Chesterfield County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Roper, Joseph, 1803 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ Joseph ROPER, will, 25 Jan 1803 (12 Apr 1803) estate inventory & appraisement, 8 Oct 1804 In the name of God amen, I Joseph ROPER the elder of Chesterfield County being of perfect memory do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament Item. I lend unto my daughter Nancy WOTON [sic; WOOTEN] thirty acres of Land adjoining of SAUNDERS's tract during her natural life and after her decease my desire is that her Daughter Anna possess it. I further lend to my Daughter Nancy one Negro Girl name Beak [Beck] but my Will and desire is that my Executors shall Heir said negroe and the money arising thereupon to support the family during her natural life. I lend to my Daugh- ter Nancy one Feather Bed and furniture and three head of Cattle and after her death the above mentioned articles to be equally divided among her Children. Item. I lend unto my Daughter Sally SASSEEN one negroe Rose and one named Charles but my Will and desire is that my Executors do hire the said Negroes and the money arising therefrom go to support the family during her natural life and at her decease that the Negroes be sold and the money equally divided between her Children. I further lend my Daughter Sally one cow during her life and then to be divided in the manner aforesaid. Item. I give and bequeath to my Daughter Rodah BURNETT one cow and Calf to her and her Heirs forever. Item. I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth FRANKLIN one negroe boy named Manuel, one Feather Bed and furniture and three Head of Cattle to her and her Heirs forever. Item. I give and bequeath to my son Drury ROPER five Shillings Cash forever. Item. I give and bequeath to my son Joseph ROPER all my Land lying on James River that I have [page break] [p.] 117 not given also one negroe Girl named Charity one Feather Bed and furniture one woman name Holy and one cow and Calf to him and his Heirs forever. Item. I give and bequeath to my son John ROPER the Land and plantation whereon I now live also that ten and a half acres lying south Buckingham road and also one negroe Boy named Hamton and one woman Silvery and one Hundred and fifty pounds cash to be laid out in Land at the discretion of the Executors also one feather Bed and furniture and one cow and Calf to him and his Heirs forever. Item I lend unto my beloved wife two Negroes Daniel & Rachiel with all the remainder of my Estate both within Doors and without during her natural life and after my wife's death my desire is that the remainder of my Estate be equally divided between my sons John and Joseph ROPER to them and their Heirs forever. I do hereby appoint my sons Joseph ROPER and John ROPER my Executors. I do hereby wholy revoke and disannul all other Wills by me heretofore made declaring and this alone to be my last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 25th day of January Eighteen Hundred and three. Signed sealed and delivered} Joseph ROPER in presence of } Darius FARGUSSON [sic; FURGUSSON, FERGUSON] his Thomas X SMITH mark Charles ROPER Ex.d See orders of probate O.B. 15 pages 30 & 69 [faint; different hand] [page end] ****************************************************************************** [p.] 28 April Court 1803 [...] At a Court continued and held for Chesterfield County at the Courthouse on the 12th of April 1803 ~ Present Thomas A. TAYLOR Isaac SALLE William BROWN & James A. PATTERSON G.Justices [...] [p.] 30 April Court 1803 [...] The last Will & Testament of Joseph Roper decd. was proved by the oath of Darius FURGUSSON a witness thereto and continued for further proof [...] [p.] 66 At a Court held for Chesterfield County at the Courthouse on Monday the 11th of July 1803 Present David PATTERSON Archibald BAUGH James LYLE & Wm. GOODE G.Justices [...] [p.] 69 July Court 1803 [...] The last Will and Testament of Joseph Roper decd. was further proved by the oath of Thomas SMITH and ordered to be recorded and on the motion of Joseph ROPER and John ROPER Executors therein named who gave Bond and took the oath required a certificate of having obtained a probate there of is granted them proof [...] [The index for Order Book 15 gives the following citations] ROPER Joseph's Will &c. . . . . . . . . 69 . . 30 ROPER . . . . . . . . to TRABUE . . . . . . . 266 ROPER Joseph's appraisment &c. . . . . . . . . 276 ROPER . . . . . . . . to TRABUE . . . . . . . 266 ROPER [? ROSSER?] . . to BURNETT . . . . 462 . 333 ROPER . . . . . . . . to TRABUE . . . . . . . 344 ROPER . . . . . . . . to BURNETT . . . . . . . 345 ****************************************************************************** Inventory of the estate of Joseph Roper deceased. _______________________________________________________________ £ | S | D ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ 1 Negro Woman named Beck 90 " " 1 Ditto ........... Rachel 60 " " 1 Do......... Do... Silva 75 " " 1 Ditto...Do. Do... Betty 12 " " 1 Boy Daniel 100 " " [subtotal, confusingly written in the Shillings column - {£}] 337 1 Boy Manul 60 " " 1 Boy Hampton 80 " " 1 Boy Charles 25 " " 1 Girl Critty 30 " " [page break] [p.] 215) £ | s | d 2 Feather beds and furniture Number 1 & 4 twelve pounds each 24 " " 2 Do. Number 2 & 3 nine pounds each 18 " " [subtotal, again written in the Shillings column - {£}] 237 1 Do. ............ Do. Number 5 12 " " 1 Desk " 12 " 1 Candle stand and Flax Wheel " 12 " 1 Carpenters Tools " 6 " 3 Pine Tables " 19 6 2 Flat Hackles 1 4 " 1 pair of fire dogs " 9 " 1 Shot gun 2 2 " 1 Pair of Flat Irons " 6 " 1 Cow and calf 4 10 " 1 Yoke of Oxen 15 " " 2 Cows 8 " " 3 Ewes and 1 lamb 1 16 " 11 Head of hogs 3 18 " 1 Gray Mare 15 " " 1 Gray horse colt 4 10 " 2 Pine Chest " 15 " 1 Case and bottles " 9 " 1 Corner cubbard [sic; cupboard] " 12 " 1 Looking glass " 5 " 1 dozen of rushbottom chairs 1 16 " 1 Lott of pewter " 9 " 1 Frying pan and a Meal sifter 1 10 " " 9 " ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ [subtotal? does not obviously represent any values] [?]£17 2 Agreeable to the order of the Chesterfield court to us directed We the Subscribers have appraised the Estate of Joseph Roper deceased and do return the same given under our hands this 8th October 1804. William SOWEL Haley COLE Miles CAREY Chesterfield County Sct. This day came before me Wm. SOWELL, Haley COLE and Miles CARY and made oath that they have appraised the Estate of Joseph ROPER deceased to the best of their skill and judgment. Given under my hand this 8th day of October 1804. Bev: C: STANARD [page end] ****************************************************************************** Chesterfield Co., VA, Will Book 6 (1802-1808), pp. 116-17, 214-15 The Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA. Chesterfield Co. Microfilm Reel 28. Chesterfield Co., VA, Order Book 15 (1803-1805), pp. 28, 30, 66 & 69 The Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA. Chesterfield Co. Microfilm Reel 45. ****************************************************************************** NOTES: 1. Sally ROPER m William LARSEEN on 21 Feb 1794 in Chesterfield. 2. Rhoda ROPER m Edward BURNETT on 02 Jun 1797 in Chesterfield. 3. There is a marriage of a John ROPER to Asenath HATCHER on 06 Jan 1807. 4. There are NO ROPERs enumerated in Chesterfield County in the 1810 Census enumeration. We need to carefully scrutinize the Chesterfield County Personal Property Tax and Land Tax records beginning in 1782 to identify precisely which ROPERs were taxpayers and tithables in Chesterfield each year from 1783 through 1850. 4. John ROPER is shown in the 1820 Census residing in Chesterfield. One way of viewing this data is that this John ROPER is Joseph ROPER's SON. As is shown in the Will, John ROPER was to receive the plantation upon which Joseph ROPER lived plus one half of the residue of the estate after the death of his mother. But there is also another possible ascription that may make more sense under the circumstances. Samuel ROPER (d. aft 06 Nov 1811, Chesterfield), also had a son named Joseph ROPER and a son named John ROPER. Samuel's will is posted at: John ROPER's Census record shows: John ROPER: 1 - 3 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 -- 2 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 -- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 2 - 3 - 1 - 0 -- 0 - 2 - 1 - 1 -- 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 Nelson COUSIN 19 Retter JOHNSON: 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 -- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 0 - 2 - 0 - 0 -- 1 - 1 - 0 - 1 -- 6 [Image 3 of 38 at the Ancestry.com presentation of the 1820 Census data for this jurisdiction.] It appears to me that the Rettor JOHNSON, enumerated in the adjacent record is probably the widow of Samuel ROPER (d aft 06 Nov 1811, Chesterfield). Daniel JOHNSON m Rettor ROPER on 03 Jun 1817 at Chesterfield. 5. John ROPER is again shown in the 1830 Census enumeration for Chesterfield: John ROPER: 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 4 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 5 - 2 - 2 - 0 - 0 - 0 – 18 [Images 49, 50 of 110 at the Ancestry.com presentation of 1830 Census data for this jurisdiction.] John ROPER seems to be age 40 to 49 in 1830 (b abt 1781-90). John ROPER's wife appears to be already deceased by 1830. 6. In 1840, John ROPER is again enumerated in Chesterfield. A Samuel C. ROPER also appears as a head of household there for the first time. Samuel C. ROPER is enumerated in the adjacent record and would appear likely to be the male aged 20 to 29 residing in John ROPER's household in 1830: John ROPER: 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 1 - 3 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 6 - 3 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0 -- 18 -- 0 - 7 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 Samuel C. ROPER: 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 0 - 2 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 6 -- 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 [Images 51, 52 of 60 at the Ancestry.com presentation of 1840 Census data for this jurisdiction.] Samuel C. ROPER seems to have married and had two children, a boy and a girl each under age 5 (b abt 1835-39). 7. John ROPER is again enumerated in the 1850 Census and this record shows him to be age 63 that year (b abt 1787). Also residing with John ROPER are a James ROPER, age 13, and an Ann ROPER, age 11. These appear most likely to be the young children shown in Samuel C. ROPER's household in 1840. 8. Now learning John ROPER's approximate year of birth from the 1850 Census record presents us with evidence suggesting that it is MORE LIKELY that the John ROPER shown in Chesterfield from 1820 through 1850 is probably Samuel ROPER's son rather than Joseph ROPER's son. Bear in mind that Joseph ROPER's will transcribed above names John ROPER as one of the Executors and makes an express bequest of his plantation. If the John ROPER shown in the Census records were to have been Joseph ROPER's son, he would have been only about age 16 at his father's death and therefore probably wouldn't have qualified to be an executor. Samuel ROPER named son John ROPER and John JORDAN as Executors of his will dated 06 Nov 1811. By the date of probate (10 Feb 1812), the John ROPER shown in the 1850 Census record seems most likely to have been about age 25. That he was enumerated adjacent to Rettor JOHNSON seems to further bolster such an ascription. It is therefore most likely that the John ROPER shown in the Census records cited above was Samuel ROPER's son rather than Joseph ROPER's son. A careful study of the Personal Property Tax Records, Land Tax Records and deeds for Chesterfield may give us a clearer picture of precisely what became of John and Samuel ROPER, sons of Joseph ROPER. 9. In 1860, John ROPER is no longer shown in the Census for Chesterfield. James ROPER is shown to be residing in the household of "A. BURNETT", age 30. This appears likely to be James ROPER's cousin. There is also an "R. A. BURNETT", female, age 51, in this household. The daughter Rodah BURNETT mentioned in Joseph ROPER's will in 1803 must have been at least sixteen by that year (b bef 1787) to have been already married. That would make Rodah BURNETT at least age 73 by 1860. It seems unlikely that the 51 year old R. A. BURNETT would be the SAME Rodah. 10. There is a death notice in the Richmond Examiner abstracted: "Died at her father's in Chesterfield Co. on the 15th Inst., age 22, Amanda A. ROPER, leaving parents, sister & 3 brothers", Richmond Enquirer, 20 Nov 1835, page 3. Absent the discovery of another ROPER household in the Chesterfield Personal Property Tax or Land Tax records, this Amanda A. ROPER (b abt 1813, d 15 Nov 1835) seems most likely to be a daughter of John ROPER. It seems unlikely that Amanda would have been a daughter of Samuel ROPER, whose will was dated 06 Nov 1811. Presumably Amanda A. ROPER was the female age 15 to 19 living within her father's household during the 1830 Census enumeration. 11. There is a death notice in the Richmond Examiner abstracted: "Died at res. of his father in Chesterfield Co., Jan. 17th, age 33, Nathaniel J. ROPER, leaving parents, sister & 2 brothers", Richmond Enquirer, 28 Jan 1840, page 3. Absent the discovery of another ROPER household in the Chesterfield Personal Property Tax or Land Tax records, this Nathaniel J. ROPER (b abt 1807, d 17 Jan 1840) seems most likely to be a son of John ROPER. It is unclear whether Nathaniel ROPER is the male age 20 to 29 living in the household in 1830 or whether this was Samuel C. ROPER. But it seems most likely that this was Nathaniel and that Samuel C. ROPER had already left the household by that year. Taken together with Amanda ROPER's obituary, it appears that there must have been a daughter and a son who had already left the household by 1830. This is certainly consistent with the 1820 Census record, which suggests the presence of four sons and two daughters. 12. Nancy ROPER married Turner WOOTEN on 02 Jan 1792 in Chesterfield County and that they were married by a Baptist minister, Rev. COATNEY. In a second subsequent application, she identified her marriage date as 26 Oct 1794. Turner WOOTEN's pension application was made in Jefferson, Tennessee. Turner WOOTEN served in the Company of Captain EWELL. Turner WOOTEN claimed to be acquainted with General LAWSON. This appears to be a reference to Brigadier General Robert LAWSON. Will GRAVES has posted a transcription of key parts of the Pension Application file: http://revwarapps.org/r11860.pdf Birthdates of Turner WOOTEN and Nancy ROPER's children and some marriage information of the next generation is given in the pension file. There seem to have been several Captain EWELLs during the Revolution. Although I haven't made a thorough study, on the basis of a cursory review, I am inclined to believe that the Captain EWELL referred to in Turner WOOTEN's application may have BEEN Captain Thomas W. EWELL: http://revwarapps.org/blwt2497-300.pdf Alternatively, he might have been Captain Charles EWELL, whose Revolutionary Pension Application was transcribed by Will GRAVES in this document: http://revwarapps.org/w9432.pdf 13. One curiosity as to Joseph ROPER's will is this provision: "Item. I give and bequeath to my son Drury ROPER five Shillings Cash forever." Sons John and Joseph each get a plantation. Drury ROPER, the Revolutionary War Veteran who served in his father's stead, gets five shillings. Apparently, Drury embarrassed the family by getting in trouble with the law and getting sentenced to the Virginia Penitentiary! Drury is shown in the report titled Journal of the House of Delegates of the Commonwealth of Virginia By Virginia. General Assembly. House of Delegates. At Page 21: Pardons in 1810 Drury Roper -- 0 years, 4 months, 17 days If I understand the table correctly, the figures reflect the time forgiven by the pardon rather than the time served. It seems possible that Drury was in prison at the date of his father's death in 1803. This might also explain why we do not see some larger group of children for Drury. http://books.google.com/books?id=HVhNAAAAYAAJ&lpg=RA2-PA... Perhaps the Chesterfield Court records will reveal the charge. Drury ROPER seems to be listed in the Pension Roll of 1835. This would seem to indicate that he was still living that year, at least at the date of compilation. http://books.google.com/books?id=mIQFAAAAQAAJ&dq=%22Drur... It seems to me that his death date should probably be shown as "aft 1834". This implicitly includes the possibility that he died during 1835 after the publication of the Pension Roll. Probate Entry in Jefferson County, TN, Minute Book, Relating to Drury ROPER The Will Index for Jefferson County, TN, has a notation (Image 34) showing probate information for Drury ROPER is given within Volume 9, Page 435, of the Jefferson County Minute Book. No DATE is given. A similar entry on Image 7 (of 48) of the Jefferson Will Index for a John CLENDENAN shows probate activity in the Minute Book at Volume 9, Page 258, in respect of a will dated 16 Oct 1833 (Book 3, Page 248). The immediately following entry for George CLEVINGER's probate shows an indication of an entry in the Minutes within Volume 9, at Page 565, in respect of a will dated 06 Aug 1830 (Book 3, Page 455). Similarly, an entry on Image 10 of the Jefferson Will Index for Jesse DOGGETT giving a Minute Entry at Volume 9, Page 346, reflects a Will dated 29 Oct 1834 (Book 3, Page 390), and an entry immediately following reflecting Jesse DOAN refers to a Minute Book entry at Volume 9, Page 503, in respect of a will dated 09 Aug 1836 (Book 3, Page 426). An entry for John GRAHAM, Jr. on Image 15 reflecting a Minute Book entry at Volume 9, Page 304, reflects a Will dated 14 Feb 1834 (Vol 3, Page 291). An entry for Ezekial LANNING on Image 24 reflecting a Minute Book entry at Volume 9, Page 463, is a little closer after Drury ROPER's Minute Book page number and shows LANNING's Will to be dated 14 Jun 1836 (Book 3, Page 358). An entry for Robert PATTON on Image 32 reflecting a Minute Book Entry at Volume 9, Page 386, reflecting a Will dated 10 Feb 1834 (Book 3, Page 414) seems to more tightly bracket the Minute Book page range at the lower end. The John GRAHAM Will transcription in the Will Book (Vol 3, Page 291) reflects that the Will was Proven at the June 1834 session of the Court. The John CLENDENAN Will is shown to have been proven at the December 1834 session of the Court, but the Inventory is shown to have been dated 09 Dec 1833. The Jesse DOGGETT Will (dated 29 Oct 1834) is shown to have been proved at the December 1834 session of the Court. The Robert PATTON Will is shown to have been proven at the June 1835 session of the Court. The Ezekial LANNING will (dated 14 Jun 1836) seems to have been proven at the July 1836 Session of the Court. The Jesse DOAN will (dated 08 Aug 1836) seems to have been proven at the January 1837 Court session. The CLEVINGER will (dated 06 Aug 1830) seems to have been proven at the November 1837 Court Session. The Drury ROPER Minute Book entry (Page 435) thus seems to follow those of John CLENDENAN (Page 258), John GRAHAM, Jr. (Page 304), Jesse DOGGETT (Page 346), and Robert PATTON (Page 386), while preceeding those of Ezekial LANNING (Page 463), Jesse DOAN (Page 503) and George CLEVINGER (Page 565). The entries shown above preceeding the page of the Drury ROPER Minute book entry seem likely to reflect Court sessions of June 1835 or earlier. Those after the Drury ROPER entry seem to be reflect Court dates on or after July 1836. It therefore seems most likely that the entry is going to reflect a dated of about Jun 1835-Jul 1836. Drury ROPER probably died within about ninety days of the Minute Book entry. In my previous notes, I suggested that Drury had died after the publication of the Veterans Pension Roster. The page of the Minute Book entry seems to suggest that this is correct. If anyone has seen the information appearing within Minute Book 9 regarding Drury ROPER's death and the probate of his estate, please post a transcription of that information. These documents & notes were originally posted to the ROPER family message board (2006-2014): http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.roper/807/mb.ashx Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by William A. Roper, Jr. (waroper@pobox.com), and re-formatted by File Manager Matt Harris. file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/cheserfield/wills/r160j1wl.txt