This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Roper, Suggs, Crain, Crane Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/kgDBAEB/767.3 Message Board Post: Upon review, I see that the central question relates to HOW the ROPER, SUGGS and CRAIN/CRANE famliies are related in Habersham, Georgia, and note seveal previous posts on this subject. Here is my SPECULATION based upon the reradily available data. I would encourag eyou to view this as a MODEL ONLY and to seek information which might either CONFIRM or REFUTE this hypothesis. In 1850, there is an "E. ROPER", age 10, MALE, residing inthe household of ans "S. CRANE", age 59, FEMALE. Here is what the record shows: United States Census -- 1850 District 17, Habersham County, GA 11 Dec 1850 Line 4, Dwelling 69, Famliy 69, S. CRANE, Age 57, Female, RE $250, Born NC Line 5, Dwelling 69, Famliy 69, E. C. CRANE, Age 16, Male Line 6, Dwelling 69, Famliy 69, A. SUGGS, Age 12, Male Line 7, Dwelling 69, Famliy 69, E. ROPER, Age 10, Male [Image 10 of 15 at the Ancestry.com presentation of the 1850 Census data for this jurisdiction.] The immediate PREVIOUS record is the household of a George W. SUGGS, age 22. THe SUBSEQUENT RECORD is a William CRANE, age 23, and ELiza CRANE, age 15. But the record on this page which I find to be the MOST interesting is the Census record of the household of Loven ("Loving" SUGGS, age 42: United States Census -- 1850 District 17, Habersham County, GA 11 Dec 1850 Line 13, Dwelling 72, Family 72, Loven SUGGS, Age 42, Male, Farmer, Born SC Line 14, Dwelling 72, Family 72, L. SUGGS, Age 26, Female, Born SC Line 15, Dwelling 72, Family 72, W. S., Age 15, Male Line 16, Dwelling 72, Family 72, S. A. S., Age 9, Female Line 17, Dwelling 72, Family 72, G. W. S., Age 7, Male Line 18, Dwelling 72, Family 72, A. S., Age 5, Male Line 19, Dwelling 72, Family 72, J. S., Age 3, Male Line 20, Dwelling 72, Family 72, A. S., Age 2, Male [Image 10 of 15 at the Ancestry.com presentation of the 1850 Census data for this jurisdiction.] Next is the household of Bennett CRANE, age 30, and Nancy CRANE, age 32. ANd later on the page is a John SUGGS, age 52, and Mary SUGGS, age 52. The Census enumerator was a bit lazy and gave only the INITIAL of the last name of the children, rather than repeating the last name or putting a ditto or a line to indicate repitiion. Note the AGE DISTRIBUTION of the children inthe household of Loven SUGGS: 15, 9, 7, 5, 3, 2. And note the age of Loven SUGGS apparent wife "L SUGGS": 26. I believe that the ELDEST child in this household W. SUGGS, age 15, is the child of Loving SUGGS' previous wife. I suspect that the A. SUGGS, Age 12, residing in the home of S. CRANE is probably Loving SUGGS' son as well. I believe that E. ROPER -- Earl ROPER (b Mar 1840 - SC) -- was probably the son of L. SUGGS, age 26, and a ROPER we have yet to identify. Since Earl is age 10 and she is age 26, it seems likely that Earl was born within a year or so of her marriage to Mr. ROPER and that Mr. ROPER died shortly thereafter before any OTHER ROPER children were conceived. Since S. A. SUGGS is age 9, I submit that Loving SUGGS married L. ROPER in 1840. * I will send you this Census page if you are NOT already familiar with it. * But Earl ROPER was born in SOUTH CAROLINA. SO we are looking for a ROPER residing in SOUTH CAROLINA at the date of the 1840 Census enumeration who had a young wife age 15 to 20 (actually 16) and possibly ONE (1) male child age 0 to 5. The ideal candidate would reside in close proximity to a Loving SUGGS and perhaps in proximity to a CRAIN/CRANE. Since the IS a Loving SUGGS residing in SOUTH CAROLINA in 1840, his Census page would be the FIRST PLACE to look. We find that he is residing in Pickens District, Pickens County, SC, which by definitition is avery target rich environment ot look for ROPERs in that state! And on the very page where we find Loving SUGGS, there are these ROPER households: Rachel ROPER: 0 - 2 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 1 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- No Slaves = 6 [Line 10] * Samuel ROPER: 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- No Slaves = 2 [Line 15] * Charles ROPER: 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- No Slaves = 3 [Line 16] * Alfred ROPER: 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 2 - 2 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- No Slaves = 8 [Line 18] Jesse SUGGS: 0 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 0 - 1 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- No Slaves = 6 [Line 19] Loving SUGGS: 1 - 3 - 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 1 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- No Slaves = 10 [Line 20] * John CRANE: 1 - 1 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 2 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- No Slaves = 8 [Line 28] * Coleby CRANE: 0 - 1 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 1 - 1 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- No Slaves = 6 [Line 31] [Images 75, 76 of 136 at the Ancestry.com presentation of the 1840 Census data for Pickens, SC] * You will note that only ONE Of these ROPER households has a male child under age 5: The household of Charles ROPER. This Charles ROPER seems to be age 20 to 29 (b abt 1821-30) and he has a wife who is shown to be age 15 to 19. THIS IS PRECISELY THE AGE DISTRIBUTION WE WOULD PREDICT BASED UPON THE HYPOTHESIS THAT L. SUGGS, AGE 26 IN 1850, WAS CHARLES ROPER'S WIDOW!! Also note that Loving SUGGS already appears to be a Widower in 1840. There are two females age 10 to 14 in his household, but no older woman. Loving SUGGS has one son under age 5 -- probably A. SUGGS, age 12, in 1850 (b abt 1848) -- and three (3) sons age 5 to 9, presumably including W. SUGGS, age 15 (b abt 1835). The other younger children are either dead or have already left the nest. S. CRANE, age 57 in 1850, MIGHT be the female shown in John CRANE's household as being in age range 30 to 39. But she may be the widow of another related CRANE. * I am inclined to speculate that S. CRANE is L. Roper SUGGS's MOTHER and that she has her grandson and his older step brother living in her household, helping on the farm and taking care of chores. * So my focus would be on looking for a marriage record of Charles ROPER in Pickens, SC, (b) a Will or Administration of this Charles ROPER in Pickens or in Georgia, (c) a marriage record of Loving SUGGS and L. CRANE or ROPER, and (d) a Will or Administration of Loving SUGGS. * Also check the ROPER Family History files of Dr. L. David ROPER at http://www.roperld.com . Dave may already KNOW the identity of a Charles ROPER who married a CRANE or a Charles ROPER who married anyone with a first initial "L". * Also, bear in mind that this hypothesis also works with the minor variant that S. CRANE might be the mother of Loving SUGGS' first wife. A. SUGGS would then be her grandson and Earl ROPER might be living in her household, again with his step-brother. * Bear in mind that this is merely my SPECULATION based upon what the primary records readily at my disposal seem to say. I HAVE NO PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OR UNDERSTANDING OF THIS PARTICULAR ROPER FAMILY.