This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: waroper Surnames: Roper, Clark Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.roper/1851.1.1.2.1.1.2.1.1.1.3/mb.ashx Message Board Post: In the post above, you had again emphasized the primary record reflecting the prenuptial agreement between a David ROPER and a Sarah CLARK. I would first observe that no one seems to have yet pulled the extant Will for this David ROPER. I have seen people discuss this Revolutionary War veteran in various written/printed Queries over the years in advance of Internet genealogy. And he has been much discussed at this Message Board. But NO ONE has bothered to get the Will to find out WHAT IT SAYS. To me, speculating about these various relationships, beyond a certain point is a complete waste of energy. One develops a theory and then TESTS THE THEORY by obtaining actual data rather than moving from a questionable conclusion to a new theory based upon the shaky foundations of the prior inquiry. If the identity of the ROPERs in Rutherford is important to your investigation as to the origins of Charles Jackson ROPER or Philip Lawson ROPER, one simply OBTAINS the primary records, transcribes them and follows the data where it leads. The answer to some of your questions may very well be in that Will or the associated probate data. * Earlier in this thread, you identified the Census data for David ROPER, of Pulaski, in the 1820 and 1830 Census: "In the 1820 Pulaski census, there is only one David Roper family left in Pulaski, KY, who now has to be the Revolutionary War Veteran: David Roper 45 plus 1 male 26-44 1 female 45 plus 1 female 16-25" * "David Roper can again be seen in the 1830 Pulaski County, KY census on Ancestry.com: David Roper 70-79 1 female 50-59 No children" Neither of these posts identified the slave counts. * The 1810 Census data is somewhat ambiguous as to which David ROPER is the Revolutionary War Veteran. The prenuptial agreement with Sarah CLARK made in April 1820 states: "whereas the said David Roper is sirgrd? of certain lan or property and tenements to the amount of 285 acres whereon he now lives on part thereof and certain slaves, to wit: Dick, Linany, Sewer & Linny." Does David ROPER's 1820 Census record reflect ownership of four slaves? What are the genders and age distributions of the slaves shown in the 1820 Census record for David 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>