This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: kellietho Surnames: Ainsworth, Roper Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.roper/1925.1.1.1.1.2.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Wow! I had the very same thought of Mary Roper possibly being the widow of William Ainsworth when I originally saw your first post in this thread. For this reason, I went on to follow this Mary to see where she went after the 1850 Census. When I saw her, James Roper, and the two Margaret's living with Joseph McLemore in Roane County, Tennessee in 1860, it made my belief that she may have indeed been Mary (Roper) Ainsworth and that James was indeed James Ainsworth even stronger. I then tried to follow this James Roper after 1860, but to no avail. Here is something that was very interesting to me. This James Roper seems to have vanished in the very same county that my James R. Ainsworth seems to appear out of thin air in 1861. James R. Ainsworth enlisted with Company I, 1st Regiment East Tennessee Infantry on 09 August 1861. He is listed as age 19. This information comes from his Civil War Papers which I found on fold3.com. His age coincides with that of James Roper. If James Roper and James Ainsworth are one and the same person, it seems that he was born between 10 July 1842 (the 1860 Census was enumerated on 10 July) and 09 August 1842. Following the war, James R. Ainsworth appears on the 1870 Census for Hartville, Wright County, Missouri as Jas. R. Ainsworth and is 28-years-old. He is living with J H Roper (age 30), Laura E. Roper (age 20), John B. Roper (age 7 months), and Caroline Green (age 27). Caroline Green and Laura E. Roper are sisters. They are the daughters of Daniel Potter Green and Malinda Montgomery. On 18 October 1870, James Ainsworth marries Caroline Green in Texas County, Missouri. This was found in the Missouri Marriage Records, 1805-2002. James is listed as J R Ainsworth. James and Caroline are then found in the 1875 Kansas State Census living in Sheridan, Crawford County, Kansas. James is listed as J R Ainsworth. In this Census, you will find that James and Caroline had two sons, William (listed as W H and 4-years-old), and John R. (listed as J R and 8 months). Due to William's age in this census, it is my belief that James and Caroline conceived him out of wedlock. Here is a link in which I explain my theory: http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/8473097/person/-944235693/mediax/1?pgnum=1&pg=0&pgpl=pid|pgNum It appears as though James must have died (or is living elsewhere) between 1875 and 1876 because Caroline and the boys, William and John, are found in the 1876 Missouri State Census in Texas County, Missouri. James is not enumerated with them. Fast forward to the 1880 Census for Wood, Wright County, Missouri, and you will find Caroline and the boys living with her brother, Henry A. Green. Caroline is listed as a widow. According to the birth certificate of John R. Ainsworth's (James' and Caroline's youngest son) son, Gilbert, John R. Ainsworth was born in Mountain Grove, Missouri. According to findagrave.com, there seem to be a few Roper's that are buried in this very town, including John H. Roper who was born 1788 and who you found to be living in Tennessee at one point, and his wife, Nancy. This seems to strengthen the idea that these Ainsworth and Roper families are related. What do you think? I am truly grateful for your help! This James R. Ainsworth had been my brick wall for about 7 years now. If he does turn out to be the James Roper listed in the 1850 Census with James and Margaret Roper and in the 1860 Census with the McLemore family, that could explain why I have not been able to find any record of him until he turns up in Civil War Records! 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>