This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Roper, Raper, Rogers, Rodgers, Rope, Rape Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/kgDBAEB/760.1 Message Board Post: Jonathan: I am completely unfamiliar with the Berry ROPER, of Bibb County, Georgia, whom you cite in your Post. And I am also unfamliiar with the record you seem to cite. I find NO ROPERs in the 1850 Census enumerated in Bibb County, Georgia. I DO find the following RAPER families indexed at ancestry under "RAPE": United States Census -- 1850 520th Militia District, Bibb County, Georgia 26 Sep 1850 Line 1, Dwelling 91, Family 95, Milton RAPER, Age 35, Male, Laborer, Born NC Line 2, Dwelling 91, Family 95, Adeline RAPER, Age 33, Female, Born SC Line 3, Dwelling 91, Family 95, Martin RAPER, Age 8, Male, Born GA Line 4, Dwelling 91, Family 95, Mahala RAPER, Age 2, Female, Born GA Line 5, Dwelling 91, Family 95, Peter RAPER, Age 2/12, Male, Born GA Line 6, Dwelling 91, Family 95, Peter J RAPER, Age 20, Male, Born GA [Image 13 of 23 at the Ancestry.com presentation of 1850 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * United States Census -- 1850 520th Militia District, Bibb County, Georgia ?? Sep 1850 Line 25, Dwelling 67, Family 71, John RAPE, Age 32, Male, Farmer, Born NC Line 26, Dwelling 67, Family 71, Charity RAPE, Age 24, Female, Born GA Line 27, Dwelling 67, Family 71, Franklin RAPE, Age 3, Male, Born GA Line 28, Dwelling 67, Family 71, Mary RAPE, Age 1 Female, Born GA [Image 9 of 23 at the Ancestry.com presentation of 1850 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * * * Though ROPER and RAPER receords are sometimes confused due to poor penmanship, it has been demonstrated that there were at least two genetically distinct RAPER families in Colonial Corth Carolina. * * * Nor is there any great trace of ROPERs in Bibb County revealed in the 1860 Census enumeration. That year, there is a Sarah ROPETER, age 80, enumerated in Macon, County, who seems to be the head of a household which includes several unrelated persons. [Image 130 of 136 at Ancestry.com] There is a Mary E. ROPE, who appears most likely to be the dhild shown at age 1 as Mary RAPE in household of John RAPE in 1850. IN 1860, she was residing in Rutland, Bibb County, Georgia, in the household of Middleton McDonald, a Primitive Baptive Minister who was residing adjacent to the RAPE family in 1850 [Image 19 of 26]. In 1860, the Milton RAPE/RAPER household persists and there are several other RAPEs who appear, including a Taylor RAPE, age 13, residing in the household of William R. BUSBY, age 30, and Jackson RAPE, age 28, residing within the household of Elizabeth BUSBY, age 70, but no other ROPERs. * * * The Census record which would APPEAR to be most relevant to your inquiry is the 1850 Census record of a Berry ROGERS: United States Census -- 1850 Macon, Bibb County, Georgia 12 Aug 1850 Line 22, Family 24, Berry ROGERS, age 50, Male, Planter, RE $10,000, Born GA Line 23, Family 24, Mrs. J. ROGERS, age 47, Female, Born SC Line 24, Family 24, Wm S. C. ROGERS, age 14, Male, Born GA * * * THis same individual seems to be enumerated in 1860 as Berry RODGERS: United States Census -- 1860 Macon, Bibb County, Georgia 07 Jul 1860 Line 36, Dwelling 621, Family 644, Berry RODGERS, Age 60, Male, Farmer, RE $30,000, Pers Estate $40,000, Born SC Line 37, Dwelling 621, Family 644, Jane H. RODGERS, Age 58, Female, Born GA Line 38, Dwelling 621, Family 644, William RODGERS, Age 23, Male, Born GA [Image 84 of 136 at the Ancestry.com presentation of the 1860 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * * * * * I am INCLINED to believe based upon Mr. Berry RODGER'S' wealth and fortune that it is most likely that his name is at least close to properly spelled as ROGERS/RODGERS. Can you share with us the basis for your belief that there was ever a Berry ROPER in Bibb County and more particularly identify children, siblings or parents of this Berry ROPER?? Absent discovery of some confirming record actually showing a Berry ROPER in Bibb County, I am most inclined to believe that a grant, deed or other purchase of Mississippi land might have misidentified Berry ROGERS/RODGERs as Berry ROPER.