This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Roper, Findley Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/kgDBAEB/795 Message Board Post: Stanley ROPER, then age 23, born in Ireland, appears in the United States Census for the first time in 1850, residing within the household of Thomas and Ellen FINDLEY, age 40 and 47, respectively. Stanley ROPER is shown to be a "Baker", as is Thomas FINDLEY. The FINDLEYs were also born in Ireland. The FINDLEYs are residing within the Locust Ward in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. By 1860, Stanley ROPER, then shown to be age 30, is married to a Jane, age 25. They are established in their own household: United States Census -- 1860 Ward 15, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 08 Aug 1860 Line 10, Dwelling 1610, Family 1954, Stanly ROPER, Age 30, Male, Dealer, RE $400, Pers. Estate $100, Born Ireland Line 11, Dwelling 1610, Family 1954, Jane ROPER, Age 25, Female, Born Ireland Line 12, Dwelling 1610, Family 1954, Wm. ROPER, Age 6, Male, Born Pa Line 13, Dwelling 1610, Family 1954, Thos. ROPER, Age 3, Male, Born Pa Line 14, Dwelling 1610, Family 1954, Edmund ROPER, Age 1, Male, Born Pa Line 15, Dwelling 1610, Family 1954, Joseph CHURCH, Age 25, Male, Laborer, Born Ireland [Image 694 of 811 at the Ancestry.com presentation of 1860 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * In 1861, the name Stanley ROPER appears for what seems to be the first time in the England. There is a Stanley ROPER, age 7, born Hollingborne, Kent, amongst the household of Elizabeth WISENDAU, a "Schoolmaster". Also residing within this household are Julia ROPER, age 8, and Isabel ROPER, age 6, eac also born in Hollingborne. This seems likely to be the Joseph Stanley ROPER whose birth was registered in Hollingborne, Kent, during the September Quarter, 1853. I am inclined to believe that Joseph Stanley ROPER was probably the son of John ROPER (b abt 1830 - Thornham, Kent, England) and his wife Mary Ann (b abt 1832 - Thornham, Kent, England). In 1881, this John ROPER was residing at Greenway Court, Hollingbourn, Kent, England, where he apparently farmed 603 acres. I am aware of no specific reason to assert a relationship between Stanley ROPER, of Ireland and Philadelphia, and Joseph Stanley ROPER, of Hollingborne, EXCEPT that Stanley was then a particularly uncommon name within the ROPER family. * Stanley and Jane ROPER continued to reside in Ward 15, Philadelphia and are shown in the 1870 Census with their growing family: United States Census -- 1870 Ward 15, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 15 Jun 1870 Line 15, Dwelling 741, Family 931, ROPER, Stanley, Age 40, Male, White, Furniture Dealer, Pers. Estate $4,000, Born Ireland, Father of Foreign Birth, Mother of Foreign Birth, Male Citizen of U.S. age 21 or more Line 16, Dwelling 741, Family 931, ROPER, Jane, Age 40, Female, White, Keeps House, Born Ireland, Father of Foreign Birth, Mother of Foreign Birth, Cannot Read, Cannot Write Line 17, Dwelling 741, Family 931, ROPER, William, Age 15, Male, White, Store Clerk, Born Penna, Father of Foreign Birth, Mother of Foreign Birth Line 18, Dwelling 741, Family 931, ROPER, Thomas, Age 12, Male, White, At School, Born Penna, Father of Foreign Birth, Mother of Foreign Birth, Attends School Line 19, Dwelling 741, Family 931, ROPER, Edward, Age 10, Male, White, At School, Born Penna, Father of Foreign Birth, Mother of Foreign Birth, Attends School Line 20, Dwelling 741, Family 931, ROPER, Joseph, Age 9, Male, White, At School, Born Penna, Father of Foreign Birth, Mother of Foreign Birth, Attends School Line 21, Dwelling 741, Family 931, ROPER, Samuel, Age 8, Male, White, At School, Born Penna, Father of Foreign Birth, Mother of Foreign Birth, Attends School Line 22, Dwelling 741, Family 931, ROPER, Jane, Age 5, Female, White, Born Penna, Father of Foreign Birth, Mother of Foreign Birth Line 23, Dwelling 741, Family 931, ROPER, Robert, Age 1, Male, White, Born Penna, Father of Foreign Birth, Mother of Foreign Birth, Attends School Line 24, Dwelling 741, Family 931, ROPER, Harry, Age 3, Male, White, Born Penna, Father of Foreign Birth, Mother of Foreign Birth, Attends School [Image 129 of 282 at the Ancestry.com presentation of 1870 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * In 1880, Stanley ROPER is shown to be age 55 and he has returned to baking: United States Census -- 1880 509 N. 20th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Enumeration District 266) 01 Jun 1880 Line 32, House No. 509, Dwelling No. 14, Family No. 16, ROPER, Stanley, White, Male, Age 55, Married, Baker, Born Ireland, Father Born Ireland, Mother Born Ireland Line 33, House No. 509, Dwelling No. 14, Family No. 16, ROPER, Jane, White, Female, Age 43, Wife, Married, Keeping House, Born Ireland, Father Born Ireland, Mother Born Ireland Line 34, House No. 509, Dwelling No. 14, Family No. 16, ROPER, S. Edmund, White, Male, Age 22, Son, Single, Grocer, Born Penna, Father Born Ireland, Mother Born Ireland Line 35, House No. 509, Dwelling No. 14, Family No. 16, ROPER, C. Joseph, White, Male, Age 20, Son, Single, Grocer, Born Penna, Father Born Ireland, Mother Born Ireland Line 36, House No. 509, Dwelling No. 14, Family No. 16, ROPER, S. Samuel, White, Male, Age 18, Son, Single, Baker, Born Penna, Father Born Ireland, Mother Born Ireland Line 37, House No. 509, Dwelling No. 14, Family No. 16, ROPER, M. Jane, White, Female, Age 15, Daughter, Single, Born Penna, Father Born Ireland, Mother Born Ireland Line 38, House No. 509, Dwelling No. 14, Family No. 16, ROPER, C. Robert, White, Male, Age 12, Son, Single, Attending School, Born Penna, Father Born Ireland, Mother Born Ireland Line 39, House No. 509, Dwelling No. 14, Family No. 16, ROPER, M. Harvey, White, Male, Age 9, Son, Single, Attending School, Born Penna, Father Born Ireland, Mother Born Ireland Line 40, House No. 509, Dwelling No. 14, Family No. 16, ROPER, B. Lydia, White, Female, Age 6, Daughter, Single, Attending School, Born Penna, Father Born Ireland, Mother Born Ireland [Image 2 of 24 at the Ancestry.com presentation of 1880 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * I have been unable to locate either Stanley or Jane ROPER in the 1900 Census. It seems most likely that both Stanley and Jane ROPER died between 1880 and 1900, though I haven't yet located a death or probate record reflecting such deaths. * * * This is a rather interesting Irish ROPER family. The given name "Stanley" MIGHT BE linked to the ROPERs of Hollingborne, Kent. Moreover, the naming patterns of the son -- William, Thomas, Edmund, Joseph, Samuel ... -- is reminiscent of names found in the ROPER family in Kent and in Norfolk/Suffolk. Is anyone aware of the Irish origins of Stanley ROPER? Is anyone acquainted with descendants of Stanley ROPER?? It would be particularly interesting to obtain a DNA sample from a male ROPER-surnamed descendant of Stanley ROPER to ascertain hos this Irish ROPER family is connected to other ROPERs we are studing!