This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Roper Classification: Census Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/kgDBAEB/3.13.1.6 Message Board Post: It appears to me based upon the records identified thus far that Verner ROPER's father may have been a Benjamin Franklin ROPER ("B. F. ROPER" or "Frank B. ROPER") and that his grandfather could have been Aaron P. (or D.) ROPER. Consider these Census records: United States Census -- 1870 Twps 9 & 10 East of RR, Copiah County, MS 22 Jun 1870 Line 36, Dwelling 590, Family 555, ROPER, Aaron P., Age 36, Male, White, Farmer, RE $300, Born GA Line 37, ROPER, Mary, Age 29, Female, White, Keeping House, Born MS Line 38, ROPER, Jesse, Age 11, Male, White, Born MS Line 39, ROPER, David, Age 6, Male, White, Born MS Line 40, ROPER, Benjamin, Age 4, Male, White, Born MS * Line 1, ROPER, Sarah J., Age 2, Female, White, Born MS Line 2, ROPER, Emily A., Age 5/12, Female, White, Born MS * * * You will note that this Benjamin was BORN in MS to a father born in GA and a mother born in MS. This is PRECISELY the locational arrangement for the palce of birth and place of parents birth as was shown in Frank ROPER's 1900 Census record from Grimes County, TX. Also note that this Benjamin has a BROTHER named "Jesse". * * * United States Census -- 1880 Houston County, TX (Enumeration District 25) 17 Jun 1880 Line 1, Family 6, ROPER, Jessie M., White, Male, Age 21, Married During Past Year, Farmer, Cannot Read, Cannot Write, Born MS, Father Born GA, Mother Born GA Line 2, Family 6, ROPER, Willie or Nillie E., White, Female, Age 17, Wife, Married During Past Year, Keeping House, Cannot Read, Cannot Write, Born TX Line 3, Family 7, ROPER, Aron D., White, Male, Age 48?, Farmer, Married, Cannot Read, Cannot Write, Born GA, Father Born GA, Mother Born GA Line 4, Family 7, ROPER, Mary J., White, Female, Age 39, Wife, Married, Keeping House, Cannot Read, Cannot Write, Born GA, Father Born SC, Mother Born SC Line 5, Family 7, ROPER, David A., White, Male, Age 15, Son, At Home, Attended School, Cannot Read, Cannot Write, Born MS, Father Born GA, Mother Born GA Line 6, Family 7, ROPER, Benjamin F., White, Male, Age 14, Son, At Home, Attended School, Cannot Read, Cannot Write, Born MS, Father Born GA, Mother Born GA Line 7, Family 7, ROPER, Sarah J., White, Female, Age 12, Daughter, At Home, Attended School, Cannot Read, Cannot Write, Born MS, Father Born GA, Mother Born GA Line 8, Family 7, ROPER, Emma A., White, Female, Age 10, Daughter, At Home, Attended School, Cannot Read, Cannot Write, Born MS, Father Born GA, Mother Born GA Line 9, Family 7, ROPER, Charles M., White, Male, Age 8, Son, At Home, Attended School, Born TX, Father Born GA, Mother Born GA Line 10, Family 7, ROPER, July C., White, Female, Age 6, Daughter, At Home, Born TX, Father Born GA, Mother Born GA Line 11, Family 7, ROPER, Dollie L., White, Female, Age 4, Daughter, At Home, Born TX, Father Born GA, Mother Born GA Line 12, Family 7, ROPER, Lennah?., White, Female, Age 3, Daughter, At Home, Born TX, Father Born GA, Mother Born GA Line 13, Family 7, ROPER, Dick D., White, Male, Age 1, Son, At Home, Born TX, Father Born GA, Mother Born GA * * * Note that this family now appears in TEXAS. Benjamin ROPER is shown now to be "Benjamin F. ROPER". You may want to check with Dr. L. David ROPER. THere is probably a GOOD CHANCE that the Aaron P. ROPER shown is already in his files. If not, you may very well be able to connect by taking things back just one more generation. * I would continue to encourage you to obtain the primary source records such as the SSA application and death certificates. You may want to look for a Will for Aaron P. ROPER and Benjanmin F or Frank ROPER. You may also want to search in Mississippi for land records. Good Luck!