This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Roper, Raper, Ghormley Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/kgDBAEB/762.1 Message Board Post: I have NO PERSONAL knowledge ofthe Clara ROPER you seek, but thought that a quick sketch of some of the genealogical details regarding the BEST CANDIDATE I can readily identify might help to clarify who she probably was and to help others with a direct knowledge of or interest in this family get a little traction and, hopefully, to come forward to be of assistance to YOU. I find one Clara ROPER in the 1930 United States Census enumeration residing at Franklin, Macon County, NC: United States Census -- 1930 Franklin Township, Macon County, NC (Enumeration District 57-7), Sheet 2A, Page Imprinted "216" 07 Apr 1930 Line 3, Dwelling 18, Family 18, ROPER, Clara N., Head, Female, White, Age 54, Widowed, 1st Married at Age 28 (abt 1904), Born NC, Father Born NC, Mother Born TN, Occupation: "None" Line 3, Dwelling 18, Family 18, ROPER, Lyman, Son, Age 19, Single, Born NC, Father Born NC, Mother Born NC, Laborer, Odd Jobs [Image 3 of 16 at Ancestry.com presentation of Census information for this jurisdiction in 1930.] The only OTHER Clara ROPER shown in North Carolina that year is a Clara ROPER, age 26, enumerated in High Point, Guilford, NC. * The Clara ROPER, of Franklin, appears to me to be the SAME indivdual shown to be residing in the household of Tom RAPER or ROPER at the date of the 1920 Census enumeration. She is clearly already a widow by that year: United States Census -- 1920 Franklin Township, Macon County, NC (Enumeration District 137), Sheet 12B or 13 B 22 Jan 1920 Line 71, Dwelling 233, Family 234, RAPER, Tom, Head, Male, White, Age 44, Married, Born NC, Father Born NC, Mother Born NC, Farmer Line 72, Dwelling 233, Family 234, RAPER, Bicky, Wife, Female, White, Age 39, Married, Born NC, Father Born NC, Mother Born NC Line 73, Dwelling 233, Family 234, RAPER, Nide?, Son, Male, White, Age ??, Single, Born NC, Father Born NC, Mother Born NC Line 74, Dwelling 233, Family 234, RAPER, Carolina, Mother, Female, White, Age 78, Widowed, Born NC, Father Born NC, Mother Born NC Line 75, Dwelling 233, Family 234, RAPER, Jinnie, Sister, Female, White, Age 51, Single, Born NC, Father Born NC, Mother Born NC Line 76, Dwelling 233, Family 234, RAPER, Clair, Sister, Female, White, Age 43, Widowed, Born NC, Father Born NC, Mother Born NC Line 77, Dwelling 233, Family 234, RAPER, Lymon, Son, Male, White, Age 8, Single, Born NC, Father Born NC, Mother Born NC [Image 24 of 34 at Ancestry.com presentation of Census information for this jurisdiction in 1930.] The record says "Sister" rather than "Sister-in-Law", but Clair is shown to have surname "ROPER" and to be a Widow. * In 1910, Tom ROPER, age 33, and Jennie, age 39, are shown to be living in the household of their mother Carolina ROPER, age 69, in Franklin, Macon County, NC. Clara ROPER is NOT present in that household, on the Census page nor can she be readily found within the County. * * * Clair/Clara ROPER's son, Lyman ROPER, seems likely to be the Lyman ROPER shown in the Social Security Death Index with DOB 29 Mar 1911, SSN 242-12-3950, and death in Mar 1992. Secondary sources show this Lyman ROPER as having died 23 Mar 1992 in Macon, NC, the son of Charles Clingman ROPER (b 21 Apr 1868 - Macon, NC) and Nancy Clara GHORMLEY (b 03 Mar 1876 - Graham, NC). This seems to well conform to your assertion that Clara ROPER was taking care of Mary CHORMLEY in 1935! Charles Clingman ROPER (b 21 Apr 1868 - Macon, NC) is identified by this secondary source as the son of Daniel ROPER (b 14 Apr 1836 - Burke, NC, d 20 Jan 1909 - Macon, NC) and Susan Caroline FOUTS (b 06 Apr 1839 - Macon, NC, d 12 Aug 1926 - Macon, NC). Other children of this couple include Barbara Virginia ("Jennie") ROPER (b 21 Oct 1863) and William Thomas ROPER (b 23 Aug 1876), who appear in the Census records cited above. * With this additional suggested information, we are readily able to locate the 1910 Census record of Charles C. ROPER, age 44, and wife Clara, age 34, residing in the household of Charles HILTON in Clarno Precinct, Wheeler County, Oregon. Some further investigation of Oregon records will probably reveal a death or burial record near that place within a year or two after the 18 Apr 1910 date of that Census enumeration. Bear in mind that ALL records seem to indicate that Lyman was born in NORTH CAROLINA, so it seems most likely that Nancy Clara Ghormley ROPER (b 03 Mar 1876 - Graham, NC) returned to Macon, North Carolina, after her husband's death but BEFORE Lyman ROPER was born on 29 Mar 1911. I say this both because the secondary sources indicate that Charles Clingman ROPER died in OREGON AND because I have a fairly complete list of recorded ROPER deaths in North Carolina during this interval and Charles ROPER I find no corresponding Charles ROPER death in North Carolina during the decade after 1910. * Checking the 1900 Census enumeration, we find a Clarley GHORMLEY, age 25, born March 1875, residing in the household of Michael GHORMLEY, age 78 (b Feb 1822), and Mary GHORMLEY, age 37. Mary GHORMLEY is shown to have been born July 1862. She and Michael are also shown to have been married for 28 years, so it would APPEAR that she was fudging her age by about a decade! The GHORMLEYs were enumerated that year in Nantahala, Macon County, NC. One son and four daughters are then residing in the GHORMLEY household: Clarly, age 25, Dick, age 21 (born Feb 1879), Minnie, age 20 (born Aug 1880), Emma, age 9 (b Jul 1890), and Alma?, age 6 (b Jan 1894). All are shown to have been born in NC. I hope this helps! Hopefully, another descendent of Daniel and Caroline ROPER or particularly of Lyman ROPER, can be of further assistance to you!