph Flipper, William Yates, excepting his interest in the mother's dower during her life and after her death (Caty Yates) his interest included in this sale. 25 Oct 1805 Wit: John Stanfield, Archd Samuel D. Richards. Q:1: Durrett Richards to Matthew Terry for $200 88.5 acres on Ming Br. of Country Line Cr adj. Thomas Boulton, John Roper 8 Sep 1805. Wit: Jno Stamps, Jno Williams, Jas Samuel Azariah Graves. Q:76: John Roper to Henry Roper for $500 100 acres on Country Line Cr. adj. William Yates, heirs of Thomas Boulton 3 Nov 1809 Wit: Jno Stanfield, Durrett Richards, Archd Samuel. Q:65: Jesse Carter to John Swann for $500 140 acres & 38 acres on Rattlesnake Creek adj. David Roper, John Carmon 2 Jan 1810. Wit: A. L. Bennett, J. Barker. Q:211: Matthew Terry to heirs of Thomas Boulton for $300 pd by Thomas Boulton decd, 88.5 acres on Miry Br of Country Line Cr adj John Roper 13 jan 1810. Wit: Danl S. Farley, Archd Samuel, John Hubbard. Q:408: Jeremiah Samuel to Edward Samuel of Lincoln? Co. GA for $500 200 acres on Country Line Cr. adj Stephens 9 Jan 1812. Wit: Samuel Pittard, Henry Roper, Archd Samuel." John Roper moved from Halifax County, Virginia in about 1797 to Caswell, NC where he bought property. Sometime after 1813, when he suffered a judgment against his property, he moved to Cumberland, KY to be near his son David Roper. John took his son John C Roper with him to Cumberland, KY. The third son of John Roper was Henry Roper, who had married Rachel Farley in Caswell, NC and who remained in Caswell, NC. Third, Jane F. Samuel stated in the 1860 Rockcastle, KY census that she was born in Virginia in about 1793. William Roper and his wife Keziah Yates, to my knowledge, never lived in Virginia. John Roper is the only Roper who was living in Halifax County, VA when Jane F. Roper was born. Thus, I think it is quite clear that Jane F. Roper was the daughter of John Roper of Halifax County, VA. There is also a possible clue as to the identity of the wife of John Roper, based on naming patterns. John named a son David, after his father David Roper of Caswell, NC. He also named a son John, whom I believe was the father of David. Henry Roper, a son of John Roper, married Rachel Farley, daughter of Hezekiah Farley. Is it possible that John Roper of Halifax County, NC and his wife, named a daughter Jane F. Roper, which was the name of John's wife, Jane Farley? This is presently only a suspicion which I will have to follow-up on. Also, Jane F. Roper Herndon Samuel named a son John C. Samuel. Was he named after Jane's brother, John C. Roper? Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board. <br>