This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Roper, Clarke, Avey Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/kgDBAEB/785.9 Message Board Post: In several previous Posts within this message thread, I have discussed several children of Sion and Mary Sophia ROPER. These Posts to date have included: "Spencer ROPER (b Jun 1841 - Wetheringsett, Suffolk, England, d aft 1930), son of Sion and Sophia ROPER" [31 Dec 2005 6:48 AM GMT] http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/message/rw/surnames.roper/785.1 "Horace Henry ROPER (b 1835 - Debenham, Suffolk, England, Chr 09 OCT 1836 - Suffolk County Bts, Suffolk, d aft 1880 - Prob CA), son of Sion and Mary Sophia ROPER" [3 Jan 2006 9:06 AM GMT] http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/message/rw/surnames.roper/785.7 "Rosa Jane ROPER (b Sep 1851, Chr 14 MAR 1852 - Suffolk County Bts, Suffolk, England), dau of Sion and Sophia ROPER" [3 Jan 2006 12:54 AM GMT] http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/message/rw/surnames.roper/785.8 * * * Within these Posts, I have also shared the following transcriptions of Census information relating to Sion and Mary Sophia ROPER: Census of England -- 1851 Wetheringsett, Suffolk: No. 60, Sion ROPER, Head, Married, Age 41, Farmer 50 acres emplying 1 man, Born Suffolk, Wetheringsett. Sophia ROPER, Wife, Married, Age 42, Farmers Wife, Suffolk, Bury St. Edmonds Julia ROPER, Daughter, Unm, Age 18, Farmer's Dau, Suffolk Mendlesham Edwin ROPER, Son, Unm, Age 16, Farmer's Son, Suffolk Debenham Horace ROPER, Son, Unm, Age 15, Farmer's Son, Suffolk Debenham Annah ROPER, Daughter, Age 12, Scholar, Suffolk Wetheringsett John ROPER, Son, Age 11, Scholar, Suffolk Wetheringsett Spencer ROPER, Son, Age 9, Scholar, Suffolk Wetheringsett Laura ROPER, Daughter, Age 6, Suffolk Wetheringsett Fanny ROPER, Daughter, Age 4, Suffolk Wetheringsett [Image 18 of 29 at the Ancestry.com presentation of the 1851 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * United States Census -- 1860 Spring, Boone County, IL (Belvidere Post Office), Page 415 17 Jun 1860 Line 1, Dwelling 372, Family 367, Sion ROPER, age 48, Male, Farmer, RE $1,500, Pers Estate $400, Born England Line 2, Dwelling 372, Family 367, Sofe [Sophia] ROPER, age 45, Female, Wife, Born England Line 3, Dwelling 372, Family 367, Resa ROPER, age 9, Female, Born England Line 4, Dwelling 372, Family 367, Spencer ROPER, age 15, Male, Born England [Image 15 of 28 at the Ancestry.com presentation of the 1860 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * United States Census -- 1870 Spring Township, Boone County, Illinois, Page 17 (Page Imprinted "469") 25 Jul 1870 Line 8, Dwelling 120, Family 117, ROPER, Sion, Age 61, Male, White, Farmer, RE $2,500, Pers. Estate $800, Born England, Father Foreign Born, Mother Foreign Born, Male U.S. Citizen Age 21 or more Line 9, Dwelling 120, Family 117, ROPER, Mary, Age 61, Female, White, Keeping House, Born England, Father Foreign Born, Mother Foreign Born Line 10, Dwelling 120, Family 117, ROPER, Horace H., Age 35, Male, White, Carpenter & Joiner, RE $3,500, Pers. Estate $500, Born England, Father Foreign Born, Mother Foreign Born, Male U.S. Citizen Age 21 or more Line 11, Dwelling 120, Family 117, ROPER, Rosa, Age 19, Female, White, At Home, Born England, Father Foreign Born, Mother Foreign Born Line 12, Dwelling 120, Family 117, ROPER, Arthur A., Age 11/12, Male, White, Born California, Father Foreign Born, Born June. [Image 17 of 27 at the Ancestry.com presentation of 1870 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * * * These additional records give us an earlier and later understanding of this couple: Census of England -- 1841 Wetheringsett, Suffolk Sion ROPER, Male, Age 30, Farmer, Born within Same County Sophia ROPER, Female, Age 30, Born within Same County Horace ROPER, Male, Age 5, Born within Same County Anna ROPER, Female, Age 4, Born within Same County John ROPER, Male, Age 1, Born within Same County Marian ROPER, Female, Age 30, Born within Same County Arthur ROPER, Male, Age 9 mos, Born within Same County Emily GOOLD, Female, Age 15, "F.S." [Female Servant?], Born within Same County John LUFF?, Male, Age 15, "M.S." [Male Servant?], Born within Same County [This transcription is taken from the Census image at the subscription based OriginsNetwork.com site. The original image can be obtained from this site.] * United States Census -- 1880 Bonus, Boone County, Illinois, Page 16 19 Jun 1880 Line 20, Family 186, ROPER, Sion, White, Male, Age 71, Married, Retired Farmer, Born England, Father Born England, Mother Born England Line 21, Family 186, ROPER, Sepha, White, Female, Age 71, Wife, Married, Keeping House, Born England, Father Born England, Mother Born England [Image 16 of 20 at the Ancestry.com presentation of 1880 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * * * Parish records for the children include these entries: Julia Maria ROPER (Chr 12 JAN 1834 - Debenham, Suffolk, England), dau of Sion and Mary Sophy ROPER [IGI Batch No. C131791] Edwin Clerk ROPER (Chr 07 JUN 1834 - Debenham, Suffolk, England), son of Siam and Sepha ROPER [IGI Batch No. C131791]* Horace Henry ROPER (Chr 09 OCT 1836 - Suffolk County Bts, Suffolk, England), son of Lionn and Mary Sophia ROPER [IGI Batch No. C131811] Edwin Clarke ROPER (Chr 09 OCT 1836 - Suffolk County Bts, Suffolk, England), son of Lionn and Mary Sophia ROPER [IGI Batch No. C131811]* John ROPER (b 11 MAR 1839, Chr 08 FEB 1841 - Saint Anne Soho, Westminster, London, England), son of John and Sophia ROPER [IGI Batch No. C062361]** Laura ROPER (Chr 14 MAR 1852 - Suffolk County Bts, Suffolk, England), dau of Sion and Sophia ROPER [IGI Batch No. C131972] Fanny Ellen ROPER (Chr 14 MAR 1852 - Suffolk County Bts, Suffolk, England)), dau of Sion and Sophia ROPER [IGI Batch No. C131972] Rosa Jane ROPER (Chr 14 MAR 1852 - Suffolk County Bts, Suffolk, England)), dau of Sion and Sophia ROPER [IGI Batch No. C131972] * Note the recognition of Sophia's maiden name "CLARKE". ** Speculative ascription * * * Scrutiny of additional primary sources reveals these additional references to Sion and Mary Sophia ROPER: Suffolk: Sudbury - Marriage Licences, 1815-1839 12.The Hearth Tax. Charles 2nd. Allegations for Marriage Licences in the Archdeaconry of Sudbury, Suffolk. Book 40. 1828-9-30-31. County: Suffolk Country: England Sion ROPER, of Mendlesham, s. m., & Mary Sepha [sic] CLARKE, of Rickinghall Superior, s. w., at same. 13 Oct 1831 * A sketch of the town of Wetheringsett cum Brockford appears at pages 349 and 350 of the "Suffolk History, Gazetteer, and Directory, 1844". A John ROPER and Sion ROPER are identified in that sketch as farmers and OWNERS of their farms. * * * Mary Sophia CLARKE might be the child shown in the parish record: Mary CLARKE (b 19 APR 1811, Chr 18 JUN 1813 - St James, Bury Saint Edmunds, Suffolk, England), dau of Robert CLARKE and Elizabeth AVEY [IGI Batch No. C132211] The 1851 Census record indicates that Mary Sophia was born in Bury St. Edmonds. * * * I would be interested in hearing from those with any additional information regarding this Suffolk ROPER family!