This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: waroper Surnames: Roper, Sherwin Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.roper/1909/mb.ashx Message Board Post: A biographical sketch of William ROPER (b 1822 - Manchester, England) appears within the book History of Greene County, Illinois: Its Past and Present, Containing a History of the County; Its Cities, Towns, Etc.; a Biographical Directory of Its Citizens ... (Chicago: Donnelley, Gassette & Loyd, Publishers, 1879) at page 561-2: "ROPER WILLIAM, farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 6, P.O. Breese. Mr. Roper, who for the past twenty years has been a resident of Greene County, was born at Manchester, England in 1822. His father, John Roper, was a machinist by trade, and to him young Roper was regularly apprenticed. Completing his apprenticeship he worked some time as a journeyman, and on the decease of his father became proprietor of his shops. In 1844 he married Mary Ann Sherwin, a daughter of William Sherwin, of Derby, England. In 1849 William determined to emigrate to America. On two occasions he was nearly shipwrecked. Landed in New York City, and from here he made his was to Scott County, thence to St. Louis, where he worked in the Western Foundry for seven years. He then went to Springfield, from Springfield to Jacksonville, and thence to Greene County, where he now owns a farm of forty acres. He has four children living: John, William, George and Catherine, who married Charles Clough. Rudel John, renter, P.O. Breese." William ROPER's farm is further shown to be in Township 12, North, Range 12 West. A copy of this book is available online at Google Books: http://books.google.com/books?id=S4xQAAAAYAAJ&dq=%&pg=PA561#v=onepage&q&f=false * * * William and Mary ROPER are enumerated residing in Jacksonville, Morgan County, Illinois, in the 1870 Census enumeration. William is shown to be age 45, born England, Mary is shown to be age 44, born England, John ROPER, age 12, is shown to be born in Illinois, as is William ROPER, age 5. [Ancestry Image 33 of 68 for Jacksonville Ward 4.] William ROPER (b Dec 1865 - IL) is shown to be residing in Greene County, IL, at the 1900 Census enumeration, with wife Martha and two children. I did NOT find William ROPER in the 1880 Census. Secondary sources show this William ROPER dying in Saline County, Kansas. I am unaware of the support for this assertion. 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>