This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Roper, Miller, Grigg Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/kgDBAEB/698.1 Message Board Post: I have no specific information on the Dr. William Henry Miller you cite, but based upon the time cited and geographic considerations feel obliged to inform you regarding a ROPER -- MILLER family connection in Virginia in a previoius generation. Rev. David Roper (b 27 Sep 1792 - Charles City County, VA; d 28 Feb 1827 - Charles CIty County, VA), the son of David Roper (b 13 Nov 1744; d 16 Apr 1808 - Charles City County, VA) and Elizabeth ---, married Mary Frances MILLER, the ward of Rev. Jacob GRIGG in 1814. We are bless with a very moving contemporary biography of Rev. David ROPER written by an elder of his Church shortly after his death. (see "Biography of Rev. David Roper, of Richmond, VA" posted at http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/message/an/surnames.roper/461 ). Very little is known about the origins of Mary Frances MILLER. A bit of speculative information appears as notes I have appended to the biography cited above. But Rev. GRIGG is KNOWN to have been a very early Baptist minister in amongst other places OHIO and returned from Ohio to Virginia in the period a few year prior to Mary MILLER's marriage to Rev. David ROPER. A bioigraphy of Rev. Jacob GRIGG appears in the same book -- "The Lives of Virginia Baptist Ministers" (1838) -- and I have also posted the text of that biography online: "Biography of Jacob Grigg, of Virginia (b 1769 - d 1835)" http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/message/an/surnames.grigg/261 That biography indicates that GRIGG was in Ohio in 1808-1809. Since I have NOT yet discovered any indication of Mary MILLER's ophancy or the precise origin of her family, it seems quite plausible that she might have returned from Kentucky or Ohio with the GRIGGs. The Texas mention is also possibly important. Rev. David ROPER's son Benjamin Eliscus Roper (b 8 Nov 1816 - Richmond, Henrico Co, VA; d 11 Apr 1871 - Lynchburg, Harris Co. TX) settled in Harris County, Texas, between 1848 (when his son was born in MS) and 1850 (when he is shown residing at Lynchburg in the Census). Benjamin ROPER was a Schooner Master and Justice of the Peace at Lynchburg. During the Civil War, he served as Tax Assessor-Collector for Harris County for the Confederacy. See: "Benjamin Eliscus Roper (b 8 Nov 1816 - Richmond, Henrico Co., VA; d 11 Apr 1871 - Lynchburg, Harris, TX)" http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/message/an/surnames.roper/540.1 Rev. David ROPER and Mary MILLER had another son Frederick A. ROPER who seems to ohave married a Lethe A. Crawford on 11 Sept 1831 in Allegany County, Maryland. Frederick ROPER seems to have died before 1840, probably around 1835. Very little is known about this Frederick ROPER. (See "Frederick A. ROPER (b abt 1815 - VA) m Lethe A. CRAWFORD" at http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/message/an/surnames.roper/461.1) By 1860, James Henry ROPER (b abt 1834 - VA), son of Frederick A. ROPER and Lethe A. CRAWFORD and grandson of Rev. David ROPER and Mary MILLER could be found in Ohio in Jefferson Township, Greene County, Ohio. In 1870 James Henry ROPER was in Ward 4, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. See: "James Henry ROPER (b abt 1834 - VA), of Columbus, OH" http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/message/an/surnames.roper/461.1.1 I know very little about this branch of the family. Virtually everything I DO KNOW is posted on the indicated discussion thread. Mary Frances Miller ROPER is interred at Shockoe Hill Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, Her gravestone reads "Mary Roper, 44 y, September 8, 1844". It certainly seems PLAUSIBLE that Mary Miller ROPER might have had other relatives in Ohio, including possibly brothers who were too young to be entrusted with her care when her parents died. If this is actually the case, I am currently unaware of any evidence of it. To this I will only add the "HENRY" the middle name of Frederick A. ROPER's son -- James Henry ROPER -- was NOT a common name in the ROPER family prior to its appearance in the generation of James Henry ROPER. But it HAS become more common in MY branch of the ROPER family. Benjamin Eliscus ROPER's grandson -- my great-grandfather -- was named George Henry ROPER. This name was carried to the next generation -- my grandfather -- and in the following generation my grandfather's brother Chris ROPER named his son George Henry ROPER. Though I have very well documented lineages for almost all ROPER ancestors in my line, it is NOT readily apparent where the "Henry" comes from. Perhaps "Henry" was a given name in the MILLER family as might be suggested by the name you present: Dr. William Henry MILLER! Please let me know if any of this information is helpful of relevant!