Montgomery VA – Opening Doors in Brick Walls

Setting the Record Straight: The Rupe Family’s Migration Trail Story

Family lore, oral or written, makes for interesting storytelling. Sometimes it contains a certain amount of truth. As the stories are passed on from one generation to the next, we lose track of who recounted which part of a story. And oftentimes, misconstrued facts are added to the story. This is the case in the story of the Henry RUPE family’s travels from Maryland to their final destination in Virginia.

Traveling on what was once the Baltimore and Memphis Turnpike, the Rupe caravan crossed the Potomac at Harper’s Ferry in 1796. The caravan included Henry, his wife Catherine, and their family of several sons and daughters… Henry and family journeyed through the Shenandoah Valley and into Rockbridge County, bound for the southwestern section of the state, then rather sparsely settled. When they reached Buffalo Creek, four miles north of Natural Bridge, a great flood overtook them and they were forced to remain for several days… They settled on Buffalo Creek and built a mill there… Early in the year 1800 they left Rockbridge Co. and wound up in Lunenburg Co., VA where they had at least one child before settling on Pelham’s Branch, near Little River, about eight miles southwest of Christiansburg, Montgomery Co., VA.

Note: Parts of the narrative have been omitted as they contain family lore that cannot be substantiated.¹

This isn’t meant to expose previous researchers’ work as fallible but to question and verify the evidence.

Is the story that the RUPE family lived in Lunenburg County plausible?

The story of the RUPE family’s travels includes the claim that they were in Lunenburg County when Mary ROOP was born in about 1802. Afterward, they continued on to Montgomery County.

Did the family take a detour to Lunenburg County on their way from Buffalo Creek to Christiansburg? Geographically, it seems unlikely.

Where did the information come from?

Everette Llavon McGREW (1923-2008) gifted me a 169-page revised version (August 2000) of his original 78-page book My Mother Was A Rupe (1995) on 28 January 2002. I requested and received written permission on 28 February 2006 to quote with credit any portion of his book even though he mentions in the preface that he was not copyrighting his work.

How did the book come to be written?

Linda P. (Dickey) ROOP (1943-1994) and Everette L. McGREW had been working on their respective ROOP genealogies when they met in the early 1990s. They decided that with Everette’s help, Linda would write the book on the family. Everett sent copies of his work to her and in January 1993 Linda sent him a rough draft. He returned it to her with updates, corrections, and comments. Linda died of fast-growing cancer in September 1994 at 51, without publishing the book. Everette “attempted to take it from there” and published My Mother Was A Rupe in 1995.

When or where did the Lunenburg claim come from?

Everette wrote on the second page of the book, “The main facts that we know about Henry and his family came from a report that Redmond Ira Roop, a great-grandson of Henry’s, gave at a family reunion in Maryland in 1927.” He continued with the narrative [short version above] without indicating if it was a direct quote or if the report was being paraphrased.

The above story has been repeatedly shared online but…

Who was the storyteller?

I’ve gone back and forth trying to figure out who may have written the narrative. Which parts came from Redmond ROOP and which parts from Everette, Linda, or another storyteller?

Did Redmond ROOP attend a family reunion in 1927 and give a speech or report?

On 21 August 1927, a Roop family held its first reunion at Dunkard Meeting House, Meadow Branch, Carroll County, Maryland. The following day, the event was reported on in The Evening Sun (Hanover, PA). Redmond I. ROOP was not present.²

Did Redmond ROOP speak at a family reunion at any other time?

On 2 September 1928, the same Roop family held its second annual reunion. Once again the event was reported in The Evening Sun. This time the subtitle read: “Redmond Roop, Christianburg, Va., Gives Interesting Address At Meadow Branch Church Where Clan Meets” and further notes that Mr. ROOP had only learned of the reunion the month before.³ (Christiansburg was misspelled in the newspaper headline.)

In 1796 he moved his family to Virginia and settled on Buffalo Creek and established a mill and made his living there for several years when he later moved to Montgomery County where he purchased large tracts of land.

Was the information Redmond ROOP gave at the reunion family lore or did he do actual research?

It’s been 95 years since Redmond Ira ROOP (1869-1947), a lawyer from Christiansburg, Virginia, gave his presentation at the family reunion in Carroll County, Maryland. Did he keep a written copy of his presentation? Did Linda or Everette obtain a copy?

Several claims by Redmond ROOP in the article are false.

“Henry Rupe, as it was first spelled, came from Germany in the early 17th century, having lived along the Rhine river, and landed in Baltimore.”

17th century? That should ring some warning bells! Henry’s parents came to America with three young sons from Oberhoffen (Northern Alsace, present-day France) and arrived in Philadelphia on 20 October 1752 on the ship “Duke of Wirtenburg” (Württemberg) that sailed from Rotterdam and Cowes under Captain Daniel Montpelier.⁴,⁵,⁶

“A son Oscar moved with his family to Missouri and later became a prominent judge.”

Redmond must have been mistaken about this. Henry RUPE and his wife did not have a son named Oscar. The furthest west that any of the sons went was (in order of distance) Pulaski County VA (John), Lee County VA (Jacob), Menifee County KY (William), and Wayne County IN (George).

Of more importance, the newspaper article of the 1828 Roop reunion gives no mention of the family’s stay in Lunenburg County. In all likelihood, Redmond was not the person who added that place to the travels of the RUPE family.

What do we know about the travels of the family?

On 23 April 1793 Henry RUPE of Baltimore County, Maryland, sold Rhineharts Folly in Pipe Creek Hundred to Jacob BOBLITZ. Henry’s wife Catherine relinquished her dower rights. The indenture was recorded on 14 May 1793.⁷

Henry RUPE and Catherine Barbara NOLL left Maryland in 1793 with five children and made at least one stop along the way in Rockbridge County before continuing on to their final destination.⁸

An error or omission in the 1793 land deed called for the necessity of the land deed to be recorded again in 1798. Henry ROOP of Rockbridge County left his mark on 19 May 1798 and the indenture was recorded in Baltimore County on 15 September 1798.⁹ This is proof of his residency.

On 13 January 1801, Henry ROOP was in Rockbridge County when he made the following oath concerning his sister-in-law Polly NULL (aka NOLL):¹⁰

Rockbridge County To Wit
This Day Came before me a Justice
of the Peace for said County Henry Roop and
made oath that Polly Null who is about
to be married to James Hart is of his own
knowledge above the age of Twenty one
years — Certified under my hand this 13th Jany
1801 Alex Sheilds

The family was in Montgomery County, Virginia by 1804 when Henry bought land and was first seen on the Personal Property Tax list of the county.¹¹,¹²

Where did the claim of the family being in Lunenburg really come from?

Apparently, the information that Mary “Polly” ROOP was born in Lunenburg County was given by her oldest son Crockett ROOP in 1868 when he reported her death.

Recently, while searching for another record, I stumbled upon the 1868 register of deaths for Montgomery County. Polly ROOP died on 17 November 1868 in Montgomery County at the age of 66 years of heart disease. Her parents are correctly listed as H. & Catherine ROOP. Crockett ROOP was the informant.¹³

1868 Register of Deaths for Montgomery County, Virginia courtesy of Ancestry.com

Where was Polly ROOP born? In the column for “Where born?” the first entry in the register is Montgomery. About a dozen entries follow with ” or ditto marks. In the entry for Washington PARISH, a new place was entered: Lunenburg Co. The next two entries are for ROOP individuals with Crocket ROOP as the informant. Ditto marks indicate the birth was in Lunenburg Co.

The first entry is for “Henrietta ROGERS,” age 28, daughter of “Saml & P. ROOP” (Samuel ROOP and Martha “Patsy” TOWNSLEY). This is Harriett L. F. ROOP, wife of William P. ROGERS. The parents match. The age is a match. The married name matches. The marriage record shows that Harriett was born in Montgomery County.¹⁴ Her father Samuel was a brother of Polly ROOP. Crockett was her first cousin and should have known that her name was Harriett and not Henrietta and that she was born in Montgomery.

Further, the entry following Polly’s is for “Zepha WILLIS” with the informant being Chris WILLIS. This is Zelpha DOBBINS who married Christopher WILLIS in 1827 in Montgomery.¹⁵ Zelpha was the daughter of Thomas DOBBINS and Mary RATLIFF, a couple who lived in Montgomery County at the time of her birth.

I believe the ditto marks are NOT meant to indicate Lunenburg is the place of birth for Harriett, Polly, and Zelpha. Crockett ROOP and Christopher WILLIS didn’t give incorrect information; the clerk took a shortcut and didn’t fill in Montgomery as the county of birth. See footnote.¹⁶

The person before Mary on the death register (her niece Harriet) and the person after Mary (Zelpha) were both born in Montgomery County. Is it safe to say Mary was also born in the same county and NOT in Lunenburg County?

Was Samuel ROOP born in 1801 or 1803 in Montgomery County?

As seen above, Mary ROOP was born in about 1802 per the age listed on her death record. Her brother Samuel ROOP was born in Montgomery County according to his death record.¹⁷ Was he younger or older than Mary?

This question is hard to answer. Per the age at death listed in the register, he would have been born about 1803. The year 1801 is found in a published book and on the memorial marker of Samuel’s parents.

Louise Roop Anderson Akers used the proceeds from her book The Family Rub, Rup, Rupe, Roop, Roope (2001) to buy a memorial marker for the spot believed to be the final resting place of Henry RUPE and his wife Catherine Barbara NOLL. Although it includes the names of all of their children only Henry, Catherine, their youngest son Joseph and some of his family were buried in the Henry & Catherine Rupe Family Cemetery outside of Riner, Virginia.

Louise gifted me a hardcover revised copy of her book. The year of birth for Samuel (1803) is crossed out and 9-4-1801 (Sep 4, 1801) was written in by hand by Louise. She made several corrections to his family group suggesting she may have received information from a family member. She likely used this information for the memorial marker that has Samuel’s year of birth as 1801.

The RUPE family went from Rockbridge to Montgomery

The Henry RUPE family didn’t take a detour to Lunenburg County after leaving Rockbridge County and coming to Montgomery County. They took the direct route others took before them, traveling the Great Valley Road.

Public domain, released by David Dilts, a Family History Research Wiki user.

The evidence of the trail they took was found in tax lists, land deeds, and a marriage record proving that Henry RUPE aka ROOP was in Rockbridge County from 1794 until 1801. He was then found in tax lists from 1804 until he died in Montgomery County proving his residence there from 1804 to 1845. In 1802 and 1803 Henry Rupe was not on the Montgomery County PPT lists.

The story passed down from one generation to the next was enhanced. An event gleaned from a death record was the only evidence that the family might have lived in Lunenburg. By scrutinizing the entire page of the death register and considering where the information came from, I believe an error in the death records of Mary ROOP and two other persons was unintentionally made by a clerk.

Can evidence other than the poorly documented births of Samuel and Mary be found to set the record straight and confirm the RUPE/ROOP family was in Montgomery County as early as 1802? What’re two years in the lives of our ancestors who lived over 200 years ago? Two years make a difference in debunking this family lore.

See more articles on the ROOP families here.

Everette L. McGrew, My Mother Was A Rupe (1995, revised copy dated August 2000), p. 2. ↩
The Evening Sun, (Hanover, Pennsylvania), A Publisher Extra Newspaper, “Roop Family Holds First Reunion,” Monday 22 Aug 1927, p. 6, col. 3-4. (https://www.newspapers.com/image/520626438 : accessed 22 October 2022). ↩
Ibid., “Roop Family Has Its Annual Reunion, Redmond Roop, Christianburg, Va., Gives Interesting Address At Meadow Branch Church Where Clan Meets” Monday, September 3, 1928, p. 6, col. 4-5. (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45449069/roop-family-reunion-1928/ : accessed 21 October 2022). ↩
Strassburger, Ralph Beaver (compiler), and William John Hinke (editor), Pennsylvania German Pioneers, A Publication of the Original Lists of Arrivals in the Port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808, Volume I, 1727-1775, Archive.org (https://archive.org/details/pennsylvaniagerm03penn_2/), Pennsylvania German Society, Norristown, Pennsylvania, 1934, pages 497-499, List 190C, 20 Oct 1752, The Duke of Wirtenburg (https://archive.org/details/pennsylvaniagerm03penn_2/page/496/mode/2up and 1 subsequent image : accessed 15 February 2016). ↩
Annette Kunsel Burgert, Eighteenth Century Emigrants from the Northern Alsace to America (Camden Press, Camden, Maine, 1992), pg. 413-414, entry #409 for Rubb, Joh. Jacob of Oberhoffen. ↩
Dr. Friedrich Krebs, Eine Liste deutscher Auswanderer nach den amerikanischen Kolonien aus Zweibrücken in der Pfalz 1750-1771, citing Rubb, Jacob, von Oberhofen (Kr. Weißenburg, Els.) mit Weib und 3 Kindern 1752 ↩
MDLandRec.Net – A Digital Image Retrieval System for Land Records in Maryland, database with images, Maryland State Archives, Annapolis (online http://mdlandrec.net/), Baltimore County Court (Land Records), WG LL, p 157-158 [2 images], MSA CE 66-86, 1793 land deed for 100 acres (Rheinharts Folly) Henry Rub to Jacob Boblits (accessed 5 March 2016). ↩
Personal Property Tax lists of Rockbridge, Botetourt, and Montgomery counties were consulted. Henry was found in Rockbridge from 1794 to 1800. There is a possible entry for 1793 for Henry but the surname was spelled RUPERT. ↩
MDLandRec.Net, Baltimore County Court (Land Records), WG 56, p 39-40 [2 images], MSA CE 66-106, 1798 land deed for 100 acres (Rheinharts Folly) Henry Rub to Jacob Boblits (accessed 5 March 2016). ↩
“Marriage bonds and licenses, 1786-1902,” browse-only images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1155579), microfilm of original records at the Rockbridge County Courthouse in Lexington, Virginia, Film 2025346, DGS 7738870, Marriage bonds, 1797-1803, image 549 of 919, Oath of Henry Roop that Polly Null was above the age of 21 years. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C91H-CQB8-4?i=548&cc=2134304&cat=1155579 : accessed 20 October 2022). ↩
“General index to deeds, 1773-1933; deeds, 1773-1868; wills, 1773-1797,” browse-only images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/373892), microfilm of original at the Montgomery County courthouse in Christiansburg, Virginia, Film 32610, DGS 7645568, Deeds Vols. D-E 1803-1815, image 109 of 693, Deed Book D, pg. 204, 17 Aug 1804 Abner Lester to Henry Rupe of Mtg co Va for 200 pounds for 326 ac on Pelham branch of Meadow Creek a branch of Little River and New River (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89P6-5Q4M?i=108&cat=373892 : accessed 20 October 2022). ↩
Henry first shows up on the Montgomery PPT lists in 1804. The 1801-1803 gap indicates a possible stopover while traveling from Rockbridge to Montgomery. The only county between these two places was Botetourt where no listing for Henry was found. ↩
“Registers of marriages, 1854-1902, births, 1853-1868, 1871, and deaths, 1853-1868, 1871, 1889,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/361834), microfilm of original records at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Christiansburg, Virginia, Film 32631, DGS 7724885, Register of deaths, 1853-1868, 1871, 1889 (two entries for 1912), image 355 of 360, Death Register 1868, entry 38, Polly Roop, 17 Nov 1868, heart disease, age 66, H & Catherine Roop, b. & d. Montgomery Co., informant Crocket Roop. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9BK-LWCT-1?i=354&cat=361834 : accessed 19 October 2022). ↩
“Virginia, U.S., Marriage Registers, 1853-1935,” (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62154/), citing Virginia, Marriage Registers, 1853–1935 at the Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia., Montgomery County Marriage Register 1867, page 220, line 70, 27 Jun 1867 Wm P Rodgers and Harriett L. F. Roop, both born Montgomery, married by C. A. Miller (accessed 19 October 2022). “.” ↩
“Register of marriages, Montgomery County, Virginia, 1777-1853,” (browse-only images), FamilySearch, citing microfilm of original records at the Virginia State Library in Richmond, Virginia, Film 32633, DGS 7579015, Index of marriage register, 1777-1853 — Register of marriages, 1777-1853, image 445 of 673, 24 Jul 1827, Christopher Willis and Zilpha Dobbins, Thomas Dobbins father and security (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99XF-F6ST?i=444&cc=4149585&cat=361831 : accessed 20 October 2022). ↩
More information about how the death register was created is needed. It is in alphabetical order, not chronological, line numbers are not consecutive, and all entries are written in the same handwriting. This is an indication that the information was copied at a later date. In the original register, the clerk likely assigned a certain number of spaces for each letter of the alphabet. As some lines were not used, these numbers would be missing on the copied page. ↩
“Death registers, 1853-1906 (Virginia)” browse-only images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/780106), Virginia Bureau of Vital Statistics, citing microfilm of the original records at the Virginia State Library at Richmond, Virginia., Film 2048578, DGS 4225402, Montgomery County, 1853-1896, image 133 of 698, Register of Deaths, np, 1858, line 14, Samuel Roope, May 26, inflammation of bowels, age 55, parents Henry & Catherine Roop, born Montgomery, consort and informant Martha Roop. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6WM4-7Z?i=132 : 10 October 2022). ↩

They Married Six and a Half Weeks Earlier!

From the number of posts I’ve written on my paternal grandmother Myrtle Hazel ROOP (1906-1997) and her ancestors, my readers know that the ROOP family is one of my favorites to research.

I created a page, The ROOP Book, on this blog dedicated to these posts set up as a table of content with links. The name lacks creativity but, if I ever write the book as my second cousin Robert suggested years ago, it can always be changed.

The first post listed on the page is Do you feel responsible for errors in others’ family trees? and explains why I write the stories.

Missing Documentation

While researching the parents of Elizabeth CARROLL, wife of James ROOP, for a future post, I reviewed the information I had on Elizabeth. On my to-do list for Elizabeth and James, I saw that I was still missing a document for their 1830 marriage.

My fourth great-grandparents James ROOP and Elizabeth CARROLL married on 23 July 1830 per Louise Akers¹ whose work is found in many online trees.

Louise who did all her research at the courthouse told me that she had not been able to locate a marriage bond for James ROOP and Elizabeth CARROLL. The date of marriage she gave in her book was taken from a list of marriages by Richard Buckingham. I had no idea who he was or where this information might be found.

The same date was found in this abstract of a marriage record on Ancestry.²

Screen clip from Ancestry : accessed 6 January 2022 (see footnote)

The database is for indexed information and no images are available. The groom’s last name was indexed as RUPE and the bride’s maiden name as EARL. The names of the bride’s and groom’s parents were not included in the abstract.

RUPE and ROOP were used interchangeably on many records found for this period. What concerned me was the spelling of the bride’s maiden name. Was this abstract for my ancestors, James ROOP and Elizabeth CARROLL?

As no results were found on Ancestry for marriage collections with images, I checked the FamilySearch catalog for marriages in Virginia and more specifically, in Montgomery County. I found this record by browsing.³

I do hereby certify that I celebrated the rites of matrimony between James Roop and Elizabeth Carrol of Montgomery Cty on the 8th day of June 1830 by virtue of a publication Given under my hand this 23rd day of July 1830.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Richd Buckingham

Richard Buckingham published the notice on 23 July 1830, the date seen for the marriage of the couple. The minister’s return was copied into the Montgomery register by the county clerk and not by Rev. Richard Buckingham, a Methodist minister. The entry may have been copied into the register at a much later date possibly from loose papers as most of the entries are in the same handwriting.

They Married Six and a Half Weeks Earlier!

James ROOP and Elizabeth CARROLL were married on 8 June 1830 in Montgomery County, Virginia, by a Methodist minister six and a half weeks earlier than seen in research by others.

I learned that Richard Buckingham was a minister from his 1860 census listing. His occupation was listed as Methodist Minister. He was living next door to John ROOP, a brother of James ROOP who was married by the reverend.⁴

One record at a time, I’m correcting or proving data in my family tree thanks to the collections now available on FamilySearch. Hopefully, other misinformation in my database will be corrected sooner than the 21 years it took me to fix this error.

Louise Roop Anderson Akers, comp., The Family Rub, Rup, Rupe, Roop, Roope (2001 Printed by Jamont Communications, 339 Luck Ave., Roanoke, VA 24016). Note: I bought a copy of Louise’s book 2000. For Christmas 2001, she gifted me a hardcover copy with some new information and photos. I in turn gifted my original copy to my sister without noting differences in the two versions. In my copy, an image of a page of the Buckingham marriage entries is included but it is not for 1830. I suspect that Louise may not have included all images from the first book in my hardcover version. ↩
“Virginia, Marriages 1740-1850,” (index-only), Ancestry, citing Dodd, Jordan R., et al., Early American Marriages: Virginia to 1850, Precision Indexing Publishers, Bountiful, Utah. James Rupe, male, spouse Elizabeth Earl (sic), female, marriage date 23 Jul 1830 in Montgomery County, Virginia. (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 6 April 2016). ↩
“Virginia, County Marriage Records, 1771-1989,” database with images, FamilySearch, Marriage records, 1785-1861 > Digital Folder Number: 007740792 > Items 1 – 3 > A list of marriage licenses issued by the clerk, 1850-1861 — A list of marriages, 1785-1803 — Marriage record, 1812-1841 > image 101 of 854 > right page, 7th entry. 1830 Marriage Record for Elizabeth Carrol and James Roop, 8 Jun 1830; citing Circuit court clerk offices, Virginia. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C91C-TPS4?cc=2134304 : accessed 23 December 2021). ↩
1860 U.S. Federal Census, (index and images), Ancestry, citing Eighth Census of the United States, 1860 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls, Roll: M653_1373; Family History Library Film: 805373; Virginia, Pulaski, Western District, page 769, HH #529-530, line 10. (https://www.ancestry.com/ : accessed 9 April 2016). ↩

Personal Property Tax Lists for Rockbridge County, Virginia

When I began doing family research on the internet, I connected with Robert N. Grant, author of Sorting some of the Wrights of Southern Virginia. I found him on a mailing list (pre-Facebook days) where he mentioned a couple of my surnames. This was back in May 2000 when he was working on the draft of his work on 1825 Achilles WRIGHT of Oldham County, Kentucky (the year before his name indicates the year of death in the said county). Bob sent me a paper version of this draft via snail mail (yes, it was that long ago) that included information on my LANDRUM and CRISP lines of Amherst County, Virginia as Achilles had lived in Amherst and Nelson counties in Virginia before moving to Kentucky.

Repaying an Act of Genealogical Kindness

The book is part of a series of books that are available on FamilySearch. Years later I was able to return the favor. In October 2014 I found chancery records involving a James WRIGHT and sent the link to Bob. I received a reply the same day thanking me. I’d caught him pre-retirement and in July 2015 he wrote:

I wanted to thank you again for the very helpful reference to the Nelson County Chancery Court cases involving James Wright. They clearly identified James, the son of 1825 Achilles Wright of Oldham County, KY, as the James who married Lucy Crisp. Thank you!

In addition, the case clarified that Elizabeth Wright who married Elijah Skidmore was a daughter of James and not, as had been reported previously, a daughter of his brother 1845 George Wright of Trimble County, KY. That rewrote a portion of my materials as well.

I have an updated version of my material on 1825 Achilles Wright and his descendants and would be happy to send that to you, if that would be of interest to you. It includes a transcription of the chancery court case that lays out the family of James and the family of Lucy’s parents.

A Lesson Learned from Bob’s Research

When I found those chancery records I knew I had to send the information to Bob to repay him for sharing his work with me. I never forgot this act of kindness on his part as he also taught me the importance of personal property tax and land tax lists without knowing it.

By reading through his draft, I learned how the PPT and land tax lists can be used in our research. Although the annual PPT lists may appear to include very little information compared to census records, when they are viewed as a whole, the information can be used to fill in the missing years between the census. For persons of the same surname, relationships may have been expressly or implicitly stated. They can also help with determining when a person lived in a certain place and when he may have moved or died. Most importantly, the names found on the lists can help identify the male members of households in pre-1850 census listings.

The Library of Virginia’s “Using Personal Property Tax Records in the Archives at the Library of Virginia” (Research Notes Number 3) includes the following:

The early laws required the tax commissioner in each district to record in “a fair alphabetical list” the names of the person chargeable with the tax as well as all “tithables,” or taxable individuals and goods in the household. Included were the names of white male tithables over the age of twenty-one, the number of white male tithables between ages sixteen and twenty-one, the number of enslaved people both above and below age sixteen, various types of animals such as horses and cattle, carriage wheels, ordinary licenses, and even billiard tables.

During the past five years or so, I’ve been checking the catalog at FamilySearch for collections that are available to all users on the site and not only at the Family History Library or associated libraries. Land tax records for several counties in West Virginia were found to be accessible in 2019.

Earlier this week in the Facebook group Rockbridge County Virginia Genealogy, I replied to a query. Someone asked if the tax lists were available online. Not knowing the answer, I checked the catalog and I discovered the Personal Property Tax lists for Rockbridge County, Virginia, are online on FamilySearch.

Rockbridge Couty, Virginia, Personal Property Tax Lists

I’d been waiting to be able to work with tax lists for many of my lines since I first read Bob’s draft. Discovering their availability for Rockbridge pushed me to do some browsing in these records.

One of my DEMPSEY brick walls began to crumble in 2007 when I found Wm. A. W. DEMPSEY listed on the 1841 tax list of Rockbridge County, Virginia. The initials are the same as those he used on the 1850 census in Fayette County, (West) Virginia, and in 1862 on the Provost Marshals’ List (a Civil War document). I am convinced these initials were very important to him.

In Section VII of A History of Rockbridge County, Virginia¹ the taxpayers of the county for 1841 were listed. The numbers after their names refer to the road precincts in which the persons lived.

Image courtesy of Archive.org. (https://archive.org/details/historyofrockbri00mortrich/page/380/mode/1up : accessed 13 March 2021)

Appendix D in the book gives a description of the precincts.

By searching through the taxpayer’s list for others who were in precinct 43, I was able to put together this list of persons who were likely his neighbors.

1841 Taxpayers
Rockbridge County, Virginia
43 – Nathaniel Gaylor’s to Cumings and Carter’s, intersecting Gilmore’s Road
Dempsey, William A. W.
Others who lived in the same road precinct:
George Agnor, Jacob Agnor, Sr., Jacob Agnor, Little Jake Agnor, John Agnor, John H. Agnor, David Entsminger, Albert Gilliat, and William T. Ruley. (Note to self: Agnor was later seen as Agnew)

The problem was that the source was not a primary source. Finding the mention in the book was not the same as accessing a digital copy of the tax list collection: Personal property tax lists, 1782-1850, main author: Commissioner of the Revenue (Rockbridge County, Virginia).

I searched first for the image of the 1841 tax list naming William A. W. Dempsey.

Wm. A. W. DEMPSEY was enumerated on 29 March 1841. In the column for white males of 16, there is a 1 indicating one person 16 or older was tithable. It is my understanding that the person named had to be of age therefore 21 years old or older. William was therefore born about 1820 or earlier.

Headers of the 1841 Personal Property Tax List for the South West District (Samuel Walkup) of Rockbridge County, Virginia. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKJ-Q3T8-Q?i=228&cat=694874 : accessed 5 March 2021)

1841 Personal Property Tax List for the South West District (Samuel Walkup) of Rockbridge County, Virginia. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKJ-Q3T8-Q?i=228&cat=694874 : accessed 5 March 2021)

In 1842, William was not found. In 1843 he was visited by Samuel Walkup in the southwest district on 5 April 1843. The entire list was viewed. I found William was the only person who was visited on that day. Is this an indication that he lived in a sparsely populated area?

1843 Personal Property Tax List for the South West District (Samuel Walkup) of Rockbridge County, Virginia. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKJ-Q3Y2-F?cat=694874 : accessed March 2021)

No Dempsey was found in Rockbridge County on the PPT for the years 1844 to 1851.

William A. W. DEMPSEY was in Fayette County at the time of the 1850 census. The PPT for Fayette County, available for the years 1831 to 1850, showed a William DEMPSEY in 1846, 1849, and 1850. No initials are noted.

Working backward, I checked in Rockbridge before 1841.

1839 tax list: John W. Dempsey (March 4) and William Dempsey (April 3), both in Samuel Walkup district.

William A. W. DEMPSEY was listed as 28 in 1850 and as 40 in 1860 on the census of Fayette County. If this William DEMPSEY was William A. W. DEMPSEY and only men 21 or older were named then he was born 1818 or earlier. He was visited a month after John W. DEMPSEY. If they had been closely related or living near each other, wouldn’t they have been visited within a day or two?

John W. DEMPSEY (1802-1873) married in Rockbridge in 1824. He was on the Fayette County census in 1840 and the PPT lists from 1840 to 1850. He has been proven to be the son of Tandy DEMPSEY who was in Rockbridge in 1820 (per census) and earlier (per tax list), in Logan (now WV) in 1830 (per census), and in Jay County, Indiana, by early fall 1835 until 8 August 1836 when his death was the first recorded in the township of Bear Creek.

1838 John Demsey (W.C. Lewis district) with 0ne horse, male, mule, or cattle. The W. C. Lewis district appears to be the same district seen as Samuel Walkup district in later years.

1837 John W. Demsey (W.C. Lewis district) with 0ne horse, male, mule, or cattle

1836 John Demsey (W.C. Lewis district) with one slave

If John W. DEMPSEY was the father of William A. W. DEMPSEY, the 1836 to 1838 tax lists (above) do not help to show this as male white tithables 16 and older were not noted. If this category had been included then John and all males 16 and older (possible sons in the household) would have been included in the count. Further, if John was the father, he would have had to have been married before his 1824 marriage.

From 1835 back to 1822 (W.C. Lewis district) no Demsey or Dempsey was found on the PTT.

Personal property tax books, 1824-1850 for Logan County are restricted at this time on FamilySearch. When they are available, I need to check if Tandy, John W., and other siblings were in Logan before 1835. Tandy was in Indiana by 1835, is known to have been in Logan for the 1830 census and the 1827 tax list (from a transcript).

Other Virginia Counties Need to be Checked

Rockbridge County is surrounded by the counties of Augusta, Nelson, Amherst, Bedford, Botetourt, Alleghany, and Bath. I’ve searched Botetourt and will be working through each of the other counties to find Dempsey individuals who may have crossed over the county lines. Formation of the counties will also be considered.

Botetourt had the expected Rev. Absalom C. DEMPSEY (1787-1872) on the tax list from 1809 to 1851. The Reverend was the son of another William DEMPSEY who died before June 1806 and grandson of a William DEMPSEY who died about 1806. The estimated deaths of Absolom’s father and grandfather were found in chancery records that also name children of the younger William, including William the 3rd who died intestate, unmarried, and without issue before 1822 (see images 4 and 5).

Montgomery has also been added to the list of counties to check as there is a connection between men found on the Botetourt tax lists and at least one known to have been in Montgomery. Hugh DEMPSEY (born 1785 or earlier) was not named as a son of the senior William mentioned in the chancery records. He was seen in Botetourt from 1808 to 1828, was on the 1830 census in Montgomery before going to Missouri before 1840.

Orange County will also be carefully checked as I have researched the DEMPSEY family coming out of this county in my process of elimination.

Recap for William A. W. Dempsey

My review of the Rockbridge County PPT brought to light two tax listings for my great-great-grandfather William A. W. DEMPSEY. Listed with the middle initials he used during his lifetime, he was found in the county in 1841 and 1843. The 1839 listings may or may not be for my William.

As other counties in Virginia (including present-day West Virginia) are checked, I hope to be able to sort all of the DEMPSEY individuals into their appropriate family groups.

As my William A. W. DEMPSEY went to Fayette County after 1843 and by 1846, it has been speculated that he may have been a son of John W. DEMPSEY who married Margaret FITZPATRICK in 1824. This John moved to Fayette County by July 1839 when he married his second wife, Amelia RIDDLE. I also once considered this possibility. As genealogy research has not so far turned up any supporting evidence for this assumption, I’ve turned to genetic genealogy and evaluating DNA matches. If my William A. W. DEMPSEY were the son of John W. DEMPSEY and the half-sibling of John’s children from both marriages, I should be seeing matches with some of their descendants. So far, none have been found.

And the search continues, for the parents of William A. W. DEMPSEY.

Oren F. Morton, B. Lit.; A History of Rockbridge County, Virginia; published by The McClure Co., Inc., Staunton, Virginia 1920; pgs. 380, 552. Images of the pages in the book courtesy of Archive.org. ↩

A Date of Death for Catherine Barbara NOLL (1768-1859)

It’s National Women’s History Month! What better way to start the month than with a post about my latest genealogy *happy dance* find concerning an ancestress who has been featured in several posts with her husband. (see links at the bottom of this post)

It was a known fact that my 5th great-grandmother Catherine Barbara NOLL was still living at the time of her husband Henry RUPE’s death in late November 1845. It has been assumed by some researchers that Catherine died before the 1850 census as she was not listed. I have always thought this to be an error as her daughters Elizabeth Compton, Barbara Rupe, Mary Roop, and Nancy Roop were also omitted even though they are known to have been living at the time. Many of her son William’s children from his first marriage were also missing.

Catherine and Henry’s son Jacob ROOP was still settling his father’s estate in January 1860 when the Widow’s Dower went to the youngest son Joseph. Could this mean their mother was recently deceased?

Where could the answer be found?

I found the answer to this question in the Chancery Records of Virginia.

The Chancery Records Index (CRI) is a result of archival processing and indexing projects overseen by the Library of Virginia (LVA) and funded, in part, by the Virginia Circuit Court Records Preservation Program (CCRP). Each of Virginia’s circuit courts created chancery records that contain considerable historical and genealogical information.

http://www.virginiamemory.com/collections/chancery/

Yesterday morning, while skimming through my Facebook News Feed, I noticed a post by my friend Ta Lee who I got to know when she recognized one of her enslaved families on my blog. Ta mentioned that new chancery cases are available and she was so excited. When I asked her which counties, she told me, Montgomery. I was a bit disappointed as I have been waiting impatiently for Amherst to come online.

This was the last update I saw on Montgomery: The bulk of this series runs from 1773 through 1913. 05/02/2016- These records are currently closed until they are digitally reformatted. The index remains available for research purposes.

Last year I had gone through the index and noted several cases which looked promising due to the names listed. One of these was John Roop, etc. vs. Jacob Roop, Exr, etc. from 1870. I was not expecting to make the find I made!

Chancery Causes: John Roop, etc. vs. Jacob Roop, Exr, etc.(transcription of the first 4 images of 36)

1870-012chancerycasecover — [http://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=121-1870-012 : image 1]

Chancery Causes: John Roop, etc. vs. Jacob Roop, Exr, etc. (286 in corner)
1870-012
Montgomery County
CA estate dispute
T property
Deed
Names: Roope, Compton, Paris, Akers, Faris, Smith, Chandler, Chandlin, Silvers, Roupe
Will: 1845 Henry Roope : Montgomery County

121_1870_012_0002-pdf-p-001 — [http://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=121-1870-012 : image 2]

To the Hon. Andrew S. Fulton Judge of the County Court of Montgomery
Your orators John Roop and Henry Roop respectfully represent unto your Honor that Henry Roop Sen. departed this life in the year 1845 in the County of Montgomery having made & published his will in due form of law whereto was admitted to probate in the County Court of said County at the December Term in said year.
By his said will the testator appointed his son Jacob Roop his executor who duly qualified as such and entered into bond for the faithful discharge of his duties with Samuel Lucas, William C. Taylor & Joseph Roop as his securities.
A copy of said will is herewith filed and prayed to be taken as a part of this bill.
It will be seen by reference thereto that the testator devised to his widow Catharine Roope one third of his real estate for life & directed his executor his executor (sic) to make sale of the residue upon a credit of one and two years & the proceeds to be divided among his children of whom there were thirteen entitled to distributions.
Your orators further represent that sometime after the qualification of the said executor as aforesaid – he commenced a negotiation with the devisees under said will for the purchase of their interests in two thirds of said real estate which finally resulted in a sale on the part of most of them to him of their interests aforesaid.
Among those who thus sold were your orators. Your orator John Roop sold his interest in said real estate at the sum of $100 and in the personal estate at the sum of fourteen dollars and your orator Henry Roop received for his interest in the real & personal estate the sum of $110. Your

121_1870_012_0003-pdf-p-001 — [http://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=121-1870-012 : image 3]

his interest in said real estate at the sum of $100 and in the personal estate at the sum of fourteen dollars and your orator Henry Roop received for his interest in the real & personal estate the sum of $110. Your orators ? that the said Jacob Roop effected this purchase from them by representing the title to a portion of the land as defective that much of it was worn out and without timber & that the land sold at public auction would not bring as much as he was willing to give. Your orators having entire confidence in the integrity & judgement of said Jacob Roop made the sale of their interest aforesaid & afterword in June 1851 conveyed the same to him.
Your orators further represent that said Roop held possession of said land until the year 1850 when he made a pretended sale of the same & purchased it in himself at the sum of $8-01 cts per acre. Your orators believe that the time & place of sale was known to but few persons – that there was but little competition and the conduct of said Roop was such as to discourage bidding from the bystanders – Sometime after this, in Oct 1851, the said Jacob Roop made a sort of settlement of his executorial accounts, a copy of which is therewith filed and prayed to be taken as a part of this bill – It will be seen by reference thereto that the testator owed no debts – that the few items of credits claimed by the executor were for charges attending the administrations of said estate & for various sums paid the legatees for their interest as aforesaid – And although the said executor charges himself with 2/3ds of said land at the sum of $8-01ct per acre – yet he has only paid your orators the several sums here in before mentioned – nor has he ever acc?iled in any wise for any portion of the rents & profits of said land between the death of the testator in 1845 & the time of sale in 1850.
Your orators further represent that the said Catharine Roop departed this life in July or August of 1859 – Since which time the said Jacob Roop puts up the extraordinary claim that the sale & purchase aforesaid embraced the one third given to said Catharine Roop. But your orators and that they only conveyed & intended to convey their interests in the said two thirds as herein before stated. But they are advised that this is wholly immaterial in as much as a fiduciary will not be permitted to speculate upon those he represents – that the executor in this case will be held to account for the said two thirds at the price per acre bid by him – and as to the residue of said land he will be required to make sale of the same in the manner directed by the will or to account for its market value – Your orators are informed & so over that the said tracts of land contain 440 acres of land instead of 400 acres as represented to them by the said Jacob Roop for which he will also be held accountable intended consideration of the premises the prayer of your orators is that the said Jacob Roop in his own right & as executor as aforesaid

121_1870_012_0004-pdf-p-001 — [http://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=121-1870-012 : image 4]

George Roop – James Roop – Barbara Roop – Nancy Roop – James Comptin & Elizabeth his wife late Elizabeth Roop – Polly Roop – John Pharis & Racheal his wife formerly Racheal Rupe – Linch Akers – Wm Silvers & Ruth his wife, Narcissa Akers, Jackson Silvers & Lucinda his wife, Minnis Chandler & Catherine his wife – William Smith administrator of Samuel Roop & Joseph Roop devisees undersaid will, may be made parties defendant to this bill & required to answer the same on oath –
Let the said Jacob Roop answer & say what amount he paid your orators severally for their interest in said estate whether he did not buy in said land at the price aforesaid and let him full & specific answer make to all the allegations in this bill as though the same were herein especially repeated – And may it please your Honor to grant your orators a ?? for the amount due them upon the sale made by said executor herein before mentioned – and also for a sale of the said one third of the real estate in the manner provided for in said will – and grant your orators all such further and general relief as the nature of their case may require and the principles of equity & good conscience dectable?
Staples & Wade

When did Catherine Barbara Noll die?

Catharine Roop departed this life in July or August of 1859 –

To be continued….

Henry RUPE and Catherine Barbara NOLL ~ The Early Years in Maryland (1765-1793)

Henry RUPE and Catherine Barbara NOLL ~ The Years in Rockbridge (1793-1801)

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

Henry RUPE and Catherine Barbara NOLL ~ Family Life in Montgomery County, Virginia

The Last Will and Testament of Henry RUPE 1765-1845

Henry RUPE’s Estate and his Widow Catherine’s Last Days

Slave Name Roll Project: RELEASING Amy, Addison, Henry and his Enslaved Family

Samuel Pack (1779-1850) wrote his Last Will and Testament on 1 January 1850 in Fayette County, (West) Virginia. Three weeks later, on 23 January 1850, Raleigh County was formed. The will was the first item recorded in the Will Book for Raleigh County.

RELEASING Amy, Addison, and Henry

Saml Pack’s Will (in margin)

In the name of God Amen I Samuel Pack of the County of
Fayette & state of Virginia, calling to mind that is alotted (sic) once for
man to die do make and constitute this my last Will an (sic) testment (sic)
revoking all Wills or writings heretofore made by me in the manner
an (sic) form following (to wit)
first After my decease I desire my body may be buried in neat and
Christian like manner, that all my funeral expenses an (sic) just debts be paid
2 I give an (sic) bequeath unto my Deer (sic) Beloved wife Sally Pack absolutely
the whole of my estate both Real an (sic) personal and (sic) at disposal at her death
forever
3rd The heirs of William Pack each one I give an (sic) bequeath One dollar
to Each one to be paid by my Executor
4th To my son Andrew Pack I give an (sic) bequeath One Dollar
5/ To my son Augustus Pack I give an (sic) bequeath One dollar
6/ To my daughter Rachel Honaker I give an (sic) bequeath One dollar
7/ With this special Reservation that my three Negroes Amy, Addison,
& Henry at the death of my wife Sally Pack shall have the
Liberty of chewsing (sic) ther (sic) own Master out of all my schildren (sic) or
grand schildren (sic) an (sic) if that dont suit they shall be at Liberty to
take some other master by him paying the valuation of said Negro
or Negroes over to said heirs.
I have omitted certain of my children with this my last will
testament which is in consequence of the Land conveyed to William
Pack at the mouth Greenbrier River. Land to Andrew Pack on Cole
River, Land to Augustus Pack on Cole River
I do hereby appoint James M. Byrnsides as my executor
at this my last Will & testament
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand
and affixed my seal this 1 day January 1850
test                                             mark
Anderson Pack               Samuel   X   Pack      Seal
Washington H. Boyd                    his
Jackson Vest

At a Court held for the County of Raleigh on Monday the
28th day of October 1850.
                                         The last Will and Testament of Samuel
Pack deceased was proved according to law by the Oaths of Anderson
Pack, and Jackson Vest, Witnesses thereto, and is ordered to be
recorded.
                                          A Copy
                                                    Teste
                                                         Daniel Shumate clk

When doing genealogy research you realize how small the world really is. Samuel’s widow Sarah (Wyatt) Pack was living only a few households away from my 3rd great-grandparents Jordan N. Peters and Rachel Proffitt in 1850. Samuel and Sarah’s daughter Rachel Byrnside Pack was married to Henry Honaker (my 2C4R), grandson of my 4th great-grandfather Frederick Honaker‘s brother Henry. This led me to do a bit more research than usual on the slaves Amy, Addison, and Henry mentioned in Samuel Pack’s will.

After the Last Will and Testament

Samuel Pack died in July 1850 per the U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules Index. I found only one GEDCOM on RootsWeb with this date of death. All others have the day his will was proved in court as his date of death – 28 October 1850. On Ancestry there are over 550 trees and a little over 1/5 have the correct date of death. He was not on the 1850 census – a red flag that something must be wrong!

In 1850 his widow Sarah (Wyatt) Pack was living in Raleigh County and was enumerated on Schedule 2 for Slave Inhabitants with a 50 years old black female, a 29 years old black male, and a 25 years old black male. The schedule was dated 5 July 1850 and the three slaves mentioned are likely Amy, Addison, and Henry. As Samuel was not on the schedule his death must have been before July 5. Further, as the official enumeration day of the 1850 census was 1 June 1850 it is more likely he died before July or even June. Why else would Sarah be alone as of 1 June 1850 on the census?

By 1860 Sarah had moved in with her daughter Rachel and son-in-law Henry Honaker in Newbern, Pulaski County, Virginia. Once again she was enumerated on the Slave Schedule. This time with a 38 years old black male and a 35 years old mulatto male. From this I assume Amy may have died between 1850-1860. I believe the two males were Addison and Henry.

By the end of the year 1860 Sarah Pack was deceased. I have not found a record to confirm the 13 December 1860 date of death found on Find A Grave. Per her husband’s will at her death his Negroes should have the liberty to choose their own master out of his children or grandchildren or “take some other master.” I don’t know if they chose to remain with Rachel and Henry Honaker with whom they, as well as Sarah, were living. However I am sure Henry remained in Pulaski County. But what of Addison?

Addison

At this point I would like to note that I did not find any trace of Addison. “A cohabitation register, or as it is properly titled, Register of Colored Persons…cohabiting together as Husband and Wife on 27th February 1866, was the legal vehicle by which former slaves legitimized both their marriages and their children.” ~ Library of Virginia. Pulaski County is not included on the site and may be one of the counties for which this register does not exist. I checked the surrounding counties and none had a Pack or Addison on their register. Without Addison‘s surname it is nearly impossible to locate him in the census or other records or even to guess if he was related to Amy and Henry.

Henry

I found Henry in the 1870 census as Henry Pack with wife Margaret Ann, five children, and an older woman named Jane Hall. All were listed as mulattoes except Jane Hall who was black. Henry was a carpenter and owned 60 acres of land. By 1880 his family had grown to nine children. His place of birth as well as his parents’ were listed as West Virginia which supported my assumption that this was the same Henry as seen in Samuel Pack’s will. The 1880 census included the relationships missing on the 1870 census and prove Jane Hall (b. 1800-1802) was the mother of Henry’s wife Margaret Ann Hall.

I began following the children of Henry Pack using the nine names found in the census and their mother’s maiden name. A tenth child was born after 1880. Several death records found had years of birth which did not match the census and suggested that Henry fathered more than one child in the 1880s. I found a couple of trees on Ancestry which have confused him with another Henry Pack who lived in Wythe County and died in 1925. Because of the conflicting information I decided to input all information into a family tree on Ancestry and attach the records found. This is something I have never done. I always work directly from my genealogy software, downloading the records and attaching them to the correct individuals in my GEDCOM file. But I was not sure I was following the correct persons and decided to try a different approach, i.e. a family tree on Ancestry.

Amy Was Henry’s Mother

It was while attaching all the records that I found the indexed death record of Henry Pack.

There is no image for this record however the indexed information matches on several points.

The age at death and estimated year of birth match with the ages seen for the younger male slave of Sarah Pack in 1850 and 1860.
Although Raleigh County did not exist in 1825 it is where Henry lived in 1850 and likely where he was born. Pre-1850 census records of Samuel Pack were found and with changing county lines taken into consideration he lived at the same place in 1825.
Henry’s occupation matches the occupation seen on the 1870 and 1880 census.
Although seen as mulatto on the 1860 slave schedule, 1870 and 1880 census the death index has black.
His wife is a match with Margaret Ann Pack, her married name.
But the most important entries are the names of father and mother and confirm that Amy was Henry’s mother. Mr. Pack who is listed as his father very likely was not a black man as Amy was black and Henry was mulatto.

Henry’s Children, Enslaved and Free

As I researched Henry’s children I was so fixed on the three slave names in the last will and testament of Samuel Pack that I did not consider that some of Henry’s children were born into slavery. Two were born before the Emancipation Proclamation on 1 January 1863 and another was born before the abolition of slavery in Virginia in 1865: Louis, Mary Belle, and Henry Ollie.

A daughter was born two months after Henry’s death bringing the total children of Henry Pack and Margaret Ann Hall to ten:

Louis PACK b. 20 January 1860 d. 8 December 1942
Mary Belle PACK b. 18 March 1862 d. 4 April 1913
Henry Ollie PACK b. 14 November 1864 d. 10 January 1943
James Warren PACK b. 17 January 1867 d. 27 March 1940
Lucy Ann PACK b. abt. 1869 d. 4 September 1881
Joseph William PACK b. 27 January 1872 d. 25 Feb 1941
Thomas Philip PACK b. 28 Oct 1874 d. 29 Dec 1950
Walter A. PACK b. Feb 1877 d. 27 Feb 1944
Creasy Jane PACK b. abt 1879 d. bet. 1917-1920
Henrietta PACK b. Dec 1881 d. 3 May 1955

A death record was not found for Margaret Ann Hall. The unmarried children are missing from the 1900 census. Was their mother still living? Had she remarried? Could they be enumerated with a different surname? The family does not appear to have stayed in Pulaski County as marriages were found in Montgomery County for nearly all the children beginning in 1886. Most spent their entire lives in Auburn, Montgomery County.

The connection to Montgomery County may go back to Margaret Ann Hall’s side of the family. There were no Hall slave owners in Pulaski County in 1850 and 1860 but several in Montgomery County including Asa Hall Jr., son of Asa Hall Sr. a Revolutionary War soldier.

After inputting all information found I had 143 persons in the family tree for Amy, Addison, and Henry. I temporarily attached Addison as the son of Amy and brother of Henry. This can easily be undone if and when more information is found on Addison to prove or disproves his relationship to Amy. The tree includes ten children of Henry Pack, 32 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and counting. I did not do an exhaustive search for the second and later generations of Henry Pack’s descendants.

This exercise of using Ancestry to build a family tree was a first for me. I plan to keep the tree private as I am not a fan of the ability to click and add information from other public trees. I will reach out to those who have Henry’s children in their public trees and will give them access if they are interested. If you are related to this family, please feel free to get in touch with me by leaving a comment below.

Many thanks to my blog sister True Lewis of NoTeS To MySeLf for her feedback on my draft.

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The Slave Name Roll Project page can be found on
Schalene Jennings Dagutis’ blog Tangled Roots and Trees
ღ . ღ . ღ . ღ . ღ . ღ . ღ

Following my three part series on the slaves of my 5th grand-father James Sims during Black History Month in February 2015 I made a commitment to write a post on a monthly basis until I’ve RELEASED all of the names of slaves owned by my ancestors or owned by persons I’ve researched who were relatives or neighbors of my ancestors. These posts are part of the Slave Name Roll Project.

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Henry RUPE’s Estate and his Widow Catherine’s Last Days

“Well, it has been so troublesome and vexatious that I am almost sorry that old gentleman ever died.” ~ Jacob ROOP, executor of the last will and testament of Henry RUPE [1]

Henry RUPE’s last will and testament did not mention how much land he had when he died. In At Home on the Old Henry Roop Place we learned Henry RUPE had acquired at least 1,147 acres between 1804 and 1826 in Montgomery County, Virginia. Although the RUPP, RUPE, ROOP line has been researched by at least a half a dozen serious researchers[2] I have not heard of a single land record which refers to Henry RUPE selling or gifting land in Virginia during his lifetime. A visit to the county court house and/or state archives is not planned for anytime in the near future. I would however be grateful to anyone willing to share new record finds.

It is not known if Henry gave each of his children land outright or allowed them to live on his land when they married, became independent, or started families (as three of his daughters did without bothering to marry). In his will he mentioned only a tract of 100 acres which his son William lived on:

…William Roupe my sone will take they hundred akers of land that he is now living on for his part of they hole of my estate, he has they priveeledges so to dwo and if not that is to be sold with they rest of my lands…[3]

Perhaps 100 acres was the amount of land he subdivided for his children to use until they decided to settle elsewhere.

The earliest map I could find gives “the names and locations of many of the early a adventurers in the territory – from 1750 to 1865” but does not show the location of Henry Rupe’s mill. I did however find several Civil War period maps which have Roope’s Mill marked to the west of Ryner and southwest of Auburn which would later become Riner.

1865map — Civil War – Map of Montgomery County.[4]

Old Henry Roop Place on Google MyMaps

Zoom in (blue marker above) to see the Old Henry Roop place (below)

MRIN00553 Henry Rupe homeplace — The “Old Henry Roop Place.” Photo courtesy of Roger S. ROOP. Used with permission.

The First Census Following Henry’s Death

Before we go on to the records left after the death of Henry RUPE I would like to discuss a peculiarity of the 1850 census.

In 1850 Henry’s children Jacob, Henry Jr., Caty’s widower Jacob Akers, William, Samuel, Rachel Pharis, and Joseph were living in Montgomery County. James was in Floyd County and John was in Pulaski County. These nine were found on the census. George was living in Indiana but has not been located on the census. Widow Catherine and daughters Elizabeth Compton, Barbara, Mary, and Nancy were not located in 1850. The daughters were still living as will be seen below and should have been enumerated with under-aged and/or unmarried children. Three of William’s sons aged between 14-18 were also missing from the 1850 census. As this seems quite peculiar I would like to throw out a theory: Henry’s widow Catherine, her widowed daughter Elizabeth, her three unmarried daughters and their children, and William’s unmarried sons (their father had remarried in 1846) may have all been living together and working on the home place in 1850 but were missed by the census taker. Is this too farfetched? Why else would they have been missed?

Old Henry Roop Place is Mentioned in These Deeds

Louise Akers included three deeds in her compilation[3] on the family which show Henry RUPE must have owned 406 acres at the time of his death and his wife Catherine had use of 1/3 or 138 acres until her death. It must be noted that these three deeds do not mention all of the children of Henry RUPE and Catherine Barbara NOLL.

Barbara ROOP and Henry R. ROOP sold their share of the tracts of land know as the old Henry Roop place to Jacob ROOP, executor of his father’s will, on 12 April 1851. [3]

Deed Book 8 p. 52 (Examined is written in the margin)
Roop & al to Jacob Roop
This deed made this 12th day of April 1851 between Barbara Roop and Henry R. Roop of the county of Montgomery and state of Virginia of the one part and Jacob Roop of the other part witnesseth that in consideration of the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars to them paid by the said Jacob Roop the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged the said Barbara Roop and the said Henry R. Roop do grant unto the said Jacob Roop all the right title and interest in and to these tracts of land know as the old Henry Roop place and which descended from him to his Heirs lying on the head waters of mill creek in the county of Montgomery adjoining the lands of William Smith, George Surface and others. Together by estimation containing about four hundred and six acres be the same more or less and the said Henry R. Roop and Barbara Roop covenant that they will _ a warrant the property hereby conveyed. Witness the following signatures and seals the day and date first above written.
. Barbara her x mark Roop Seal
. Henry R. Roop Seal
Signed sealed delivered in the presence of us
Wm Smith
John Whaland

In the clerks office of Montgomery County Court the 5th day of May 1851. This deed of bargain to ale from Barbara Roop and Henry R. Roop of to Jacob Roop was delivered to me and proven by the oath of the witnesses thereto __ and admitted to ___.
R. D. Montague C.

Elizabeth COMPTON, John ROOP, Henry ROOP, Nancy ROOP and Polly ROOP sold their interest in the Old Henry Roop place to their brother Jacob ROOP on 14 June 1851.[3]

Deed Book, pg. (not given)
Cumpton & al to Jacob Roop
This deed made this 14th day of June in the year 1851 between Elizabeth Cumpton, John Rupe Roop, Henry Roop, Polly Roop and Nancy Roop one part and Jacob Roop of the other part. Witnesseth that for and in consideration of full value paid by the said Jacob Roop, to the said John Rupe, Henry Roop, Polly Roop, Nancy Roop & — the acceipt whereof is hereby acknowledged and of a grant onto the said Jacob Roop by deed with general warranty a ? and each of rights, title & Interest in and to three tracts or parcels of land known as the old Henry Roop place the same lately owned by Henry Roop and which descended from him to his heirs lying on the head waters of mill creek in the county of Montgomery adjoinging the lands of William Smith, George Surface & others together containing by estimation about 406 acres more or less Witness the following signature & seals.
Charles Litten
William Roop                           Elizabeth her x mark Cumton Seal
.                                                   John his x mark Roop Seal
.                                                   Henry his x mark Roop Seal
.                                                   Nancy her x mark Roop Seal
.                                                   Polly her x mark Roop Seal
Montgomery County to wit
I William C. Taylor a Justice of the peace in the county aforesaid in the state of Virginia do hereby certify that Polly Roop a party to (the rest of this line was cut off on the photocopy as well as some text along the right side of the deed)

Are Henry R. ROOP, in the deed dated 12 April 1851, and Henry ROOP, in the deed dated 14 June 1851, the same person? Henry R. ROOP appears to have signed his name while Henry ROOP left his mark. Could the middle initial have been copied incorrectly into the record book? Could this have been George’s son Henry B. RUPE who may have been taking care of business for his father who lived in Indiana?

On 12 January 1860 Jacob ROOP sold 138 acres, a part of the Old Henry Roop place, to his brother Joseph ROOP.[3]

Deed Book (number illegible), pg. 520
Jacob Roop to Joseph Roop
This deed made the 12th day of January 1860 between Jacob Roop of the first part and Joseph Roop of the other and both of the County of Montgomery and State of Virginia. Witnesseseth that in consideration of the sum of three hundred and eighteen dollars paid in hand by the said Joseph Roop to the said Jacob Roop the said Jacob Roop doth doth grant unto the said Joseph Roop all his interest consisting of two thirds in a certain tract piece or parcel of land lyin and being in the county aforesaid on the waters of Mill creek known as the Widow’s Dower in the tract of land of Henry Roop decd and containing one hundred and thirty eight acres and Bounded as follows. Beginning at a stake at the foot of a hill and runing N 50 1/2° 134 pl. to two white oaks & a black oak N 1° E 28 pl. to a white oak N 51° E 70 po. to a stake on a hill and N 62 E 20 po. to a stake near the top of a ridge N 47° E 36 po. to 2 pines corner to Smiths land and with it N 35 W 14 po. to 2 red oaks N 39 W 46 po to a black oak, white oak and hickory on Smith’s line. S. 61 W 116 po. to a stake in a field thence S. 46 W 187 po. cross the mill dam to a stake in a field by a road S 36 E 11 po. to a white oak by a road S 7 E 21 po. to a white oak sapling S 23° E 60 po. to the begining. And the said Jacob Roop doth convenant to and with the said Joseph Roop to warrant the aforementioned land with general waranty. Witnesseth the following signatures and seals.
. Jacob Roop seal
State of Virginia
Montgomery County to-wit:
I William A. Stone a Justice of the peace for the county aforesaid in the state of Virginia do certify that Jacob Roope whose name is signed to the writing above bearing date the 12th day of January 1860 has been acknowledged before me in my County aforesaid. Given under my hand this 14th day of January 1860. W. A. Stone J.P.
In the Clerks Office of Montgomery County Court the 21st day of June 1860
In the left margin: Examined & delivered to Jos. Roop

When Did Henry’s Widow Catherine Die?

Henry’s son Jacob ROOP was still settling his father’s estate in January 1860 when the Widow’s Dower went to the youngest son Joseph. Could this mean their mother was recently deceased?

There has been much speculation about when Catherine Barbara NOLL died. She was not found in the 1850 census, as discussed above, the 1860 census, or the Mortality Schedule for 1859-1860, the year prior to the enumeration of the 1860 census.

Redmond Ira Roop his speech in 1927 said she died in 1861 at the age of 95. It is unlikely she died after her son Joseph bought the Widow’s Dower. Could she have died just before 12 January 1860? I hope her death may have been noted in a batch of chancery records which are not yet available online.

After Catherine’s death a chancery case was “going on” up until 1870 between John ROOP etc. and Jacob ROOP, Executor of Henry’s will. I found this indexed on the Library of Virginia site however the scanned images are not yet available online. The will of Henry RUPE was submitted as evidence per the index. The surnames mentioned are AKERS, CHANDLER, COMPTON, PHARIS, ROOP (various spellings), SILVERS, and SMITH. Akers, Compton and Pharis were the married names of daughters Caty, Elizabeth and Rachel. Chandler was the married name of Caty’s daughter Catherine and Silvers was the married name of her daughters Narcissa, Ruth and Lucinda. Caty’s children are most likely mentioned as she died before 1850. This is, of course, speculation on my part as I have not seen the images with the surnames which were indexed.

The Henry and Catherine Rupe Family Cemetery

Using Google MyMaps (above) I was able to pinpoint the exact location of the cemetery on the old homeplace using the Civil War period maps with the location of the “Roope Mill,” the descriptions on the land deeds mentioned in At Home on the Old Henry Roop Place, and Roger S. Roop’s photos.

MRIN00553 Henry Rupe Family Cemetery courtesy of Roger S. Roop — The family cemetery on the “Old Henry Roop Place.” Photo courtesy of Roger S. ROOP. Used with permission.

MRIN00553 Henry_Catherine_Null__Rupe_Family_Memorial1 — Photo courtesy of Roger S. ROOP. Used with permission.

Catherine was buried on the Old Henry Roop place next to her husband Henry. Louise Roop Anderson Akers used the proceeds from her book The Family Rub, Rup, Rupe, Roop, Roope (2001) to buy a memorial marker for the spot believed to be the final resting place of Henry RUPE and his wife Catherine Barbara NOLL. Although it includes the names of all of their children only Henry, Catherine, their youngest son Joseph and some of his family were buried in the Henry & Catherine Rupe Family Cemetery outside of Riner, Virginia.

This concludes the family history of Henry RUPE, the youngest son of the immigrant Johann Jacob RUPP. It is now time to cross the Atlantic Ocean and go back to the roots of the Rupp family in Oberhoffen-lès-Wissembourg in present-day France.

Sources:
[1] Everette L. McGrew, My Mother Was A Rupe (revised edition August 2000).
[2] Researchers: Linda Pearl Dickey Roop, Everette Llavon McGrew, Louise Roop Anderson Akers, Theron Arvel Rupe, Helen Dale Roop Osborne, Lois Rowe Johnsten, Delores Roberta Dees Springer
[3] Louise Roop Anderson Akers, comp., The Family Rub, Rup, Rupe, Roop, Roope (2001 Printed by Jamont Communications, 339 Luck Ave., Roanoke, VA 24016). Citing Montgomery County, Virginia, Will Books.
[4] Confederate States Of America. Army. Dept. Of Northern Virginia. Chief Engineer’s Office, et al. Map of Montgomery County. [S.l.: Chief Engineer’s Office, D.N.V, 1864] Map. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <https://www.loc.gov/item/gvhs01.vhs00348>.

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

Henry RUPE and Catherine Barbara NOLL ~ Family Life in Montgomery County, Virginia

This is where we left off following The Early Years in Maryland (1765-1793), The Years in Rockbridge (1793-1801), and At Home on the Old Henry Roop Place:

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 of Henry RUPE and Catherine Barbara NOLL reached Montgomery County in time for Catherine to give birth to Samuel on 4 September 1801.[1] Six boys and three girls. But they were not yet finished with the family planning.

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]

While Henry and his “hardy sons” were busy clearing the land and building a new home for the family, Catherine gave birth to child number ten, Mary also known as Polly about 1802.[3] In 1868 when Polly’s oldest son reported her death he gave her place of birth as Lunenburg County.[4] This death notice has not been found or confirmed and is the cause of a discrepancy in the family tradition.

I suspect her place of birth is incorrect considering the geographical location of Lunenburg County compared to Rockbridge and Montgomery counties where the family was said to be before and after her birth. It would mean Henry and his family left Rockbridge County traveling through Montgomery County where their son Samuel is said to be born, on to Lunenburg County where Polly is said to be born, and then back to Montgomery County where they finally settled down.

About the same time Henry RUPE bought his first tract of land in the county in 1804 his wife Catherine gave birth to her eleventh child, a daughter Rachel.[5] His family was still growing and he found a necessity for more land as seen in Henry RUPE and Catherine Barbara NOLL ~ At Home on the Old Henry Roop Place.

Henry and Catherine became the parents of a daughter Nancy in 1806[6] and a son James, my 4th great-grandfather and their 13th child, about 1808.[7]

When the census was taken on 6 August 1810[8] Henry RUPE was 45 years old and his household included 17 persons as follows:

1810 U.S. Federal Census
Montgomery County, Virginia
Page 18, Henry Rupe
4 males under 10 (James 2, Samuel 9, William 10, and poss. Elizabeth’s son William ca. 6)
3 males 16 thru 25 (George 16, John 21, Henry 21, Jacob 24)
2 males 45 and over (Henry 45 & poss. James Compton, husband of Elizabeth)
2 females under 5 (Nancy 4, Rachel 6)
1 female 10 thru 15 (Mary 8)
3 females 16 thru 25 (Catherine 15, Barbara 18, Elizabeth 23)
2 females 45 and over (Catherine 42 & unknown)
Number of Household Members Under 16: 7
Number of Household Members Over 25: 4
Number of Household Members: 17

1810rupecensus — 1810 U.S. Federal Census [courtesy of *Ancestry*] [8]

It is interesting to note the pre-1850 census listings were all in alphabetical order except for 1810 which was recorded by visit. Living next door to Henry RUPE was his nephew Jacob WEAVER, his wife, son, mother and siblings. Jacob’s father George was enumerated in Salisbury, Stokes County, North Carolina, in 1800[9] and died before 1810 either in North Carolina or after moving to Montgomery County. The RUPE and WEAVER families were sandwiched in between Austin AKERS and Northrup FULLER who shared land lines with Henry as seen in the 1809 land grant description.[10]

Henry and Catherine’s oldest daughter Elizabeth is believed to have married about 1803 however a marriage record has not been found. I am no longer sure this is the case and will have to do further research before I write about Elizabeth. After her father’s death she would be seen as Elizabeth COMPTON or CUMPTON when she sold her part of her father’s estate on 14 June 1851.[11]

In Henry’s household in 1810 all of his children are accounted for. Extras in the household are a man and a woman in the same age bracket as Henry and Catherine as well a a young male under 10 years old. James COMPTON who is believed to have been the husband of Elizabeth was not found in 1810. Could he have been included as the male over 45 in this listing? Is the young male Elizabeth’s son? Unless there are COMPTON descendants who already know the answers, these questions may only be answered by a new round of fact-finding.

Chances are Catherine was pregnant in August 1810 when the census was taken. She was 43 years old when she gave birth to her 14th child, a son Joseph, born about 1811.[12] Joseph would remain the youngest of the RUPE brood. Catherine had spent the last twenty-five years bearing children and these days were finally over. Henry and Catherine saw all fourteen children grow to maturity. A bit unusual for the times and shows they took great care of their family.

No evidence has been found of any of Henry RUPE’s older sons serving during the War of 1812 (18 Jun 1812-24 Dec 1814). Jacob, the twins John and Henry, and George would have been old enough being between 26 and 18 years of age. Instead of going to war the older children began to marry.

John RUPE married Elizabeth THOMPSON (1795-1870) on 14 January 1813[13]
Jacob ROOP married Susannah ALLEY (1790-1860) on 15 Apr 1815[14]
Catherine “Caty” RUPE married Jacob AKERS (1775-1860) on 27 June 1815[15]
George RUPE married Margaret BALDWIN (1800-1839) on 5 December 1818
[16]
William RUPE married Ester AKERS (1802-1846) on 7 June 1820[17]

They were all married in Montgomery County, except for George who married in Jefferson County, Tennessee. Redmond Ira ROOP, in his 1927 reunion speech, told of George’s learning the hatter’s trade in Christiansburg. Among those who worked by his side was the famous Col. David CROCKETT of Tennessee, who became stranded in Christiansburg in 1802 on his way home from Baltimore, where he had gone with a cattle drive. George RUPE followed David CROCKETT to Tennessee about 1815.[18]

Less than a week after Henry purchased 46 acres[19] from his nephew Jacob WEAVER the 1820 census was taken on 7 August 1820.[20] One little line of “chicken scratch” and this is what comes out of it:

1820rupecensus — 1820 U.S. Federal Census [courtesy of *Ancestry*] [20]

1820 U.S. Federal Census
Montgomery County, Virginia
Newburn Township
Henry Roop Sr.
Enumeration Date: August 7, 1820
2 males under 10 (Joseph 9 and George 5, s/o Barbara)
1 male 10 thru 15 (James 12)
1 male 16 thru 18 (Samuel 18)
1 male 16 thru 25 (Samuel 18)
1 male 26 thru 44 (Henry Jr. 31)
1 male 45 and over (Henry Sr. 55)
1 female under 10 (Barbary 2, d/o Mary)
1 female 10 thru 15 (Nancy 14)
3 females 16 thru 25 (Rachel 16, Mary 18, Barbara 28)
1 female 45 and over : (Catherine 52)
Number of Persons – Engaged in Agriculture: 3 (Henry Sr., Henry Jr., Samuel)
Free White Persons – Under 16: 5
Free White Persons – Over 25: 3
Total Free White Persons: 12
Total All Persons – White, Slaves, Colored, Other: 12

You may ask, why are we seeing children of the daughters Barbara and Mary and no husbands. By 1820 six of the fourteen children were married and had their own households. The second oldest daughter Barbara had a son, was not married, and lived with her parents.

Montgomery County (to wit)
The examination of Barbary Roop of sd County single woman Taken upon oath before me E. Howard one of the commonwealth Justices for the County afforesaid this 25 Day of July 1816 who saith that on the 20th day of Novr last past in the county afforesaid she the sd Barbary Roop was Delivered of a Male Baster Child and that the said Bastard Child is Likely to become Chargeable to the County and that George Peterman of the sd County did git her with child of the sd Bastard Child.
Taken and signed the Day
and year above written before me.
E. Howard Barbary her X mark Roop[21]

Mary, the next oldest unmarried daughter living at home, had an illegitimate daughter in 1819. The father was allegedly Isom DOBBINS.[22]

Before the next marriage could take place in the family Henry Jr. was fined $16.13 on 3 October 1822 for bastardy.[23]

The Commonwealth of Virginia, to the Sheriff of Montgomery County Greeting:
We command You, that of the Goods and Chattels of Henry Roope
lat is your bailiwick, you cause to be made the sum of Sixteen Dollars and thirteen cents which the overseers of the poor late before the Justices of our Court of Montgomery County have against him for costs of recognizance for bastardy in that behalf expended, whereof the said Roope is convict as appears to us of record; and that you have the same before the Justices of our said Court, at the Court-House on the 1st Tuesday in November next, to render unto the said overseers f the costs aforesaid, And have then there this writ. Witness Charles Taylor, Clerk of our Court at the Court-House the 3rd day of October 1822 in the 47th year of the Commonwealth.
Charles Taylor[23]

The notice does not mention the child or the mother of the child. Eight months later, at the age of 34, he married 18 years old Mary “Polly” THOMPSON (1802-1880) on 7 June 1823 in Montgomery County[24]. Henry’s twin brother John had married Polly’s sister Elizabeth ten years earlier.

Henry and Catherine’s youngest daughter Rachel married John B. PHARIS (1797-1864) on 20 October 1823 in Montgomery County.[25]

When the census was taken on 1 June 1830[26] Henry was 65 years old and Catherine 62. In their household were three unmarried daughters, Barbara, Mary, and Nancy, with their eight illegitimate children; three sons, and an unknown female in the 30 thru 39 age group.

1830 U.S. Federal Census
Montgomery County, Virginia
Blacksburg, Enumerated by John R. Charlton, page 89
Henry Roope Sr.
3 males under 5 (grandsons: Byrd 3, s/o Barbara; Henry 4, s/o Mary; and James R. 4, s/o Mary)
1 male 5 thru 9 (grandson Crockett 7, s/o Mary)
1 male 10 thru 14 (grandson George 15, s/o Barbara)
1 male 15 thru 19 (Joseph 19)
2 males 20 thru 29 (James 23, Samuel 29)
1 male 60 thru 69 (Henry 65)
2 females 5 thru 9 (granddaughters: Susan 7, d/o Barbara, and Elizabeth 7, d/o Mary)
1 female 10 thru 14 (granddaughter Barbary 12, d/o Mary)
2 females 20 thru 29 (Mary 28, Nancy 24)
2 females 30 thru 39 (Barbara 38, unknown)
1 female 60 thru 69 (Catherine 62)
Free White Persons – Under 20: 9
Free White Persons – 20 thru 49: 8
Total Free White Persons: 17
Total – All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 17

1830rupecensus — 1830 U.S. Federal Census [courtesy of Ancestry] [26]

This screenshot of the census for Henry Sr., Henry Jr., Jacob, William, and John shows 52 persons in 5 households. Missing in the count are three daughters, Elizabeth (believed to be married to James COMPTON with 2 children, a 3rd already married), Caty with 8 children, Rachel with 3 children, and son George who was in Wayne County, Indiana, with 4 children. This brings the grand total up to 78 persons in the family including in-laws. No wonder cousin Everette McGrew wrote:

They were Whigs, but never owned slaves, the family being so large and able bodied that they had little use for them, and for the further reason that there were few slaveowners in that immediate locality.[27]

As for their being Whigs, I cannot find anything to support this statement. The Whig Party was formed in 1833 and dissolved in 1854. I believe Everette may have used the term in a more broad sense indicating they were opposed to tyranny as were the American Whigs who fought for independence in 1776.

During the first half of the 1830s the three youngest sons married in Montgomery County.

James “Jimmie” ROOP married Elizabeth CARROLL (1808-1880) on 23 July 1830[28]
Joseph ROOP married Mary “Polly” CARROLL (1809-1909) on 13 Sep 1831[29]
Samuel ROOP married Martha “Patsy” TOWNSLEY (1815-1870) on 7 January 1834[30]

On 1 June 1840[31] when the census was enumerated Henry was 75 years old and head of a household which included his 72 years old wife Catherine, his youngest son Joseph with his wife and their four children, and his unmarried daughter Nancy and two of her three sons. His other two unmarried daughters as well as his married children had their own households in Montgomery County with the exception of the twins John and Henry Jr. who were in Pulaski County, formed in 1839 from parts of Montgomery and Wythe counties.

1840censusrupe — 1840 U.S. Federal Census [courtesy of *Ancestry*] [31]

1840 U.S. Federal Census
Montgomery County, Virginia
Page 26
Henry Rupe
2 males under 5 yo (grandsons: Martin 2, s/o Joseph, and Lindsay Crockett 1, s/o Nancy)
2 males 5 & under 10 yo (Bluford 6, s/o Joseph, and Asa G. 7, s/o Nancy)
1 male 20 & under 30 yo (Joseph 29)
1 male 70 & under 80 yo (Henry 75)
1 female under 5 yo (Malinda 4, d/o Joseph)
1 female 5 & under 10 yo (Mary Jane 8, d/o Joseph)
2 females 20 & under 30 yo (Nancy 34 and Joseph’s wife Mary 31)
1 female 70 & under 80 yo (Catherine 72)
11 persons in household
2 persons engaged in agriculture

Henry RUPE and his family toiled hard on the land he bought. They owned and worked several grist mills, timbered and farmed the land, as their livelihood. Henry left fourteen children when he died in 1845. They gave him 94 grandchildren during his lifetime – only two of these did not live long enough to be named. Eighteen more grandchildren were born before his widow Catherine passed away. The last two grandchildren were born after her death bringing the total to 114. Ninety-two of these grandchildren carried the RUPE or ROOP surname while only 22 carried a different surname than their grandfather.

Did Henry RUPE leave a will with the names of his children? Did he wish for his property to be divided and how? The answers to these questions as well as the source of the name “Old Henry Roop Place” will be revealed in the next installment.

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] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] The year of birth (1804) is an estimation made using the census: 1850 age 45, 1860 age 56, 1870 age 65, 1880 age 75
[6] The year of birth (1806) is an estimation made using the census: 1860 age 54, 1870 age 58, 1880 age 70. Find A Grave #13622047 photo of grave marker shows 1806.
[7] The year of birth (1808) is an estimation made using the census: 1850 age 32, 1860 age 50, 1870 age 62, 1880 age 71.
[8] 1810 U.S. Federal Census, (index and images), Ancestry, citing Third Census of the United States, 1810 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C. NARA microfilm publication M252, 71 rolls, Virginia, Montgomery, sheet 641, line 10. Henry Rupe household. (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 October 2014).
[9] 1800 U.S. Federal Census, (index and images), Ancestry, citing Second Census of the United States, 1800 population schedule, images) National Archives and Records Administration,Washington D.C., microfilm M32, 52 rolls, North Carolina, Stokes County, Salisbury, Page: 576; Image: 583; Family History Library Film: 337908. George Weaver household. (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 6 April 2016).
[10] 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).
[11] Akers, 1851 deed (will be shared in next post)
[12] “Virginia, Deaths and Burials Index, 1853-1917,” (index only), Ancestry, citing FamilySearch index entries derived from digital copies of original and compiled records, FHL Film Number: 2048578. Joseph Roop, born abt 1811 in Montgomery County, Virginia, died 10 May 1874 in Montgomery County, Virginia, age at death 63, white, widowed, male, father Henry, mother Barbara. (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 March 2016).
[13] “Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XR8N-66G : accessed 6 April 2016), John Roup and Betsy Thompson, 08 Jan 1813; citing Montgomery County, Virginia, reference P 137; FHL microfilm 32,633.
[14] Ibid., (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XR8N-XLT : accessed 6 April 2016), Jacob Rupe and Susannah Alley, 15 Apr 1815; citing Montgomery County, Virginia, reference P 145; FHL microfilm 32,633.
[15] Ibid., (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XR8N-F3F : accessed 6 April 2016), Jacob Acres and Caty Rupe, 27 Jun 1815; citing Montgomery County, Virginia, reference P 146; FHL microfilm 32,633.
[16] “Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002,” (index and images), Ancestry, citing Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002. Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee. Microfilm. George Roupe, male, married 5 Dec 1818 in Jefferson County, Tennessee, spouse Margaret Baldwin. (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 March 2016).
[17] “Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940,” (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XR8N-K3P : accessed 6 April 2016), William Rupe and Easter Akers, 06 Jun 1820; citing Montgomery County, Virginia, reference P 170; FHL microfilm 32,633.
[18] McGrew
[19] Akers, Montgomery County Deed Book G, pg. 483.
[20] 1820 U.S. Federal Census, (index and images), Ancestry, citing Fourth Census of the United States, 1820 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M33, 142 rolls, Virginia, Montgomery, Newburn, sheet 181A, line 16. Henry Roop Sr. household. (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 December 2004).
[21] Akers, photocopy of document in book.
[22] “Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940,” (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRS5-Z9D : accessed 6 April 2016), Wm. Lane and Barbara Roop, 02 Jul 1856; citing Montgomery, Virginia, reference n 44; FHL microfilm 2,048,462.
[23] Akers
[24] “Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940,” (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XR8N-G9P : accessed 6 April 2016), Henry Rupe and Polly Thompsom, 07 Jun 1823; citing Montgomery County, Virginia, reference P 185; FHL microfilm 32,633.
[25] “Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940,” (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XR8N-GHH : accessed 6 April 2016), John B. Pharis and Rachel Rupe, 20 Dec 1823; citing Montgomery County, Virginia, reference P 188; FHL microfilm 32,633.
[26] 1830 U.S. Federal Census, (index and images), Ancestry, citing Fifth Census of the United States, 1830 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C. NARA microfilm publication M19, 201 rolls, Virginia, Montgomery, Blacksburg, page 89, line 14. Henry Roope Sr. household. (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed ‎17 October 2014).
[27] McGrew
[28] “Virginia, Marriages 1740-1850,” (index-only), Ancestry, citing Dodd, Jordan R., et al.. Early American Marriages: Virginia to 1850. Bountiful, UT, USA: Precision Indexing Publishers. James Rupe, male, spouse Elizabeth Earl (sic), female, marriage date 23 Jul 1830 in Montgomery County, Virginia. (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 6 April 2016).
[29] Akers, Copy of bond in book. “I do hereby certify that I celebrated the rites of matrimony between Joseph Roop & Mary Carl of Montgomery Cty on the 13th day of September 1831 by virtue of a publication given under my hand this 26th day of June 1832. Richd Buckingham.”
[30] Akers, Copy of bond in book.
[31] 1840 U.S. Federal Census, (index and images), Ancestry, citing Sixth Census of the United States, 1840 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M704, 580 rolls, Virginia, Montgomery County, page 26, line 20. Henry Rupe household. ‎(http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 December 2004).

Genealogy Sketch

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

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 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]

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

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

Rupe/Roop/Ruppe/Rupp Migration in the Years 1752-1820

The immigrant Johann Jacob RUPP came from Oberhoffen-lès-Wissembourg, Northern Alsace, present-day France, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1752 with his wife Maria Barbara NONNENMACHER and their three sons Johann Jacob, Johann Michel, and Johann Martin.

The Oberhoffen-lès-Wissembourg connection and the ship they came on will be discussed in later posts.

In the Beginning, There was Family Tradition

Colonial_Roads_in_the_South — Public domain, released by David Dilts, a Family History Research Wiki user.

From the following report given by Johann Jacob RUPP’s great-great-grandson Redmond Ira ROOP at a family reunion in 1927 in Carroll County, Maryland, the family very likely took the Great Valley Road in green in the map above (with some continuing on the dotted green road).

Traveling on what was once the Baltimore and Memphis Turnpike, the Rupe caravan crossed the Potomac at Harper’s Ferry in 1796. The caravan included Henry, his wife Catherine, and their family of several sons and daughters, the three older brothers of Henry, and their families. In crossing the Potomac the cattle and other larger animals were forced to swim, and the sons of Henry held the ropes attached to the horns of the cows. One wild cow pulled one of the unsuspecting Rupe boys overboard while crossing and he might have been lost had they not missed the cow, which finally reached shore with the boy swinging to her tail some distance down stream. The three brothers of Henry split with one of them going to Ohio, one to Western North Carolina, and the other to Georgia. Henry and family journeyed through the Shenandoah Valley and into Rockbridge County, bound for the southwestern section of the state, then rather sparsely settled. When they reached Buffalo Creek, four miles north of Natural Bridge, a great flood overtook them and they were forced to remain for several days. A report reached them that Natural Bridge had washed away, and it being the only passage, it would require four years to restore the bridge. They settled on Buffalo Creek and built a mill there, which they operated for years before they learned that the report of the bridge destruction was like Mark Twain’s comment on the first report of his death, considerable exaggereated (sic). Early in the year 1800 they left Rockbridge Co. and wound up in Lunenburg Co., VA where they had at least one child before settling on Pelham’s Branch, near Little River, about eight miles southwest of Christiansburg, Montgomery Co., VA. The first recorded document for Henry in this area was the purchase of 326 acres on Aug. 17, 1804 from Abner Lester, to whom it had been granted by the Commonwealth in 1795.

Who doesn’t have a story of several brothers? My 5th great-grandfather Henry RUPE was the youngest son of Johann Jacob RUPP and Maria Barbara NONNENMACHER. I would like to believe he traveled with three older brothers but this may be “exaggereated” (to use Redmond’s spelling). To simplify things I’m dropping the Johann from the father and his three sons’ names as, after they came to America, the second name was found in records.

Descendants of the 1752 immigrant Johann Jacob RUPP used different spellings of the surname — RUPP, RUPE, ROOP, ROUP, ROOPE, ROUPE, RUPPE — from one generation to the next, even in the same family and same generation.

This is where I’m seeing the families from 1752 to 1820.

Henry’s parents Jacob and Barbara and his three oldest brothers Jacob, Michael, and Martin came to America in 1752 arriving in Philadelphia. This will be discussed in a later post. The length of time they remained in Pennsylvania is unknown.
Henry’s father Jacob RUPP was in Frederick and Baltimore County, Maryland, from about 1759 to 1792. Church records[1], as well as three sets of newly found records, confirm his residence in Pipe Creek Hundred in Baltimore County. They will be discussed in more detailed upcoming posts.
Family tradition (above) tells of Henry and his brothers crossing the Potomac at Harpers Ferry in 1796. The transcript of the report by Redmond ROOP may not be reliable. The information has been copied many times and cannot be traced back to its origin. Theron Rupe, another researcher for the family, wrote the family left Maryland in 1793 after Henry sold 100 acres of the original 115 acres owned by his father Jacob.
Family tradition (above) tells of Henry’s family remaining at Buffalo Creek in Rockbridge County, Virginia, until about 1800. I have not found proof of this or of their building or running a mill at this location. Henry ROOP was in Rockbridge County on 13 January 1801 when Polly NULL, from Baltimore County, Maryland, and daughter of Anthony NULL married James HART. Henry gave an oath of the bride being of age. [I have images of both records] The 1800 census for Virginia is not available and tax lists have been used as substitutes. The 1801 tax list for Rockbridge was used as a substitute. James HART was listed but Henry RUPE/ROOP appears to have already left the county as he was not on the list. There for the marriage, gone for the tax list!
Henry RUPE was seen in Montgomery County buying land in 1804 from Abner Lester. He continued to acquire land and deeds show his name spelled Roop. In the 1810 through the 1840 census, the surname was spelled Roop, Roope, and Rupe. He lived in Montgomery County until his death in 1845.
Martin RUPE was a resident of Surry County, North Carolina from 1795 to about 1810. He may not have taken care of all business in the county before moving on as he was seen on the 1812 tax list. George WEAVER was a resident of Stokes County, North Carolina in 1800. By 1820 the WEAVER family was living next door to Henry RUPE in Montgomery County, Virginia. George’s wife was the sister of Henry RUPE.
Martin ROOP (indexed Roap) was in Union County, South Carolina, by 1810. The area became Cherokee County. Many of his descendants lived there as well as across the state line in Rutledge and Cleveland counties in North Carolina. His descendants in the Carolinas used the surname spelling RUPPE.

Places of birth of the children of Henry RUPE indicate he was in Maryland in 1786-1792, Virginia from about 1794.
Places of birth of the children of Martin RUPP indicate he was in Maryland in 1779, Pennsylvania 1780-1788, Virginia 1790, North Carolina 1796-1805.
Places of birth of the children of George WEAVER indicate he was in North Carolina in 1778* and back in Maryland in 1781-1790.

*Another family tradition, which I will be discussing in a future post, suggests Jacob RUPP and his family, during the American Revolutionary War, “bought land in a North Carolina land company and after the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783 the family resurfaced in Baltimore County.” Records I’m finding show Jacob was in Baltimore County during this time and do not support the theory of his being in North Carolina. George WEAVER’s oldest child was listed on the 1850 census as born abt. 1778 in North Carolina. She died before 1860, her children died in 1848, 1865, and bet. 1860-1870. This left no possibility of confirmation of the mother’s place of birth on the 1880 census.

It was important for me to map the migration pattern of the family during this period. I am convinced it will help me prove or disprove the family tradition by pointing me in the right direction at the right time. Of course, any suggestion on a course of action would be greatly appreciated.

[1] C. T. Zahn and Frederick S. Weiser, translators and editors, Maryland German Church Records Volume 10, subtitle: Zion Church “The German Church”, Manchester, Carroll County — today Trinity United Church of Christ Records, 1760-1836 and Immanuel Lutheran Church Records, 1760-1853 (published by the Historical Society of Carroll County, Westminster, Maryland).

Genealogy Sketch

Name: Johann Jacob RUPP
Parents: Johann Jacob RUPP Jr. and Maria Apollonia FETZER
Spouse: Maria Barbara NONNENMACHER
Parents of spouse: Johannes NONNENMACHER and Maria Barbara STAMBACH
Whereabouts: Oberhoffen-lès-Wissembourg, Pennsylvania, Maryland
Relationship to Cathy Meder-Dempsey: 6th great-grandfather

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

The ROOP Couple Who Were Buried Before They Died

The Incorrect Grave Marker

In the case of Hamilton N. ROOP and Mary Elizabeth EPPERLY errors were made when the information was given for the marker placed on the grave. Who had this marker made and when was it placed on the grave? The children or well-meaning but more distant relatives?

The same incorrect years of death were found in Louise Roop Akers and Everette L. McGrew’s compilations on the Roop family.[1], [2] Did they get the dates and the name of the husband from the marker or was the marker made with the dates found in these compilations?

MRIN00478 Hamilton Null Roop and wife Mary Elizabeth Epperly grave marker — Find A Grave Contributor Roger Roop (#46830952), permission to use all *Find A Grave* photos taken by contributor received 7 January 2015 per email.[3]

The certificates of death were found in the Ancestry.com database “Virginia, Death Records, 1912-2014” and show these dates are correct:

Ham N. ROOP, as his name was recorded on the certificate, died on 8 December 1918 and not in 1919 as seen above.[4]
Mary L. ROOP, as her name was recorded on the certificate, died on 5 January 1929 and not in 1926 as seen above.[5]

The death certificates and the grave marker might be considered by some to not be for the same persons as the names and dates are conflicting. However documentation for the parents and children show this is the same couple.

Mary Elizabeth EPPERLY was seen in all census listings as Mary E. except in 1880 when she was enumerated as Elizabeth. Her 1872 marriage record has her full name. Her son Silas Shelburne ROOP was the informant on her death record and gave her middle initial as L.

The brother of my 3rd great-grandfather Gordon ROOP (1838-1863) was seen as Hamilton N. ROOP in early records:

1860 Census: Hamilton N. Roop
1870 Census: Hamilton N. Roop
1872 Marriage: Hamilton N. ROOP and Mary Elizabeth EPPERLY (Marriage License/Certificate to Obtain a Marriage License/Minister’s Return of Marriage).
1880 Census: Hamilton Roop (no middle inital)
1890 Will of father James Roop: names son Hamilton N. Roop
1900 Census: Hamilton Roop (no middle inital)
1910 Census: Hamilton N. Roop
1918 Death Record: Ham N. Roop (informant: son G. H. Roop)

Hamilton and his wife named a son George Hamilton ROOP. This son’s nickname was “Ham” and he signed his WWI draft card George Ham ROOP. George died in 1930. Could this be the source of the confusion concerning Hamilton’s name on his grave marker? I have found no records which show the father and son as Sr. and Jr. other than the family compilations.

Concerning the middle initial: Family tradition may be where Hamilton’s middle name being Null, a variation of the maiden name of his paternal grandmother Catherine Barbara NOLL, came from. Or is it possible an earlier family historian believed he/she knew what the middle initial stood for and made this assumption? I have found no record to prove Hamilton N. ROOP’s middle name was Null.

I changed all my records and writings to reflect Hamilton N. ROOP and made a notation concerning my doubts about the middle name being Null. How would you handle this type of conflict?

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).
[2] Everette L. McGrew, My Mother Was A Rupe (revised August 2000).
[3] Find A Grave, database and images (http://findagrave.com), Find A Grave Memorial no. 17296789. Memorial page for George Hamilton Null Roop created by Roger Roop (#46830952) 4 Jan 2007, citing Surface Cemetery, Riner, Montgomery County, Virginia; the accompanying photograph by Roger Roop used with permission; (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=17296789 : accessed 7 January 2016).
[4] “Virginia, Death Records, 1912-2014,” index and digital images, Ancestry.com, citing Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, Virginia, Certificate of Death No. 40835, Registration District No. 601B. Ham N. Roop, male, white, age 63, born 10 Aug 1855, died 8 Dec 1918 in Montgomery, Virginia, registration date 9 Dec 1918, father James Roop, mother Mary Carl. (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 December 2015).
[5] “Virginia, Death Records, 1912-2014,” State file no. 2390, Registration area no. 600B , Registered no. 9. Mary L Roop, female, white, age 83, born abt 1846, died 5 Jan 1929 in Montgomery, Virginia, registration date 7 Jan 1929, father Allen Epperly, mother Susan Epperly, spouse Ham Roop. (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 January 2016).

Genealogy Sketch

Name: Hamilton N. ROOP
Parents: James ROOP and Elizabeth CARROLL
Spouse: Mary Elizabeth EPPERLY
Children: Giles H., George Hamilton, Silas Shelburne, John T., Mary Elizabeth “Ella”, Mattie E., and Charles Luther
Whereabouts: Floyd and Montgomery counties, Virginia
Relationship to Cathy Meder-Dempsey: 3rd great-grand uncle

1. Hamilton N. ROOP
2. brother of Gordon ROOP
3. uncle of Gordon Washington ROOP
4. grand-uncle of Walter Farmer ROOP
5. great-grand uncle of Myrtle Hazel ROOP
6. 2nd great-grand uncle of Fred Roosevelt DEMPSEY
7. 3rd great-grand uncle of Cathy Meder-Dempsey