This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Roper, Hitchcock, Sanders, Heathcote, Gibbs Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/kgDBAEB/785.5 Message Board Post: Amongst English ROPER immigrants to America found in the 1870 Census is a George ROPER, age 40, residing in Denver, Colorado: United States Census -- 1870 Denver, Arapahoe County, Colorado, Page 46 13 Jun 1870 Line 20, Dwelling 423, Family 410, ROPER, George, Age 40, Male, White, Brick Mason & Builder, RE $15,000, Pers. Estate $1,500, Born England, Father Born England, Mother Born England, Male U.S. Citizen Over Age 21 Line 21, Dwelling 423, Family 410, ROPER, Hattie, Age 35, Female, White, Keeping House, Born England, Father Born England, Mother Born England Line 22, Dwelling 423, Family 410, ROPER, Florence, Age 13, Female, White, Born New Jersey, Father Born England, Mother Born England, Attended School Within Year Line 23, Dwelling 423, Family 410, ROPER, Harriett, Age 7, Female, White, Born Kansas, Father Born England, Mother Born England, Attended School Within Year Line 24, Dwelling 423, Family 410, ROPER, George, Age 5, Male, White, Born Colorado, Father Born England, Mother Born England Line 25, Dwelling 423, Family 410, ROPER, John, Age 3, Male, White, Born Colorado, Father Born England, Mother Born England Line 26, Dwelling 423, Family 410, ROPER, Ida, Age 9/12, Female, White, Born Colorado, Father Born England, Mother Born England [Image 46 of 121 at the Ancestry.com presentation of the 1870 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * The birthplaces of the children give a rather precise indication of George and Harriett ROPER's migration across America. They were in Leavenworth, Kansas, at the date of the 1860 Census enumeration: United States Census -- 1860 2nd Ward, Leavenworth, Leavenworth County, Kansas, Page 103 (Page also numbered "673") 14 or 16 Jul 1860 Line 1, Dwelling 1024, Family 923, George ROPER, Age 30, Male, Plasterer, Born England Line 2, Dwelling 1024, Family 923, Harriet ROPER, Age 25, Female, Born England Line 3, Dwelling 1024, Family 923, William F. ROPER, Age 5, Male, Born England Line 4, Dwelling 1024, Family 923, Florence ROPER, Age 3, Female, Born New York [Image 103 of 193 at the Ancestry.com presentation of the 1860 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * This record seems to rather clearly place George and Harriett ROPER in England prior to 1856 and introduces some uncertainty as to whether they were in New York or New Jersey at the date of Florence's birth about 1857. The age given for both George and Harriett is precisely consistent with that shown in the 1870 enumeration and George appears to have been born about 1830, while Harriett seems to have been born about 1835. They must have married in England before William's birth about 1845. Searching the IGI for a marriage of a George and Harriet ROPER in England, we find that a George ROPER, son of Noah ROPER, married a Harriet SANDERS, daughter of Alexander SANDERS, on 29 JAN 1843 at Duffield, Derby, England [IGI Batch No. M049947]. Now the TROUBLE with ascribing this record to George and Harriet ROPER, of Denver, Colorado, is the persistent indication that George ROPER was born about 1830 and that Harriett was born about 1835. If this record were to pertain to George and Harriett ROPER, of Denver, it would seem that George married at age 13 and Harriett was only age 8! * But there doesn't seem to be another George ROPER marriage to a Harriett in the period PRIOR to 1855 in either the IGI or the English Civil Registration Index. One possibility is that the marriage of this George and Harriett ROPER is simply NOT recorded in either extant parish records or the Civil Registration Index proximate to 1855. Another possibility presents itself. This is the possibility that Harriett is NOT William F. ROPER's mother, but rather was a 2nd or subsequent wife to George ROPER after the death of William ROPER's mother. In this case, Geroge ROPER may have married Harriett in the perid AFTER William F. ROPER's birth, but prior to the 1860 Census enumeration showing George and Harriett ROPER already in America. Bear in mind that it appears that George and Harriett ROPER came to America between 1855 and 1857, as Florence is shown to be born in New York or New Jersey. And by 1860, George and Harriett are already in Kansas. * Study of the 1851 Census shows one particularly compelling candidate to be George ROPER (b abt 1830). This is the George ROPER enumerated within the household of Thomas and Lydia HEATHCOTE, of Chesterfield, Derbyshire. This George ROPER is shown to be age 20 in 1851 (b abt 1831), born in Sheffield, Derbyshire. Most importantly, he is shown to be a PLASTER, which is precisely the occupation listed inthe Census record of George ROPER, of Leavenworth in 1860! George ROPER is shown to be a "visitor" within this household. * The IGI suggests that this might be the George ROPER, son of Samuel ROPER, who married Lydia HITCHCOCK on 02 MAR 1854 at Wirksworth, Derby, England. [IGI Batch No. M059496] This is the marriage further shown within the English Civil Registration Index as the marriage of George ROPER and Lydia HICTCHCOCK recorded during the March 1854 Quarter at Belper, Derbyshire, in Volume 7b at Page 628. Consistent with this theory, there is a death of a Lydia ROPER recorded during March 1857 Quarter at Shoreditch, London / Middlesex at Volume 1c, Page 161. Someone with a keen interest in this family might want to get a look at this record. The closest IGI match I am able to find for a George ROPER b abt 1830 with father Samuel is: George William ROPER (b 30 JAN 1829, Chr 16 JUL 1829 - Independent, Thetford, Norfolk, England), son of Samuel ROPER and Mary Ann GIBBS. [IGI Batch No. C075261] It is unclear to me whether this is just a coincidence or a meaningful ascription. Admittedly, the Census record indicates that George ROPER was born in SHEFFIELD. But sometimes children are Christened in OTHER PLACES proximate to a Godparent. The fact that there was a six month delay in the Christening suggests that this COULD HAVE BEEN the case. There is a birth record of a William ROPER recorded at Sheffield, Yorkshire during June 1857 Quarter which probably also bears scrutiny. [Volume 9c, Page 258] * Whether the marriage record of George ROPER to Lydia HITCHCOCK is related, to George ROPER, of Denver, this George ROPER seems almost certainly to be RELATED TO John and Meriam ROPER, of Chesterfield, Derbyshire! The 1851 Census record for this family shows: District 4e, Chesterfield, Derbyshire 108 Church Lane, John ROPER, Head, Married, Male, Age 45, PLASTERER, Born Derbyshire Brampton Meriam ROPER, Wife, Married, Female, Age 44, Born Yorkshire Sheffield Elizabeth ROPER, Dau, Unmarried, Female, Age 23, Dressmaker, Born Yorkshire Sheffield Richard ROPER, Son, Unmarried, Male, Age 18, Born Yorkshire Sheffield John ROPER, Son, Male, Age 13, Scholar, Born Yorkshire Sheffield Sarah ROPER, Dau, Female, Age 11, Scholar, Born Yorkshire Sheffield William ROPER, Son, Male, Age 6, Scholar, Born Derbyshire Chesterfield Meriam ROPER, Dau, Female, Age 4, Scholar, Born Derbyshire Chesterfield I am inclined to believe based upon the PRECISE conformity of the ages and the fact that George ROPER fits so nicely between Elizabeth, age 23, and Richard, age 18, that George ROPER is actually the SON of John and Meriam ROPER! The common OCCUPATION of Plasterer CANNOT be a mere coincidence. At worst, John ROPER is George ROPER's UNCLE. But it seems far more likely that he is George ROPER's FATHER. In any case, I believe that we can state with some confidence that George ROPER, of Denver, Colorado was of Derbyshire origin. * The IGI shows us that the ROPER children born in Sheffield must be: Elizabeth ROPER (b 28 MAR 1828, Chr 31 DEC 1834 - Cathedral, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England), dau of John and Miriam ROPER [IGI Batch No. 7834834]* John ROPER (b 11 APR 1830, Chr 31 DEC 1834 - Cathedral, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England), son of John and Miriam ROPER [IGI Batch No. 7834834]* Richard ROPER (b 02 SEP 1832, Chr 31 DEC 1834 - Cathedral, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England), son of John and Miriam ROPER [IGI Batch No. 7834834]* John ROPER (b 25 APR 1837, Chr 02 JUL 1837 - Cathedral, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England) ), son of John and Miriam ROPER [IGI Batch No. 7834834]* * NOTE: This is NOT an IGI record from original parish records, but rather a SUBMITTED record from a secondary source. Other extant parish records showing births for this family in Derbyshire include: William ROPER (Chr 08 JAN 1845 - Chesterfield, Derby, England), son of John and Miriam ROPER [IGI Batch No. C035862] Miriam ROPER (b 23 JAN 1847, Chr 12 MAR 1847 - Chesterfield, Derby, England), dau of John and Miriam ROPER [IGI Batch No. C035862] Laurence James ROPER (b 15 JUL 1851, Chr 14 JAN 1852 - Chesterfield, Derby, England)son of John and Miriam ROPER [IGI Batch No. C035862] The John and Meriam ROPER family is the ONLY ROPER family residing within Chesterfield. There are five (5) ROPER families residing in Sheffield in 1851, headed by Sarah ROPER (b abt 1799 - Sheffield), Robert ROPER (b abt 1817 - Sheffield), Robert ROPER (b abt 1821 - Sheffield), Henry ROPER (b abt 1823 - Sheffield) and John ROPER (b abt 1823 - Sheffield). Alternatively, George ROPER certainly MIGHT have been Sarah ROPER's son. There IS a George ROPER shown to have been born in Sheffield to a Joseph and Sarah ROPER, but he appears to have been somewhat younger than the George ROPER who settled in Denver: George ROPER (b 05 AUG 1835, Chr 19 AUG 1835 - Cathedral, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England), son of Joseph and Sarah ROPER [IGI Batch No. 7834834] * There is a marriage record showing the marriage of a John ROPER to a Meriam BARKER on 30 JUL 1826 at Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, further clarifying the possible identity of George ROPER's parents. [IGI Batch No. A458544]. There were two George ROPERs and a Benjamin ROPER each also born in Brampton and old enough to be John ROPER's father, who were still living at the date of the 1851 Census enumeration. The Brampton ROPERs merit furhter investigation. * * * George and Harriett ROPER's 1880 Census record does relatively little to further illuminate their origins. They are still living in Denver: United States Census -- 1880 Denver, Arapahoe County, Colorado (Enumeration District 14), Page 23 or 25 (Page Imprinted "299") 07 Jun 1880 Line 1, House No. 571, Dwelling No. 179, Family No. 185, ROPER, George, White, Male, Age 50, Married, Builder, Paralysis, Born England, Father Born England, Mother Born England. Line 2, House No. 571, Dwelling No. 179, Family No. 185, ROPER, Harriet, White, Female, Age 45, Wife, Keeping House, Born England, Father Born England, Mother Born England. Line 3, House No. 571, Dwelling No. 179, Family No. 185, ROPER, Attie [Harriet], White, Female, Age 17, Daughter, At Home, Born Kansas, Father Born England, Mother Born England. Line 3, House No. 571, Dwelling No. 179, Family No. 185, ROPER, George, White, Male, Age 14, Son, At School, Attended School "9", Born Colorado, Father Born England, Mother Born England. Line 3, House No. 571, Dwelling No. 179, Family No. 185, ROPER, John, White, Male, Age 12, Son, At School, Attended School "9", Born Colorado, Father Born England, Mother Born England. Line 3, House No. 571, Dwelling No. 179, Family No. 185, ROPER, Ideline, White, Female, Age 10, Daughter, At School, Attended School "9", Born Colorado, Father Born England, Mother Born England. [Image 69 of 130 at the Ancestry.com presentation of the 1880 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * * * The AGES for George and Harriett ROPER are consistent with each of the previous enumerations. * * * I would appreciate receiving Posts in Reply from those with additional information regarding this Derbyshire ROPER family!