This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Roper Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/kgDBAEB/785.3 Message Board Post: Amongst the very earliest ROPERs in California was William P. ROPER (b abt 1816-21 - England, d aft 1870 - Prob CA), an immigrant from England. The first clear trace I have found of this William ROPER is in New Orleans in 1850: United States Census -- 1850 New Orleans Municipality 3 Ward 1, Orleans Parish, Louisiana (Page Imprinted "27") 22 Jul 1850 Line 18, Dwelling 475, Family 576, Wm. ROPER, Age 34, Male, Peddler, Born England Line 19, Dwelling 475, Family 576, M. A. ROPER, Age 26, Female, Born Canada Line 20, Dwelling 475, Family 576, Joseph COOK, Age 25, Male, Steamboatsman, Born New York Line 21, Dwelling 475, Family 576, Mary COOK, Age 39, Female, Born Tennessee [Image 53 of 204 at the Ancestry.com presentation of 1850 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * This record seems to closely conform in terms of personalities, age and origin with this 1860 Census record from San Francisco, California: United States Census -- 1860 The 2nd District, San Francisco, California, Page 97 (Page Imprinted "651") 19 Jun 1860 Line 9, Dwelling 893, Family 893, Wm. P. ROPER, Age 41, Male, Mulatto, Steward, RE $2,000, Pers. Estate $500, Born England Line 10, Dwelling 893, Family 893, Mary A. ROPER, Age 40, Female, Mulatto, Born Pennsylvania [Image 97 of 253 at the Ancestry.com presentation of 1860 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * This William ROPER was still in San Franscisco in 1870: United States Census -- 1870 2nd Ward, San Francisco, California, Page 13 (Page Imprinted "143") 06 Jun 1870 Line 4, Dwelling 99, Family 110, COOK, Mary F., Age 38, Female, Black, Keeps Lodging House, Pers. Estate $400, Born Maryland Line 5, Dwelling 99, Family 110, ROPER William, Age 49, Male, Mulatto, Steamer Steward, RE $15,000, Pers. Estate $500, Born England Line 6, Dwelling 99, Family 110, GARRISON, Alfred, Age 28, Male, Mulatto, Laborer, Born Connecticut Line 7, Dwelling 99, Family 110, EVANS, Maria, Age 60, Female, Mulatto, None, Born Maryland [Image 146 of 1360 at the Ancestry.com presentation of 1870 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * * * This William ROPER is variously identified as being 34 in 1850 (b abt 1816), age 41 in 1860 (b abt 1819), and age 49 (b abt 1821). This coupled with his particularly common given name "William" makes it somewhat problematic to find his English origins. There are literally dozens of possibilities and I do not believe that the Census data presents sufficient evidence for us to draw any strong inference. There are several possibilities that bear mention, though. First, since William's middle initial is shown to be "P" in the 1860 Census one possibility is: William Park ROPER (b 14 MAR 1821, Chr 22 APR 1821 - Priestgate Low Meeting House-Independent, Workington, Cumberland, England), son of John and Eleanor ROPER [IGI Batch No. C075591] Second, another possibility is presented by: William ROPER (Chr 24 MAR 1816 - Saint Matthew, Walsall, Stafford, England), son of Nicholas and Sarah ROPER [IGI Batch No. C010304] This is interesting because this seems to be a possible point of origin of the other very early English ROPER in San Francisco, Edward ROPER (b Mar 1817 - England, d aft 1900 - Prob CA). See my Post: "Edward ROPER (b Mar 1817 - England, d aft 1900 - Prob CA)" [1 Jan 2006 9:10 PM GMT] http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=message&r=rw&p=surnames.roper&m=785.2 A third consideration is the indication that William P. ROPER was a mulatto appearing in the 1860 and 1870 Census data. There is a ROPER family of mixed race which which immigrated from England and settled in West Virginia. The earliest identifed English ancestor of this family was a Nicholas ROPER, of Suffolk, England. This presents another coincidence. While there are several indications that Edward ROPER (b Mar 1817 - England, d aft 1900 - Prob CA) was from Walsall (including the fact that he seems to have MARRIED there), the single best candidate I have found is an Edward ROPER shown in the 1851 Census residing with his brothers in Fressingfield, Suffolk. This Edward ROPER was born Cransford, Suffolk. This seems to possibly pull the clues together in favor of a single unified theory, namely that William P. ROPER might be William ROPER (Chr 24 MAR 1816 - Saint Matthew, Walsall, Stafford, England), son of Nicholas and Sarah ROPER, and that this Nicholas ROPER might also be linked to the Nicholas ROPER who is the common Suffolk ancestor of the West Virginia ROPER family. Now here is yet another coincidence. There is an Edwin ROPER born in Walsall to the SAME parents, whose date of birth is consistent with the Edward ROPER (b Mar 1817 - England, d aft 1900 - Prob CA): Edwin ROPER (Chr 24 SEP 1817 - Saint Matthew, Walsall, Stafford, England), son of Nicholas and Sarah ROPER [IGI Batch No. C010304]. * Nicholas and Sarah ROPER, of Saint Matthew, Walsall, Stafford, England, had at least these children: James ROPER (Chr 01 OCT 1813 - Saint Matthew, Walsall, Stafford, England) William ROPER (Chr 24 MAR 1816 - Saint Matthew, Walsall, Stafford, England) Edwin ROPER (Chr 24 SEP 1817 - Saint Matthew, Walsall, Stafford, England) Nicholas ROPER (Chr 22 OCT 1823 - Saint Matthew, Walsall, Stafford, England) The parents appear likely to be the Nicholas ROPER and Sarah HANDY, who married on 21 FEB 1813 at Saint Martin, Birmingham, Warwick, England [IGI Batch No. M010723]. A common Staffordshire origin for several ROPER families might also present the possibility that the missing generation prior to Robert ROPER (b abt 1805 - Suffolk) shown as the father of Thomas Theophilus ROPER in some current lineages might have been that indicated by the parish record: Robert ROPER (Chr 12 JUL 1808 - Saint Peter Or Collegiate, Wolverhampton, Stafford, England), son of Robert and Hannah ROPER [IGI Batch No. C010202] This would have been the Robert ROPER who married Hannah MANSFIELD on 19 OCT 1807 at Saint Peter Or Collegiate, Wolverhampton, Stafford, England. * * * Please bear in mind that this Post contains a number of what must be considered to be SPECULATIVE ASCRIPTIONS. It is by no means certain that William P. ROPER, of San Francisco, was of the Staffordshire ROPER family. But there are several rather facinating clues. This William ROPER was identified as a mulatto and seems to have come to California from New Orleans. He arrived at about the SAME time as Edward ROPER (b Mar 1817 - England, d aft 1900 - Prob CA). Both were fabulously wealthy by 19th Century standards. Both married, but seem to have had no children of their own. Though there seem to be no descendants of either William P. ROPER and Edwin ROPER, a further study of these families may contribute to a better understanding of the families of the West Virginia ROPERs and a genetically similar ROPER family in Suffolk.