This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: waroper Surnames: Roper, Payne Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.roper/1898.5.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: It is my understanding that George ROPER may be on a Fayette County, KY, Tax List for 1787. I have NOT seen images of this Tax List, but this bears checking out. * A posted compilation of the 1810 Tax List for Williamson County, TN, shows a George ROPER: See: http://www.usgwcensus.org/cenfiles/tn/williamson/1810/taxlist/index/qui-you.txt * It is my understanding that William ROPER appears on a Tax List for Davidson County, TN, in 1811. I have NOT seen this Tax List. * It is my understanding that a John ROPER and a David ROPER appear on the Tax List for Robertson County, TN, in 1812. I have NOT seen this Tax List. * George ROPER was the buyer at the Inventory Sale of Sarah PAYNE conducted on 15 Nov 1814. The Inventory Sale was returned at the January 1815 Court for Montgomery County, TN. The Montgomery County (Tenn.) Genealogical Journal, Vol. X, No. 2 (Dec. 1980), Page 40 http://www.tmcgj.com/issues/tmcgj_v10_02.pdf * * * The Fayette County, KY, Tax List mention from 1787 would seem likely to be Revolutionary War Veteran George ROPER. It is UNCLEAR which George ROPER is mentioned in the other records cited, but these records seem to place a George ROPER in Williamson County from a very early date. * * * The means of obtaining some clarity as to the various ROPERs in early Tennessee is to examine the ANNUAL TAX LISTS in EACH PLACE they are known to have resided. ALL of the Deed records, rather than only published ABSTRACTS of deed records, also need to be examined in EACH PLACE that the ROPERs are known to have resided. This was ALWAYS the CORRECT WAY to advance the family history and the reason the family history has languished has been due to speculative ascriptions, guesswork or simply fraudulent ascriptions of various ancestors rather than doing the basic, tedious chore of CHECKING THE EXTANT RECORDS. * Extant Tax Lists exist for Davidson County, TN, for the following years: 1789, 1805, 1811, 1812, 1829, 1839, 1871-1873, 1881-1900. Extant Tax Lists exist for Maury County, TN, for the following years: 1808-1818, 1824-1826, 1830-1837, 1843, 1854, 1857, 1859-1862, 1865-1878, 1883-1890, 1892-1900. Extant Tax Lists exist for Robertson County, TN, for the following years: 1812, 1836, 1837, 1867-1872, 1877-1880, 1883, 1884. Extant Tax Lists exist for Smith County, TN, for the following years: 1837, 1838, 1860, 1866-1869, 1872, 1873, 1876-1879, 1885 . Extant Tax Lists exist for Sumner County, TN, for the following years: 1787-1844, 1856, 1861, 1862, 1865-1870, 1891. Extant Tax Lists exist for Williamson County, TN, for the following years: 1800-1841, 1844-1856, 1859-1861, 1866, 1871, 1873-1900. Most of these Tax Lists are on MICROFILM and HAVE NEVER BEEN TRANSCRIBED. * As can be seen, there is NO REASON for there to be ANY DOUBT about the presence of various taxpayers in Williamson County, since a Tax List is available for Williamson County for EVERY YEAR from 1800 to 1841. Similarly, the extant Tax Lists for Maury County should give great clarity as to the presence of various ROPER ancestors. It is disgraceful that researchers have continued to INVENT various relationships and to publish their fraudulent lineages despite this abundance of data which could give an extremely rich and detailed understanding of precisely when various children reached majority, when ROPER ancestors arrived at or departed from each place, etc. I just find it dismaying that so many continue to cling to fraudulent ascriptions and refuse to do even the simplest of research when the records are KNOWN TO EXIST and it is a simple matter of looking up these records on microfilm at a Library (through interlibrary loan) or LDS Family History Center. * * * As I have repeatedly mentioned, there are extant Tax Lists for almost EVERY Virginia County ANNUALLY from 1782 to 1850, which lists give great clarity as to the presence of various ROPER ancestors. Similarly, there are extant Tax Lists for many North Carolina counties which have never been inspected. * * * I would be deeply embarrassed if I had a published lineage containing fraudulent representations and would be eager to clear the stain on the family name created by those dishonest family historians who continue to repost and republish the discredited, specious garbage that now passes for family history! Surely some of those who have relied on the fraudulent lineages can turn over a new leaf, come forward and assist in the effort to correct all the misinformation! 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>