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/1898/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Secondary sources state that George Roper, b. 1765, NC, was the son of David Roper of Caswell, NC and Sarah. Secondary sources also state that George Roper was living in Caswell County, NC prior to moving to Williamson County, TN and Jefferson County, IL. I have not seen an extant document showing him residing in Caswell County. George Roper applied for a Revolutionary War pension in 1824 in Williamson County, TN. I will not post the transcription of that lengthy document again because it is easily accessed on the L. David Roper database for Roper Families in North Carolina and on other Internet sites. I will mention some of the pertinent facts from that application. Perhaps there is something in the pension application that indicates that George was residing in Caswell County, NC when he enrolled in the military in North Carolina. If anyone can demonstrate this, I would appreciate hearing from them. I suspect that secondary sources concluded that George Roper came from Caswell, NC because of a statement in the pension application of James Roper of Caswell County, NC and Simpson County, KY, that he, James Roper, had a brother named George Roper who lived in Illinois. However, I also suspect that James Roper was referring to another George Roper, Sr. of Washington County, IL. This does not mean that George Roper, b. 1765, NC did not come from Caswell, NC, but only that direct evidence of that fact may be lacking. Besides listing the campaigns and companies he was in during the war and making a case for his destitution, George Roper also gave information on his whereabouts after the War and about his family. Specifically, at the time he was applying for the pension in 1824, he stated that he was residing in Williamson County, TN, far from his son David C. Roper, who was age 23 in 1824. George Roper also stated that he himself was 59 years of age in 1824, giving him a birth date of 1765. There is also a letter in the pension application papers from an A. D. Miller, Assistant to Administrator, dated August 27, 1931, stating that "in 1828, the soldier was living in Jefferson County, Illinois, to be near his only child, David Roper, who was living there". The sworn affidavit signed by George Roper does not state that David C. Roper was his "only child", and, thus, I would be skeptical about the accuracy of statement by Mr. Miller in 1931 that David Roper was the "only child" of George Roper. The pension was transferred from Williamson County, TN to Jefferson County, IL in 1828, according to the application papers. Although it is not mentioned in the application, there is evidence that George Roper first went to Kentucky before he proceeded on to Tennessee and Illinois. To illustrate this evidence, I am first going to discuss the Jefferson County, IL census records, which will shed some light on this hypothesis. We know from the pension application papers that George Roper moved from Williamson County, TN to Jefferson County, IL in about 1828. Thus, he appears in the 1830 Jefferson County census records, indexed in Ancestry.com first as George Roper and secondly as George Rosser: George Roper 0-0-0-2-0-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-0 George Roper is shown as age 60-69, being born 1761-1770, and his presumed wife shown as age 50-59. There are two males 15-19 in the household. Next, he is seen in the 1840 Jefferson, IL census: George Roper 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-1-0-0-0 0-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-0 George Roper is shown as age 70-79, with his presumed wife of age 60-69. There is also one female 15-19. The two males shown in the 1830 census are not listed. There is also a separate column that lists Revolutionary pensioners, and George Roper's name is written out with his age of 78. This would mean he was born in 1762. Two of the three people in the household cannot read or write. George Roper is not seen after the 1840 census. I cannot find David C. Roper in the 1830 Jefferson County, IL census. George Roper, in his pension affidavit, never said his son resided in Jefferson County in 1828. George Roper said ""that he had a son named David C. Roper aged about 23 years who resides at a great distance from this applicant that he this applicant resides in Williamson County in the State of Tennessee." A.D. Miller, Assistant to Administrator, in his letter of 1931, stated that David C. Roper was living in Jefferson County in 1828: "John C. Stewart August 27, 1931, letter to Jessie R. McClelland, 609 E.11th St., East St. Louis, Illinois, Dear Madame: You are advised that it appears from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, S.36261, that George Roper enlisted...In 1824, he state that his son, David C. Roper, was aged twenty-three years. In 1828, the soldier was living in Jefferson County, Illinois to be near his son only child, David Roper, who was living there. Very truly yours, A. D. Miller, Assistant to Administrator." I think that George Roper of Williamson, TN was living near his son David C. Roper in 1830. However, George Roper was living in Jefferson County, IL, and his son David was probably living in the next door county of Marion County, IL. Marion County was carved out of Jefferson in 1823. We have two Ropers living next door to each other in the 1830 Marion County, IL census: David Roper 1-2-1-1-1-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0 0-0-0-1-0-1-0-0-0-0-0-0-0 George Roper (Rosser) 1-1-1-1-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-0-0 1-0-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-0-0-0 David Roper is shown as age 20-29, and his presumed wife as age 30-39 (This age difference will be consistent throughout the census records). They have one male <5, two males 5-9, one male 10-14, and one male 15-19. They have one female 15-19. George Roper (Rosser) is shown as age 40-49, with a presumed wife of 30-39. They have one male <5, one male 5-9, one male 10-14, and one male 15-19. They have one female <5. Because David Roper and George Roper are living next to each other, there is a good chance that they are related, either as brothers or as cousins. I cannot find this George in Marion County or Jefferson County, IL in 1840. However, he may be the George Roper found in the 1840 census of Fayette County, IL, the county just north of Marion County, IL: George Roper 1-1-1-1-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-0-0 0-0-1-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-0-0 George Roper is shown as age 50-59, and his presumed wife is age 40-49, consistent with the 1830 Marion census. Also, the male and females in the household are consistent with the 1830 Marion census. George Roper does not seem to be in Fayette County in 1850 and I cannot find him elsewhere. David C. Roper next appears in the 1840 Jefferson County, IL, after having moved from Marion County: David C. Roper 0-2-1-1-0-1-0-0-0-0-0-0-0 0-1-0-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-0-0 David C. Roper is 30-39, with a wife of 40-49. The children in the home are consistent with the 1830 Marion, IL census. David C. Roper next appears as David Roper in the 1850 Jefferson County, IL census: David Roper Age 50 Born abt. 1800 in Kentucky. Elizabeth Roper Age 55 Born abt. 1795 in Georgia. Franklin Roper Age 26 Born abt. 1824 in Illinois. Jackson Roper Age 18 Born abt. 1832 in Illinois. David Roper Age 15 Born abt. 1835 in Illinois. Janes Roper Age 17 Born abt. 1833 in Illinois. The important fact in this census is that David C. Roper said he was born in Kentucky. (Also, it is noteworthy that a Henry Fry, age 40, born in NC, is on the same page as David Roper. The Fry family married into the Roper family in Maury, TN.) Secondary sources state that another son of David C. Roper was a Marion Roper. Marion Roper, age 34, born Illinois, can be seen in the 1860 Jefferson, IL census residing next to Franklin Roper, age 37, and David Roper, age 24. The fact that David C. Roper named one of his sons Marion is evidence that David C. Roper in fact lived in Marion County, IL, in 1826, and not in Jefferson County, IL as stated in the above-referenced pension application. So if David C. Roper was born in Kentucky in 1800, we should be able to find his father George Roper in Kentucky. A George Roper is residing in Warren County, KY according to the Tax List which can be found on Ancestry.com. According to the L. David Roper database, he is the only George Roper shown in Kentucky in 1800. A George Roper can also be found in post-Revolutionary military service records on Ancestry.com: George Roper, State of Kentucky, Russell's Regiment, Calvary, Volunteers, Service 1793. Warren County, KY was created from Logan County, KY in 1796, on the south border of Kentucky, bordering Tennessee, in the area above Nashville, TN. So David C. Roper could have been born in Warren County, KY in 1800 when George Roper was residing there. I can find no other records for a George Roper in Kentucky. At some point, he will end up in Williamson, TN There is a George Roper who is found in the 1816 Maury County, TN tax list. There is also a George Roper shown in the L. David Roper database who is in Williamson County, TN in 1817 and who purchased property form a Stephen Pigg: "Williamson Co. Deed Book F, pp.53-54: Stephen Pigg 50 Acres of Land on Lick Creek conveyed by Geo. Roper registered 15 June 1817. This Indenture made the 19th day of April Between George Roper of the Co. of Williamson and State of TN of the one part, and Stephen Pigg of the same County and State of the Other part Witnesseth; that for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars to me in hand hath bargained, sold and conveyed unto Stephen Pigg all my right, title, claim and interest in and to a certain Tract or parcel of Land lying and being in Williamson Co. on the head waters of Lick Creek, lying on both sides of the Natchez road where Stephen Pigg now lives. Beginning at a poplar, dogwood and Spanish Oak near the head of a hollow in an Eastern branch of Lick Creek the dogwood and poplar marked G.R. thence South Ninety poles across the Natchez road to a White Oak on the point of a ridge,thence West Eighty nine poles to a Hickory on the West side of said road thence North Ninety poles to Spanish Oak and dogwood thence East Eighty nine poles to the beginning containing fifty acres to ???? ?? Stephen Pigg. To have, to hold, satisfy ?! ?? ???? with all and every appurtenance thereunto belonging and further I the said George Roper, my heirs and assigns will force and warrant the above Tract of fifty acres unto the said Stephen Pigg his heirs and assigns forever, In Witness whereof I the said George Roper have hereunto set my hand and Seal the day and date above written. George X (his mark) Roper. Test: William Sparmna, Seth Sparkman. On which deed was written The State of TN, Williamson Co. Court April Term 1819. The execution of the written deed of Conveyance,proven in part by the Oath of William Sparkman a Subscribing witness thereto, and at the present Time completed by the Oath of Seth Sparkman the other subscribing Witness thereto to be the Act and deed of George Roper for the use and pur- pose therein contained, and the same was ordered to be registered. Tho. Hardimand, Clerk of said Court". George Roper signed with his mark. I noted that in the 1840 Jefferson, IL census two of the people in the household could neither read nor write. George Roper does not appear in the 1820 Williamson County census, although he states in his pension application that he was there in 1824. However, George Roper also stated in his pension application that he was "possessed of no property whatsoever except his wearing apparel" and he could have been destitute in 1820 and not appeared as a householder. Why he would not appear in someone else's household I do not know. 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