Henry RUPE and Catherine Barbara NOLL ~ At Home on the Old Henry Roop Place

We’ve seen the RUPE family in the early years in Baltimore County, Maryland from 1765-1793 and in Rockbridge County, Virginia from 1793-1801. They were in Rockbridge County when Henry’s sister-in-law Polly NULL married on 13 January 1801. Sometime after Henry ROOP gave oath she was of age to marry his family of ten once again gathered up their personal and household goods,  livestock and children and continued south. Did the twins Henry and John celebrate with 12th birthday on 27 February 1801 in Rockbridge or were they already on their way to Montgomery County?

Henry was 36 years old and his wife Catherine was 33 years old and expecting her ninth child when they traveled from Buffalo Creek in Rockbridge County farther south to Montgomery County. The distance was only 80 miles however they were not traveling as we would today. At a rate of 10 to 15 miles a day they may have taken about a week to make the journey by wagon to the area of Auburn in Montgomery County. It may have taken longer if Henry was scouting for a new place to settle along the way. We know only that the family ended up in Auburn which was renamed Riner in 1882 in honor of David Riner, a representative of Montgomery County in the state House of Delegates in 1887-1888.

The trip with eight children, animals, and household goods was not a trip to the store. The oldest son Jacob was fifteen and his brothers Henry and John, the twins, were twelve, all three old enough to help their father. Their little brother George being seven years old probably followed them everywhere they went not wanting to be considered a sissy by sticking around his sisters and mother. Elizabeth, the oldest daughter and fourteen, may have been responsible for keeping her siblings in line, maybe bossing 9 years old Barbara around, and watching over little Caty who was six while their mother cared for baby William.

The family reached Montgomery County in time for Catherine to give birth to Samuel on 4 September 1801.[1] He was the pivotal point in the family’s timeline as his birth is said to have taken place in Montgomery County, placing them there in 1801.

Tracts of Land Acquired by Henry RUPE aka Henry ROOP

“He erected another mill on this farm, as he and a son, Jacob, were both expert millwrights. He and his hardy sons felled the forest and cleared most of this land where they erected a large log dwelling on an eminence overlooking the spring, stillhouse, and mill, and to protect them from a surprise attack by the Indians, who were then quite numerous.”[2]

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Although there may have still been raids and skirmishes in the westernmost counties of Virginia in the late 18th century I very much doubt Indians were attacking settlers in Montgomery County in the first decade of the 19th century when Henry was acquiring and making improvements to his land. Peter Wallenstein wrote about Blacksburg which lies 17 miles north of Riner, “Indians surely traveled throughout the New River Valley, and they hunted in the area, but they seem not to have had villages near Blacksburg when white newcomers began to call the area home and to establish their own settlements.”[3]

Henry RUPE aka Henry ROOP became a large landowner by purchasing a number of tracts and patenting others. He purchased his first 326 acres in 1804. The history of the tract of land he bought may support my belief that the family lived off of the tract before it was bought.

An early pioneer of Fincastle County, Virginia, Abner LESTER acquired 326 acres of land by grant in Montgomery County, Virginia, in 1796 on Pelham branch of Meadow Creek, a branch of Little River waters of New River of Montgomery County. He lived there for several years before moving to Russell County, Virginia, about 1801. Again he purchased land and settled for a few years before moving to Floyd County, Kentucky, before 1810.[4] The original grant for the land in Montgomery County is described follows:

….a Certain Tract or parcel of Land Containing three hundred and twenty Six acres by Survey bearing date the twenty fourth day of September one thousand seven hundred and ninety four lying and being in the County of Montgomery on Palms branch Waters of Meadow Creek a branch of little River Waters of New River and bounded as followeth to wit. Beginning at a white oak Corner to a Survey of Ezkiel Howards and with the lines there of North forty nine degrees East one hundred and thirty four poles Crossing said branch to two Black oaks on a hill side North four degrees West twenty Six poles to two white oaks North forty seven degrees East seventy poles to two pines North fifty eight degrees East twenty poles to a pine on the north side of a Ridge North forty Seven degrees East thirty poles to two pines thence leaving said line North forty degrees West one hundred and twelve poles to Augustine Akers’s line and with it to a pine and two white oaks North Seventy one degrees West one hundred and fifty Six poles crossing said branch to two white oaks on the top of a Ridge thence leaving said line South twenty five degrees West one hundred and eighteen poles to two pines South thirty eight poles to a pine, South fifteen degrees West forty two poles to three Spanish oak saplings by a path South thirty eight degrees East ninety two poles to two white oaks South nine degrees East twenty poles to a black oak and white oak sapling by a fence, South thirty two and a half degrees East forty poles to the Beginning.[5]

Abner LESTER sold Henry RUPE the 326 acres tract of land on Pelham Branch of Meadow Creek, a branch of Little Waters of the New River in Montgomery County on 17 August 1804 for 200 pounds.[6] Since Abner LESTER had resided on the land until he removed from the county in 1801 there had to have been some kind of dwelling on the tract. Did Henry have use of the land from 1801 until he bought it in 1804? Did he make improvements to the land even before he owned it?

On 19 December 1805 James and Sarah SIMPKINS sold to Henry RUPE of Montgomery County “for $200 being on Mill Creek waters a branch of Meadow Creek water Little River part of a survey of 455 acres.”[7] The deed was recorded in Deed Book D, page 291. As with several other deeds I have only an abstract of this land deed. The “part of a survey” makes me wonder if he acquired 455 acres or only “a part.” Ezekiel Howard, one of Henry’s neighbors, had a land grant for 455 acres “on the waters of Mill Creek waters of Meadow Creek,waters of Little River adjoining Jacob Akers, John Thompson.” Could this be the land SIMPKINS sold to Henry?

Henry continued to acquire land. This time it was 45 acres of land granted to him, Henry ROOP, on 1 September 1809 on the head waters of Meadow Creek a branch of Little River in Montgomery County.

……a certain tract or parcel of Land, containing forty five acres, by survey bearing date, the nineteenth day of march, one thousand eight hundred and seven; lying and being in the County of Montgomery, on the head waters of Meadow creek, a branch of Little river and bounded as followeth, to wit: Beginning at two Spanish oaks corner to Austin Akers land thence with the lines thereof, north thirty nine degrees, west one hundred and thirty two poles to a black oak on a ridge, north seventy degrees, west two hundred and forty two poles crossing a branch to two white oak saplings on a ridge corner to Northup Fullers land thence with a line thereof south thirty nine and a half degrees east one hundred and twenty seven poles to two pine saplings, on a line of his own land, thence with the lines thereof north twenty three degrees, east forty two poles to two white oak saplings on a ridge, south seventy one degrees east one hundred and fifty six poles crossing a branch to a pine and two white oaks and thence, south forty two degrees east one hundred poles to the beginning with its appurtenances…[8]

On 1 August 1820 Henry RUPE purchased from his nephew Jacob WEAVER for $100 46 acres situated on waters of Mill Creek a branch of Meadow Creek.[9]

On 22 August 1821 Henry ROOP acquired a land grant for 65 acres on Little River a branch of New River in Montgomery County.

Thomas M. Randolph Esq., Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia: To all to whom These presents shall come Greeting: Know Ye that in conformity with a survey made on the tenth day of August 1820, by virtue of a Land Office Exchange treasury warrant Number 2158; issued the 14^th February 1812; there is granted by the said Commonwealth, unto Henry Roop A certain tract or parcel of Land Containing Sixty five acres Situate in the County of Montgomery on Little River a branch of New river and bounded as followeth to wit: Beginning at a white Oak on a ridge South forty seven degrees East twenty six poles to a mulberry walnut and Sycamore on the River bank and down the Several Courses thereof and binding thereon two hundred and Sixty Five poles to three hickories under a Clift of rocks and thence South thirty nine degrees West One hundred and ninety eight poles to the Beginning. To have and to hold the said tract or parcel of Land with its appurtenances, to the said Henry Roop and his heirs forever. In witness whereof, the said Thomas M. Randolph Esq. Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia hath hereunto set his hand, and Caused the lesser Seal of the said Commonwealth to be affixed at Richmond on the twenty second day of August in the year of Our Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty One and of the Commonwealth the forty Sixth.
Thos. M. Randolph [10]

On 5 April 1822 Henry RUPE purchased from Elias VANCIL 110 acres known as Wolf Spring in consideration of $200.[11]

On 24 June 1826 Henry ROOP acquired a land grant for 100 acres on the head of the Flag Branch (as seen on the LVA Catalog but not in the transcription below) in Montgomery County.

John Tyler, Esq., Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia: To all ye whom these presents shall come Greeting: Know Ye, That in conformity with a Survey, made on the twelfth day of March 1824, by virtue of a Land Office Treasury warrant No. 7097 issued June 22^nd, 1821, there is granted, by the said Commonwealth, unto Henry Roop a certain Tract or Parcel of Land, containing One hundred Acres, situate in the County of Montgomery on the head of New river, and bounded as followeth, to wit: Beginning at a chesnut oak and pine on the head of a hollow on the north side of the Pilot Mountain and near the top South two degrees, East one hundred and forty four poles crossing said branch to a white oak and chesnut on the South side of the mountain and along it South forty three degrees, West Seventy four poles crossing a branch to a pine and white oak, North Seventy one degrees, west one hundred and forty poles to two black oak and a white oak sapling on top of the Mountain, and thence North fifty degrees, East two hundred and thirty four poles to the beginning. To have and to hold the said Tract or Parcel of Land, with its appurtenances, to the said Henry Roop and his heirs forever. In witness whereof, the said John Tyler, Esq., Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, hath hereunto set his Hand, and caused the lesser Seal of the said Commonwealth to be affixed, at Richmond, on the twenty fourth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty Six and of the Commonwealth the fiftieth.                                                            John Tyler[12]

The abstracts of the Montgomery County Deed Book entries included by Louise AKERS in her book[6], [7], [9], [11] have the grantee’s name listed as Henry RUPE while the land grants found on the Library of Virginia site were all for Henry ROOP. The later are correct as I have seen the images of the deeds (and transcribed them as seen above) however as the county Deed Books have not been viewed I cannot be sure the abstracted name “Henry RUPE” is correct in all four cases.

The total acres of the above deeds and grants is 1,147 acres. Did all of the land remain in his possession until his death? This may be answered in the next installment when the  source of the name “Old Henry Roop Place” will be revealed.

Disclaimer: The image used in this post is not of the mill on the Old Henry Roop Place. It is a pencilized photograph taken by my husband of an old mill in Germany.

Sources::
[1] Louise Roop Anderson Akers, comp., The Family Rub, Rup, Rupe, Roop, Roope (2001 Printed by Jamont Communications, 339 Luck Ave., Roanoke, VA 24016). Note: My copy of this book is the hard cover copy which the compiler also gave to the Library of Virginia. She made some corrections and additions written in pen before gifting me the book.  On page 6 she wrote in 9-4-1801 for Samuel Roop’s date of birth.
[2] Everette L. McGrew, My Mother Was A Rupe (revised edition August 2000).
[3] Peter Wallenstein, Chapter 2 of A Special Place for 200 Years, A History of Blacksburg, Virginia edited by Clara B. Cox (http://spec.lib.vt.edu/bicent/recoll/histbook/specplac.htm : accessed 31 March 2016).
[4] Anne M. Wynn Laningham and Hattie Byrd Muncy Bales. Early Settlers of Lee County, Virginia and Adjacent Counties. Greenboro, N.C: Media, 1977.
[5] State of Virginia, “Virginia Land Office Patents and Grants/Northern Neck Grant and Surveys,” digital images, Library of Virginia (http://image.lva.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/GetLONN.pl?first=357&last=&g_p=G34&collection=LO Grant : accessed 28 March 2016), Abner Luster grantee, land grant 27 June 1796, Montgomery County; citing Land Office Grants No. 34, 1796, p. 357 (Reel 100).
[6] Akers, Montgomery County Deed Book D, page 204.
[7] Akers, Montgomery County Deed Book D, page 291.
[8] Virginia Land Office Patents and Grants, (http://image.lva.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/GetLONN.pl?first=195&last=&g_p=G59&collection=LO Grant : accessed ), Henry Roop grantee, land grant 1 September 1809, Montgomery County; citing Land Office Grants No. 59, 1809-1810, p. 195 (Reel 125).
[9] Akers, Montgomery County Deed Book G, pg. 483.
[10] Virginia Land Office Patents and Grants, (http://image.lva.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/GetLONN.pl?first=284&last=&g_p=G70&collection=LO Grant : accessed ), Henry Roop grantee, land grant 22 August 1821, Montgomery County; citing Land Office Grants No. 70, 1820-1821, p. 284 (Reel 136).
[11] Akers, Montgomery County Deed Book H, pg. 295.
[12] Virginia Land Office Patents and Grants, (http://image.lva.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/GetLONN.pl?first=110&last=&g_p=G75&collection=LO Grant : accessed ), Henry Roop grantee, land grant 24 June 1826, Montgomery County; citing Land Office Grants No. 75, 1826-1827, p. 110 (Reel 141).

Genealogy Sketch

Name: Henrich “Henry” RUPE Sr.
Parents: Johann Jacob RUPP and Maria Barbara NONNENMACHER
Spouse: Catherine Barbara NOLL
Parents of spouse: Johan Anton “Anthony” NOLL and Maria Magdalena BRENTEL
Whereabouts: Baltimore MD, Rockbridge VA, Montgomery VA
Relationship to Cathy Meder-Dempsey: 5th great-grandfather

1. Henrich “Henry” RUPE Sr.
2. James ROOP
3. Gordon ROOP
4. Gordon Washington ROOP
5. Walter Farmer ROOP
6. Myrtle Hazel ROOP
7. Fred Roosevelt Dempsey
8. Cathy Meder-Dempsey

© 2016, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.