Roper Family of
L. David Roper
roperld@vt.edu
(www.roperld.com)
6 March,
2002
Earliest
Ropers in
See the appendix for a list of the data referred to
here.
There were two
David Ropers in New Kent County, VA in the early 1700s. One (b 1727/28) was the
son of John and Mary and the older one (children b 1737 and 1739) was probably
John's brother. I have found no David Roper records in
A David Roper is
listed as a son in a 1759
Some references
indicate that there were two David Ropers in
The David Roper
in Orange County, NC in 1755, when son David was born, and 1760 (Granville land
grant) possibly is the younger David from New Kent County, VA (see above) or
the older David from Charles City County, VA (see above). He was in northern
Orange County, which became Caswell County in 1777. In 1779 he deeded his land
to William Roper and possibly moved to Rutherford/Burke Counties (almost on
Border; land grant in 1778 and land map in 1795). He possibly had sons David,
Jr. and James with him in Rutherford/Burke Counties (all are on 1790 censuses;
James‑Burke, others‑Rutherford). (David, Jr. married Sarah France
in 1788 in Rutherford County.) In or before 1792 he possibly, at about age 65,
moved back to Caswell County with wife Sarah, where son William deeded some
land back to him. Possibly David, Jr. occupied the land on the 1795 map see
above).
James Roper is
on the 1777 Caswell County census and as a bondsman there (Ropper) for Jemina
Ropper in 1779, on the 1785 Rutherford County tax list and on both Caswell
County and Burke County 1790 censuses. He is on many land and court records in
Burke County, but on none in Caswell County. Possibly James took father David
back to Caswell County in 1790 and was recorded in both places in the census;
while there he legalized his marriage to Mary O'Neill in 1792. He possibly
moved back to Burke County by 1793 when his first land grant was recorded.
Records indicate an older James Roper in Caswell County who was in the
Revolutionary War; he was born in 1745, married a Greer and later married Mary
Neal in 1778 and moved to Chester County, SC about 1793. I think that he was an
uncle of the younger James.
Clarence
W. Griffin's History of Old Tyron and Rutherford Counties North Carolina
1730‑1936 states (pp.2&4): Four great Indian trails, or trading
routes, traversed the state. These trails were noted by explorers as early as
1710. One of these four trails started near Pickens, SC, passed a few miles to
the east of Columbus, thence through Rutherfordton and a few miles to the west
of Morganton, then turned northwest to the headwaters of Linville River, thence
a few miles to the west of Boone, and crossed Iron Mountains toward
Taylorsville, TN. A feeder trail branched off at Rutherfordton and followed a
general easterly course toward Raleigh, NC, affording an east‑west
connection between three of these great routes. ... Settlers from eastern
counties of NC, and from SC, desiring less thickly populated neighborhoods, and
new, fertile land, drifted into the county, and eventually assisted in settling
TN, KY, and western NC counties. This section also received a large number of
settlers from the Old Dominion, they coming principally from the central VA
counties.
Earliest Ropers in Burke
County Area (Before 1815)
Included herein are all Roper records that I have found from
old Rowan and Tyron Counties and more recent Burke, Rutherford, Cleveland and
Lincoln Counties of North Carolina.
The earliest evidence I have of a Roper in or near Burke
County is:
Rowan
County tax list for 1768
lists Meridith Roper.
John Oliphant's list (present Iredell and
Catawba County area).
This implies that Meridith Roper was born before about 1750.
#710, Caleb Phifer, 300 acres on Mecklings Creek of Lyles Creek on east side his mill survey including Ropers Cabbin, joining Cowans. Entered
1 Sept. 1778.
Lyle
Creek and Mclin Crook run together in old Lincoln County, now Catawba County near the city of Catawba. This area was once in old Burke County and was later ceded to Lincoln County. This cabin
probably belonged to Meredith Roper (see
above and below).
#1031,
p.338, David Rooper, 100 acres on Rich Mountain a mile to east of
branch into Jacobs fork and some
Springs, for complement, 12 Nov. 1778. (Entry,
but no grant was issued.) From Huggin's book.)
The North Carolina Gazette states:
Jacob Fork rises in south Burke Co. and flows NE into Catawba Co. where it joins Henry River to form South Fork Catawba
River. Named for pioneer settler Jacob Shuford.
A map of "The South Mountains
Speculation Lands being 30080 acre" granted to James Greenlee, James Erwin
and William Erwin" dated 9 December
1795, surveyed and mapped by J. S. Montgomery, Lenoir, NC shows an arc‑shaped
tract of land inside the speculation area Just
above Rutherford County that I estimate to be about 100 acres as belonging to David Roper. It lies at the extreme
western head waters of Henrys River (Henry
Fork River parallels Jacob Fork less than five miles to the north). Two creeks
that cross the property begin at Hickory
Knob at the NE property corner and at Probti's
Knob SW of the property in Rutherford County (marked Icy Knob on 1987 Burke County map). Nearest marked tracts are Daniel Smith and Joshua Smith.
This David
Rooper/Roper would be too old (b bef about 1760) to be the first David
Roper shown in the Burke County US census records (1810) (b 1770‑1780);
However, he could be the Rev. David
Roper (b bef 1774) in the 1790 Rutherford County US census. Perhaps he was
the father of the other Ropers in Burke County and Rutherford County (James,
David, Jr. and Charles). Rich Mountain
and Jacob Fork are in the southeast part of Burke County (called South Mountains in the 1980's) near the
Rutherford County (on west) and Lincoln County (on east) borders, the
area which many of the following records involve. The 1987 Burke County map
shows Rich Mountain lying between
the head waters of Jacobs Fork on the east and the head waters of Henry River
on the west. The nearest roads to this land in 1989 are:
(1) Branstrom
Orchard Street south off of Rt. 64
at Denton Chapel Methodist Church. It is about two miles up to Hickory Knob
from the end of the road.
(2) Bethelem
Creek Road south off of Enola Road near
Enola community up to Bethelem Baptist Church. Hickory Knob is about 2.5 miles
beyond the end of the road.
(3) The road up to the new resort development
on Roper Hollow off of Rt. 64 south
of Morgantown goes to a peak not far from Hickory Knob peak.
These two land records could be for the
same tract of land. So David lived in southernmost Burke County at least by
1778. James Roper (see below) was
twelve years old then, so this possibly was James' childhood home.
This is probably the David Roper in the
Rutherford County 1782 and 1785 tax lists and the Rev. David Roper in the 1790
US census for Rutherford County (see below). A David Roper, Sr. also occurs in a 1777 tax list for Caswell
County, one year before this land record. It seems likely that he moved
from Caswell County to Burke/Rutherford County, since a David Roper does not
occur in Caswell County records again until 1792 when William Roper deeded land
to him and wife Sarah and many others followed that route.
The spelling of Rooper in the land record may be because David could not write (see
below) and the writer spelled it as it sounded. Perhaps a mountain accent was
the cause. Note that the map shows the name as Roper.
Phifer (p.
43) lists Roper as a common English
name in Burke County.
Burke
County genealogist Betsy Pittman states
"While the Ropers intermarried with the Germans who were their neighbors,
the early names of Roper children are not the typical German names of
that time and place. James, David and Charles were names used by the Scotch‑Irish
and English."
Phifer (p.
40) states: "After 1763 the
number of migrants to the Burke area increased rapidly until the onset of the Revolution in 1776."
Betsy
Pittman, Burke County genealogist, states: "Because you have determined
that David Roper (possible father of
James) was here in 1778, he was among
the early Burke County inhabitants.
Burke County was formed in 1777, but the land grant office did not reopen until 1778. Many of those folks who were
here by 1778 had been here for a period of time. They just couldn't gain title to
their land because the land office had been closed since 1763, when Lord
Granville died. Burke County lay in the Granville District."
No.1025 Rutherford
Co. land grant No. 964. Charles
Roper. 100 acres. Issued 16th Jan
1795. Warrant Co. Entry No. 49. Entered 28 Jul 177g. Book No. 83. Page No. 251. Location: On Crooked Run
of French Broad River (error: should be First Broad River).
NC #49
David Miller Entry Officer of Claims for lands in the County of Rutherford to
the Surveyor of said County. Greeting you are hereby Required as soon as may
be to lay off and Survey for Charles
Roper tract or parcel of land containing a hondrid acres in the Countey
afore seed Lying on Both Sides of Croucked ron he Widors for kind all
Inproviment the waters of furist Broad River for Compliment Observing
the Dercetions of an act of Assembly in such case made and & provided for
Runing out lands Two just and fair plans of such survey with a proper
Certificate annexed to Each. You are to transmit with this Warrant to the
Secretasys Office Without Delay. Given under my hand at office the first Day of Agist ano Domina 1792 David
Miller
Charles Roper (map shows rectangular land with a streem
crossing the lower left corner of it) N49 Surveyed for Charles Roper 100 Acres of Land in Rutherford County on Crooked
Run of first Broad River begining at a Red Oak on the E Side of the
Creek thence W 160 poles crossing the Creek to a hicory then S 100 poles to a
Stake thence N 100 poles Crossing the Creek to the beginning. 1;2 of
Dec 1794 by Me Tom Riggs. John Anderson, William Hanna CB
Revolutionary War record S30683 for David Roper: He enlisted 16 Sep 1776 while a resident of Orange
Co., NC. He was born in Orange Co. in Oct 1755. At about age 25 (c1780) he
moved to Rutherford Co. on Little Broad
River near Gilbert Town (Rutherford/on)
where he lived for 16 or 17 years; from thence he moved (c1796) to Garrard Co., Ky lived there
1 or 2 years; then he moved (c1798) to his farm in Pulaski Co., Ky where he "now lives." (illiterate)
An 18 Sep
1783 Rev. War pay voucher exists for David
Roper for Morgan District (includes
Burke & Rutherford Counties). No.
2352 11 pounds & 5 shillings
Little Broad River is just below Burke
County. This is probably the David
Roper, Jr. who married Sarah France (see below) in 1788 and who was in the
1790 Rutherford County census (see below). Therefore, I conclude that the Burke
County Ropers are of English ancestry.
The 1782
tax list for Rutherford County lists
among 500 taxables in Captain Whitesides Company:
David Roper 150 acres, 2 horses, 2 cattle, 40 pounds
assessment
Minutes of
Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for Rutherford
Co.: Jul 1782: John Smith, Edwd. Callahan, Aaron Deveny, Robert Cole, John
Jones. Saml. Carpenter, Christopher Walbert, Felix Walker, James Wilson, John
Anderson, John McAdams, John Lattimore, Daniel Lattimore, Daniel Lacefield, and
David Roper be a Jury to lay off
road from Rutherford Court House the nighest and best way to John Smith's Mills
on First Broad River and from thence
to Lincoln line leading towards Sufford's ford on the South Fork...to appear
before William Gilbert, Esq. and qualify, and report their proceedings at next
Court.
In Rutherford
County Minutes of Court for January
1783: Whereas, Summonses having issued to the Sheriff to notify the
following persons to appear and answer an Inquisition of treason, felony and
forfiture found against them by the Grand Jury. To wits: (list of 150 names
including Charles Roper) And now
being Solemnly called Show cause why their property should not be Confiscated,
failed to appear to Show any Cause. It is therefore considered by the Court
that their property be ADJUDGED forfited.
On 4 Aug
1784 Meredeth Roper was a witness for a Lincoln County deed from Abraham Barrier & wife Elisabeth (Rowan
Co.) to Balsor Sigman (Lincoln Co.) for 320 acres on a branch of Lyles Creek.
On 4 Aug
1784 Merideth Roper was a witness for a Lincoln County deed from Abraham Barrier & wife Elisabeth
(Rowan Co.) to George Deal (Lincoln Co.) for 270 acres on a branch of Lyles Creek.
Therefore, the Ropers Cabbin mentioned
above (1778) on Lylses Creek was probably Meredith
Roper’s. Lincoln County is on the east border of Burke County.
The 1785 tax list for Rutherford County shows David Roper and | James Roper. No land ownership was indicated.
Minutes of Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for
Rutherford Co.: | Oct 1785: Ord. that William Willis, ..., David Roper, William
| Cestison?, John Walbert, ...Booth, Benjamin Lacefield, Christopher (rest is
torn)
James
Roper was a chain
carrier for a land survey on Brier Creek
on 12 Jan 1786. It was for land
grant #1108 for John Walbert.
Brier Creek a northern tributary of Little Broad
River in NW Cleveland County and NE
Rutherford County, which area was in Rutherford
County in 1786 and is just below the Burke County border less than five
miles south of David Roper's land on
the head waters of Henry River discribed
above. James possibly traveled down from Hickory Knob to help with the survey.
Just to the east of Brier Creek is Wards Creek where a map shows land of John
Walbert in 1764‑86. The next two creeks to the west are Stoney Run and
Crooked Run where David Roper and
Charles Roper had land in 1779 and 1795 (see above). The latter David is
probably a son of the former David.
Phifer (p. 9) states: "In 1787 all of Burke lying south of the
South Mountains on the first Little Broad River was annexed to Rutherford County . . . "
Clarence W. Griffin's History of Old
Tyron and Rutherford Counties North Carolina 1730‑1936 states
(p.113): An act for establishing the division lines between Rutherford and
Burke Counties was passed at this (1788) session. "Whereas, the division
line between the counties of Burke and Rutherford hath not yet been
established, in consequence of which land west of the Appalachian Mountains
have been indiscriminately entered in the respective counties, contrary to the
intent and meaning of an act of the Assembly in that case made and provided:
... that the line as laid out, ... by Joseph McDowell, Jr., in the year 1785,
... which line is hereby established to be the dividing line between the
counties of Rutherford and Burke. "
So one should expect some confusion about actual county
jurisdiction for records of persons who lived around that border, which the
Ropers did.
The
following marriage bond record exists for Rutherford
County: Know all men by these presents that we David Roper Junr, Charles Rooper and James Rooper all of the County of Rutherford & State of North
Carolina are held & firmly bound unto his Excellency the governor for the
time being & Successors in office in the Sum of five hundred pownds
Sterling to which payment will & truely to be Made we bind our selves our
& Each of our Heirs Exn & admin Jointly & Severally firmly by these
presents Sealed With our Seales & Dated this 25 Day of Feb. 1788‑The condition of the above obligation is
such that whereas the above bounder David
Roper Junr hath the Day of the Date have obtained a Marriage License to be
Celebrated between him & Sarah
France. Now if it Shall here after appear that there is no Lawful Course to
obstruct Said Marriage then this obligation to be Void otherwise to be &
Remain in full force & Virtue in Law.
Given
under our hands & Seales the Day above written.
Test
Shad Hogan his
mark David X Rooper (seal)
his mark Charles X Rooper (seal)
his mark James X Roper (seal)
(Note the X that indicates that a person cannot write his
own name.) David's last name is written Rooper once and Roper twice, James' and
Charles' last name is given as Rooper twice. Surely David, Jr. and Sarah were
at least 15 years of age at marriage, so they would have been born before 1773.
I think that he is the Revolutionary War David mentioned above who was born in
1755 in Caswell County and moved to Rutherford County c1779. This record
implies that there was a David Roper,
Sr. likely the Rooper/Roper mentioned in the land records above. Possibly
David, Charles and James were sons of David Roper, Sr. However, I shall later
conclude that Charles is probably a son of Meredith Roper.
Pittman
states "At this time in our history 'Jr.' usually was the nephew of
'Sr.', rather than the son. Commonly, 'Jr.', at that time, indicated 'the
younger man of the same name in the neighborhood'."
It is possible that Meredith
Roper is the father of David, Jr., Charles and/or James, but the fact that
David Roper's land was much nearer James' land than was Meredith's makes this
seem improbable for these two.
The following marriage records exist for Rutherford County:
1789:
Martha Roper to John Higdon bm
Samuel Crabtree & R. Lewis
17
Sep 1789: Nancy Roper to Jesse McGlamry bm William Queen & Iac Whiteside
Lee Ann
Propst (5639 Catherine Ave., LaGrange, IL 60525) in Burke County Genealogical
Society Journal, Vol. 2, No. 3, Oct 1984, p.47 indicates that John Higdon married Martha Roper prior to 1800.
John
Higdon sold land to James Roper in 1802 (see below). So it appears likely that
Martha is James' sister, and also perhaps Nancy.
The 1790
US census for Burke County shows
James Roper at greater than 16 years
with two females. They had no slaves. He was the only Roper in Burke County.
The area was Company 13 in south and Southeastern
Burke County (Salem, South Mountains, George
Hildebran area).
Thus the birth date for James is before
1774.
The 1790
US census for Rutherford County lists
in Ninth Company:
Rev.
David Roper M: 1(16 up)
1(0‑16); F.: 5
Charles
Roper M: 1(16 up) 2(0‑16);
F: 5
Merideth
Roper M: 3(16 up) 1(0‑16);
F.: 4
David
Roper, Jr. M: 1(16‑up)
1(0‑16); F.: 1
Ninth
Company was just below the Burke County border. There were 1200 heads of family
in Rutherford County.
Thus the birth dates are:
David, Rev. (Bef 1774) M: 1(1774‑1790);
F.: 5
Charles (Bef
1774) M: 2(1774‑1790); F.: 5
Meredith (Bef
1774) M: 2(Bef 1774) 1(1774‑1790);
F: 4
David, Jr. (Bef 1774) M: 1(1774‑1790);
F: 1
Perhaps the Bethelem Baptist Church below David's property (see above) was
where David served as minister. However, Betsy Pittman has suggested that
"Rev." may refer to service in the Revolutionary War. I do not think
that this is probable.
A Meriday
Roper was a chain carrier for a Granville land grant survey for David Roper in Orange Co. in 1760.
A Meredith Roper is listed as a son of Benjamin Roper, Sr. in Pickens County, SC in A Collection
of Upper South Carolina Genealogical and Family Records, Vol.II by James E.
Wooley. Benjamin died 8 Aug 1831. (Pickers
is just south of Rutherford County, NC.) No David Roper is listed as a son of
Benjamin. No other mention of Meredith is made in this three volume set.
Lois York
Hamilton (3500 Sycamore Drive, Boise, ID 83703) states: Richard York of 1790 ~ 1800 Pendleton District SC named a son Meredith Roper York, a name that was
passed down through several generations. ... Meredith Roper married Lucinda
Keith d/o Cornelius Keith from Stokes/Surry
Co NC area. Ref: 1800 Pendleton Diet
SC census. Yorks had much land in the South Mountains of Burke Co. near
where the Ropers had land.
Perhaps Benjamin Roper, Sr., Meriday/Meredith Roper and Rev. David Roper are
brothers.
Meriday Roper is a head of family (age 45 up) with a
wife (45 up) and a female (16‑26) in the 1800 census for Pendleton District (now Pickens County),
SC.
Perhaps this is the Merideth Roper in the
1790' Rutherford County US census and he moved to be near his brother Benjamin
after brother Rev. David moved back to Caswell County.
A Meredith Roper is in the 1830 census
for Pickens County, SC
Perhaps he is a son of the Rutherford County
Meredith since no Meredith exists in the Pendleton censuses for 1810 or 1820.
It appears
probable that Meredith Roper moved
to Lincoln County, NC from Orange Co. (Meriday) before 1768, then to Rutherford
County, NC before 1790 and then possibly moved to SC (Meriday) before 1800.
Several persons
with last name Merredeth or Meredith married persons with last name Roper in Charles City Co., VA and Powhatan Co., VA during the early
1700s, so that is probably the origin of this first name.
The only James Roper marriage record in North
Carolina earlier than 1800 that I could find is to Mary ONeill in Caswell County at the north‑central border.
The date is 27 Mar 1792.
Many O'Neils
(O'Neill, O'Neal, Neal, Neil, Neill, Nail, Naile) occur in the early census
records in southern Burke County and in Phifer's book.
Pittman states "I noticed many Roper
marriage bonds in Caswell County; ... Many people came to this area from
the Orange County area." (Caswell adjoins Orange on the north and
was formed from Orange in 1777. )
A James Roper exists in the Caswell
County 1790 US census.
It is possible that James Roper and Mary
accompanied his father Rev. David back to Caswell County in 1790, was recorded in
both counties' censuses and made their marriage legal while there and then
returned to Burke County before 1793.
Bulletin of Genealogical Society of Old
Tryon County 1988: p.23: 1792 petition of the citizens of the Eastern and lower
end of Rutherford Co. to
allow a separate place of election other than the Courthouse because it is 25
to 35 miles from the majority that…
signed: ...David Roper in a portion of the District of Capt. Jas. Wilson …David Roper River …
The following land grant appears for James Roper in 1793:
State of
North Carolina No. 395
Thomas
Smith Entering Officer of Claims for lands in the County of Burke to the surveyors of s'd County greeting you are
herby required as may be two lay off and survey for James Roper on pratt or
parcel of land Containing Fifty Acres lying
in your County bounded as followeth.
Lying on a
creek Called Mountain Creek the
waters of Jacobs River of the south forke including the improvement of James Roperts.
Entered Aprile 25 Day 1793
Observing the directions of the act of
Assembly in such Case made and provided for Runing out lands two just and fair
plans of such survey with a proper Certificate Annexed to Each together with
this
warrant you are to transmit to the
secretarys office with out Delay.
Given under My Hand at office this 25th day of July 1793
Thomas Smith E. S. (signed)
(second page:)
Scale 50 pots to an Inch. (Map is here.
It shows Mountain Creek winding
south on the east side of the property.)
State of North Carolina Burke County
By virtue of the within warrant No. 395
dated April 25th 1793 I have
surveyed fifty acres of Land for James Ropper lying on Mountain Creek ~ the waters of Jacobs River Bounded as followeth Viz.
Begining at
a pine Tree on the North side of the Creek and Runs No. forty degrees East one
hundred and twenty six pots to two small Black Oaks. Then South fifty Degrees
East Sixty four pots xing The Creek to a Stake near a small branch. Then South
forty Degrees West one hundred and twenty six pots to a Stake. Then No. fifty
Degrees West xing the Creek to the Begining. Surveyed Feb 10th, 1794.
John Brown (CC) by
me
John Smith (CC) Robert
Logan C.S. (signed)
Note that
CC indicates the name of the chain carriers for the surveyor. If "James
Roperts" means "James Roper", then James already had been on the
land for some time and had already made some "improvements. " Perhaps
he had originally settled on and thereby "claimed" this land before
returning to Caswell County in 1790 with his father Rev. David and then filed a
legal claim ater returning to Burke County. See below for a description of the
location of this land.
I think
the James in Burke and Caswell Counties are the same person. I think that Rev. David
Roper brought his family, including sons James and David, Jr. to northern
Rutherford County on or before 1778, and that James and his probable father
Rev. David went back to Caswell County from Burke/Rutherford in 1790 and that
James returned to Burke in 1792/3. There was an older James in Orange/Caswell
County who served in the Revolutionary War, had a brother George who also
served, and moved to Chester County, SC in 1779. This older James was probably
a brother of Rev. David.
The following Rutherford
County deeds exist:
Grantee Grantors
Book/Page Date
Roper,
David William Goings J‑L:131 1794
Roper,
David State of NC (grant) M‑Q:206 1796
Martin, Jonas David Roper M‑Q:229 1796
A 1764‑86 map shows William Going
(McGowan) and John Walbert land on Wards Creek, a northern tributary of Little
Broad River east of Briar Creek in Cleveland
County just below Burke County.
The following marriage records exist for Rutherford County:
23
Oct 1794: Elizabeth Roper to Thomas Boyd bm John Keye & Samuel Carpente
18
Sep 1795: Sary Roper to Robert Boyd bm Jesse McGlamry & Samuel Carpenter
These women were
probably sisters, or cousins, of James Roper.
In the 1795‑1798 Minutes of the
Court of Pleas of Quarter Sessions (January
and July Sessions, 1796) for Burke County, James Roper was involved in laying "off a road from John
Stillwells at the mouth of the Laurel
Fork of the right fork of the So fork of the Catauba ... to where the road
begins already laid of in Lincoln near the
widdow Orrs that is to be cut from the Lincoln
line to Rings Mountain."
The January Session 1796 also has James Roper witnessing a deed on 27 January 1795 for 50 acres from
Solomon Right to Samuel Brown.
No. 1118.
Land grant No. 974 Rutherford Co.
to David Roper for 200 acres,
Issued 3 Dec 1795. Entry No. 765.
Entered 18 Jan 1795 Book No. 89, Page No. 264. Location: On waters of Crooked Run. State of NC ? County this
day personally appeared before me one of the justices of said County Samuel
Carpenter and made oath in ? form of law that he paid to David Miller Entry
taker for the County of Rutherford
three pounds ten shillings and eight pence for David Roper being the purchase money of two Hundred Acres of Land
in said County. Sworn to and subscribed this day of Nov 1795. Nathl. Jones,
Samuel Carpenter
The 16th of Jan 1795 by David Roper by the hands of Samuel
Carpenter three pound ten and eight pence wich is the purchis mony and
secretaris and my are fur and full for Two hundred acres of Land
Entered by
me & pay ? by me. David Miller
??????? David
Miller Entry officer of claims for lands in the County of Rutherford to
the surveyer of said County Greeting you are hereby directed & Required as
soon as may be to lay off & survey for
David Roper a tract or parcel of land containing of
two hondrid acres in the County ???? Lying niear or Joyining Judge McCayes and
David Millers Land on the waters of Crocked
Run and Stoney Run including his one Inproviment for Compliment.
Observing
the directions of the act of Assembly in such case made & provided for
Runing out lands two Just & fair plans of such survey with a proper
Certificate annexed to Each. You are to transmit with this Warrant to the Sec.
Office the Seckont day of Agist anno
Domni 1795. David Miller Et. David
Roper (Map shows irregular polygon with a creek crossing the lower left
corner and two branches of a creek entering the top and terminating within the
land.) N 765 Surveyed for David Roper Two
hundred Acres of Land in Rutherford
County on the waters of Crooked
Run and Stoney Run Begining at a Red Oak In or Near McCoys Line
thence South fifty West one hundred and Eighty poles to a white oak thence
South fifty nine East one hundred and Six poles to a black oak thence North
seventy two East one hundred and Ninety four poles to a black oak thence North
twenty five East thirty four poles to a post? oak thence North twenty three
West one hundred and thirty two poles to a Stake thence South Sixty one West
one hundred poles to the Begining. The 12
of Sept 1795 by Me ? Riggs. Jacob Goodman, John Pruit CB
On 21
Oct 1795 Joseph Roper witnessed a Rutherford
County will of Thomas Boyd involving land on Grassy Branch and land on long
branch of Knob Creek on First Broad River.
First Broad River is the same as Little Broad
River. Knob Creek is the next creek east of Crooked Run. Joseph Roper was probably a brother of James or a son of Meredith.
Since Meriday, Charles and Joseph Roper all occur in the 1800 Pendleton
District, SC US census, it appears probable that Charles is Meriday/Meredith's
son and Joseph is either Meredith's or Charles' son.
The James Roper deed witnessing is also shown in Huggins' Burke County. North Carolina Records, Vol. IV. In this volume also exists the following in a tax list:
1796, Capt. Benjamin Brittain's Co.
(incomplete) (Acreage) Robert Morris,199,48;William Tate,42,232;William
Cathcart,182,960; James Kad(?),100;William Jones, 415;Samuel Brown;John
Martin;David Ramsey;Nichlas Burns;... Southerland;William Southerland;Conrad
Hiltebrand;John Kell;Zacharias
Downs, Sr.;William Morrow;Shadrack Sanders;Thomas Kell, Jr.;Thomas Kell,
Sr.;Joseph England, Sr.; Isaac Thomson;Fellis Wild;Samuel Brittain;John
Stillwell;Henry Hill,290;Adam Smith,300;Richard Gibbs,100;James Ropper, 50; David Bear, 213 ;John Hughes, 820.
Note that James' last name is spelled
differently this time, and that he already had 50 acres of land.
The North Carolina
Room of the Burke County Public Library has a list of the persons buried in
the old cemeteries of Burke County. The two oldest Ropers listed, and the only
ones born in the
1700s, are:
Mary Roper b 25 Aug 1783 d
30 Mar 1865 Salem Methodist Church
John Roper b 6 Sep 1797 d 10 Jan 1868 Salem Methodist Church
No information has been found concerning their birth place.
Burke Co.
land grant No. 361 to
George Sealey: Lying on Mountain Creeke
below James Roper Joining my own
Line including both sides of the Creek and Crossing Jacobs Fork from thence to my own Line for Complement. Entered 25th day of January 1797.
The 1800
Us census lists James Roper as
the only Roper in Burke County:
The males (age) were: 4(0‑10) 1(30‑40)
The females were: 2(0‑10) 1(10‑20)
1(30‑40)
He had no slaves.
Thus the birth dates are: James (1760‑1770)
WIFE (1760‑1770)
M:
4(1790‑1800); F: 1(1780‑1790) 2(1790‑1800)
The John
Roper mentioned above could be a son of James, but later we will assign him to be a son of David Roper, Jr.
No Ropers are listed in the Rutherford
County 1800 US census. It appears that, of the four Ropers in the 1790
Rutherford County US census, Rev. David moved back north to Caswell County in
1790, David, Jr. moved to Kentucky in 1795, and Meredith/Meriday and Charles
moved to Pendleton District, SC before 1800. Both Meriday and Charles are in
the 1800 Pendleton District US census but were not there for the 1790 census.
The Burke County Minutes of the Court of
Pleas of Quarter Sessions for 1799‑1803 contains:
January Session 1802:
John
Higdon to James Roper for
90 acres of land, dated the 1st day of
December 1801, proved in court by Joseph
Hawkins.
April Session 1803:
William Smith to James Roper for 50 acres of land, dated the 16th
day of April 1803, proved in court by Joseph
Hawkins.
A Lawson Hawkins occurs in James' estate papers (see
below); perhaps this Joseph Hawkins was
a brother‑in‑law of James.
The Burke County Minutes of the Court of
Pleas of Quarter Sessions for 1799‑1803 indicates that James Roper served
on juries in April 1800, July 1803 and
October 1803, along with John Greenlee,
Thomas Higdon, George Sigmon and others.
The following land grant appears for James Roper in 1801:
No.
3417
County Burke Name Roper.
James Acres 50‑
Grant No. 3262
Issued 10 December 1803 Entry
No. 4153
Entered 28 April 1801 Book
No. 117 Page No. 322
Location on Mountain Creek
North
Carolina
Comptroller's
Office Dec 14 1803
It appears
from a Receipt of the Treasurer lodged in this Office, that James Roper has paid the
Purchase Money for an Entry of Land of Fifty Acres in the County of Burke which Entry is No. 4153.
J.
Craven, Compt. (signed)
(second
page:) State of North Carolina N4153 Thomas Smith Entry officer of Claim for
Land in the County of Burke to the surveyor of said County. Greeting you are
hereby required to soon as may be to lay off and survey for James Roper one tract or parcel of Land
Containing Fifty Acres Lying in your
County Bounded as followeth
Joining to My own tract on both sides of Mountain
Creek above Me Entered 2th day of
Aprile 1801 Observing the directions of the Act of Assembly in just Case
Made and provides for Runing out Land two Just and fair plans of such survey
with a proper Certificate Annexed to Each to gather with this warrant you are
to transmit to the secretarys office with out delay.
Given
under My Hand at office this 2th day of
July 1801
Thomas
Smith E. T. (signed)
(third
page:)
Scale 50
poles to an Inch. Surveyed May 12 1803
(map is here)
Plate No.
Carolina Burke County.
By virtue
of the warrant hereunto annexed No. 4153‑ Entered April 28 1801. I have surveyed fifty
acres of Land for James Roper lying
on mountain Creek. Begining on a
pine fore said Roper Corner and Run.South fifty Degrees East sixty pots to a
stake in a field. Then south forty Degrees West Eighty pots to a white Oak in
the Bottom. Then No. fifty Degrees W. Eighty pots to a Spanish Oak. Then No.
forty East one hundred and sixty pots to a stake. Then South fifty East twenty
pots to a stake. Then to the begining.
John Moyser (CC) by
me
Isaac Brown (CC) Robert
Logan C.S. (signed)
Note that CC indicates the name of the chain carriers for
the surveyor.
The North Carolina Gazette states: Mountain Creek rises in north Rutherford Co. and follows south into Broad River. Fort McFadden
was on this creek, near present site of Rutherfordton, in the mid 18th century.
This creek is in central Rutherford County, too far from the
Burke County border for the land to be confused as to its county location. I
think "Mountain creek" refers
here to what later became known as Roper
Mill Creek (see below in Samuel
Roper grants), which is a branch of Henry
Fork River which is a fork of the South
Fork of the Catawba River. This land is near Walkers Chapel Baptist Church about nine miles NE of the David Roper land described above. See
below for a detailed description of
the location of this
land.
The following Rutherford County deeds exist:
Grantee Grantors Book/Pag Date
Goodman,
Jacob Charles Roper 15‑17:454 1802
Roper, Charles State
of NC (grant) 22‑23:475 1806
William
Lucas David Roper 22‑23:565 1806
So, Charles
Roper obtained some more land after his land had been confiscated in 1783
because he was a Loyalist (see above). However, no Charles is in the North
Carolina 1800 census.
A Charles Roper appears
in the Pendleton District, SC 1800 census
(b bef 1755) with 3 other males and
7 females. (Area of Pickens County now.
This borders Rutherford County, NC on the south.) There were two Roper families
there for the 1790 census and ten Roper families for the 1800 census. A Charles Roper also appears there for
the 1820 (b bef 1775), 1840 and 1850 censuses.
It appears that Charles moved from Rutherford County to
Pendleton District, SC before 1800 and then moved back to Rutherford County and
disposed of some land, obtained a land grant and then sold it.
Burke
Co. deed Apr 1806
William Sellars to David Roper for
98 acres dated 10 Aug 1806. Proved
by Moses Wilkinson.
A Charles
Roper appears in the 1810 US
census for Macon County, NC.
Perhaps Charles moved from Pendleton District, SC to Macon
County, NC before 1810 and then back to Pendleton District before 1820.
The Burke
County Tax List for 1805 shows James
Ropier having 240 acres. (misspelled
name) 1 white pole (i.e. age 21‑50)
The 1815 Tax
List also shows 240 acres as follows:
James Roper 3 tracts of land lying on the South fork Joining Each other of
Land Valuation White
Pole
90 $200
100 200
50 100
240 $500
All of this land is accounted for in the documents described
above: He had 50 acres in 1796, bought 90 acres in 1802, bought 50 acres in
1803 and had a land grant for 50 acres in 1801‑3. "South fork"
either refers to the many tributaries that flow into the Catawba River from the south or to what became known as the Roper Mill Creek (see 1829 land grant
for Samuel Roper below) that flows from the south into Henry Fork River which itself flows from the southeast into the Catawba River. An entry for white pole
(age 21‑50) for 1805 puts James
Roper's birth date as 1755‑1774
and no entry for white pole for 1815 puts his birth date as before 1765.
This land lies next to River Road in the
South Mountains about one mile west of the turnoff to Walkers Chapel Baptist
Church; it now (1989) belongs to Frank Huffman. The old earth‑rock mill dam
is still very obvious, although it was washed out in the 1916 flood.
No Ropers are in
the Rutherford County US census for 1810.
The US 1810 census for Burke County
lists: Page
James
Roper: 104
Males: 3(0‑10) 1(10‑20) 2(20‑30) 1(40 up)
Females: 1(0‑10) 2(10‑20) 1(20‑30) 1(30‑40) (no
slaves)
David
Roper: 126
Males: 2(0‑10) 4(10‑20) 1(30‑40)
Females: 3(0‑10) 1(10‑20) 1(30‑40) (no
slaves)
Both are in what
is now the Lower Fork township.
Thus the birth dates are:
James (bef 1770) WIFE (1770‑1780)
M: 2(1780‑1790) 1(1790‑1800) 3(1800‑1810)
F: 1(1780‑1790) 2(1790‑1800) 1(1800‑1810)
Combining this with the 1800 census data
above puts James' wife's birth year near 1770. The two older males (b 1780‑1790)
do not correspond to any of James' children in the 1800 census; perhaps they
were brothers of James or his wife.
David: (1770‑1780) WIFE (1770‑1780)
M: 4(1790‑1800) 2(1800‑1810)
F: 1(1790‑1800) 3(1800‑1810)
Thus, David (b
1770‑1780) was younger than James and he had no children earlier than
1790. This is consistent with the marriage in Rutherford County in 1788 given above of David Rooper, Jr. and Sarah France, which was witnessed by Charles Rooper and James Rooper; however, I think that he is a younger David. He is
too young to be the David Rooper mentioned in the 1778 land record at Jacob
Fork (see above) and too young to be the Revolutionary War David (born 1755)
who moved to Kentucky c1795. I think he is a son of the Revolutionary War
David, who I think is the David, Jr. in the 1790 Rutherford County US census.
For now I assume that the older Rev. David Roper is the father of David, Jr.
and James. The John Roper (b 6 sep
1797) in the cemetery record above could be a son of either James or David,
Jr.; I shall later assign him to David, Jr..
My best guess
now for the family structure is:
David Roper'
Sr. (Rev.)
(b Bef 1774) David Roper.
Jr. 6
males
(b
1755) 4
females
(m
25 Feb 1788)
Sarah France
(b c1773)
James
Roper 4
males
(b
1760‑1770) 4
females
(m
27 Mar 1792)
Mary O'Neill
(b c1770)
William
Roper
(m
31 Aug 1781)
Keziah Yates
Martha
Roper (These women that
follow could
(m
1789) be Meredith's
children.)
John Higdon
Nancy
Roper
(m
17 Sep 1789)
Jesse
McGlamry
Elizabeth
Roper
(m
23 Oct 1794)
Thomas Boyd
Sary
Roper
(m
18 Sep 1795)
Robert Boyd
.
Meredith Roper Charles
Roper 2 males
(b
Bef 1774) 4
females
Joseph
Roper
It appears that the Ropers came into Burke County from the south
through Rutherford County and Lincoln County (the area that later became
Rutherford County and Cleveland County) and Pickens County, SC just below
Rutherford County and before that from Caswell County in the north.
APPENDIX
David
Ropers in Virginia to 1815
1727 New Kent County b 8 Mar s/o Jno. &Mary
1737 New
Kent County Benju. b 25 Apr s/o David & Elizabeth
1739 New
Kent County Frances b 5 Mar d/o David & Elizt.
1773 Brunswick
County inhabitants,
listed twice
1759 Charles
City County 8 Nov. John Roper inventory,
exec.
Jean/Jane Roper, David Roper and Charles
Roper.
Index of Revolutionary War Pension
Records (KY & VA)
1780 Charles
City County signed petition
1782 Brunswick
County taxpayers list
1782 Charles
City County taxpayers list
1783 Brunswick
County list of surveyors
1783 Greensville
County will
1787 Charles
City County taxpayers list
1787 Brunswick
County taxpayers list
1787 Charles
City County census
1797 Charles
City County 6 Mar William
Hulett m Lucy Roper,
David
Roper consents for
"my ward".
1800 Charles
City County tax list
1808 Charles
City County 15 Mar, will,
children: John, William
Ann
Waddill, Susy Heath, Rebecca, George
Edward
and David; grandchildren:
David Smith and Edward Phillips; proved
21 Ju1 1808
1814 Henrico
County 2 Feb m Mary Miller
David Ropers in
North Carolina to 1816
1755 Orange
County Oct b; moved
to Rutherford Co. about 1779;
moved
to Garrard Co., KY about 1795;
moved
to Pulaski Co., KY about 1797;
enlisted
for Rev. War 16 Sep 1776
1757 Orange
County appointed
overseer of road
1760 Orange
County Granville
land grant
1771 Orange
County signed
petition
1776 Orange
County freeholder
1776 Orange
County 16 Sep
enlisted for Rev. War
1777 Caswell
County tax list, David, Sr.
1777 Caswell
County tax list,
David, Jr.
1778 Burke
County land grant
entry
1779 Caswell
County 20 Jun William Roper,
Granville grant land from David on
Rattlesnake Creek
1780 Orange
County moved to
Rutherford County
Index of NC Rev. War Pension Applicants
1782 Rutherford
County tax list, 150
acres
1783 Morgan District 16 Sep allowed a public claim for Rev. War
1785 Rutherford County tax list, no land
1788 Rutherford County 25 Feb Rooper
X m Sarah France,
bm Charles Rooper x & James
Rooper/Roper x
1790 Rutherford County census, Rev.
David (b bef 1774, +1M&5F),
David, Jr. (b bef 1774, +lM&lF)
1792 Caswell County 25 Sep William
Roper,
land on Rattlesnake Creek to parents
David
& Sarah "for Love Goodwill
& Effection"
1794 Rutherford
County deed from William
Going
1795 Burke
County tract on
land map of south Burke
1796 Rutherford
County land grant &
deed to Jonas Martin
1795/6 Rutherford
County moved to Garrard
County, KY; then to
Pulaski
County, KY one or two years later
1800 Wilkes
County census
1801 Caswell
County 13 Jul m Nancy Lewis
1801 Caswell
County 3 Feb
received part of estate of Saml. Paul
1806 Rutherford
County deed to William
Lucas
1810 Burke
County census, b
1770‑1780
1815 Burke
County tax list, b
1765‑1794
1816 Burke
County 23 Jan m Mary Becknel, bondsman Solomon Roper
David Ropers in South Carolina to 1815
1800 Edgefield
County census
James Ropers in Virginia North Carolina
and South Carolina
James Ropers in Virginia to 1815
1761 Dinwiddie
County land patent for
44 acres 11 Jul
on
the north side of the Nottoway River
1767 Brunswick
County estate
administrated
1793 Cumberland
County 26 Jan m Moley Sims,
Signers:
James Roper & Henry Smith
1794 Cumberland
County bondsman for
marriage of Richard Harris and Judith Sims
1800 Cumberland
County tax list
James
Ropers in North Carolina to 1815
1730 DAR
list of Rev. War soldiers: b c1730 d 10/?/1786 m
Mary Peterson
1745 Caswell County Jun b,
d 18 Nov 1835; m 1778 Mary Neel/Neal
(b
22 Apr 1766, Faquier Co., VA);
moved
to Chester Co., SC about 1793;
moved
to Logan (Simpson) Co., KY about 1799
He
and brother George served in Rev. War.
1766 Orange
County(?) born
1777 Caswell County census
1777 Roster of
Continental Line from NC‑lst Reg. Of Col. Thos. Clark, James, Pvt.,
Brinkley's Co.
Enlisted
7 Apr. 3 years service
1778 Roll of Capt.
John Ingles Co., 2nd NC Bat., commanded by Col. John Patton, 9 Sep. James Rooper,
Enlisted 7 Apr. 3 years service
1778 Salisbury District
contractor
1779 Randolph County appointed commissioner
1779 Montgomery County third of four candidates in an election
1779 Caswell
County 8 Mar John
Yeats m Jemina Ropper,\
bondsman James Ropper, (by?) W. Campbell
1780
Allowances from the NC House of Commons in May session 885 pounds
Index of NC Rev. War Pension Applications:
James; James & wife Mary
1781 Yarborough
County NC10th Reg., Jas.,
pt. enlisted 12 Apl,
service
12 months, Omtd in 1782
1781 Anson County
will: children: Martha, Lucy, Mary,
William, Sussanna and Green
1783 NC Rev. Army
accounts, 25 Jul
1785 Rutherford
County tax list, no land
1785 NC Military
land grants, 17 Sep. James, Pvt.,
274 acres, service 36 months
1786 Rutherford
County chain carrier for
survey
1786 Granville
County census
1788 Rutherford
County 25 Feb David Rooper, Jr. x m Sarah France,
bm
Charles Rooper x & James Rooper/Roper x
1790 Northampton
County census, Halifax
District
1790 Caswell
County census,
Hillsborough District
1790 Burke
County census,
Company 12 (SE Burke), (b bef 1774, 2F)
1792 Caswell
County 27 Mar m Mary ONeill, bm John Peterson
1796 Burke
County helps lay
off road; jury duty; witness deeds; militia (Ropper)
1800 Burke
County census
1800 Richmond
County census, listed
twice
1800 Burke
County jury duty
1801 Burke
County land grant
for 50 acres
1801 Burke
County 90 acres
from John Higdon
1803 Burke
County jury duty
1803 Burke
County 50 acres
from William Smith
1805 Burke
County tax list, Ropier, 240 acres
1810 Burke
County census
1810 Richmond
County census
1813 Rev. War Pension paid, NC Cont'l line, $160,
4 Mar, age 72
1814 Caswell
County insolvents
returned by Sheriff, "no such man"
1815 Burke
County tax list,
240 acres
James
Ropers in South Carolina up to 1815
1800 Pendleton
District James Roper(?)
Summary
1656 John Roper arrived in Northumberland Co., VA from
England
1678? John Roper is vestryman in Blisland Parish, VA ?
1683 John Roper arrived in New Kent Co., VA from England
1685‑98 John Roper vestryman in St. Peters Parish, New
Kent Co., VA
1690 John Roper arrived in Charles City Co., VA from England
1697/8 John Roper died in New Kent Co., VA
1727 David Roper born, s/o John & Mary in New Kent Co.,
VA
1737 Benjamin Roper born in New Kent Co., VA, s/o David
& Elizabeth
(David
possible brother of John‑1683 above)
1739 Frances Roper born in New Kent Co., VA, s/o David &
Elizabeth
1755 David Roper born in Orange Co., NC; father possibly
David Roper
born in New
Kent Co., VA in 1727 (see above)
1759 John Roper inventory in Charles City Co., VA, son is
David Rope
1773 two David Ropers in Brunswick Co., VA (possibly one was
Rosser,
other may
have come down from New Kent Co.)
1777 David Roper, Sr. & David, Jr. in Caswell Co., NC
1778 David Roper entered land grant in Burke Co., NC
1779 David Roper deed to William Roper in Caswell Co., NC
1780 David Roper signed petition in Charles City, Co., VA
1780 David Roper moved to Rutherford Co., NC from Orange
Co., NC
1783 David Roper was a surveyor in Brunswick Co., VA
1783 David Roper will in Greensville, Co., VA (Greensville was
formed from Brunswick in 1780.)
1782 David Ropers on taxpayers list for Charles City Co., VA
& Brunswick Co., VA
1787 David Ropers on taxpayers list for Charles City Co., VA
& Brunswick Co., VA
1790 Rev. David Roper, Sr. & David Roper, Jr. on
Rutherford Co., NC census
1790 James Roper on Caswell Co., NC & Burke Co., NC
censuses
1792 David Roper granted land in Caswell Co., NC from son
William
1792 James Roper m Mary ONiell in Caswell Co., NC
1794 David Roper Rutherford Co., NC deed received
1795 David Roper land tract in Burke Co., NC
1796 David Roper land grant & deed given in Rutherford
Co., NC
1796/7 David Roper moved to Garrard Co., KY from Rutherford
Co., NC
1797 David Roper consents for marriage of Lucy Roper in
Charles City Co., VA
Possibly the older New Kent Co. David
& wife Elizabeth went to Brunswick/Greensville Co., VA and the younger New
Kent Co. David (b 1727, s/o John & Mary) went to Orange Co., NC.
No further trace has been found of the
John Roper who arrived in Northumberland Co., VA in 1656. Perhaps he is the
ancestor of the northern VA Ropers (Fauquier Co., Loudoun Co., Berkeley Co.).
The other two John Ropers who arrived
from England have descendants who are easily separated, even though they often
had the same names. The Charles City Co. one (arrived 1690) has descendants who
stayed around Charles City Co. and some moved to Charlotte Co. & Campbell
Co., VA. Later some move to Jasper
Co., MO and then on to KY & KS or IL. The New Kent Co. one (arrived 1683)
has descendants who probably moved to Brunswick/Greensville Co., VA and to
Orange/Caswell Co., NC and then on to Rutherford/Burke Co., NC. Some moved to
Cherokee Co., NC & Pulaski Co., KY. The former has descendants that moved
on to MO, OK, NM & CA.