This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: waroper Surnames: Roper, McNally Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.roper/1925.4/mb.ashx Message Board Post: As noted in the original post above, James and Margaret ROPER seem to have had a son [or at least a male age 5 to 9 (b abt 1821-5)] residing in their household in 1830. Given the errors in identification of age in the Census, I have slightly opened up this age range to identify candidates, as shown below. These ROPERs are shown in the 1850 Census to have been born in Tennessee and in the age range 22 to 32 (b abt 1818-28): Philip ROPER, age 32, of Blount, AL John H. ROPER, age 31, of Wright, MO E. L. ROPER,, age 30, of Washington, MS Thomas ROPER, age 30, of Stewart, TN Wiley B. ROPER, age 30, of Giles, TN William ROPER, age 30, of Greene, MO John Y. ROPER, age 28, of Sumner, TN G. W. ROPER, age 27, of Trinity, CA James C. ROPER, age 27, of Giles, TN George W. ROPER, age 26, of Williamson, TN Marcus L. ROPER, age 25, of Stewart, TN (PLACE of birth NOT GIVEN in 1850) James ROPER, age 26, of Shelby, TN John T. ROPER, age 26, of Perry, TN Thompson ROPER, age 23, of Stewart, TN George ROPER, age 22, of Pope, AR * Philip ROPER (b abt 1818) seems to be too old to be the unknown son (b abt 1821-5) of James and Margaret ROPER. The John H. ROPER shown is KNOWN to be John Henry ROPER (b 27 Jan 1819), son of John ROPER (b 08 Jan 1788 - NC, d Oct 1863), of Greene and Pulaski Counties, Missouri. Wiley B. ROPER's age seems to be understated in the 1850 Census record. This is almost certainly Wiley B. ROPER (b 12 Jun 1814 - TN, d 24 Nov 1897 - MO). Wiley's appearance in Greene County, MO, in 1860, is suggestive of a possible family connection to the family of James ROPER, John ROPER and David ROPER, of Monroe-Blount-McMinn, TN. However, Wiley seems to be much too old to be the child of age 5 to 9 (b abt 1821-5) shown in James ROPER's 1840 Census record. William ROPER (b abt 1820), of Greene, MO, is almost certainly William F. ROPER (b 10 May 1819 - TN), son of David ROPER (b abt 1791 - SC, d aft 1870), of Greene County, MO. John Y. ROPER (b abt 1822) is believed to be the son of John Y. and Sarah ROPER, of Sumner, TN. James C. ROPER, age 27, of Giles, TN, is James C. ROPER (b 28 Mar 1923), the one child ascribed to David Y. ROPER and Dionysia (Abernathy) ROPER about whom we have reasonable confidence, since his mother resided in his household in 1850 and he was expressly named in his mother's Will. George W. ROPER (b abt 1824), of Williamson, TN, is believed to be the son of George ROPER, of Williamson. George ROPER (b abt 1828), of Pope, AR, and Thompson ROPER (b abt 1827), of Stewart, TN, seem to be too young to be the unknown son (b abt 1821-5) of James and Margaret ROPER. * * * This would seem to slightly narrow the list of possible candidates from 1850 to: E. L. ROPER,, age 30, of Washington, MS Thomas ROPER, age 30, of Stewart, TN G. W. ROPER, age 27, of Trinity, CA James ROPER, age 26, of Shelby, TN John T. ROPER, age 26, of Perry, TN Marcus L. ROPER, age 25, of Stewart, TN There are probably a handful of other candidates whom I haven't successfully identified based upon the 1850 Census. It is also possible that the ABSENCE of the male from James ROPER's household in 1840 may simply reflect that the son died young. But it was not at all uncommon for young men to leave home and go to live with a friend or relative. * * * * * Looking at a list of candidates again based upon the 1860 Census, we have the following shown to be born in Tennessee from 1818 to 1828: William ROPER, age 42, of Clinton, Texas County, MO [William F. ROPER (b 10 May 1819 - TN)] John H. ROPER, age 41, of Clinton, Texas County, MO [John Henry ROPER (b 27 Jan 1819 - TN)] Joel D. ROPER, age 40, of Williamson, TN [Joel D. ROPER (b 21 Mar 1821 - Dinwiddie, VA, d abt 1902), son of David W. ROPER (abt 1795-1800 - Dinwiddie, VA, d 11 Feb 1840 - Williamson Co., TN)] Thomas ROPER, age 40, of Stewart, TN William ROPER, age 40, of Saline, IL John Y. ROPER, age 39, of Sumner, TN [son of John Y. and Sarah ROPER, of Sumner, TN] J. C. ROPER, age 38, of Liberty, St Francois, MO [This is James C. ROPER (b 28 Mar 1923), previously found in Giles, TN] David T. ROPER, age 37, of New Madrid, MO George ROPER, age 37, of Todd, KY [George W. ROPER (b abt 1824), previously of Williamson, TN] J. Y. ROPER, age 37, of Gibson, TN James W. ROPER, age 36, of Talladega, AL George ROPER, age 35, of Delaware, Yell, AR M. L. ROPER, age 35, of Maury, TN [Marcus L. ROPER, formerly of Stewart, TN] J. H. ROPER, age 32, of Atchison, KS * * We can therefore rationalize this list from 1860 to: Thomas ROPER, age 40, of Stewart, TN William ROPER, age 40, of Saline, IL David T. ROPER, age 37, of New Madrid, MO J. Y. ROPER, age 37, of Gibson, TN James W. ROPER, age 36, of Talladega, AL George ROPER, age 35, of Delaware, Yell, AR M. L. ROPER, age 35, of Maury, TN J. H. ROPER, age 32, of Atchison, KS 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>