This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Roper, Jones Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/kgDBAEB/785.4 Message Board Post: One ROPER WIFE of English origin is shown in the 1880 Census as Mary Ann ROPER, age 47. This appears to be Mary Ann --- Jones ROPER (b abt 1830-33 - England, d aft 1880 - Prob CA). In the 1880 record, Mary A. ROPER is shown to be MARRIED (rather than widowed) and is residing in San Jose, California, with sons William D. and Alexander S. JONES: United States Census -- 1880 San Jose, Santa Clara County, California, (Enumeration Dist. 249) Page No. 13 (Page Imprinted "211") 09 Jun 1880 Line 5, Dwelling 84, Family 98, ROPER, Mary Ann, White, Female, Age 47, Keeping House, Born England, Father Born England, Mother Born England. Line 6, Dwelling 84, Family 98, JONES, William D., White, Male, Age 27, Son, Farmer, Born Indiana, Father Indiana, Mother Born England. Line 7, Dwelling 84, Family 98, JONES, Abraham S., White, Male, Age 15, Son, Attends School, Born California, Father Indiana, Mother Born England. [Image 13 of 24 at the Ancestry.com presentation of 1880 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * This Mary Ann ROPER is pretty clearly a widow of a Mr. JONES. Checking the 1870 Census, we find: United States Census -- 1870 San Jose, Santa Clara County, California, Page No. 33 (Page Imprinted "222") 16 Aug 1870 Line 32, Dwelling 284, Family 248, JONES, Aaron Sen., Age 40, Male, White, Farmer, RE $3,930, Pers. Estate $915, Born Indiana, Male U.S. Citizen Over 21 Line 33, Dwelling 284, Family 248, JONES, Mary A.., Age 38, Female, White, Keeping House, Born England, Father Foreign Born, Mother Foreign Born Line 34, Dwelling 284, Family 248, JONES, William D.., Age 17, Male, White, Born Indiana, Mother Foreign Born Line 35, Dwelling 284, Family 248, JONES, Aaron Jr.., Age 14, Male, White, Born Indiana, Mother Foreign Born Line 36, Dwelling 284, Family 248, JONES, Abraham, Age 12, Male, White, Born California, Mother Foreign Born [Image 87 of 318 at the Ancestry.com presentation of 1870 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * In 1860, the JONES family was residing in Indiana (notwithstanding the assertion that Abraham JONES was age 12 and born in California -- it appears that his age was EXAGERATED as young boys are sometimes given to do): United States Census -- 1860 Franklin Township, Floyd County, Indiana, Page No. 131 (Page also indicated "311") 20 Jul 1860 Line 32, Dwelling 998, Family 965, Aron JONES, Age 30, Male, Farmer, Pers. Estate $450, Born Indiana Line 33, Dwelling 998, Family 965, Mary JONES, Age 27, Female, Born Lond England Line 34, Dwelling 998, Family 965, William JONES, Age 7, Male, Born Indiana Line 35, Dwelling 998, Family 965, Aron JONES, Age 4, Male, Born Indiana [Image 16 of 20 at the Ancestry.com presentation of 1860 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * We find that Mary Ann seems to have been from London, England. I have NOT found the maiden name of Mary Ann JONES. One possibility is the Mary Ann DANIEL (b abt 1832 - England) living nearby in Floyd County, IN. But there are other candidates, too. And Floyd County is adjacent to the Ohio River and other possibilities include residents of Kentucky. The 1850 Census record for Aaron JONES, age 20, reveals that he is residing in the same household with an Elizabeth JONES, age 60, and older brother James JONES, age 27. They are all residing in the household of Thomas and Maria DEWEY, of New Albany, Floyd County, IN. Perhaps someone familiar with this JONES family will know Mary Ann's maiden name. Nor have I ascertained which ROPER Mary Ann married between 1870 and 1880. It APPEARS from the indications in the Census records that this ROPER is ALIVE, but elsewhere. The fact that the 1890 Census was destroyed may make identification difficult. * Though this Mary Ann only married into the ROPER family, she is one of a number of ROPER surnamed English immigrants found in the Census in 1870 and 1880 for whom I am seeking to determine the precise English origins.