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/1851.2.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Bill, I agree that there is no extant record showing Sarah to have the last name of Yates. In my last couple of posts, after you pointed out the lack of such evidence, I have be more careful to note "allegedly married to" David Yates, solely for the purpose of identifying which of the many David Ropers I am talking about. I respectfully disagree with your assertion that the mutation I have identified is more likely of recent origin. I can trace back 8 generations of Ropers to my cousin Randy Dean Roper with confidence, with the line beginning with John Roper of Halifax, VA, b. abt 1754. I can also trace back 8 generations of Ropers from David Roper of Caswell, NC, who allegedly married Sarah Yates, to Jeffrey Howard Roper, whose Y-DNA test results have the same mutation at the 25th marker. None of these Ropers from each line crossed at any time. They are all distinct fathers and sons. Other than David Roper of Caswell, they could not have shared any other common ancestor. There is also circumstantial evidence that John Roper of Halifax, VA is related to David Roper of Caswell. Considering the naming pattern in my line of a repeated John, David, John, David , John, one would expect David Roper to have a son named John. A John Roper appears in the December 10, 1776 Orange County Poll of election of delegates along with a David Roper and William Roper. Also, John Roper is residing in Halifax, VA, not too far from Caswell, NC, where the two areas are linked by a common river, and where John Yates, who married Jemima Roper, daughter of David Roper of Caswell, recently lived. Can you show me a potentially more recent common ancestor other than the David Roper of Caswell? 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>