This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: waroper Surnames: Roper, Ainsworth, Moody Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.roper/1925.1.1.1.1.2.2.1.1.3/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Kellie: There are few enough AINSWORTH in the United States in the period prior to 1850, especially in the South, that there are only a handful of places to look for records connecting the prior generations. While it is plausible that a New England AINSWORTH family migrated to Tennessee, it is far more likely that the Tennessee AINSWORTHs migrated from North Carolina or South Carolina, which were more frequent sources of early Tennessee pioneers. While it is still somewhat premature to be looking for William AINSWORTH's grandfather while the identity of his parents remains uncertain, even so it perhaps bears mention that there are only 32 AINSWORTH / AYNSWORTH households nationally in the 1790 U.S. Census. Of these, only are located in the South: James AINSWORTH, of Burke, North Carolina Levin AINSWORTH, of St. Thomas, Cheraws District, SC Levin AINSWORTH, Jr., of St. Thomas, Cheraws District, SC William AINSWORTH, of Laurens, SC * You should probably also be looking at HAYNESWORTH and HAINESWORTH records. * I would call your particular attention to the James AINSWORTH shown to be residing in Burke, NC, in 1790. Burke, NC, was a place the ROPERs were also settled from a very early date. This James ROPER seems to be residing in the area of the 10th Company. He is enumerated adjacent to a William MOODY. [Ancestry Image 8 of 11] James ROPER is enumerated within the 12th Company for Burke, two Census pages later at Image 10 of 11. * * * The John ROPER we suspect may have been James ROPER's (b abt 1786 - NC) father is enumerated in Pendleton, SC, in 1790. There is a James CANNON and two STEPHENSONs (James and William) on this Census page. There are also two STEPHENSON households on the previous page (another James and William), as well as an Ann CANNON and a Thomas ROPER or RAPER on the following page. * * * * * In 1800, there are these AINSWORTH households in the South: James AINSWORTH, of Rutherfordton, Rutherford, NC Jeremiah AINSWORTH, of Orange, Orangeburg District, SC John AINSWORTH, of Orange, Orangeburg District, SC Leavin AINSWORTH, of Chesterfield, SC Thomas AINSWORTH, of Lower Antietam Hundred, Washington, MD William AINSWORTH, of Chesterfield, SC * The appearance of James AINSWORTH in Rutherford County, NC, in 1800 is also interesting. Rutherford, NC, was the place of greatest concentration of ROPER households in North Carolina in the 1790 Census. The 1800 Census returns for Rutherford, NC, are quasi alphabetical, so no proximity is implied by record adjacency. * * * Curiously, James AINSWORTH is again shown in Morganton, Burke County, NC, in the 1810 Census enumeration [Ancetry Image 28 of 58]. A William AINSWORTH also appears on the SAME Census page. James ROPER remains in Morganton, Burke, and is enumerated at Image 4 of 58. A David ROPER is enumerated in Morganton, Burke County, NC, that same year [Image 49 of 58]. * * * James AINSWORTH and William AINSWORTH, Jr., are again enumerated in Burke County, NC, in 1820 [Image 9 of 57]. William AINSWORTH is enumerated in Burke at Image 7. Sarah AINSWORTH heads a household in Burke shown at Image 11. Joseph AINSWORTH appears in Gallatin, Sumner County, TN, that year. David AINSWORTH and Levin AINSWORTH appear in Marion, MS. * * James ROPER is enumerated at Image 2 for Burke in 1820. Thomas MOODY is on the same Census page. John MOODY is on the immediate preceeding page [Image 1]. David ROPER is enumerated in Burke County age Image 48 in 1820. Elijah ROPER is enumerated in Burke at Image 56. * * It shoul probably be here noted that ALL Census returns for Eastern Tennessee for 1820 were LOST. Thus, to establish the presence of ROPER or AINSWORTH families in Eastern Tennessee, you have to look to the Tax Lists, Land records, probate records and militia lists. * * * James AINSWORTH is again enumerated residing in Burke County, NC, in 1830 [Image 141 of 180]. There seems to be a Robert MOODY at the bottom of this Census page. There is a William Green near the top of the immediately following page. * * John ROPER [shown as ROAPER] appears within the Census for Regiment 67, Monroe, TN, in 1830 [Image 35 of 74]. A John MOODY, age 20 to 29, appears in the immediately preceeding record. * * * * * I do NOT have any particular conclusions to suggest EXCEPT that the ROPERs and AINSWORTHs seemed to reside, possibly near to one another, but probably NOT adjacent in Burke County and/or Rutherford County and that there are few enough AINSWORTH households in the American South that it is NOT impractical to track each of these from decade to decade and generation to generation for the half century period prior to William AINSWORTH's marriage to Mary ROPER. Basically, the AINSWORTH genealogy is one that can possibly be worked simultaneously from both ends. I have made NO ATTEMPT to rely upon secondary accounts of these families, simply because I have found that the best strategy is to give the PRIMARY DATA a fresh look unencumbered by any one else's preconceived notions or conclusions. This is NOT to discourage you from making inquiries of such secondary accounts or relying upon these where supported by proper evidence. I would also definitely encourage you to fully investigate the Montgomery, TN, AINSWORTH family, if only because it seems to be the ONLY AINSWORTH family found in Tennessee by 1850. Perhaps it is connected, perhaps not. It can hardly hurt to give this family a quick look. 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>