This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Roper, Vaughan, Mahathey Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/kgDBAEB/339.369 Message Board Post: Identification of Lewis ROPER's father is somewhat problematic. But there are at least several very good CLUES in the extant Census records and marriage records for Illinois. Lewis ROPER is enumerated in the 1880 Census residing with wife Josephine and bhildren in Posey County, IN. Here is what his Census record says: United States Census -- 1880 Harmony Township, Posey, IN 04 Jun 1880 Line 25, Dwelling, 73, Family 75, ROPER, Lewis, White, Male, Age 32, Married, Laborer, Born IL, Father Born LA, Mother Born IL Line 26, ROPER, Josephine, White, Female, Age 27, Wife, Married, Housekeeping, Born IN, Father Born IN, Mother Born IN Line 27, ROPER, Robert M., White, Male, Age 13, Son, Single, Laborer, Born IL, Father Born IL, Mother Born IN Line 28, ROPER, Henry L.., White, Male, Age 12, Son, Single, At Home, Born IL, Father Born IL, Mother Born IN Line 29, ROPER, Percilla J., White, Female, Age 10, Daughter, Single, At Home, Born IL, Father Born IL, Mother Born IN Line 30, ROPER, Parmelia I.,White, Female, Age 8, Daughter, Single, At Home, Born IL, Father Born IL, Mother Born IN Line 31, ROPER, William J., White, Male, Age 7, Son, Single, Born IL, Father Born IL, Mother Born IN Line 32, ROPER, Lutitia, White, Female, Age 4, Daughter, Single, Born IN, Father Born IL, Mother Born IN Line 33, ROPER, Gazella L., White, Female, Age 2, Daughter, Single, Born IN, Father Born IL, Mother Born IN Line 34, ROPER, Emma M., White, Female, Age 1/12, Born May 1880, Daughter, Single, Born IN, Father Born IL, Mother Born IN * * * So during Lewis ROPER's lifetime, he had reported to the Census that he was born in ILLINOIS. This is reenforced in each individual record where the children's father is shown to have been born in ILLINOIS. While it is POSSIBLE that this ascription was erroneously reported by another family member who did NOT know his correct place of birth, as I will show in other Census records this is a rather persistent assertion over a long period of time. The assertion that Lewis ROPER's FATHER was born in Louisianna, is by contrast, somewhat more speculative, but still instructive. While it seems quite likely that Lewis would know where HE was born, correctly knowing where his FATHER was born could be somewat more problematic, particularly if he was orphaned at a young age. Lewis ROPER may be found in 1870 residing in Galatia, Saline County, IL: United States Census -- 1870 Galatia (Township 8, Range 5), Saline County, IL 06 Jun 1870 Line 9, Dwelling 32, Family 32, ROPER, Lewis, Age 24, White, Male, Farmer, RE $0, Pers Estate $400, Born IL Line 10, ROPER, Seth?, Age 21, White, Male, Farmer, Born IL Line 11, ROPER, Robert, Age 4, White, Male, At Home, Born IL Line 12, ROPER, Henry, Age 3, White, Male, At Home, Born IL Line 13, ROPER, Prissey, Age 4/12, White, Female, At Home, Born Jan 1870, Born IL Line 14, MAHATHEY, L.C., Age 41, White, Male, Farmer, Pers Estate $200, Born TN * Living adjacent to Lewis ROPER is Washington ROPER, age 45, who is shown to be a land owner by his $700 RE indication. * * * So Lewis ROPER is shown to have been born in IL in BOTH the 1870 AND the 1880 Census. In 1860, Lewis (Louis) ROPER is enumerated in the home of his grandparents George and Rachel (Stockton) ROPER: United States Census -- 1860 South America (Township 9, Range 5), Saline County, IL 06 Aug 1860 Line 13, Dwelling 1133, Family 1133, George ROPER, Age 72, Male, Farmer, RE $0, Pers Estate $475, Born NC, CANNOT READ OR WRITE Line 13, Rachal ROPER, Age 65, Female, Born NC, CANNOT READ OR WRITE Line 14, Louis ROPER, Age 12, Male, Born IL * David ROPER (age 35) and Fanny ROPER (age 30) are enumerated in the next Census record. It APPEARS to me that George and Rachel ROPER are probably the grandparents, but this is a SPECULATIVE ascription based upon the Census record and respective ages. Again in 1860, Lewis ROPER is said to have been born in ILLINOIS. * * * There isn't a readily apparent Lewis ROPER of about age 2 in the 1850 Census. But the Census record of James M. ROPER, age 18, gives us the best evidence of Lewis ROPER's origins: United States Census -- 1850 Stone Fort Precinct, Saline County, IL 28 Sep 1850 Line 20, Dwelling 96, Family 96, James M. ROPER, Age 18, Male, Farmer, Born IL Line 21, Isabel ROPER, Age 15, Female, Born IL Line 22, Jemima ROPER, Age 6/12, Female, Born IL Line 23, George ROPER, Age 61, Male, Laborer, Born North Carolina, CANNOT READ OR WRITE Line 24, George W. ROPER, Age 15, Male, Laborer, Born IL Line 25, Elizabeth ABNER, Age 17, Female, Born IL Line 26, Elias ROPER, Age 16, Male, Laborer, Born IL Line 27, William VAUGHAN, Age 21, Male, Laborer, Born MS, CANNOT READ OR WRITE Line 28, Jemima VAUGHAN, Age 21, Female, Born IL, CANNOT READ OR WRITE Lewis VAUGHAN, Age 2, Male, Born IL * The family of Seth ROPER, age 39, Born NC, and Mary ROPER, age 45, Born TN, is enumerated in the adjacent record. Ansel ROPER, age 27, is also nearby. * * * An inspection of the Illinois marriage Index reveals that "Jamima ROPER" married a William VAUGHAN on 05 Sep 1850 in Williamson County, IL. This marriage seems to be recorded at Volume "A", on Page 142. See my Post of Illinois ROPER Marriage Records on the ROPER Message Boards for details about Illinois marriage records and how to obtain copies. It seems most likely that Lewis ROPER is the child shown in the Census in 1850 as Lewis VAUGHAN. Since Lewis was born about 1848, it appears that his birth was BEFORE the marriage was solemnized according to the Illinois marriage laws in 1850. But is seems MOST LIKELY that William VAUGHAN is Lewis ROPER's father. If NOT, then Lewis may have been born out of wedlock before the marriage of another father and an ascription is then virtually impossible. It seems most likely that both William and Jemima Roper VAUGHAN died between 1850 and 1860 and Lewis was raised by his uncles and/or grandfather. Note that William VAUGHAN is shown in the Census in 1850 as being born in MS. Though this is NOT LOUISIANNA as is indicated inthe 1880 Census record, it also reflects that Lewis ROPER's father was NOT born in IL and was from a state to the South along the Mississippi. It is unclear to me where Elizabeth ABNER fits into this family, but there was an Elizabeth ABNER who married McDowel R. FLEMINGS on 16 Oct 1850 in Williamson County and whose marriage is recorded at Volume "A", Page 144. Perhaps someone else knows where she fits into this ROPER family. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT LEWIS ROPER IS A ROPER BY THE MATERNAL LINE THROUGH JEMIMA ROPER AND THAT HIS FATHER MAY HAVE BEEN (IS MOSTLY LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN) WILLIAM VAUGHAN. You can probably find some probate records of a Will or Administration, or perhaps some Orphans court guardianship records for Lewis VAUGHAN, if you meticulously check the records for Saline and adjacent counties during the interval from 1850 through 1860. There also may be some extant burial markers giving the dates of death of William and Jemima Roper VAUGHAN. I will separately send you the cited Census records via e-mail.