This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: waroper Surnames: Roper Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.roper/1927.1.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Aaron ROPER is first separately enumerated in the 1840 Census residing in Lumpkin, Georgia near his mother and brothers: Aaron ROPER:.. 3 - 2 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 0 - 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 [Lumpkin, GA 1840] See: "United States Census, 1840," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.2/1TP4-TCN : accessed 13 Jun 2014), Aaron Roper, Smiths, Lumpkin, Georgia; citing "1840 United States Federal Census," Ancestry.com; p. 267, NARA microfilm publication M704, roll 45, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C.; FHL microfilm 0007045. Aaron ROPER is shown to be age 30 to 39 (b abt 1801-10) in the 1840 Census record. * * * Aaron is next enumerated in 1850 Lumpkin, Georgia, this time at a place called Keiths with his growing family: Aaron ROPER, age 50, Male, Farmer, R. E. $300, born SC Sarah ROPER, age 45, Female, born SC Martha ROPER, age 13, Female, born GA Benjamin ROPER, age 14, Male, born GA George ROPER, age 12, Male, born GA Ann ROPER, age 9, Female, born GA Lucinda ROPER, age 7, Female, born GA Hamilton ROPER, age 5, Male, born GA [Image 3 of 8 within the Ancestry.com presentation of Census data for this place] See: "United States Census, 1850," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.2/M4L3-GQX : accessed 13 Jun 2014), Aaron Roper, Ruth, Lumpkin, Georgia, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication M432. Aaron ROPER is clearly shown to have already been present in Georgia since 1836. * * * Aaron ROPER is enumerated at age 60 residing at Blacks, Dawson County, GA, with wife Sarah, age 57, and son Hamilton, age 14. See: "United States Census, 1860," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.2/M464-26Z : accessed 13 Jun 2014), Aaron Roper, Blacks District, Dawson, Georgia, United States; citing "1860 U.S. Federal Census - Population," Fold3.com; p. 60, household ID 559, NARA microfilm publication M653; FHL microfilm 803119. * * * Aaron ROPER, age 69, is enumerated in the 1870 Census residing at Sanford District, Dawson, Georgia, with Sarah Ann ROPER, age 28, and John L. ROPER, age 8, (shown to be female). This Census is dated 30 Jul 1870. See: "United States Census, 1870," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.2/M49M-XC6 : accessed 13 Jun 2014), Aaron Roper, Georgia, United States; citing p. 89, family 649, NARA microfilm publication M593, FHL microfilm 000545645. * * * In 1880, Aaron ROPER is still living and is enumerated residing at Blacks, Dawson County, GA. He is shown to be age 80, with wife Martha, age 46. Nancy HOWARD, age 20, is shown to be residing in this household and she is identified as a daughter. Thomas HOWARD, age 16, is also enumerated in Aaron ROPER's household that year and a Jerry HOWARD is shown in the adjacent record. See: "United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.2/M4BY-JST : accessed 13 Jun 2014), Aaron Roper, Blacks, Dawson, Georgia, United States; citing sheet 84D, NARA microfilm publication T9. It seems most likely that the HOWARDS are Martha's children from a prior marriage and Aaron's step-children rather than children. Aaron ROPER is shown to be born in South Carolina to parents each born in South Carolina. The 1880 Census record is dated 10 Jun 1880. I BELIEVE THAT THE ASSERTION THAT Aaron's father was born in South Carolina is NOT TRUSTWORTHY for reasons discussed under the topic "Benjamin ROPER's Age and Place of Birth" * * * Aaron ROPER's Year of Birth age 30 to 39 (b abt 1801-10) [1840] b abt 1800 (age 50) [1850] b abt 1800 (age 60) [1860] b abt 1801 (age 69) [1870] b abt 1800 (age 80) [1880] This seems to suggest a year of birth 1800-1. However, it should be noted that the 1800 Census shows only ONE male under age 10. EITHER Meredith ROPER or Aaron ROPER was probably born in 1800 and the other was probably born in 1801, although perhaps there is a possibility that BOTH could have been born in 1800 if one was born in January or February. Meredith left the household first, married first and was apparently listed ahead of Aaron in the probate records. This seems to me to suggest Meredith was probably the older son. * * * Secondary sources show Aaron ROPER to have been married to a Rhoda HOPKINS when Aaron was about age 9 with a daughter named Elizabeth Malinda ROPER (b abt 1811). I do NOT find this assertion to be at all credible. The female shown to be age 15 to 19 residing within Jacob ROPER's household seems more likely to be a sister, sister-in-law or other person rather than a daughter and the ascription of a daughter conceived about 1810 when Aaron was only age 8 or 9 seems like another of the fictionalist recreations of ROPER family history perhaps intended for either the amusement of deprecation of the family. I do NOT subscribe to this nonsense and would encourage any honest or serious genealogist to DISCONNECT this Elizabeth from Aaron ROPER's family. * * Secondary sources also claim that Aaron ROPER's first wife died in 1855 in Pickens, South Carolina, even though (a) Aaron ROPER migrated to Georgia with his family before 1836 and (b) Aaron ROPER's wife Sarah ROPER (b abt 1803-5) is again enumerated within the U.S. Census residing in Blacks, Dawson County, GA. In my view, the assertion by some ROPER fictionalists that Sarah ROPER died in 1855 and that her corpse was then to Blacks, Dawson County, GA, to be enumerated in the 1860 Census does NOT seem credible. 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>