This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: waroper Surnames: Roper, Abernathy Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.roper/1882.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Frank: I think it is tremendously helpful to elaborate on the family history and migrations of those intermarried with the ROPERs. In this case, your elaboration simply strengthens my argument that the ROPERs you are studying are probably descended from Charles ROPER and Ann GOODWYN. When you cite records from Charles City County, it is important to distinguish modern Charles City County from the ancient boundaries of Charles City. When you included this primary record reference, you are referring to an area which was probably ALWAYS in what we now know as Dinwiddie County: "ROBT. ABERNETHE, 100 acs. Chas. City Co., 7 Mar. 1665, p. 466, (567). S. side of James Riv. on the head of the poplar runn where it boundeth on land of James Wallis, S. on land of Thomas Duglas & the quarter land &c. Part of a greater devdt. granted to Patrick Jackson & Richard Barker & by sd. Jackson out of his parte sould to sd. Abernathe." Modern Charles City County is wholly on the Northern side of the James River and South of the Chickahominy. The area described was South of the James River and would have been part of Prince George County when the area South of the James was separated from Charles City County. Before 1702, both Dinwiddie and Prince George Counties were part of Charles City County (created in 1634). Brunswick County was created from Prince George County in 1720, but due to the sparseness of the population there, the county government wasn't organized until 1732. Dinwiddie County was created by an act of the General Assembly in 1752. Your next primary record reference is particularly fascinating and underscores the importance of getting the geography right: "Robert Abernethy and Sarah had a son named Robert Abernethy, Jr. b. abt 1657, VA, d. abt 1730 Prince George (?). VA, m. Christine Tillman. He acquired 100 acres in 1717 on the Horsepen Branch of Sapponi Creek." Sappony Creek is in CHESTERFIELD County South of the James River, but North of the Appomatox River. Chesterfield was historically a part of Henrico rather than Charles City County. This area of Chesterfield is in the Southern portion of Chesterfield County adjacent and across the bank from where Charles ROPER's family was seated in Dinwiddie. From what I can garner from modern records, Horsepen Branch isn't a tributary of Sappony Creek, but rather is another stream which seems to flow into Swift Creek. This is very near Thomas ROPER's ancient tracts in Chesterfield County and would therefore also be very near the Chesterfield ROPER family! Then you tell us: "Robert Abernethy and Christine had a child named Robert Abernethy, III, b. abt 1695, Charles City Co. VA, d. abt 1772, Tyron, NC; married Mary Harwell/Howell. They lived in Prince George Co. and Dinwiddie County. Their children are listed in the Bristol Parish Register." The mention that "They lived in Prince George Co. and Dinwiddie County" is almost certainly correct. But the ABERNATHY family probably didn't MOVE, the County boundaries did. The ABERNATHY family history tells us "Their children are listed in the Bristol Parish Register." Charles ROPER and Ann GOODWYN's two eldest children are also listed in the Bristol Parish Register. See: "Bristol Parish Register Entry for Twin Children of Charles and Ann ROPER" (1 Jul 2002 12:12PM GMT) http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.roper/493/mb.ashx I discussed Bristol Parish and furnished some references in a prior post last year: "A Quick Note About Bristol Parish" (6 Jun 2013 9:06PM GMT) http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.roper/1797.3.1.1.1.2/mb.ashx See also: "Ancient Boundaries of Bristol Parish" (19 Jul 2013 7:32PM GMT) http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.roper/1797.3.1.1.1.2.4/mb.ashx The next reference is internally inconsistent based upon a faulty understanding of geography, though it probably also reflects the changing of boundaries: "Robert Abernethy and Christine had a child named David Harwell Abernethy, b. May 29, 1726, Bristol Parish, Brunswick County, VA; d. bef 1814 Lincoln County, NC; married Martha Ann Turner." St. Andrews Parish seems to have been created with Brunswick County in 1720. The Northern portion of Brunswick County remained St. Andrews Parish after the creation of Meherrin Parish after 1753. David Harwell ABERNATHY might have been born in Bristol Parish in 1726 and he might have been born in Brunswick County, but it is unlikely that he was born in both. He might have been born in Brunswick County and been Christened in Bristol County, since even after the creation of the new County in 1720 it is unlikely to have had ANY church for some time. Of course, this area of Brunswick County is PRECISELY where several of Charles ROPER's sons, including both David ROPER and William ROPER first settled before moving to Edgefield, South Carolina. It would be interesting to see how close the ABERNATHYs in Brunswick were in proximity to the ROPERs in Brunswick. This information may help to further inform us about the Maury / Giles, Tennessee ROPER family, however, my suspicion is that this ROPER family is going to be connected to William ROPER and Martha PEAY. On the other hand, your discussion of the ABERNATHY family raises the prospect that a Chesterfield or Brunswick, Virginia, origin might make sense. But there seems to be NO EVIDENCE placing the ABERNATHYs in what is now Charles City County, the portion of the County which has always been Westover Parish. 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>