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

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:

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

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.

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

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

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

52 Ancestors: #50 My Naughty Mr. and Mrs. DEMPSEY

Week 50 (December 10-16) – Naughty. We all have an ancestor who probably received coal in their stocking.

I’ve made a list, checked it twice, and found who’s been naughty and nice.

If you’ve been following along these past two years you’ll know who’s locked the door to my most frustrating brick wall. Mr. and Mrs. DEMPSEY, my 3rd great-grandparents!

Genealogy Sketch

Name: Mr. DEMPSEY
Parents: Unknown
Spouse: Mrs. DEMPSEY
Children: Willliam A. W. DEMPSEY (1820-1867)
Whereabouts: Unknown (some say outer space)
Relationship to Cathy Meder-Dempsey: 3rd great-grandparents

1. Mr. and Mrs. DEMPSEY
2. William A. W. DEMPSEY
3. William Henderson DEMPSEY
4. Fred Rothwell DEMPSEY
5. Fred Roosevelt DEMPSEY
6. Cathy Meder-Dempsey

What do I know about Mr. and Mrs. DEMPSEY? They were the parents of my great-great-grandfather William A. W. DEMPSEY born about 1820 in Virginia per the Fayette County, (West) Virginia census. He was seen as 28 years old in 1850 and 40 years old in 1860. He was also on the 1841 tax list of Rockbridge County which means he had to have been at least 21 yrs old at the time.

The door in this brick wall is firmly shut and no one left the key under the mat!

The most likely documents in which I might find the names of the parents of William A. W. DEMPSEY would be his birth, marriage, and/or death record.

Death Record

Unfortunately, no death record has been found. This means no death record with names of parents or any kind of information to corroborate the family tradition of William’s death in a logging accident in the late 1860s. This would have been after October 1866 when he was listed as having an account due, owing Joel B. Wills $8.50. By 1870 his children and wife were living (farmed out) in several different households.

Marriage Record

To date, no marriage record has been found for William A. W. DEMPSEY and Sarah Ann WOOD. Their first known child was born about 1846 placing their marriage in the early to mid-1840s. Sarah was from Fayette County and most of her siblings married in Fayette, one in Greenbrier and one in Kanawha.

“Virginia, Marriages, 1785-1940” at FamilySearch was consulted and the WVCulture.org site has been checked repeatedly as they continue to add records.

I put a query to the Fayette County West Virginia Genealogy group on Facebook requesting information on the likelihood of loose marriage papers being in the West Virginia State Archives and/or at the county level.

I also asked the group about the possibility of there being a marriage ledger for Hopewell Baptist Church. This church is a likely place for the couple to have married as Sarah’s great-grandfather Baily WOOD was a founding member. The church burned down in the 1960s and all records in the church were destroyed. There were some records kept at members’ homes and several people offered to ask around.

I’m sure my father’s first cousin Geraldine Dempsey Workman (1931-2007) searched high and low in the 1970s and 1980s for more information on William’s parents and possible siblings. In 1995 she wrote “We still do not know his parents or family members” in a short summary of her research.

Birth Record

For the time period William was born, ca. 1820-1822 there were no birth records as we know today. A Bible would be a likely alternative but none is known to exist. It is very unlikely one survived, if there was any, as the family did not live together after his death.

Keeping with the Naughty theme, could it be Mrs. DEMPSEY was not a Missus? Should I be looking for a woman with the surname/maiden name DEMPSEY who had a son out of wedlock? This possibility has not been taken into consideration.

Pre-1850 Census Analysis

The lack of birth, marriage, and death records with the names of his parents means I need to use a different tactic to find the parents. Regrettably, William A. W. DEMPSEY was born and spent his childhood during the pre-1850 census era and cannot be found in a census which included the names of all household members.

I’ve followed the golden rule of genealogy and worked backward from myself to my great-great-grandfather. I’ve also traced his descendants forward to living relatives who may have the key I need to open the door in his brick wall.

After doing traditional and reverse genealogy I analyzed the pre-1850 Virginia census of DEMPSEY families in which William A. W. DEMPSEY may have been born.

1840 Census

There were no DEMPSEYs in Rockbridge in 1840. These are the DEMPSEY households found in what was then Virginia and includes counties that later became part of West Virginia:

• John DEMPSEY in Fayette
• Daniel DEMPSEY and sons Thomas, Lewis, and James in Orange
• Daniel DEMPSEY in Spotsylvania County (son of Daniel of Orange)
• Seaton and Wilson DEMPSEY in Amherst
• Absalom DEMPSEY in Botetourt
• William, John, Joseph, James, and Andrew DEMPSEY in Logan (sons of John Sr.)
• Willis of DEMPSEY in Nansemond (free colored person)
• Polley DEMCEY or DEMGEY of King William (free colored person)

1830 Census

• Tandy DEMPSEY of Logan (father of John of Fayette)
• Daniel DEMPSEY of Orange
• Martha DEMPSEY of Amherst (mother of Seaton and Wilson)
• Absalom DEMPSEY of Botetourt
• Hugh DEMPSEY of Montgomery
• John DEMPSEY Sr. and sons William, Thomas (deceased, his widow Dicy), John Jr., and Joseph in Logan (formed from Cabell, Giles, and Kanawha in 1824)

1820 Census

• Tandy DEMPSEY in Rockbridge
• Daniel DEMPSEY in Orange
• Will DEMPSEY in Amherst (husband of Martha)
• John DEMPSEY and sons William, Thomas, and Joseph in Cabell
• Absalom and Hugh DEMPSEY in Botetourt
• James DEMPSEY in Caroline

1810 Census

Although 1810 is too early for William A. W. DEMPSEY it is interesting to see if the individuals found in 1820 were also in the same area in 1810. The 1810 census was lost for Orange County and tax lists have been used to reconstruct it.

• Tandy DEMPSEY in Rockbridge
• William DEMPSEY in Amherst
• Mildred DEMPSEY in Botetourt (sister-in-law of John of Giles)
• John DEMPSEY in Giles
• James DEMPSEY in Caroline

1810 Census reconstructed from tax lists

• Daniel DEMPSEY in Orange
• Lewis DEMPSEY in Orange (son of Daniel)

1800 Census reconstructed from tax lists

• 1800 James DEMPSEY in Orange
• 1799 James DEMPSEY in Caroline
• 1799 Nathan DEMPSEY in Franklin

1790 Census reconstructed from tax lists

• 1791 James DEMPSEY in Greenbrier
• 1789 William DEMPSEY in Botetourt
• 1789 Michael DEMPSEY in Shenandoah

Location of misc. DEMPSEY individuals in Virginia and West Virginia in the early 1800s.

Even before doing more serious research on the DEMPSEY lines found in Virginia, I gave them names to identify and differentiate between them.

The Rockbridge DEMPSEYs

Tandy did not have a young male in his household in 1820 or 1830. He was the father of John W., William S., Andrew S., Jane, Elizabeth, Mary B., and Margaret. These children are proven as they were mentioned as the children of Nancy THOMPSON, wife of Tandy, in chancery and land records in Nelson County.

Tandy married Nancy THOMPSON in Amherst County on 19 January 1801. He lived in Rockbridge in 1810 and 1820 and moved to Logan County by 1827 where he was on the 1827 tax list and 1830 census. His son William S. was in Greenbrier County, (West) Virginia in 1830 and 1840. His son Andrew S. was in Logan in 1830 and in Lawrence County, Ohio, in 1840. William S. and Andrew S. both named sons William but have not been included in the census analysis as their sons were seen with them on the 1850 census.

The known children of John W. do not include a son named William. John W. does not appear to be with his father Tandy in 1820. He married(1) in 1824 in Rockbridge, was not found in the 1830 census, and lived in Fayette County from 1840 through 1870. There are no known children for John W. and his first wife for the time period from their marriage in 1824 and until the birth of son John A. born abt. 1830 in Rockbridge. The 1840 census listing includes 1 male 10 & under 15 yo – this person is unaccounted for.

Was William A. W. DEMPSEY the unaccounted male in John W.’s 1840 census listing and was he:

♦ actually younger than seen on the 1850 and 1860 census?
♦ the son of John W. and his first wife born before or soon after the 1824 marriage?
♦ the son of John W. and a relationship prior to his 1824 marriage?
♦ the son of John W.’s first wife from a previous relationship?

The Amherst DEMPSEYs

This group has also been well researched as William DEMPSEY of Amherst was my 4th great-grandfather. His children are proven to be Wilson M., Seaton Y., Isham Coleman, Wesley G., Louisa J., and Eliza through land and court records produced after his death. In 1830, his wife Martha was listed in Amherst County with their two young daughters. There were no young males in the household.

William at some time went to Ohio and did not return as newspapers in the state of Ohio were requested to publish information on his wife’s death in 1834. On 20 June 1836, a year after the last notice was published, William and Martha’s son Wilson signed an administrator bond for the deceased William.

After the 1850 census, Wilson and Seaton moved to Fayette County. Their brother Wesley, who was not found in 1830 and 1840 censuses, was in Botetourt in 1850 and lived in Rockbridge from 1860 until he died in 1890. The children of William of Amherst were too young to be parent candidates for William A. W. DEMPSEY.

I believe Tandy DEMPSEY and William DEMPSEY may have been brothers. Tandy married in Amherst less than a year and a half after William. There was also a Jane DEMPSEY who married Allen CAMERON in 1795 in Amherst. Allen CAMERON went bond with William DEMPSEY when William married which may suggest a close relationship. The CAMERON couple raised their family in Rockbridge. William’s mother Susannah DEMPSEY gave her consent for his marriage. No such record was found for Tandy and Jane.

UPDATE (23 February 2022): To date, DNA matches with descendants of Tandy DEMPSEY have not been found. This could mean that Tandy and William were not related OR that the descendants who might share DNA may not as yet have been tested.

The Orange DEMPSEYs

Daniel and his wife were past their childbearing years in 1820. His oldest son Thomas Allen was already married and had a son John L. The census numbers in 1820 for Daniel’s household show eight known children as well as his oldest son’s wife, their son, and possibly a daughter. Daniel was seen in Orange County as early as 1810 (tax list) but may have come from Caroline County where his first son was born about 1778 per death record. Could there be a connection between James DEMPSEY of Caroline and Daniel DEMPSEY of Orange?

Daniel’s second son Lewis had a son named William A. born about 1825. This William A. DEMPSEY’s Civil War service was used to obtain a marker for my William A. W. DEMPSEY’s grave. The daughters of Geraldine, who did the paperwork for the marker, are aware of and have thought of rectifying the error.

The Botetourt DEMPSEYs

The next two groups have not been as thoroughly researched as the previous three. There are errors in online databases –  a meshing of two generations and many Dempsey individuals found in Virginia in the early 1800s. I recently found chancery records on the Library of Virginia site which may help correct the errors in this line.

William DEMPSEY Senr. died intestate before 12 February 1798 and his wife Jane died before 1826 (year of chancery case). He left heirs William Jr., John, Mark, and Mary, wife of Joseph MILLER. John and Mark were not in the Commonwealth and Mary and Joseph MILLER resided in Blackwater in Franklin County in 1826.

William Senr.’s line splits into what I refer to as the Botetourt DEMPSEYs and Logan DEMPSEYs.

William Jr. died before 1806 and left widow Mildred “Milly” who resided in Fincastle; children: Elizabeth DEMPSEY resided in Fincastle, John and Samuel DEMPSEY outside of Commonwealth, Joel DEMPSEY and William DEMPSEY 3rd both decd/no issue, Absalom DEMPSEY in Fincastle, Dubartis DEMPSEY in NC, Judith the wife of Thomas WILMORE residing Giles courthouse, Susan wife of John SNYDER residing in Christianburg, and Milly wife of David CAMPBELL in NC.

For William Jr.’s line, there was only one son mentioned in the chancery records who remained in Virginia. Absalom DEMPSEY was a Baptist preacher; he and his wife did not have any children of their own.

Hugh DEMPSEY seen in Botetourt in 1820 may have been a son of William Jr. and omitted in the chancery records. He was in Montgomery County, Virginia, in 1830 and went to Cooper County, Missouri, abt. 1838 and was seen there in the 1840 and 1850 census. He had a son named William R. b. abt. 1810 and, therefore, was not the father of William A. W. DEMPSEY.

The Logan DEMPSEYs

John was in Giles County in 1810, Cabell County in 1820, and Logan County in 1830 – all due to the changing country lines during the time period. The Logan DEMPSEYs are a complete puzzle to me even though John’s second youngest son Mark left a genealogical note written in 1889 which gives the names and approximate years of birth of eleven children of John DEMPSEY and Rachel SOLOMON. I am not sure how reliable the transcription of the note is as he wrote his mother died about 1849. I found Rachel DEMPSEY age 85 in the household of James DEMPSEY, possibly a 12th child of John and Rachel, in 1850.

I’ve added pre-1850 census records for the Logan DEMPSEYs in my database but have not done extensive census analysis.

Birth, marriage, and death records need to be checked at WVCulture.org. Note: Many Logan County records were destroyed during the Civil War, and records were not kept for several years following the war.

James DEMPSEY of Greenbrier

James DEMPSEY in Greenbrier (1791) was in the county as early as 1782. James DYMSEY was seen as a resident of Greenbrier County in 1782 in Mr. Jas. Henderson’s District with 1 tithable, 3 horses, and 4 cattle. In Oren F. Morten’s A History of Monroe County, West Virginia James DEMPSEY and his wife Rosey/Rosanna are mentioned as having 375 acres of patented land on Second Creek in Greenbrier County, 180 acres patented by DEMPSEY and Ralph GATES in 1783 and 195 acres patented by DEMPSEY in 1787. Ralph GATES bought the 375 acres from James DEMPSEY and his wife Rosey DEMPSEY on 28 July 1795. A year later, on 6 January 1796 James and Rosanna DEMPSEY sold 100 acres to Mathew LYNN on Second Creek / Greenbrier River adj. Thomas LEWIS and Ralph GATES, who was a witness. In 1808 David HENDERSON bought land from John and Agatha STUART that adjoined the land of James DEMPSEY. The 1810 census for Greenbrier is lost and James DEMPSEY was not found on the 1810 tax lists.

He would have been 21 or older at the time he was first seen on the 1782 tax list. This would put his age in 1820 to over 59 years. It is unknown if they had children. No trace of him was found in Virginia after he and his wife sold land in 1796.

UPDATE: The Personal Tax List of Kanawha County was browsed on FamilySearch in January 2018. A James DEMPSEY was seen on the list for the years 1797, 1798, and 1800 suggesting he may have moved from Greenbrier to Kanawha after he sold land in 1796.

Speculation: Could he be the same person as James DEMPSEY convicted in 1772 in London and transported to Virginia in January 1773 on the ship Justitia?

Misc. DEMPSEYs

These have not been traced:

♦ Nathan DEMPSEY in Franklin (1799)
♦ Michael DEMPSEY in Shenandoah (1789) – Michael DIMSEY married Eliz. BARNHART in Shenandoah County on 17 Dec 1788. Another marriage seen in the county was Jane DEMPSEY to Jacob SAVAGE on 1 Dec 1808. Was she a daughter of Michael?

What do you think of my analysis of the census of the DEMPSEY families found in Virginia at the time of my great-great-grandfather William A. W. DEMPSEYs birth and childhood? Have I missed something that caught your eye? What else would you try?

Mr. and Mrs. DEMPSEY don’t be naughty, please be nice and send some comments my way on how I can find out your names and what happened to you.

© 2015-2022, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

This is my weekly entry for Amy Johnson Crow’s challenge:
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – 2015 Edition. It was so successful in 2014 that genealogists wanted to continue or join in on the fun in 2015. Be sure to check out the other great posts by visiting Amy’s blog No Story Too Small where she’ll be posting the weekly recap on Thursdays and allowing all participants to leave a link to their post(s) in the comments.

52 Ancestors: #45 Cynthia SUMNER abt. 1815-aft. 1880

“The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor.”

This is entry #45 in Amy Johnson Crow’s Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.

A Note of Appreciation
I am extremely grateful to Barb Reininger for transcribing the images of the Floyd County, Virginia Marriages for the years 1831 to 1900 from copies of the microfilmed records made by Rena Worthen and for making the transcription available online. Rena wrote on 7 Oct 2014 in a comment on the Facebook group Floyd County Virginia Genealogy, “It was a big project, took a lot of work and money to make it possible.” From Barb’s transcription, I was able to make a list of 218 marriages performed by my 5th great-grandfather Owen SUMNER during the years 1838-1874, one-tenth of which were performed at his residence. Imagine 218 events that I know he participated in!

#45 Cynthia SUMNER abt. 1815-aft. 1880

Cynthia SUMNER, my 4th great-grandmother, went by many names during her lifetime. From the time she was little until her death her first name was spelled in several different ways – Sintha, Cintha, Cyntha, Sinthy, Sintia, Cynthia – but she was never known as Cindy. She went from using her maiden name SUMNER to using her married name LESTER until the death of her husband. She then married again and took the surname of her second husband, COX.

Cynthia was the daughter of the Reverend Owen SUMNER (1796-1874) and his first wife Sarah “Sally” NEWTON (1800-1860). Owen and Sally were married on 23 November 1813 in Montgomery County, Virginia.¹ This was during the War of 1812 (18 Jun 1812-24 Dec 1814), a war that Owen served in.² Sally was from neighboring Patrick County. [I’m impatiently waiting for them to get around to digitizing the War of 1812 Pension Records for names beginning with P for Peters and S for Sumner.]³

Cynthia SUMNER was born about 1815 in what was then Montgomery County, Virginia. She was the first of eleven known children born to Owen and Sally. Her siblings were:

◉ Sib 2: Sarah “Sary” SUMNER (1817-1842) was born about 1817 in Montgomery County. She married Joel ROSS (1801-aft.1870) on 24 September 1835 in Floyd County.⁴ They were the parents of two children. Sarah died on 20 February 1842 in Floyd County.⁵ When Joel remarried two years later his father-in-law (from his first marriage) Owen SUMNER performed the wedding.⁶

◉ Sib 3: Joel “Owen” SUMNER (1820-1900) was born January 1820 in Montgomery County.⁷ He married Lucinda E. THOMPSON (1826-1900) on 15 February 1844 in Floyd County.⁸ They were the parents of eleven children. Joel died between 1900-1910.

◉ Sib 4: Jesse SUMNER (1824-1861) was born 14 March 1824 in Montgomery County.⁹ He married Timandra SUMPTER (1826-1912) on 9 December 1845 in Floyd County.¹⁰ They were the parents of seven children. Jesse died on 10 November 1861 in Floyd County.¹¹

◉ Sib 5: Susan A. SUMNER (1828-1913) was born on 24 March 1828 in Montgomery County.¹² She married Jacob CORRELL (1817-1888) on 22 January 1852 in Floyd County.¹³ They were the parents of six children. Susan died on 19 August 1913.¹⁴

◉ Sib 6: John G. “Jehu” SUMNER (1835-1880) was born about 1830 in Montgomery County. He married Elizabeth SOWERS (1841-1915) on 20 August 1863 in Floyd County at the home of Owen SUMNER.¹⁵ They were the parents of six children. John died between 1880 and 1900.

◉ Sib 7: Joshua SUMNER (1833-1919) was born in 19 December 1832 in Floyd County.¹⁶ Joshua married(1) Mary G. EARLY (1821- ) on 19 July 1854 in Floyd County.¹⁷ They were the parents of three children. He married(2) the widow Joe Ellen CRENSHAW (maiden name unknown) on 24 Aug 1892 in Bedford County, Virginia.¹⁸ They had one son. Joshua died on 19 November 1919 in Bedford County.¹⁹

◉ Sib 8: Joseph L. SUMNER (1835-1888) was born on 17 January 1835 in Floyd County.²⁰ He married Julia Ann HARRIS (1837-1889) on 4 September 1856 in Floyd County.²¹ They were the parents of six children. Joseph died on 30 January 1888 in Brookline, Greene County, Missouri.²²

◉ Sib 9: Jonathan Newton “Jathan” SUMNER (1838-1882) was born about 1838 in Floyd County. He married Sarah Ann BOOTH (1836-1893) on 18 September 1855 in Floyd County.²³ They had eight children. Even though he was married, Jathan had a “permanent liaison” with Fannie DUNCAN. He eventually left his wife to settle in Tennessee with Fannie and their children. He died about 1882 in Kingsport, Sullivan County, Tennessee.

◉ Sib 10: Jubal SUMNER (1841-1892) was born about 1841 in Floyd County. He was never married. Jubal died on 8 November 1892.²⁴

◉ Sib 11: Jane SUMNER (1845-1900) was born about 1845 in Floyd County. She married Jacob WADE (1849-1937) on 5 December 1867 in Floyd County, at Owen SUMNER’s residence.²⁵ They were the parents of six children. Jane and Jacob divorced before 24 August 1879. Jane died between 1900 and 1910.

Cynthia’s known siblings “fit” into the family group of Owen SUMNER as seen in his pre-1850 and 1850 census listings. However, from 1826 to 1830 the family may have grown by another 2 boys as reflected in the 1830 and 1840 censuses but they remain unknown.

Owen and Sally named all their boys with names beginning with a J. – Joel, Jesse, Joshua, Joseph, John or Jehu, Jonathan or Jathan, and Jubal. Only their youngest daughter Jane was given the same honor. If we consider that Cynthia’s name was also spelled with an S, it could be said that they named all their girls, except Jane, with names beginning with an S – Syntha, Sarah, and Susan.

Getting back to the unnamed boys, could this mean that there are two SUMNER men born between 1825 and 1830, perhaps with names beginning with a J, who did not remain in Floyd County in 1850 or later? Did these boys die before the 1850 census? Could one of them have married a lady named Nancy? A 20-year-old girl named Nancy SUMNER is seen in Owen’s household in 1850. She does not fit into the family group as seen in the pre-1850 census.

1820 U.S. Federal Census > Virginia > Montgomery > Blacksburg [ancestry.com]

1820 U.S. Federal Census²⁶
Montgomery County, Virginia
Blacksburg
Page No. 183
Owen Sumner
Enumeration Date: August 7, 1820
Free White Persons – Males – Under 10: 1 (Joel)
Free White Persons – Males – 16 thru 25: 1 (Owen)
Free White Persons – Females – Under 10: 2 (Cynthia and Sarah)
Free White Persons – Females – 16 thru 25: 1 (Sally)
Number of Persons – Engaged in Agriculture: 1
Free White Persons – Under 16: 3
Total Free White Persons: 5
Total All Persons – White, Slaves, Colored, Other: 5

1830 U.S. Federal Census > Virginia > Montgomery > Christiansburg [ancestry.com]

1830 U.S. Federal Census²⁷
Montgomery County, Virginia
Christiansburg
Page No. 91
Owen Sumner
Free White Persons – Males – Under 5: 3 (John, 2 unknown b. bet. 1826-1830)
Free White Persons – Males – 5 thru 9: 2 (Joel and Jesse)
Free White Persons – Males – 20 thru 29: 1 (unknown, too old to be a son)
Free White Persons – Males – 30 thru 39: 1 (Owen)
Free White Persons – Females – Under 5: 1 (Susan)
Free White Persons – Females – 10 thru 14: 1 (Sarah)
Free White Persons – Females – 15 thru 19: 1 (Cynthia)
Free White Persons – Females – 20 thru 29: 1 (Sally)
Free White Persons – Under 20: 8
Free White Persons – 20 thru 49: 3
Total Free White Persons: 11
Total – All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 11

1840 U.S. Federal Census > Virginia > Floyd [ancestry.com]

1840 U.S. Federal Census²⁸
Floyd County, Virginia
Page No. 186
Owen Sumner
Free White Persons – Males – Under 5: 3 (Joseph, Jonathan, and 1 unknown)
Free White Persons – Males – 5 thru 9: 1 (Joshua)
Free White Persons – Males – 10 thru 14: 2 (John and 1 unknown, seen in 1830)
Free White Persons – Males – 15 thru 19: 2 (Jesse and 1 unknown, seen in 1830)
Free White Persons – Males – 20 thru 29: 1 (Joel)
Free White Persons – Males – 40 thru 49:  1 (Owen)
Free White Persons – Females – 10 thru 14: 1 (Susan)
Free White Persons – Females – 40 thru 49: 1 (Sally)
Persons Employed in Agriculture: 5
White Persons – Deaf and Dumb – Under 14: 1 (son John)
Free White Persons – Under 20: 9
Free White Persons – 20 thru 49: 3
Total Free White Persons: 12
Total All Persons – Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 12

1850 U.S. Federal Census > Virginia > Floyd > Western District 15 [ancestry.com]

1850 U.S. Federal Census²⁹
Floyd County, Virginia
The Western District No. 15
Enumerated the 21st day of August, 1850. Joseph Howard, Ass’t Marshal.
Page No. 431
HH #759-759
Owen Sumner 54 M Bapt. Minister $2500
Sarah Sumner 49 F
Joshua Sumner 17 M Laborer attended school within year
Joseph Sumner 15 M
John Sumner 20 M cannot read & write Deaf & Dumb
Jonathan Sumner 12 M
Jabell Sumner 9 M
Susan Sumner 21 F cannot read & write
Jane Sumner 4 F
Nancy Sumner 20 F (does not fit into the family group, a daughter-in-law?)

Note: All persons in the household were noted as born in North Carolina. I believe that the place of the birth column was incorrectly filled out by the enumerator. In later years they are listed as born in Virginia.

Let’s Talk About Cynthia

Jacob LESTER and Owen SUMNER went bond on 18 August 1834 for the intended marriage of Jacob to Cynthia SUMNER.³⁰ Cynthia was about 19 years old when she married 22-year-old Jacob on 4 September 1834 in Floyd County.³¹ They were married by Jesse JONES. Elder JONES had baptized Cynthia’s father Owen on 17 March 1822 when he united with the Primitive Baptist Church at West Fork, in Floyd County.³²

A couple of years later Cynthia became a mother for the first time when she gave birth to her daughter, my 3rd great-grandmother, Emaline LESTER about 1836. Another year later her son George Washington LESTER was born. Both children were born in Floyd County and were reflected in the 1840 census record of their father Jacob LESTER.

1840 U.S. Federal Census > Virginia > Floyd [ancestry.com]

1840 U.S. Federal Census³³
Floyd County, Virginia
Page No. 181
Jacob Lester
Free White Persons – Males – Under 5: 1 (George W.)
Free White Persons – Males – 20 thru 29: 1 (Jacob)
Free White Persons – Females – Under 5: 1 (Emaline)
Free White Persons – Females – 20 thru 29: 1 (Cynthia)
Persons Employed in Agriculture: 1
Total All Persons – Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 4

Cynthia was only 27 when her husband Jacob died in about 1842 in Floyd County leaving her with two small children.³⁴ She was not a widow for long as she married John W. COX on 1 June 1843 in Floyd County.³⁵ She had one child with John, a daughter Susan L. COX (1846-1861) born about 1846. She was not born in North Carolina as seen on the following census listing:

1850 U.S. Federal Census > Virginia > Floyd > Western District 15 [ancestry.com]

1850 U.S. Federal Census³⁶
Floyd County, Virginia
The Western District No.15
Enumerated the 21st day of August, 1850. Joseph Howard, Ass’t Marshal.
Page No. 431
HH # 758-758
John W. Cox 30 M Laborer North Carolina
Cintha Cox 35 F North Carolina cannot read & write
Susan Cox 4 F North Carolina
Emeline Lester  14 F North Carolina

The enumerator noted North Carolina as the state of birth for John W. COX and then “do” (ditto) for the rest of the family and the following household, that of Cynthia’s father Owen SUMNER. Cynthia, her daughters, and everyone in her father’s household were born in Virginia.

In the mid-1850s Cynthia saw her two older children marrying a daughter and a son of James ROOP and Elizabeth CARROLL:

◉ George Washington LESTER married Amanda “Manda” ROOP (1831-1894) on 23 March 1855 in Floyd County.³⁷

◉ Emaline LESTER married Gordon ROOP (1838-1863) on 10 March 1856 in Floyd County.³⁸

Both couples had two children each before the 1860 census, giving Cynthia her first four grandchildren, all born in Floyd County. Unfortunately, life was not all about marriages and births as Cynthia lost her second husband, John W. COX sometime during the 1850s. Her older children had their own households leaving her along with her youngest daughter Susan.

1860 U.S. Federal Census > Virginia > Floyd [ancestry.com]

1860 U.S. Federal Census³⁹
Floyd County, Virginia
Enumerated the 23/25 June, 1850. Geo. M. Wells, Ass’t Marshal.
Flat Head Post Office, Page No. 48, Sheet No. 482
HH #345-324
Cyntha Cox 45 F Farming $0 $50 Virginia cannot read & write
Susan Cox 14 F Virginia

Following the enumeration of the 1860 census, another death took place. Cynthia’s mother  Sarah “Sally” NEWTON died 22 September 1860 in Floyd County.⁴⁰

The years of the American Civil War (1861-1865) brought more marriages, births, and deaths in Cynthia’s life.

Five months after her mother died, Cynthia’s daughter Susan L. COX married Marshall Elijah Francis MOORE (1841-1862) on 7 February 1861 in Floyd County.⁴¹ A month later another wedding took place. Cynthia’s father Owen (65) married Lucinda SOWERS on 11 March 1861 in Floyd County.⁴² Even though Lucinda (26) was young when they married, they would not have any children during their nearly fourteen years of marriage.

Cynthia’s daughter Susan became pregnant as soon as she married. She gave birth to a daughter Cynthia MOORE (1861-1861) on 7 November 1861 in Floyd County.⁴³ The child, named after her maternal grandmother, lived less than three weeks, dying on 24 November 1861.⁴⁴ The mother Susan died the next day.⁴⁵

Three more grandchildren were born, including my second great-grandfather Gordon Washington ROOP (1862-1930) on 6 May 1862 in Floyd County.⁴⁶ His father Gordon ROOP, Cynthia’s son-in-law, would not come home from the war to see his wife Emaline LESTER holding their youngest babe. He died on 1 November 1863 in Georgia.⁴⁷

After the end of the Civil War, Cynthia’s widowed daughter, Emaline LESTER married Pleasant D. EPPERLY (1848-1920) on 8 February 1869 in Floyd County.⁴⁸ Their marriage of eight years would remain childless.

In 1870 Cynthia had a young lady named Dolly Ann ELDRIDGE in her household. I believe that this may be her granddaughter Dollie Ann Ellen ROOP but have no explanation as to why she would be listed with the Eldridge surname. There were no other people with this surname in Floyd County. Although Dollie and her two brothers were enumerated with their mother Emaline in 1870, it’s possible that Dollie was with her grandmother. Also with Cynthia was her baby sister Jane SUMNER and Jane’s first-born daughter Elizabeth WADE.

1870 U.S. Federal Census > Virginia > Floyd > Alum Ridge [ancestry.com]

1870 U. S. Federal census⁴⁹
Floyd County, Virginia
Alum Ridge Township, Page No. 8
Enumerated the 4th day of August, 1870. B. P. Elliott, Ass’t Marshal.
Floyd Court House Virginia Post Office, Sheet No. 4B
HH #55-53
Cox, Cynthia 50 F W Keeping House $0 $100 Virginia
Eldridge, Dolly Ann 15 F W At Home Virginia
Wade, Jane 23 F W without occupation Virginia
Wade, Elizabeth 1 F W Virginia

The first of Cynthia’s grandchildren to marry was Dollie Ann Ellen ROOP. She married Giles SUMNER (1855-1929) on 7 November 1873 in Floyd County.⁵⁰ A year later Cynthia’s father Owen SUMNER died 20 November 1874 in Alum Ridge, Floyd County.⁵¹

Cynthia would lose her oldest daughter Emaline LESTER to consumption on 3 December 1877 in Floyd County.⁵² This left her with only one living child, her son George W. LESTER who moved to Raleigh County, West Virginia, with his family before 1880.

Although her son was no longer in Floyd County, her deceased daughter Emaline’s three children were married and still living in the area. Cynthia had only a servant with her in 1880 but some of her siblings lived nearby. Her baby sister Jane, who was living with their stepmother Lucinda, was divorced, and, unusual for the times, the children were living with her ex-husband who had remarried. Her youngest brother Jubal, still a bachelor, was living with their sister Susan’s family. Her brothers Joel and John were in the county with their families. Joshua had left Floyd County for Bedford County sometime in the 1870s. Jonathan had finally left his wife and moved to Tennessee to be with the second family he had with the “other woman” Fannie DUNCAN. Cynthia had most likely not seen her brother Joseph since he moved to Tennessee in about 1859.

1880 U.S. Federal Census > Virginia > Floyd > Alum Ridge [ancestry.com]

1880 U. S. Federal Census⁵³
Floyd County, Virginia
Alum Ridge Township, Pge No. 31
Enumeration District No. 25, Sheet No. 276B
Enumerated the 25th day of June, 1880. H. M. Booth, enumerator.
HH # 278-278
Cox, Cynthia W F 67 widowed Keeping House Virginia Virginia Virginia
Iddings, China W F 24 single Servant Virginia Virginia Virginia

Cynthia’s stepmother Lucinda SOWERS died in 1886 at the age of 50. Was Cynthia still living? She died sometime between 1880 and 1890 in Floyd County. Family tradition recounted on 22 February 1999 by Peggy Burton Rich:

“It is said that Cynthia (Sumner) would light her pipe by the rays of the sun and that she died of smoker’s cancer.”

After her death, Cynthia’s only living child, George left his wife and married Lucy Diane DILLON (1868-1948) on 12 November 1890 in Carroll County, Virginia. They had seven children before George died. The last child was born in 1905. The family was not found in 1910. By 1920 Lucy was with a much younger George E. LESTER. It is not known when George died. Family tradition according to Charlotte Bristow goes like this:

“According to my mother, Lucy married George’s cousin who lived nearby, but she cannot recall his name. As a child, she was told that the second marriage didn’t last long because the cousin died from a gunshot. She believes someone thought he was an intruder. I don’t know of any documentation on this marriage. Lucy married for the third time in 1922 to Albert Burdick, who was the father of my maternal grandfather, Carl Burdick…..My mother thinks this may have been a marriage of convenience, so that Dessie’s mother [Lucy] and Carl’s father [Albert] could share a home.”

Now wouldn’t that be a story worth documenting?

This Post was Updated on 6 November 2022: Missing source citations were added, images were scaled, and some corrections were made to the text and format.

© 2014–2022, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

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1. “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, 23 Nov 1813 Owen Sumner and Polly Newton. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9XF-FXT7?cc=4149585 : accessed 31 October 2022). ↩
2. “U.S., War of 1812 Pension Application Files Index, 1812-1815,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1133/), citing original data: War of 1812 Pension Applications. Washington D.C.: National Archives. NARA Microfilm Publication M313, 102 rolls. Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group Number 15., Roll M313_90; Pension Number – #1: WO 15611; Soldier: Owen Sumner; Widow: Lucinda Sumner; Military Service Location: Virginia. (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/55072:1133 : accessed 4 November 2014). ↩
3. As of February 2021 images for surnames A-Shaw were available at Fold3 (https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/preserve-the-pensions/ : accessed 31 October 2022). ↩
4. Rena Worthen & Barbara Reininger (co-project), “Index to Marriages of Floyd County, Virginia 1831-1940 (and few others too),” index and images, part of the Floyd County, Virginia, The USGenWeb Project online https://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/floyd.htm, citing the images of Floyd Co., VA marriages downloaded by Rena Worthen from the Library of Virginia Microform indexed by Barbara Reininger., FCVA1835_23: Joel Ross and Owen Sumner went bond on the marriage of Joel Ross and Sarah Sumner. (https://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/Mar%20FCVA1835/FCVA1835_23.jpg : accessed 31 October 2022). ↩
5. Barbara Reininger, Families of Floyd County, Virginia (https://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/BarbR_FCVAResearch/zz_main_surnames.htm), Surnames of Families of Floyd Co., Virginia > R > Ross > Ross, Joel > Joel Ross 1st m. Sarah “Sary” Sumner 24 Sep 1835 Floyd Co., VA. Married by Jesse Jones. Sarah d. 20 Feb 1842. (https://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/BarbR_FCVAResearch/ross.htm : accessed 31 October 2022). ↩
6. “Index to Marriages of Floyd County, Virginia 1831-1940 (and few others too),” FCVA1844_49: Minister Return of Owen Sumner including the marriage of Joel Ross and Elizabeth Holliday. (https://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/Mar%20FCVA1844/FCVA1844_49.jpg : accessed 31 Octboer 2022) ↩
7. 1900 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602/), citing Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication T623, 1854 rolls, Roll: T623_1708, FHL microfilm: 1241708, Virginia, Floyd County, Alum Ridge, Enumeration District 10, Sheet 8A, lines 20-22, household 129-129, Owen Sumner (accessed 4 November 2014). ↩
8. “Index to Marriages of Floyd County, Virginia 1831-1940 (and few others too),” FCVA1844_49: Owen Sumner celebrated the marriage of Joel Sumner and Lucinda Thompson on 15 Feb 1844. (https://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/Mar%20FCVA1844/FCVA1844_49.jpg : accessed 31 October 2022). ↩
9. Handwritten biographical sketch of Elder Jesse Sumner by J. C. Hall, page 393 (stamped). Source unknown. ↩
10. “Index to Marriages of Floyd County, Virginia 1831-1940 (and few others too),” FCVA1845/MR2: Owen Sumner’s minister return including the marriage of Jesse Sumner and Timandra Sumpter on 9 Dec 1845. (https://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/Mar%20FCVA1845/MR2.jpg : accessed 1 November 2022). ↩
11. “Virginia, U.S., Death Registers, 1853-1911,” index and images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/250856:62152), citing original data: Virginia, Death Registers, 1853–1911 from the Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia., Floyd County Register of Death 1861, page 21, 10th entry, Jesse Sumner, white, male, 10 Nov 1861, Floyd, consumption, age 33, farmer, father Owen Sumner informant. “.” (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/250891:62152 : accessed 30 October 2022). ↩
12. Find A Grave, database and images, (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/136390629/susan-correll: accessed 01 November 2022), memorial page for Susan Sumner Correll (14 Mar 1828–20 Aug 1913), Find a Grave Memorial ID 136390629, citing Huffville Cemetery, Huffville, Floyd County, Virginia, USA; Maintained by John Tippet (contributor 47295921); photo of the marker by Tracy C. (contributor 48269220). Date of death on the marker conflicts with date on certificate of death. ↩
13. “Index to Marriages of Floyd County, Virginia 1831-1940 (and few others too),” FCVA1852_CorellSumnerMar: Owen Sumner’s minister’s return for the 11 Jan 1852 marriage of Jacob Correll and Susan A. Sumner dated 9 Feb 1852. (https://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/Mar%20FCVA1852/FCVA1852_CorellSumnerMar.jpg : accessed 1 November 2022). ↩
14. “Virginia, Death Records, 1912-2014,” index and images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9278/), citing Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, Virginia,
    Certificate Number: 1913019456, Susan Correll, female, white, age 81, born abt 1832, died 19 Aug 1913 in Locust Grove, Floyd County, Virginia. (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9278/images/43004_162028006053_0025-00144?pId=219859 : accessed 1 November 2022). ↩
15. “Index to Marriages of Floyd County, Virginia 1831-1940 (and few others too),” FCVA1863_SumnerSowers: Marriage license, certificate, and minister’s return for the marriage of Jehu Sumner and Elizabeth Sowers on 20 Aug 1863. (https://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/Mar%20FCVA1863/FCVA1863_SumnerSowers.jpg: accessed 1 November 2022). ↩
16. “Virginia, Death Records, 1912-2014,” index and images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9278/), citing Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, Virginia,
    Certificate Number: 1919026620, Joshua Sumner, male, white, age 86, born 19 Dec 1832, died 19 Nov 1919, Otter, Bedford, Virginia. (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9278/images/43004_162028006053_0093-00205 : accessed accessed 7 August 2018). ↩
17. “Index to Marriages of Floyd County, Virginia 1831-1940 (and few others too),” FCVA1854SumnerMiller_neeEarlyMar: Marriage license, certificate, and minister return for the marriage of Joshua Sumner and Mary G Miller née Early on 19 July 1854. (https://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/Mar%20FCVA1854/FCVA1854SumnerMiller_neeEarlyMar.jpg : accessed 1 November 2022). ↩
18. “Marriage registers, 1854-1909, 1976; general indexes to marriage registers, 1854-1976,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/785673), citing microfilm of original records at the Bedford County Courthouse in Bedford, Virginia, Film 30597, DGS 7578831, Marriage registers, v. 1-2 1854-1909, image 303 of 583, 1892 Register of Marriages, page 218 (double-spread), line 5252, 24 Aug, Joshua Sumner 58 widower and Joe E. Crenshaw 30 single. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99XF-2P6V?i=302 : accessed 1 November 2022). ↩
19. See Note #16, supra ↩
20. Find A Grave, database and images,  (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42501258/joseph-lorenzo-sumner: accessed 01 November 2022), memorial page for Joseph Lorenzo Sumner (17 Jan 1835–30 Jan 1888), Find a Grave Memorial ID 42501258, citing Brookline Cemetery, Brookline, Greene County, Missouri, USA; Maintained by JD Day (contributor 46967895). Photo of marker by Gomer and Judy (contributor 47255402) confirms the dates listed. ↩
21. “Index to Marriages of Floyd County, Virginia 1831-1940 (and few others too),” FCVA1856/FCVA1856SumnerHarris: Marriage license, certificate, and minister return for the marriage of Joseph Sumner and Juliann Harris on 4 Sep 1856. (https://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/Mar%20FCVA1856/FCVA1856SumnerHarris.jpg : accessed 1 November 2022). ↩
22. See Note #20, supra ↩
23. “Index to Marriages of Floyd County, Virginia 1831-1940 (and few others too),” FCVA1855SumnerBoothMar%20Dark: Marriage license, certificate, and minister’s return for the marriage of Jathan Sumner and Sarah Booth dated 18 Sep 1855. (https://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/Mar%20FCVA1855/FCVA1855SumnerBoothMar%20Dark.jpg : accessed 1 November 2022). ↩
24. “Virginia, U.S., Death Registers, 1853-1911,” Floyd County Register of Death 18892, page 2, line 45, Daniel Sumner, male, white, age 50, born abt 1842, died 8 Nov 1892, Floyd. (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/253648:62152 : accessed 1 November 2022). ↩
25. “Index to Marriages of Floyd County, Virginia 1831-1940 (and few others too),” FCVA1867_WadeSumner_129: Marriage license, certificate, and minister’s report for the marriage of Jacob Wade and Jane Sumner on 5 Dec 1867. (https://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/Mar%20FCVA1867/FCVA1867_WadeSumner_129.jpg : accessed 1 November 2022). ↩
26. 1820 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), <i>Ancestry</i> (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7734/), citing Fourth Census of the United States, 1820 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M33, 142 rolls, NARA Roll: M33_130, Virginia, Montgomery County, Blacksburg, sheet 183A, line 3, Owen Sumner (accessed 4 November 2014). ↩
27. 1830 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), <i>Ancestry</i> (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8058/), citing Fifth Census of the United States, 1830 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C. NARA microfilm publication M19, 201 rolls, Nara Roll M19_198, FHL Film: 0029677, Virginia, Montgomery County, Christiansburg, page 91 (double-page spread), line 23, Owen Sumner (accessed 20 June 2013). ↩
28. 1840 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8057/), citing Sixth Census of the United States, 1840 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M704, 580 rolls, Roll: 704_555, FHL Film: 0029685, Virginia, Floyd County, page 186 (stamped, double-page spread), line 30, Owen Sumner (accessed 20 June 2013). ↩
29. 1850 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8054/), citing Seventh Census of the United States, 1850 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M432, 1009 rolls, Roll: M432_943, Virginia, Floyd County, District 15, sheet 431B (stamped), household 759-759, lines 8-17, Owen Sumner (accessed 22 October 2014). ↩
30. “Index to Marriages of Floyd County, Virginia 1831-1940 (and few others too),” FCVA1834_LesterSumnerBond: Jacob Lester and Owen Sumner went bond on the marriage of Jacob Lester and Sintha Sumner on 18 Aug 1834. (http://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/1_Marriages%20of%20Floyd%20County.htm : accessed 2 March 2020). ↩
31. Ibid., FCVA1834_zMR1: Owen Sumner’s minister return for the marriage of Jacob Lester and Syntha Sumner of 4 Sep 1834. (http://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/1_Marriages%20of%20Floyd%20County.htm : accessed 2 March 2020). ↩
32. Pittman, R. H. (Reden Herbert), 1870-1941, Biographical history of primitive or old school Baptist ministers of the United States; including a brief treatise on the subject of deacons, their duties, etc., with some personal mention of these offices,Anderson, Ind., Herald Printing Co (1909) , pp. 259-260, biographical sketch of Elder Owen Sumner
    (https://archive.org/details/biographicalhist01pitt/page/258/mode/2up?q=Sumner : accessed 1 November 2022). ↩
33. 1840 U.S. Federal Census, Roll: 704_555, FHL Film: 0029685, Virginia, Floyd County, page 181 (stamped, double-page spread), line 15, Jacob Lester (accessed 29 October 2014). ↩
34. Jacob was found on the PPT list up until 1842 when no tithe was listed suggesting he was deceased. An inventory and sale of his estate took place on 8 March 1844 and the current account was dated 22 October 1850. ↩
35. “Index to Marriages of Floyd County, Virginia 1831-1940 (and few others too),” FCVA1844_14: Michael Howry’s minister return for the marriage of John W. Cox and Cynthia Lester daughter of Owen Sumner on 1 Jun 1843. (https://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/Mar%20FCVA1844/FCVA1844_14.jpg : accessed 2 November 2022). ↩
36. 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Roll: M432_943, Virginia, Floyd County, District 15, Sheet 431B, household 758-758, lines 4-7, John W. Cox (accessed 20 June 2013). ↩
37. “Index to Marriages of Floyd County, Virginia 1831-1940 (and few others too),”  1855 George W. Lester and Amanda Roop marriage. (http://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/Mar%20FCVA1855/FCVA1855LesterRoopMar%20Light.jpg : accessed 2 March 2020). ↩
38. Ibid., Marriage license, certificate, and minister’s return for the marriage of Gordon Roop age 18 and Emeline Lester age 20 on 10 Mar 1856. (http://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/Mar%20FCVA1856/FCVA1856RoopLester.jpg : accessed 2 March 2020). ↩
39. 1860 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7667/), 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_1345, FHL Film: 805345, Virginia, Floyd County, page 48, sheet 482, household 345-324, lines 16-17, Cyntha Cox (accessed 4 November 2014). ↩
40. “Virginia, U.S., Death Registers, 1853-1911,” Floyd County Register of Death 1860, page 18, line 12, w, f, 22 Sep 1860, Floyd County, fever, age 60, parent Pasta Nuton, born Patrick County, farmer, married, Owen Sumner husband and informant . (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/250796:62152 : accessed 30 October 2022). ↩
41. “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., Floyd County Register of Marriages 1861, page 49, line 1, Marshal E F Moore and Susan L Cox (accessed 6 June 2022). ↩
42. “Marriage registers, 1843-1925,” browse-only images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/363663), citing microfilm of original records at the Floyd County Courthouse in Floyd, Virginia, Film 31345 Item 2, DGS 7578964, image 145 of 606, Register of Marriages, page 14, entry 11, 11 Mar 1861, Owen Sumner 64 widowed and L. Sowers 26 single both of Floyd. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99XF-K9MX-Q?i=144 : accessed 2 November 2022). ↩
43. “Virginia, U.S., Birth Registers, 1853-1911,” index and images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/418338:62153), citing Virginia, Birth Registers, 1853–1911at the Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia., Floyd County Register of Births 1861, page 61, line 5, 7 November 1861, Cintha Moore, white, female, alive, father E F Moore, farmer, mother Susan Moran (sic), informant father (accessed 6 June 2022). ↩
44. “Virginia, U.S., Death Registers, 1853-1911,” Floyd County Register of Death 1861, page 20, line 25, Cinthia Moore, white, female, age 21 days (sic, 17), died 24 Nov 1861 in Floyd County, Virginia, of diphtheria, parents: E & Susan Moore (accessed 6 June 2022). ↩
45. Ibid., Floyd County Register of Death 1861, page 20, line 24, Susan Moore, female, white, age 16, died 25 November 1861 Floyd County, Virginia, of diphtheria, consort of Elijah Moore, informant E. Moore, husband (accessed 6 June 2022). ↩
46. Find A Grave, database and images. (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/209078601/gordon-w-roop: accessed 28 February 2022), memorial page for Gordon W. Roop (6 May 1862–31 Jan 1931), Find a Grave Memorial ID 209078601, citing Rich Creek Cemetery, Jodie, Fayette County, West Virginia, USA; Maintained by Jennifer Nottingham (contributor 49369720). ↩
47. “Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Virginia,” database with images, Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/publication/42/civil-war-service-records-cmsr-confederate-virginia), citing The National Archives, NARA microfilm publication M324, Fifty-fourth Regiment Virginia Infantry, Gordon Roop, 1 Nov 1863 in Flewellen Hospital, Cassville, Georgia. (https://www.fold3.com/document/12913782/roop-gorden-page-4-civil-war-service-records-cmsr-confederate-virginia: accessed February 2014). Note: His name appears on a Register of Officers and Soldiers of the Army of the Confederate States who were killed in battle, or who died of wounds or disease. ↩
48. “Virginia, U.S., Marriage Registers, 1853-1935,” Floyd County Marriage Register 1869, page 88, line 12, 8 February 1869, P. D. Epperly and Emaline Roop (accessed 5 June 2022). ↩
49. 1870 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7163/), citing Ninth Census of the United States, 1870 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication T132, 13 rolls, Roll: M593_1646, Virginia, Floyd County, Alum Ridge, page 8, sheet 4B, household 55-53, lines 16-19, Cynthia Cox (accessed 18 October 2014). ↩
50. “Marriage registers, 1843-1925,” browse-only images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/363663), citing microfilm of original records at the Floyd County Courthouse in Floyd, Virginia, Film 31345 Item 2, DGS 7578964, page 43, entry 86, 7 Nov 1873 Giles Sumner 20 Floyd son of John and Mahala and Dolly E. Roop 21 Floyd daughter of Gordon and Emeline. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9XF-KB5Y?i=173&cat=363663 : accessed 2 November 2022). ↩
51. “Virginia, U.S., Death Registers, 1853-1911,” Floyd County Register of Death 1874, no page number, line 4, Owen Sumner, male, white, age 78y4m7d, died 20 Nov 1874, Alum Ridge, farmer, parents Hezekiah and Isabelle, Wm T Lester informant. (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/251782:62152 : accessed 1 November 2022). ↩
52. “Virginia, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Death Records, 1853-1912” database with images, FamilySearch, citing microfilm of the original records at the Virginia State Library at Richmond, Virginia, Death registers, 1853-1906 (Virginia), Film 2056980, DGS 4225427 > Floyd County, 1853-1896> image 153 of 673 > Register of Deaths 1877, line 7. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DRMQ-65R?cc=3940896 : accessed 14 March 2022). ↩
53. 1880 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/), citing Tenth Census of the United States, 1880 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls, Roll:T9_1365; Virginia, Floyd County, Alum Ridge, Enumeration District: 25, page 31, sheet 276B, lines 38-39, household 278-278, Cynthia Cox (accessed 4 November 2014). ↩

52 Ancestors: #43(1) Elizabeth CARROLL abt. 1808-bet. 1880-1890

“The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor.”

This is entry #43(1) in Amy Johnson Crow’s Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.

I might be breaking a rule by doing this ancestor in two parts in one week. My posts for this challenge are not spontaneous. I have this planned out to the end of the year. For me, an ancestor’s childhood and parents are part of her life. In the case of this ancestor, it became so complicated that I’ve broken this up into two parts.

#43(1) Elizabeth CARROLL abt. 1808-bet. 1880-1890

I thought this would be an easy write-up until I started taking a closer look at what I have on the CARROLL family of Montgomery County, Virginia.

According to family tradition, three of Henry RUPE’s sons married CARROLL sisters. My fourth great-grandparents James ROOP and Elizabeth CARROLL married on 23 July 1830.¹,² In the abstract of the marriage his last name was spelled RUPE and her maiden name was indexed as EARL.

Update (6 January 2022): They Married Six and a Half Weeks Earlier!

As mentioned last week RUPE and ROOP were used interchangeably. The names of the bride’s and groom’s parents were not included in the transcript. To-do list: request a copy of the marriage record as I believe that EARL is an indexing error and her maiden name was most likely spelled CARL as it was for her sister Mary the following year:

“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”³

On 4 November 1846, William ROOP went bond with Robert CARRELL as security for the marriage of William to Robert’s daughter Catherine CARRELL.⁴ In 1850 Anne CARLE age 62 was in the household of William and Catherine ROOP. The relationship is not listed however Anne would appear to be Catherine’s mother.⁵

I had planned on including all information on the CARROLL family to show how everything I’ve found fits together. I wrote up 1500 words and then decided that it was too complicated to include here. So we are back to family tradition: the parents of the girls who married the ROOP boys were Robert and Anne CARROLL. These names are also seen on the abstract of their brother John CARROLL’s death in 1881 entry in the 1881 death register for their brother John CARROLL.⁶

My 4th great-grandmother Elizabeth CARROLL was born about 1808.⁷ Most likely this was at the same place as her sister Mary who was born on the 1st day of January in 1809 “within a few miles of Riner” in Montgomery County, Virginia. Mary lived to be 100 years old and her memory was the wonder of the community.⁸,⁹

After Elizabeth and James ROOP married in 1830 they started a family that grew until they had their 12th child in 1854. A dozen children in two dozen years! By this time they were living in their new home in Floyd County. The children were: (Births and marriages of these children were cited in the article of their father James ROOP.)

◉ Ch 1: Amanda “Manda” ROOP (1831-1894) was born in September 1831 in Montgomery County, Virginia. She married George Washington LESTER (1837-aft 1900) on 23 March 1855 in Floyd County, Virginia. They were the parents of four children, one of who died at the young age of 4 years. It has been speculated that this was a troubled marriage and they may have divorced as George was married again in 1890.¹⁰ Manda died of dropsy on 10 February 1894 in Raleigh County, West Virginia.¹¹ The person giving the information was her sister Barbie THOMPSON who gave Manda’s marital status as “married.” George was seen as widowed in the 1890 marriage and it could be that he left Manda without divorcing her.

◉ Ch 2: Floyd ROOP (1833-1923) was born on 12 May 1833 in Montgomery County, Virginia. He married(1) Mary L. BLACKWELL (1832-bef. 1900) on 5 April 1855 in Floyd County. Mary gave Floyd six children before she died. He married(2) Lucinda WILLSIE (1855-1913) about 1901. This marriage was without issue. Floyd died on 3 February 1923 in Auburn, Montgomery County, and was buried in White Oak Grove Cemetery, near the home that he grew up in, in Floyd County.¹²

◉ Ch 3: Evaline ROOP (1835-aft.1890) was born on 3 March 1835 in Montgomery County, Virginia. She married Mathias RATLIFF (1836-1888) on 4 March 1856 in Floyd County. They were the parents of ten children. Evaline likely died after being mentioned in her father’s will dated 13 January 1890 was written and before the 1900 census.¹³

◉ Ch 4: Peradine ROOP (1835-1909) was born on 30 November 1835 in Montgomery County, Virginia. She married Sylvester MILLS (1832-1909) on 30 August 1855 in Floyd County. They were the parents of eight children. Peradine died two months after her husband in March 1909 in West Virginia and was buried in Simmons Cemetery, Mountview, Raleigh County, West Virginia.¹⁴

◉ Ch 5: Gordon ROOP (1838-1863) was born about 1838 in Montgomery County, Virginia. He married Emaline LESTER (1836-1877) on 10 March 1856 in Floyd County. They were the parents of three children. Gordon died on 1 November 1863 in Flewellen Hospital, Cassville, Bartow County, Georgia, and was buried in Cassville Cemetery.¹⁵

◉ Ch 6: Barbary Ellen “Barbie” ROOP (1839-aft.1910) was born on 28 June 1839 in Montgomery County, Virginia. She married(1) Nathaniel THOMPSON (1840-1896) on 12 September 1888 in Raleigh County, West Virginia. She married(2) Henderson BECKELHEIMER (1840-1905) on 20 December 1898 at her residence in Raleigh County. She married(3) Charles COCHRAN (1825-1910) on 21 August 1906 in Summers County, West Virginia. Barbary died after April 1910. She never had children.

◉ Ch 7: Giles Henderson ROOP (1841-1863) was born on 2 February 1841 in Montgomery County, Virginia. He died on 19 September 1863 in Chickamauga, Walker County, Georgia.¹⁶

◉ Ch 8: William H. T. ROOP (1843-1863) was born on 6 November 1843 in Montgomery County, Virginia. He died either May 1862 in Floyd County, Virginia, or on 20 September 1863 in Chickamauga, Walker County, Georgia.¹⁷,¹⁸

◉ Ch 9: Rachel Monacha ROOP (1845-1901) was born about 1845 in Montgomery County, Virginia. She married William Lee SIMMONS (1843-1923) on 8 March 1866 in Floyd County. They were the parents of twelve children. Rachel died on 16 December 1901 and is most likely buried alongside her husband in the Simmons Cemetery at Mountview in Raleigh County, West Virginia.¹⁹

◉ Ch 10: James Anderson ROOP (1849-aft.1920) was born in September 1849 in Floyd County, Virginia. He married(1) Elizabeth Jane BURK (1848-1919) on 26 November 1868 in Montgomery County. They were the parents of six children. James married(2) Almeda Jane HOLLANDSWORTH (1876-1951) on 5 July 1919 in Fayette County, West Virginia.²⁰ This was only a few months after the death of his first wife. There are no known children from this second marriage. James died on 16 May 1928 in Altavista, Campbell County, Virginia.²¹

◉ Ch 11: Hamilton N. ROOP (1853-1919) was born about December 1853 in Floyd County, Virginia. He married Mary Elizabeth EPPERLY (1852-1926) on 15 August 1872 at the residence of Owen SUMNER in Floyd County. They were the parents of seven children. Hamilton died in 1919 and was buried in Surface Cemetery in Riner, Montgomery County.²²

◉ Ch 12: Charles Monroe ROOP (1854-1928) was born on 10 August 1854 in Floyd County, Virginia. He married Sarah Martha EPPERLY (1853-1933) on 17 March 1873 in Floyd County. They were the parents of four children, one dying at age 2. Charles died on 22 December 1928 and was buried in Fairview Cemetery, Roanoke, Virginia.²³

Four of Elizabeth’s sons and two of her sons-in-law served in Company A, 54th Infantry Regiment Virginia: Floyd ROOP, Gordon ROOP, Giles Henderson ROOP, William H. T. ROOP, George Washington LESTER, and Sylvester MILLS. Her son-in-law Mathias RATLIFF served in Company E of the same regiment. Seven men in the family served and three did not come home: my third great-grandfather Gordon and his brothers Giles and William died in Georgia in 1863 while serving. Gordon was fighting his last battle at Chickamauga when his brothers Giles and William died within 24 hours of each other during the battle on the 19th and 20th of September 1863.²⁴ On 1 November 1863, Gordon died in Flewellen Hospital, in Cassville, Bartow County, Georgia. His cause of death was not mentioned on his Civil War card.²⁵

The deaths of these sons meant many grandchildren and descendants were not to be. I was lucky in that my 2nd great-grandfather Gordon Washington Roop was born “just in the nick of time.”²⁵

Elizabeth CARROLL died before her husband James ROOP, who died on 2 November 1890 in Floyd County, Virginia.²⁶ She was last seen in the 1880 census. It’s possible that she died shortly before her husband made his will on 31 January 1890. It seems plausible that his wife’s death might have prompted James to write his will and take care of unfinished business.

Assuming that she died about 1889-1890, Elizabeth was survived by her children Manda, Floyd, Evaline, Peradine, Barbie, Rachel, James, Hamilton, and Charles.

She left 55 grandchildren: John, George, and Cordelia LESTER; Amos, Manda, James, Mary Ellen, Sarah, and Jennie ROOP; Virginia, Cephas, Giles, Sarah, Charles, William, Landon, Mary, and Matthew RATLIFF; Mary, James, Rhoda, Giles, Julina, Susan, Laura, and Amos MILLS; Dollie, John, and Gordon ROOP; Charlton, Angeline, Samuel, Amon, Laura, Dillard, Cora, John, Woodson, Tempey, and Frank SIMMONS; Lucy, Bill, James, Cephas, Maggie, and John ROOP; Giles, Ham, Silas, John, Ella, Mattie, and Charles ROOP; Charles and William ROOP. One last grandchild Bertha ROOP would be born in 1898, the youngest child of her youngest child.

She left 40 great-grandchildren: Laura, Susan, John, and Juber LESTER; Louvina, Minnie, Roxie Ann, James, and Amelia HUTCHINSON; Flora ROOP; Lucy ROOP, Arthur and Frank BISHOP; Lillie and Edgar ROOP; Mary, Lucy, Alice, Frank, James, and Arthur STUMP; Victor, Archie, and Aaron RATCLIFFE; Sadie RATCLIFFE; Calla MILLS; Hattie, Ezra, Posey, Luverna, and Adford SUMNER; Tillitha, Martin Otis, and Dolly Ann ROOP; George, Walter Farmer, Charles, and James ROOP; Maggie and Betty DeLUNG. About 180 more great-grandchildren and at least 550 great-great-grandchildren would be born after her death. A true report of her descendants is not possible as not all great-grandchildren and their families have been researched.

This Post was Updated on 23 October 2022: Missing source citations were added and some corrections were made to the text and format.

Part Two:
52 Ancestors: #43(2) Elizabeth’s parents Robert and Anne CARROLL

© 2014–2022, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

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1. “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). This is indexed information. The actual record was found on 23 December 2021. The date of marriage was Wednesday, 8 June 1830. The marriage was published on Saturday, 23 July 1830 by Richd Buckingham. The bride’s maiden name was Carrol and not Earl as indexed. See Footnote 2. ↩
2. “Marriage records, 1785-1861,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1135002), citing microfilm of original records at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Christiansburg, Virginia, Film 2047122 (item 3), DGS 7740792, Marriage record, 1812-1841, image 101 of 854, right page, 7th entry, 8 Jun 1830, James Roop and Elizabeth Carrol. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C91C-TPS4?cc=2134304 : accessed 23 December 2021). Marriage record, 1812-1841, were copied from the ministers’ returns. ↩
3. Ibid., Film 2047122 (item 3), DGS 7740792, Marriage record, 1812-1841, image 111 of 854, left page, 2nd entry, Joseph Roop and Mary Carl married 13 Sep 1831 by Richd Buckingham who published it 26 Jun 1832. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C91C-TPSM?cc=2134304 : accessed 25 December 2021). ↩
4. “Marriage bonds, 1773-1857,” database with images, FamilySearch, citing microfilm of original records at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Christiansburg, Virginia, Film 2047132, DGS 7740802, Marriage bonds, 1844-1848, images 405+406 of 699, William Rupe and Robert Carrell went bond on 4 Nov 1846 for the marriage of William Rupe and Catharine Carrell. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C91C-53V2-M?cc=2134304 : accessed 25 December 2021). ↩
5. 1850 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8054/), citing Seventh Census of the United States, 1850 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M432, 1009 rolls, Roll: M432_962, Virginia, Montgomery County, sheet 52B, household 708-708, lines 23-27, William Roop (accessed 22 October 2014). ↩
6. “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 2056980, DGS 4225427, Death registers Floyd County, 1853-1896, image 165 of 673, 1881 Register, entry 17, John Carrel, m w, 1 Oct, farmer, 75 yrs, Robert + Anne Carrel (parents), b. Montgomery, consort of Dosha Carrel, informant: Jacob Carrel, son. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DRMQ-DYQ?i=164&cc=3940896 : accessed 14 October 2022). ↩
7. Ages estimated from census: 1850 age 42, 1860 age 50, 1870 age 62, 1880 age 71. ↩
8. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, The Library of Congress, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/, The Times Dispatch  (Richmond, Virginia), 13 January 1907, page 4, column 1, “Christiansburg,” 2nd and 3rd paragraph  (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85038615/1907-01-13/ed-1/seq-18/ : accessed 4 April 2016). ↩
9. Ibid., The Times Dispatch (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 09 January 1909, page 2, column 7, “Mrs. Mary Roop”  (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85038615/1909-01-09/ed-1/seq-2/ : accessed 4 April 2016). ↩
10. “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., Carroll County Marriage Register 1890, page 78 (stamped), line 97, 12 Nov 1890 Geo. W. Lester 53 widowed and Lucy D. Dillon 22 single by Isaac Webb. (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/121504:62154 : accessed 29 May 2022). ↩
11. West Virginia Vital Research Records Project (database and images), West Virginia Division of Culture and History citing county records in county courthouses, West Virginia (A collaborative venture between the West Virginia State Archives and the Genealogical Society of Utah to place vital records online via the West Virginia Archives and History Web site accessible at https://archive.wvculture.org/vrr), West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999, FHL microfilm 598425, image 277, Raleigh County Register of Deaths, page 61, line 48, Manda Lester, w, f, 10 Feb 1894, dropsy, age 64, parents James & Eliza Roop, born Montgomery VA, Barbie Thompson sister informant. (http://images.wvculture.org/598425/00277.jpg : accessed 12 October 2022). ↩
12. “Virginia, Death Records, 1912-2014,” index and images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9278/), citing Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, Virginia, Certificate of Death No. 4986, Registration Area No. 601A. Floyd Roop, male, white, age 89, born 14 May 1833, died 4 Feb 1923 in Montgomery, Virginia, registration date 8 Feb 1923, father James Roop, mother Betsy, spouse Mary. (accessed 28 December 2015). ↩
13. “Virginia, Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1983,” (index and images), Ancestry, citing original data of Virginia County, District, and Probate Courts, Floyd County, Virginia, Will Book F, page 486, Last Will and Testament of James Roop dated 31 January 1890.(https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9085/images/007645227_00302 : accessed 14 March 2022). ↩
14. Find A Grave, database and images. (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/116584501/peradine-mills: accessed 12 October 2022), memorial page for Peradine Roop Mills (15 May 1836–30 Mar 1909), Find a Grave Memorial ID 116584501, citing Simmons Cemetery, Mountview, Raleigh County, West Virginia, USA; Maintained by Walter Pack Family (contributor 47557175); photos of marker by D. Mack (contributor 46909657) confirm the dates of birth and death. ↩
15. “Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Virginia,” database with images, Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/publication/42/civil-war-service-records-cmsr-confederate-virginia), citing The National Archives, NARA microfilm publication M324, Fifty-fourth Regiment Virginia Infantry, Gordon Roop, 1 Nov 1863 in Flewellen Hospital, Cassville, Georgia. (https://www.fold3.com/document/12913782/roop-gorden-page-4-civil-war-service-records-cmsr-confederate-virginia: accessed February 2014). Note: His name appears on a Register of Officers and Soldiers of the Army of the Confederate States who were killed in battle, or who died of wounds or disease. ↩
16. “Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Virginia,” database with images, Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/publication/42/civil-war-service-records-cmsr-confederate-virginia), citing The National Archives, NARA microfilm publication M324, Giles H Roop, 6 pages (accessed 12 February 2014). Cards 5 and 6 note the 19 September 1863 death (killed in action). ↩
17. “Virginia, U.S., Death Registers, 1853-1911, ” index and images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/250856:62152), citing original data: Virginia, Death Registers, 1853–1911 from the Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia., Floyd County Register of Deaths for 1862, page 27, line 30, William T Roop, male, age 19, died May 1862, parents James & Elizabeth Roop, informant father. (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/251118:62152?ssrc=pt&tid=164805854&pid=102139722136 : accessed 16 May 2022). ↩
18. “U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865,” (no images), Ancestry, data compiled by Historical Data Systems of Kingston, MA, The Virginia Regimental Histories Series. Name: William H.T. Roop, Enlistment Age: 17, Birth Date: abt 1844, Enlistment Date: 10 Sep 1861, Enlistment Place: Jacksonville, Virginia, Enlistment Rank: Private, Muster Date: 10 Sep 1861, Muster Place: Virginia, Muster Company: A, Muster Regiment: 54th Infantry, Muster Regiment Type: Infantry, Muster Information: Enlisted, Muster Out Date: 20 Sep 1863. Muster Out Place: Chickamauga, Georgia, Muster Out Information: Killed, Side of War: Confederacy, Survived War?: No, Occupation:Farm Laborer.
    This is conflicting information to a death record found in Floyd County, Virginia, for William T. Roop, son of James and Elizabeth who died in May 1862. ↩
19. Find A Grave, database and images, (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/142274044/rachel-manacha-simmons: accessed 17 October 2022), memorial page for Rachel Manacha Roop Simmons (28 Jun 1845–16 Dec 1901), Find a Grave Memorial ID 142274044, citing Simmons Cemetery, Mountview, Raleigh County, West Virginia, USA; maintained by James E. Snyder (contributor 47214013); photo of the marker by D. Mack (contributor 46909657) confirms the dates of birth and death. ↩
20. WVCulture.org, West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 494264, image 230, Register of Marriages, entry 17, 5 Jul 1919, J.A. Roop and Alemta J Hollandsworth. (http://images.wvculture.org/494264/00230.jpg : accessed 12 October 2022). ↩
21. “Virginia, Death Records, 1912-2014,” State file no. 10617, Registration Area no. 152A, Registered no. 14, 17 May 1928. James A Roop, male, white, age 78, born 16 Sep 1849, died 16 May 1928 in Altavista, Campbell, Virginia, registration date 17 May 1928, father James A Roop, mother Betty Conal, spouse Almeda J Hollandsworth. (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 January 2016). ↩
22. Ibid., 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). ↩
23. Ibid., Certificate of Death No. 29331, Registration District No. 802. Charles Monroe Roop, male, white, age 73, born Aug 1855, died 22 Dec 1928 in Roanoke, Virginia, registration date 31 Dec 1928, father James Roop, mother Rachael Carroll, spouse Martha Roop. (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 December 2015). ↩
24. This declaration has to be retracted as William, the son of James Roop and Elizabeth Carroll, died in Floyd County in May 1862. More research needs to be done to determine who William Roop died at Chickamauga was. ↩
25. Find A Grave, database and images,  (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/209078601/gordon-w-roop : accessed 28 February 2022), memorial page for Gordon W. Roop (6 May 1862–31 Jan 1931), Find a Grave Memorial ID 209078601, citing Rich Creek Cemetery, Jodie, Fayette County, West Virginia, USA; Maintained by Jennifer Nottingham (contributor 49369720). ↩ ↩
26. The date of death of James ROOP needs to be proven. ↩

52 Ancestors: #42 James ROOP 1808-1890 – Found on 8 Consecutive Censuses!

“The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor.”

This is entry #42 in Amy Johnson Crow’s Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.

#42 James ROOP 1808-1890 – Found on 8 Consecutive Censuses!

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.

James ROOP was the baby of the RUPE family until his brother Joseph was born three years later. They were the 13th and 14th children of Henry RUPE and Catherine Barbara NOLL.

I can’t imagine my 4th great-grandfather James ROOP being called Jimmie. I think he may have been given the nickname “Jimmie” after his death, maybe from a well-meaning descendant. When he was old enough to marry, have his own household, see his children marry, and make his will – he was always James ROOP, without a middle initial. This will be discussed, below, after the 1880 census listing.

James was the youngest of 17 people in his father Henry RUPE’s household in 1810.¹

1810 U.S. Federal Census > VA > Montgomery > Henry Rupe [ancestry.com]

1810 U.S. Federal Census
Montgomery County, Virginia
Christiansburg
Page 18
Henry Rupe
Free White Persons – Males – Under 10: 4 (James 2, Samuel 9, William 10, and ?)
Free White Persons – Males – 16 thru 25: 3 (George 19, John 21, Henry 21, William 24)
Free White Persons – Males – 45 and over: 2 (Henry 45 and ?)
Free White Persons – Females – Under 10: 2 (Nancy 4, Rachel 6)
Free White Persons – Females – 10 thru 15: 1 (Mary 8)
Free White Persons – Females – 16 thru 25: 3 (Barbara 18, Catherine 15, and Elizabeth 22)
Free White Persons – Females – 45 and over : 2 (Catherine 42 and ?)
Number of Household Members Under 16: 7
Number of Household Members Over 25: 4
Number of Household Members: 17

Living next door to Henry RUPE was his nephew Jacob WEAVER with his wife Elizabeth, their son Soloman, two brothers, his sister Barbara, and his mother Barbara who was Henry’s sister. It has often been asked if the other couple (45 and over) in Henry’s household could have been his parents who would have been 87 and 88 years old. No evidence has been found to prove or disprove this.

James’ parents Henry and Catherine were born in Virginia per census listings of their four living children William, Rachel, Nancy, and James in 1880.²,³,⁴,⁵,This is not correct. Family tradition is that Heinrich Thomas “Henry” RUPE (1765-1845) was born about 1765 in Baltimore County, Maryland. We know that his wife Catherine Barbara NOLL (1768-aft. 1845) was born on 24 February 1768 and christened on 13 March 1768 in Manchester, Baltimore County, Maryland per church records.⁶ Manchester was originally part of Baltimore County, before the creation of Carroll County in 1837.

Following the end of the American Revolutionary War (19 April 1775-14 January 1784), Henry married Catherine in Baltimore County, Maryland. Catherine was a Lutheran and Henry was German Reformed. The church they attended was called Zion and was a union church. Both the Lutherans and the Reformed used the same building. The births and christenings of their first five children were recorded at this church: Jacob born 15 June 1786 and christened 30 July 1786, Elizabeth born 4 September 1787 and christened 31 October 1787, twins Henrich “Henry” and Johannes “John” born 27 February 1789 and christened 26 April 1789, and Barbara born 29 October 1792 and christened after 29 October 1792.⁷

James’ father Henry owned 100 acres of land in Baltimore County, Maryland, that he had bought from his father Johann Jacob RUPP who had acquired 115 acres in 1770 with Pennsylvania money. The land was known as Rhineharts Folly and was sold to Jacob Boblitz in 1793. Henry and Catherine were preparing to move their family farther south.⁸

They left Maryland in 1793 and made at least one stop along the way in Rockbridge County before continuing on to their destination. They arrived in Montgomery County, Virginia, in 1800. There is an interesting anecdote about why it took them so long.⁹,¹⁰

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 downstream. 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. 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.

During their travels, three more children were born: George P. in about 1794, Catherine in about 1795, and William in 1800 in Rockbridge. Once in Montgomery (or along the path they took), the family continued to grow. Samuel B. was born in 1801, Mary “Polly” about 1802, Rachel about 1804, and Nancy about 1806 before the two youngest, James about 1808 and Joseph about 1811 were born.

After Joseph was born, James’ parents must have decided that fourteen was enough. The oldest of their brood were beginning to have a look around at possible spouses in preparation for marrying and starting families of their own. Before the 1820 census, six marriages took place and two of James’ sisters had illegitimate children:

◉ Elizabeth ROOP married James COMPTON about 1811.¹¹

◉ John RUPE and Elizabeth THOMPSON (1795-1870) were married by Jonathan HALL on 14 January 1813 in Montgomery County, Virginia.¹²

◉ Jacob ROOP and Susannah ALLEY (1790-1860) were married by Jonathan HALL on 20 April 1815 in Montgomery County, Virginia.¹³

◉ Catherine “Caty” RUPE married Jacob AKERS (1775-1860) on 27 June 1815 in Montgomery County, Virginia.¹⁴

◉ George RUPE married Margaret BALDWIN (1799- ) on 5 December 1818 in Jefferson County, Tennessee.¹⁵

◉ William RUPE married Ester AKERS (1802-1846) on 7 June 1820 in Montgomery County, Virginia.¹⁶

◉ Barbary RUPE created a bit of a scandal by giving birth to a male bastard child on 20 November 1815. Barbary signed a statement on 25 July 1816 that George PETERMAN got her with a child. They did not marry.¹⁷

◉ Mary “Polly” ROOP had a daughter in about 1818. Per the daughter’s marriage record her father was L. DOBBINS.¹⁸

One would think with so many children marrying Henry’s household would be shrinking. This was not the case as his two unmarried daughters and their children remained in the home. James was twelve in 1820 and may have been responsible for chores that his older married brothers once took care of. His single brothers Henry 31 and Samuel 18 were living at home and may have taken James along when they went hunting or worked their father’s land.

1820 U.S. Federal Census > VA > Montgomery > Newburn > Henry Roop Sr. [ancestry.com]

1820 U.S. Federal Census¹⁹
Montgomery County, Virginia
Newburn Township
Henry Roop Sr.
Enumeration Date: August 7, 1820
Free White Persons – Males – Under 10: 2 (Joseph 9 and George 5, s/o Barbara)
Free White Persons – Males – 10 thru 15: 1 (James 12)
Free White Persons – Males – 16 thru 18: 1 (Samuel 18)
Free White Persons – Males – 16 thru 25: 1 (Samuel 18)
Free White Persons – Males – 26 thru 44: 1 (Henry 31)
Free White Persons – Males – 45 and over: 1 (Henry 55)
Free White Persons – Females – Under 10: 1 (Barbary 2, d/o Mary)
Free White Persons – Females – 10 thru 15: 1 (Nancy 14)
Free White Persons – Females – 16 thru 25: 3 (Rachel 16, Mary 18, Barbara 28)
Free White Persons – Females – 45 and over : 1 (Catherine 52)
Number of Persons – Engaged in Agriculture: 3
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

In 1823 James saw two more of his siblings marry. Henry ROOP Jr. married Mary “Polly” THOMPSON (1802-1880) on 7 June 1823.²⁰ Rachel RUPE married John B. PHARIS (1797-1866) on 20 October 1823.²¹ Both marriages took place in Montgomery County, Virginia.

When John R. Charlton came around the RUPE place in June of 1830, James was 23 and still living at home. His parents were growing old and his sisters Barbara, Mary, and Nancy were unmarried mothers of 5 boys and 3 girls and still living in the RUPE household. Jacob, Henry Jr., John, and William had their own households.

1830 U.S. Federal Census > VA > Montgomery > Henry Roope Sr. [ancestry.com]

1830 U.S. Federal Census²²
Montgomery County, Virginia
Blacksburg
Enumerated by John R. Charlton
Page 89
Henry Roope Sr.
Free White Persons – Males – Under 5: 3 (grandsons: Byrd 3, s/o Barbara; Henry 4, s/o Mary; and James R. 4, s/o Mary)
Free White Persons – Males – 5 thru 9: 1 (grandson Crockett 7, s/o Mary)
Free White Persons – Males – 10 thru 14: 1 (grandson George 15, s/o Barbara)
Free White Persons – Males – 15 thru 19:    1 (Joseph 19)
Free White Persons – Males – 20 thru 29: 2 (James 23, Samuel 29)
Free White Persons – Males – 60 thru 69: 1 (Henry 65)
Free White Persons – Females – 5 thru 9:    2 (granddaughters: Susan 7, d/o Barbara, and Elizabeth 7, d/o Mary)
Free White Persons – Females – 10 thru 14: 1 (granddaughter Barbary 12, d/o Mary)
Free White Persons – Females – 20 thru 29: 2 (Mary 28, Nancy 24)
Free White Persons – Females – 30 thru 39: 2 (Barbara 38, unknown)
Free White Persons – Females – 60 thru 69: 1 (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

James ROOP married Elizabeth CARROLL on 23 July 1830 in Montgomery County, Virginia.²³ Did they live with his parents during the early years of their marriage? His father, who did not own slaves, had quite a large amount of land by then and needed his sons’ help to farm it.

The last of James’ brothers married in the 1830s in Montgomery County. Joseph ROOP married Mary “Polly” CARROLL (1809-1909) on 13 September 1831.²⁴ Samuel B. ROOP married Martha “Patsy” TOWNSLEY (1815-1870) on 7 January 1834.²⁵ Joseph and James’ wives were sisters and daughters of Robert and Anne CARROLL.

James and Elizabeth had a half dozen children born in Montgomery County in the 1830s:

◉ Ch 1: Amanda “Manda” ROOP (1831-1894) born September 1831²⁶
◉ Ch 2: Floyd ROOP (1833-1923) born 12 May 1833²⁷
◉ Ch 3: Evaline ROOP (1835-1888) born 3 March 1835²⁸
◉ Ch 4: Peradine ROOP (1835-1909) born 30 November 1835²⁹
◉ Ch 5: Gordon ROOP (1838-1863) born about 1838³⁰
◉ Ch 6: Barbary Ellen ROOP (1839-1910) born 28 June 1839³¹

In 1840 John R. Charlton once again walked or rode through the division, this time enumerating nine RUPE households. James’ sisters Barbary and Mary had their own households. Their father Henry was not listed as a Revolutionary War pensioner.

1840 U.S. Federal Census > VA > Montgomery > James Rupe (line 3) [ancestry.com]

1840 U.S. Federal Census³²
Montgomery County, Virginia
Page 26
James Rupe
Free White Persons – Males – Under 5: 1 (Gordon 2)
Free White Persons – Males – 5 thru 9: 1 (Floyd 7)
Free White Persons – Males – 30 thru 39: 1 (James 32)
Free White Persons – Females – Under 5: 3 (Avaline 5, Peradine 4, and Barbary Ellen 1)
Free White Persons – Females – 5 thru 9: 1 (Amanda 9)
Free White Persons – Females – 30 thru 39: 1 (Elizabeth 32)
Persons Employed in Agriculture: 1
Free White Persons – Under 20: 6
Free White Persons – 20 thru 49: 2
Total Free White Persons: 8
Total All Persons – Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 8

Three more children were born in Montgomery County following the 1840 census:

◉ Ch 7: Giles Henderson ROOP (1841-1863) born 2 February 1841³³
◉ Ch 8: William H. T. ROOP (1843-1863) born 6 November  1843³⁴
◉ Ch 9: Rachel Monacha ROOP (1845-1901) born about 1845³⁵

James’ father Henry RUPE prepared a will on 18 November 1845 and died suddenly of heart failure at the age of 80, while out walking on the farm sometime between the date of the will and the date of probate, which was 1 December 1845.³⁶ He was survived by his wife Catherine whose date of death remains unknown. James and his siblings buried their father on the Old Henry Rupe homeplace.

Henry and Catherine Rupe Family Memorial (2003) courtesy of Roger Roop.

Catherine and her daughters Elizabeth Compton, Barbara Rupe, Mary Roop, and Nancy Roop were missing in the 1850 census. Redmond Ira ROOP, a lawyer and great-grandson of old Henry, in his presentation at the 1927 family reunion, said that Catherine died in 1861 at the age of 95. She would have been 93 if she died in 1861, but what’s a year or two when you are in your nineties? She was not found in the 1860 census.

James’ brother William lost his wife, mother of nine children, about the same time as their father died. William then married Catherine CARROLL (1819-1879)  on 4 November 1846 in Montgomery County, Virginia.³⁷ Catherine was the third daughter of Robert and Anne CARROLL to marry one of the ROOP boys.

The year before the 1850 census was an eventful year for James, his wife, and their nine children. Elizabeth was pregnant with her 10th child. James wanted to get his own piece of land as his father’s estate would require several years to be settled. His father had left a large estate and James’ brother Jacob was named as executor in the will. On account of there being so many heirs widely scattered over the country, Jacob almost despaired a number of times before the estate was finally settled. Once in his desperation, he exclaimed, “Well, it has been so troublesome and vexatious that I am almost sorry that old gentleman ever died.”³⁸

James and Elizabeth’s 10th child was born in September of 1849 and was named James Anderson ROOP. He was the first of their children to be born in Floyd County on the land that James would own. He’d made the decision to buy a piece of land containing 600 acres about 9 1/2 miles northwest of Floyd, in Floyd County, Virginia, on what is now known as the White Oak Grove Road. Alvin GRAHAM sold the 600 acres to James ROOP and the deed was recorded on 17 November 1849 in Floyd County’s Deed Book E on page 377.³⁹

James cleared up the land and hewed the logs to build their house. He built a one-room, log structure, about 24 feet by 12 feet. The logs were daubed with mortar. The chimney was located on the southwest end and made with rocks. He built an unusually large fireplace with an arch of homemade bricks over the fireplace and a plain log mantel. The one-story log house had a hip roof with shingles and very plain wood cornices. There was no porch and the entrance was a plain yellow pine door made by nailing large planks together. It had common iron hinges and an old-fashioned door lock on the outside. Two unshuttered windows with 16 7″ by 10″ panes brought light into the single room. The ceiling was 8 feet high. James must have had help to lift the logs so high. Broad even planks made from hand-hewed logs covered the floor. There was no cellar and therefore no stairway. He built the kitchen about 8-10 feet away from the house as was common in those days.⁴⁰

Years later the building was in such poor condition that it was torn apart and moved. In 1938 it was being used for a cow house by James’ grandson Amos L. ROOP (1855-1941) who lived on the property at the time.

1850 U.S. Federal Census > VA > Floyd > ED 15 > Page 445 > HH #938-938 >James Roop [ancestry.com]

1850 U.S. Federal Census⁴¹
Floyd County, Virginia
The Western District No. 15, Page No. 445A
Enumerated by me, on the 7th day of September 1850. Joseph L. Howard Ass’t Marshal.
HH #938-938
James Roop 42 M Farmer $600 Montgomery cannot read & write
Elizabeth Roop 42 F Floyd cannot read & write
Amanda Roop 18 F Montgomery
Floyd Roop 17 M Laborer Montgomery
Evaline Roop 15 F Montgomery
Peradine Roop 14 F Montgomery attended school within year
Gordon Roop 12 M Montgomery attended school within year
Barbary Roop 10 F Montgomery attended school within year
Henderson Roop 8 M Montgomery
William Roop 6 M Montgomery
Manarca Roop 5 F Montgomery
James Roop 8/12 M Floyd

Starting in 1850 until 1880 James was always seen as a farmer in the census. In 1850 the enumerator Joseph L. HOWARD misread the column “Place of Birth Naming the State, Territory, or Country” and filled in the name of the county that the individual was born in. Thank you, Mr. Howard! This is how I know that little James was the first child to be born on the new homeplace. Two more children were born there:

◉ Ch 11: Hamilton N. ROOP (1854-1919) born abt. December 1853⁴²,⁴³
◉ Ch 12: Charles Monroe ROOP (1854-1928) born 10 August 1854⁴⁴

Five marriages took place in 1855-1856. Manda, Floyd, and Peradine married in 1855, the year before the White Oak Grove Church was built by neighbors of the community about a mile southeast of the James ROOP home.⁴⁵,⁴⁶,⁴⁷ The first pastor of the church was my 5th great-grandfather, Rev. Owen SUMNER (1796-1874). The church was used as a school during the week. Evaline and Gordon may have married too early in 1856 to have their marriages performed in the new building but they were married by Rev. SUMNER, the grandfather of Gordon’s wife Emaline LESTER.⁴⁸

More information on the marriages of James and Elizabeth’s children will be included in Elizabeth’s story next week.

1860 U.S. Federal Census > VA > Floyd > HH#712-669 [ancestry.com]

1860 U.S. Federal Census > VA > Floyd > HH#712-669 [ancestry.com]

1860 U.S. Federal Census⁴⁹
Floyd County, Virginia
Page No. 99+100, Sheet No. 533+534
Enumerated by me, on the 16th day of July, 1960. Geo M. Well, Ass’t Marshal.
Post Office Floyd C.H. Va.
HH #712-669
James Roop 50 M Farmer $2000 $292 Virginia
Elizabeth Roop 50 F Virginia cannot read & write
Amanda Lester 28 F Virginia
Giles H. Roop 19 M Virginia attended school
William H. T. Roop 17 M Virginia attended school
Barbary C. Roop 20 F Virginia attended school
Rachel M. Roop 14 F Virginia attended school
Jas Roop 10 M Virginia attended school
Hamilton N. Roop 7 M Virginia attended school
Charles M. Roop 5 M Virginia attended school
Jas R. Lester 4 M Virginia (son of Amanda)
Lafayette Lester 2 M Virginia (son of Amanda)

American Civil War (4 Feb 1861-23 Jun 1865)

At the beginning of the War Between the States, the soldiers were gathered in the White Oak Grove Church and mustered. The ladies of the community prepared food and took it to the church for the men. Four of James ROOP’s sons (Floyd, Gordon, Giles Henderson, and William H. T.) and two of his daughters’ husbands (Amanda’s husband George Washington LESTER and Peradine’s husband Sylvester MILLS) served in Company A, 54th Infantry Regiment Virginia. Daughter Evaline’s husband Mathias RATLIFF served in Company E of the same regiment. Seven men in the family served and three did not come home: my third great-grandfather Gordon and his brothers Giles and William died in Georgia in 1863 while serving.

James and Elizabeth’s daughter Rachel married at home in 1866. Rev. SUMNER came to the house to perform the ceremony.⁵⁰ Their son James married in 1868 in Montgomery County.⁵¹

1870 U. S. Federal Census > VA > Floyd > Alum Ridge > 5B > HH#68-66 [ancestry.com]

1870 U. S. Federal Census > VA > Floyd > Alum Ridge > 5A > HH#68-66 [ancestry.com]

1870 U. S. Federal Census⁵²
Floyd County, Virginia
Page No. 9+10, Sheet 5A+5B
Alum Ridge Township
Enumeratd by me on the 5th day of August, 1870. B. P. Elliott, Ass’t Marshal.
Post Office Floyd C. H. Va.
HH #68-66
Roop, James 62 M W Farmer $1,500 $430 Virginia male US citizen over 21 yo
Roop, Elizabeth 62 F W Keeping house Virginia cannot read & write
Roop, Hamilton N. 17 M W farm laborer Virginia cannot read & write
Roop, Charles M. 15 M W farm laborer Virginia cannot read & write
Roop, Barbara E. 30 F W without occupation Virginia cannot read & write

In 1870 James’ household included his wife, two youngest sons, and Barbara Ellen who was on her way to being an old maid. James and Elizabeth’s youngest sons Hamilton and Charles were married by Rev. SUMNER at his home in 1872 and 1873.⁵³,⁵⁴ This left James and Elizabeth alone in 1880 as Barbary was living with her sister Rachel and her family.

1880 U.S. Federal Census > VA > Montgomery > Christiansburg > ED 50 Sheet 356B > HH#151-153 [ancestry.com]

1880 U.S. Federal Census⁵⁵
Montgomery County, Virginia
Page No. 18
Christiansburg Magisterial District
Enumeration District No. 50, Sheet No. 356B
Enumerated the 11th day of June, 1880. John C. Wade, enumerator.
HH #151-153
Roop, James Sr. W M 71 married Farmer cannot read & write VA VA VA
Roop, Elizabeth W M 71 wife married Keeping House cannot write VA VA VA

James ROOP was never listed with a middle initial in any of the above censuses or on the marriage records of his children. Ancestry has him indexed as James W. ROOP in the 1880 census. A close look at the census image shows that he was listed as Sr. and his son James A. ROOP who lived next door was listed as Jr. This does not mean that James shared the same middle initial or middle name with his son. The abbreviation Sr. was misread for a W. [I needed to get that straightened out!]

The last of James and Elizabeth’s children finally married in 1888. Barbary was 49 years old the first time she married.⁵⁶ It would not be the last. She was widowed twice and married again in 1898 and 1906.⁵⁷,⁵⁸ She didn’t remain an old maid after all.

James’ wife Elizabeth passed away during the 1880s. James most likely was enumerated on the Montgomery County census in 1890 as he is not seen on the substitute used for Floyd.⁵⁹ The actual 1890 Floyd County, Virginia, census was among those destroyed in the fire/flood in Washington in 1921. An abbreviated copy was made before the original was sent off and can be found in the Court House in Floyd. In 1890 James made his will, dated 31 January 1890, in Floyd County and died there on 2 November 1890.⁶⁰ If he had been on the 1890 substitute for Floyd he would have been found in nine consecutive censuses.

James Roop’s Will
Recorded in Floyd County, Virginia
Will Book F, Page 486

Will and Testament of James Roop – In the name of God, Amen. I James Roop of the County of Floyd and State of Virginia, being weake of body, but of mind and memory and calling to mind the mortality of my body make and ordain this my Will and Testament – and as vouching my worldly estate. When with it has pleased God to bless me with this life – I deaded to Floyd Roop, my son, he being heir of my body one hundred akers of land being part, this land lying in the County of Floyd and the State of Virginia, joining land of James Simmons and John Altizer and others. – I also bond James Roop, my son, being heir of my body, one hundred akers of land, this land being sold to George W. Lester of said James Roop and this deed were made to George W. Lester instead of James Roop, this land joining Cornelius Altizer. – I also bond Hamilton N. Roop, my son, being heir of my body, one hundred and twenty akers of land, said Hamilton N. Roop sold to A. L. Roop and this dead being made to A. L. Roop instead of Hamilton N. Roop, this land joining George Nixon. – I also deaded Charley Roop, my son, one hundred akers of land, he being heir of my body, this deed were made to his wife and heirs instead of said Charley Roop, this land joining Perdine Peterman.
I allso desire Gordon Roop, my son, he be heir of my body, his heirs to have fifteen dollars, a peace, there names being Thomas Roop, and Gordon Roop and Dolley Roop.
Perdine Roop, my daughter, she being heir of my body, has received her part in land this dead was made to Silvester Mills her husban instead of said Perdine his wife, This land is none (sic, known) as the Canaan Simons land lying on the Waters of Little River joining lands of C. D. Lester, this land lying in the County of Floyd and State of Virginia. – The amount of Perdine money that I paid for this land is mention in Silvester’s deed.
I allso desire at my death for the rest of my estate to be eaqely divided amongst my four daughters. They being heirs of my body, Amanda Roop, and Avealine Roop, and Barbery Roop, and Rachel M. Roop. My requests is that A. L. Roop to be my Administrator. – This 31st day of January 1890.
                                                      His
                                                        James X Roop
                                                                  Mark
Witness: James A. Simmons
                H. D. Simmons

Virginia – In Floyd County Court held on this 14th day of September 1897, a paper in writing, purporting to be the last Will and Testament of James Roop, deceased, was produced  in court proven by the Oaths of James A. Simmons and H. D. Simmons, the Subscribing Witnesses thereto. Admitted to probate and ordered to be recorded. Thereupon,  A. L. Roop, the Executor named in same Will. Together with Ira S. Hylton and J. M. Roop, his surieties, entered unto said acknowledged a Bond in the Penalty of $1000.00 conditioned according to law. A certificate is granted said A. L. Roop for obtaining probate of said will in due form.

The final settlement of James ROOP’s will was made on 18 September 1897 in Floyd County, Virginia.

This Post was Updated on 16 October 2022: Missing source citations were added, images were scaled, and some corrections were made to the text and format.

© 2014–2022, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

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1. 1810 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7613/), citing Third Census of the United States, 1810 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C. NARA microfilm publication M252, 71 rolls, NARA Roll M252_70, Vam252_70-0085; FHL Roll: 0181430, Virginia, Montgomery County, Christiansburg, page 641, line 10, Henry Rupe (accessed 17 October 2014). ↩
2. 1880 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/), citing Tenth Census of the United States, 1880 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls, Roll: T9_433; Kentucky, Menifee County, Ridge, Enumeration District: 74, page 39-40, sheet 668C lines 47-50 and sheet 668D lines 1-2, household 327-344, Smith Roop with father William in the household (accessed 7 March 2011). ↩
3. Ibid., Roll: T9_1378; Virginia, Montgomery, Auburn, Enumeration District: 56, page 22, sheet 485B, lines 41-45, household 183-191, James R. Pharris (accessed 9 Jan 2005). ↩
4. Ibid., Roll:T9_1375; Virginia, Lee County, Jonesville, Enumeration District: 41, page 26, sheet 202B, lines 32-41, household 217-218, Asa Roop (accessed 19 December 2010). ↩
5. Ibid.,  Roll: T9_1378; Virginia, Montgomery County, Christiansburg, Enumeration District: 50, page 18, sheet 356B, lines 45-46, James Roop Sr. (accessed 18 October 2014). ↩
6. C. T. Zahn and Frederick S. Weiser, translators and editors, Maryland German Church Records Volume 10, 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). ↩
7. Ibid. ↩
8. Where I Found the Land Records of my RUPE Ancestors in Maryland ↩
9. Redmond Ira ROOP (1869-1947), a report given at the 1927 family reunion in Carroll County, Maryland, by Henry’s great-grandson Redmond as noted in the research of Linda P. (Dickey) Roop (1943-1994). Linda’s source is unknown. ↩
10. Update as of 10 Oct 2022: Personal Property Tax lists of Rockbridge, Botetourt, and Montgomery counties were consulted. Henry was found in Rockbridge from 1794 to 1800 with a possible entry for 1793 (surname spelled Rupert). Henry was in Montgomery as of 1804. The gap between 1800 and 1804 indicates a possible stopover. The only county between Rockbridge and Montgomery County was Botetourt where no listing for Henry was found. The Lunenburg PPT lists are not listed in the FamilySearch catalog. The information that Mary ROOP was born in Lunenburg was given by her oldest son Crocket ROOP in 1868 when he reported her death. This record has not been found. I find it hard to believe the family traveled to Lunenburg and then back west to Montgomery. All counties contained in the triangle formed by Rockbridge, Lunenburg, and Montgomery need to be checked to confirm the tale. ↩
11. No record of the marriage has been found. James Compton was first seen on the 1810 Montgomery County PPT indicating he had just turned 21 years of age. Henry Compton, the first known child of Elizabeth and James was born about 1812. As Elizabeth appears to have been living at home in 1810, I’ve estimated the marriage at about 1811. ↩
12. “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 603 of 673, page 361, John Roup and Betsy Thompson married by Jonathan Hall on 14 Jan 1813. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9XF-FXT7?i=602&cc=4149585&cat=361831 : accessed 11 October 2022). ↩
13. Ibid., Film 32633, DGS 7579015, Index of marriage register, 1777-1853 — Register of marriages, 1777-1853, image 604 of 673, page 362, 20 April 1815 Jacob Rupe and Susannah Alley married by Jonathan Hall. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9XF-FXQT?i=603&cc=4149585&cat=361831 : accessed 12 October 2022). ↩
14. Ibid., Film 32633, DGS 7579015, Index of marriage register, 1777-1853 — Register of marriages, 1777-1853, image 384 of 673, page 146, 27 Jun 1815 Jacob Acres and Caty Rupe, witness/security Henry Rupe. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89XF-FFNX?i=383&cc=4149585&cat=361831 ; accessed 12 October 2022). ↩
15. “Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002,” index and images, Ancestry, citing “Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002,” (microfilm) Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee. George Roupe, male, married 5 Dec 1818 in Jefferson County, Tennessee, spouse Margaret Baldwin. (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 March 2016). ↩
16. “Register of marriages, Montgomery County, Virginia, 1777-1853,” Film 32633, DGS 7579015, Index of marriage register, 1777-1853 — Register of marriages, 1777-1853, image 408 of 673, page 170, 7 Jun 1820 William Rupe married Ester Akers, father of groom Henry Rupe, father of bride Blagburn Akers, 5 securities/witnesses. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99XF-F6Q8?i=407&cc=4149585&cat=361831 : accessed 12 October 2022). ↩
17. Louise Roop Anderson Akers, comp., The Family Rub, Rup, Rupe, Roop, Roope (2001 Printed by Jamont Communications, 339 Luck Ave., Roanoke, VA 24016). Photocopy of a document dated 25 July 1816 concerning the examination of Barbary Roop by E. Howard concerning the bastard child she delivered on 20 November 1815 and naming George Peterman as the father. ↩
18. “Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRS5-Z9D : accessed 6 April 2016), Wm. Lane and Barbara Roop, 02 Jul 1856, bride’s father’s name reputedly L. Dobbins; citing Montgomery, Virginia, reference n 44; FHL microfilm 2,048,462. Images not available online 12 October 2022. ↩
19. 1820 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7734/), citing Fourth Census of the United States, 1820 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M33, 142 rolls, NARA Roll M33_130, image 349, Virginia, Montgomery, Newburn, sheet 181A, line 16, Henry Roop Sr. (accessed 16 December 2004). ↩
20. “Register of marriages, Montgomery County, Virginia, 1777-1853,” Film 32633, DGS 7579015, Index of marriage register, 1777-1853 — Register of marriages, 1777-1853, image 423 of 673, page 185, 7 Jun 1823 Henry Rupe married Polly Thompson, Elswick Thompson father of bride was security/witness. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99XF-F6Q6?i=422&cc=4149585&cat=361831 : accessed 12 October 2022). ↩
21. Ibid., Film 32633, DGS 7579015, Index of marriage register, 1777-1853 — Register of marriages, 1777-1853, image 426 of 673, page 188, 20 Oct 1823 John B. Pharis and Rachel Rupe, Henry Rupe security/witness. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9XF-FXVN?i=425&cc=4149585&cat=361831 : accessed 12 October 2022). ↩
22. 1830 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8058/), citing Fifth Census of the United States, 1830 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C. NARA microfilm publication M19, 201 rolls, Roll M19_198, Family History Library Film: 0029677, Virginia, Montgomery County, Blacksburg, page 89, line 14, Henry Roope Sr. (accessed 17 October 2014). ↩
23. “Virginia, County Marriage Records, 1771-1989,” database with images, FamilySearch, citing Marriage, Virginia, United States, Circuit court clerk offices, Virginia, Marriage records, 1785-1861, DGS 7740792, Film 2047122 (item 3), Marriage record 1812-1841, image 101 of 854, right page, 7th entry, 8 Jun 1830, James Roop and Elizabeth Carrol, citing Montgomery County, Virginia. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C91C-TPS4?cc=2134304 : accessed 23 December 2021). ↩
24. Ibid., Marriage records, 1785-1861, DGS 7740792, Film 2047122 (item 3), Marriage record 1812-1841, image 111 of 854, left page, 2nd entry, Joseph Roop and Mary Carl married 13 Sep 1831 by Richd Buckingham who published it 26 Jun 1832. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C91C-TPSM?cc=2134304 : accessed 25 December 2021). ↩
25. Ibid., Marriage records, 1785-1861, DGS 7740792, Film 2047122 (item 3), Marriage record 1812-1841, image 113 of 854, left page, last entry, 7 Jan 1834 Saml Roop and Patsy Townsley married by Richd Buckingham and published 14 Jan 1834. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C91C-TPQW?i=112&cc=2134304&cat=1135002 : accessed 23 December 2021). ↩
26. Marguerite Tise, comp., The Lester Family of Floyd and Montgomery County Virginia (copyright 1996 Marguerite Tise, P.O. Box 343, Floyd, VA 24091-0343), pg. 20. ↩
27. “Virginia, Death Records, 1912-2014,” index and images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9278/), citing Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, Virginia, Certificate of Death No. 4986, Registration Area No. 601A. Floyd Roop, male, white, age 89, born 14 May 1833, died 4 Feb 1923 in Montgomery, Virginia, registration date 8 Feb 1923, father James Roop, mother Betsy, spouse Mary. (accessed 28 December 2015). ↩
28. Find A Grave, database and images. (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39327168/eveline-ratliff: accessed 12 October 2022), memorial page for Eveline Roop Ratliff (3 Mar 1835–1 Mar 1900), Find a Grave Memorial ID 39327168, citing Edgemont Church Cemetery, Montgomery County, Virginia, USA; Maintained by Cardsfan23 (contributor 49145760). Photos by Gayle Fisher (contributor 47054020) confirm the dates of birth and death. ↩
29. Ibid., (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/116584501/peradine-mills: accessed 12 October 2022), memorial page for Peradine Roop Mills (15 May 1836–30 Mar 1909), Find a Grave Memorial ID 116584501, citing Simmons Cemetery, Mountview, Raleigh County, West Virginia, USA; Maintained by Walter Pack Family (contributor 47557175); photos of marker by D. Mack (contributor 46909657) confirm the dates of birth and death. ↩
30. Rena Worthen & Barbara Reininger (co-project), “Index to Marriages of Floyd County, Virginia 1831-1940 (and few others too),” index and images, part of the Floyd County, Virginia, The USGenWeb Project online https://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/floyd.htm, citing the images of Floyd Co., VA marriages downloaded by Rena Worthen from the Library of Virginia Microform indexed by Barbara Reininger, Marriage License of Gordon Roop age 18 and Emeline Lester age 20 married 10 Mar 1856. (http://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/Mar%20FCVA1856/FCVA1856RoopLester.jpg : accessed 2 March 2020). The groom’s birth is estimated at about 1838: 1850 age 12 (census), 1856 age 18 (marriage), and 1860 age 22 (census). ↩
31. The source for the date of birth of Barbary Ellen is at this time unknown. It may have come from one of the two books on the Roop families. Both need to be checked for confirmation. ↩
32. 1840 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8057/), citing Sixth Census of the United States, 1840 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M704, 580 rolls, Roll: 704_567; FHL Film: 0029689, Virginia, Montgomery County, page 26, line 22, James Roop (accessed 16 December 2004). ↩
33. The source for the date of birth of Barbary Ellen is at this time unknown. It may have come from one of the two books on the Roop families. Both need to be checked for confirmation. ↩
34. Ibid. ↩
35. Estimated from age at the time of the census and other documents. ↩
36. “Virginia, Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1983,” (index and images), Ancestry, citing original data of Virginia County, District, and Probate Courts, Montgomery County > Mixed Records, Vol 7-8, 1842-1856 > Will Book 7, page 285-286, 1845 Will of Henry Roupe (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9085/images/007645480_00161 : accessed 11 October 2022). ↩
37. “Virginia, County Marriage Records, 1771-1989,” Marriage bonds, 1844-1848, Film # 007740802, images 405+406 of 699, William Rupe and Robert Carrell went bond on 4 Nov 1846 for the marriage of William Rupe and Catharine Carrell. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C91C-53V2-M?cc=2134304 : accessed 25 December 2021). ↩
38. Everette L. McGrew, My Mother Was A Rupe (revised August 2000). ↩
39. “Deed books, 1831-1900; general indexes, 1831-1980,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/399119?availability=Family%20History%20Library), citing microfilm of original records at the Floyd County Courthouse in Floyd, Virginia, Film 31339, DGS 8572238, Deed books, v. D-F 1844-1853, image 485 of 790, Deed Book E, page 377, Roop from Graham deed for 600 acres in Floyd County. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C373-GH5Q?i=484&cat=399119 : accessed 13 October 2022). ↩
40. “Virginia Historical Inventory,” Library of Virginia (https://lva-virginia.libguides.com/historical-inventory), Peters, Genevieve H. et al.,
    Jimmie Roop homeplace : survey report, 1938 Jan. 12, call number VHIR/10/0586, 4 image files (Library of Virginia, 1999). This write-up is a part of the Virginia W.P.A. Historical Inventory Project sponsored by the Virginia Conservation Commission under the direction of its Division of History. (https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990006904200205756 : accessed 11 September 2007). ↩
41. 1850 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8054/), citing Seventh Census of the United States, 1850 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M432, 1009 rolls, Roll: M432_943, Virginia, Floyd County, sheet 445A, household 938-938, lines 5-16, James Roop (accessed 17 October 2014). ↩
42. On the 1900 census his month and year of birth were noted as December 1854. He was seen in 1860 as age 7 and in 1870 as age 17 and later became younger. As the early census could be more reliable than the later, I estimate his birth at about December 1853. The date of birth on the death certificate, 10 August 1855, was written in two different hands. See footnote 43. ↩
43. “Virginia, Death Records, 1912-2014,” 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). The informant may have confused his date of birth with that of his brother Charles who was born on 10 August 1854. ↩
44. “Virginia, U.S., Birth Registers, 1853-1911,” (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/418338:62153), citing Virginia, Birth Registers, 1853–1911at the Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia., Floyd County Register of Births 1854, page 27 (stamped), line 19, 10 August 1854, Charles M Roop, male, white, 10 Aug 1854, James Roop and Elizabeth Roop (accessed 13 October 2022). ↩
45. “Index to Marriages of Floyd County, Virginia 1831-1940 (and few others too),” 1855 George W. Lester and Amanda Roop marriage. (http://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/Mar%20FCVA1855/FCVA1855LesterRoopMar%20Light.jpg : accessed 2 March 2020). ↩
46. Ibid., 1855 Floyd Roop and Mary Blackwell marriage. (http://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/1_Marriages%20of%20Floyd%20County.htm : accessed 2 March 2020). ↩
47. Floyd County (Virginia) County Clerk, “Marriage registers, 1843-1925” (browse-only images), FamilySearch, citing microfilm of original records at the Floyd County Courthouse in Floyd, Virginia., Film 31345 (Items 3), DGS 7578964, image 138 of 606, Floyd County Register of Marriages 1855, line 16, 30 Aug 1855, Sylvester Mills and Peradine Rupe. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89XF-K9SM-B?i=137&cat=363663 : accessed 13 October 2022). ↩
48. “Index to Marriages of Floyd County, Virginia 1831-1940 (and few others too),” Marriage License of Gordon Roop age 18 and Emeline Lester age 20 married 10 Mar 1856. (http://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/Mar%20FCVA1856/FCVA1856RoopLester.jpg : accessed 2 March 2020). ↩
49. 1860 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7667/), 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_1345, Family History Library Film 805345, Virginia, Floyd County, sheet 533-534, page 99+100, lines 30-40 and line 1, household 712-669, James Roop (accessed 8 January 2016). ↩
50. “Marriage registers, 1843-1925,” Film 31345 (Items 3), DGS 7578964, image 152 of 606, Floyd County Register of Marriages 1855, line 33, 8 Mar 1866, Wm L Simmons and Rachel M Roop. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89XF-K9SM-4?i=151&cat=363663 : accessed 13 October 2022). ↩
51. “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 1868, page 202, line 107, 26 Nov 1868 James Roop 20 and Elizabeth J Roop 25 married by Amos Dickerson. (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/286910:62154 : accessed 13 October 2022). ↩
52. 1870 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7163/), citing Ninth Census of the United States, 1870 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication T132, 13 rolls, M593_1646; Virginia, Floyd, Alum Ridge, page 9+10, sheet 5A+5B, line 39+40 and lines 1-3, household 68-66, James Roop (accessed 8 January 2016). ↩
53. “Marriage registers, 1843-1925,” Film 31345 (Items 3), DGS 7578964, image 171 of 606, Floyd County Register of Marriages 1872, line 55, 15 Aug 1872 Hamilton N Roop and Mary E Epperley married by Owen Sumner. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9XF-KBT7?i=170&cat=363663 : accessed 13 October 2022). ↩
54. Ibid., Film 31345 (Items 3), DGS 7578964, image 173 of 606, Floyd County Register of Marriages 1873, line 33, 17 Mar 1873 Chas M Roop and Martha Epperley married by Owen Sumner. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9XF-K99Y-G?i=172&cat=363663 : accessed 13 October 2022). ↩
55. 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Roll: T9_1378; Virginia, Montgomery County, Christiansburg, Enumeration District: 50, page 18, sheet 356B, lines 45-46, James Roop Sr. (accessed 18 October 2014). ↩
56. “West Virginia, U.S., Compiled Marriage Records, 1863-1900,” index-only, Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/4484/), original data: Dodd, Jordan, comp. West Virginia Marriage Records, 1863-1900, Nathaniel Thompson, male, married Barbara E. Roop, female, 12 Sep 1888 in Raleigh County, West Virginia, citing Raleigh County, West Virginia Marriages, 1865-1900. County court records located in Beckley, West Virginia, or Family History Library microfilm #0598403 (unavailable online at FamilySearch). Not available on WVCulture.org. ↩
57. West Virginia Vital Research Records Project (database and images), West Virginia Division of Culture and History citing county records in county courthouses, West Virginia (A collaborative venture between the West Virginia State Archives and the Genealogical Society of Utah to place vital records online via the West Virginia Archives and History Web site accessible at https://archive.wvculture.org/vrr), West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 598432, image 268, Marriage License of Henderson Beckelheimer and Barbara Ellen Thompson. (http://images.wvculture.org/598432/00268.jpg : accessed 11 October 2022). ↩
58. Ibid., West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 589347, image 37, Marriage Register, line 6, 21 Aug 1906 Charles Cochran and Barbary E. Beckenhamer [Beckelheimer]. (http://images.wvculture.org/589347/00037.jpg : accessed 11 October 2022). ↩
59. Barb Reininger (transcribed & annotated by), 1890 Floyd County, Virginia Census, RootsWeb (https://sites.rootsweb.com/~vafloyd/BarbR_FCVAResearch/zz_census_1890_fcva_main1.htm). “Floyd County, Virginia, is nearly unique in that the 1890 Census record for the county is one of the very few surviving census records for that year for the entire country.” ↩
60. “Virginia, Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1983,” index and images, Ancestry, citing original data of Virginia County, District, and Probate Courts, Floyd County, Virginia, Will Book F, page 486, Last Will and Testament of James Roop dated 31 January 1890.(https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9085/images/007645227_00302 : accessed 14 March 2022). ↩

52 Ancestors: #38 William DEMPSEY, son of Susannah of Amherst County, Virginia

“The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor.”

This is entry #38 in Amy Johnson Crow’s Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.

#38 William DEMPSEY abt. 1779-bef. 20 Jun 1836

On 29 June 1835, the Lynchburg Virginian published a notice concerning the death of the wife of William DEMPSEY.¹

The Lynchburg Virginian, June 29, 1835, p. 3, c. 2.: Photocopy of page from microfilm roll #6 of the Lynchburg Virginian from Aug 18, 1834 to July 28, 1836.

Norma Barnett Dempsey found the article referenced in Marriages and Deaths from Lynchburg, Virginia Newspapers, 1794-1836 [by Lucy H. M. Baber Louise A. Blunt, and Marion A. L. Collins, Genealogical Publishing Co. 1980, page 174]. She located it using the microfilm reader at the Roanoke Public Library in the late 1990s.

William DEMPSEY was supposed to be somewhere in the state of Ohio at the time this notice was published. We do not know why he was in Ohio or if he ever returned to Amherst County, Virginia. More records may one day be found. William may have been away from home for quite some time and was presumed dead.

A year after the notice of Mrs. Martha DEMPSEY’s death, the estate of her husband William DEMPSEY was being administered by their son Wilson M. DEMPSEY. William apparently died intestate (without a will) and a certificate was granted to his oldest son Wilson to obtain letters of administration. Wilson entered into and acknowledged a bond together with Peter RUCKER.²

The state of Virginia has no estate packets or probate packets. If the administrator didn’t act correctly, the offended party could bring suit in chancery. The scanned chancery records for the county of Amherst are not available on the Library of Virginia site. [Update: Amherst County digital images available for the years 1779-1869 as of January 2021.]

Norma did a wonderful job of finding the records documenting how the estate was handled.

20 June 1836 – Administrator bond
Rev. Bailey Fulton Davis, The Wills of Amherst County, Virginia 1796-1919 Vol. 1 A-D
page 28; Book D Wills
(Library # VR 929.3755 Am47w D29a)
129 Wm.Dempsey
9:228 AB Wilson Dempsey and Peter Rucker, June 20, 1836, for WD

Amherst Co Va Will Book 9 1834-1838 page 228 (photocopy provided by Norma)

Know all men by these presents that we Wilson Dempsey and Peter Rucker
are held and firmly bound unto Edmund Penn, Ambrose Rucker, James Powell, Arthur B. Davies, John [illegible], William H. Garland and Henry I. Rose Gentleman Justices of the Court of Amherst County sitting and to their successors in Office in the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars current money of Virginia to which payment will and truly to be made we bind ourselves and each of us and each of our heirs, executors and administrators jointly and severally firmly by these present is sealed with our seals and dated this 20th day of June (1836) one thousand eight hundred and thirty six and in the 60th year of the Commonwealth.
The conditions of this obligation is that if the said Wilson Dempsey administrator of the goods, chauses and credits of William Dempsey deceased do make a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the goods chauses and credits of the said deceased which have or/ shall come to the hands possession or knowledge of him the said Wilson Dempsey or into the hands or possession of any other person or persons for him and the same so made do exhibit into the County Court of Amherst when he shall be there unto required by the said Court and such goods chauses and credits do well and truly administor according to Law and further to make a just and true account of his actings and doings therein when thereto required by the said Court and all the rest of the said goods chauses and credits which shall be found remaining upon the account of the said administrator the same being first examined and allowed by the Justices of the said Court for the time being shall deliver and pay unto such persons respectively as entitled to the same by Law. And if it shall hereafter appear that any last Will and Testament was made by the deceased and the same be proved in Court and the executor obtain a certificate of the probate thereof and the said Wilson Dempsey do, in such case being required to render and deliver up his letters of administration then this obligation to be void else to remain in full force                         W. M. Dempsey (seal)
acknowledged in open court                        Peter Rucker (seal)

At a  Court held for Amherst County on the 20th of June 1836.
This bond was acknowledged in open court by the parties therein and ordered to be
recorded.                               Teste
Robert Lindsey

Note: The photocopy was cut off on the left side. While transcribing the deed the missing words were added by comparing it with other deeds of the same period.

15 May 1837 – Inventory³
Rev. Bailey Fulton Davis, The Wills of Amherst County, Virginia 1796-1919 Vol. 1 A-D
page 28 – Book D Wills
(Library # VR 929.3755 Am47w D29a)
129 Wm.Dempsey
9:315 Inv. $88.32, May 15, 1837. Lee Millner, Wm. B Shepherd, Wm. B.Toler.

In obedience to an order of the County Court of AMherst we have proceeded to appraise the personal Estate of William Dempsey decd as shown to us by WIlson Dempsey, admr.
2 Beds, Bedstead and furniture 10.001
1 Bed, Bedstead and furniture 5.00
1 Chest 0.25
1 Trunk 0.25
1 Flax Wheel 0.25
1 Cotton Wheel 1.25
1 Desk & Book Case 5.00
1 Chest 1.50
Plates, Knives and forks 0.25
Lot Earthenware 0.75
Shot Gun 4.00
Loom 0.25
Safe 0.13
Skillet & lid 0.12
Lot Castings 4.00
Cags 0.37
Lot Pewter 2.00
Wire Sifter 0.25
Lot Chairs 1.00
Hand Saw & Draw Knife 1.00
7 old Hoes 1.00
1 Auger and 2 Chissels 0.50
1 Lot old Irons 0.50
2 old Plows 0.50
1 old culling Knife & Steel 0.25
2 New Trace Chains 0.50
1 Black Cow & Calf 15.00
1 Red Cow & Calf 15.00
1 Pot Rack 0.50
1 Copper Still 15.00
2 Pad Locks 0.25
1 Axe 0.25
2 flat Irons and trivet 1.00
1 Coulder 0.20
1 Iron Wedge 0.25
Total $88.32

8 Aug 1839 – Dempsey to Hicks deed⁴
Deed Book X (Amherst County, Virginia); page 239:
lists 5 names on Dempsey to Hicks land deed. August 8 1839. Wilson M., Seton Y., W. G., Louisa, and Eliza Dempsey.
Note: The deed reads “two and three fourths acres.” Did they only sell 2 3/4 acres to Nelson Hicks?

July 19, 1841 Administrator’s Accounts⁵
Rev. Bailey Fulton Davis, The Wills of Amherst County, Virginia 1796-1919 Vol. 1 A-D
page 28 – Book D Wills
(Library # VR 929.3755 Am47w D29a)
129 Wm.Dempsey
10:368 AA from 1828; accts of Wilson M. and Westley G. Dempsey — for the family in 1835. July 19, 1841: W. L. Saunders and Pitt Woodroof.

July 18, 1842 Administrator’s Accounts⁶
Rev. Bailey Fulton Davis, The Wills of Amherst County, Virginia 1796-1919 Vol. 1 A-D
page 28- Book D Wills
(Library # VR 929.3755 Am47w D29a)
129 Wm.Dempsey
11:82 AA William M. Dempsey acct.–Wilson M. & others–business trip to King William; land rent by Wilson M. Dempsey, same for Westley G. and Seaton Y. Dempsey, Admr. is called Wm. M. at end in summary Ju1y 18, 1842.

The estate of William Dempsey In account with William M. Dempsey (sic, Wilson M. Dempsey)
This sum paid John B. Duncan 5.00
paid Lewis Harrison 0.75
paid sheriff Amherst 1838 0.67
paid ditto ditto 1839 2.42
paid ditto ditto 1841 1.12
paid Peter Rucker 1.35
paid William Coleman 4.57
Paid Peter Rucker 1.50
amount my expenses to & from King William County on business for Est. 7.87
paid Pitt Woodroof & Addison Taliaferro 4.00
Total $29.25

May 16, 1842 and August 1844⁷
Rev. Bailey Fulton Davis, Amherst County Va. Deeds 1761-1765
page 18 Deed Book
(Libray # VR 929.3755 Am 47d D29a)
183. 16 May 1842 Seaton Y. Dempsey to Jno. J. Morgan $175 int. in est. of William Dempsey dec’d– 1/6th of 330a. Aug. 1844, to —.

May 27, 1844⁸
Rev. Bailey Fulton Davis, Amherst County Va. Deeds 1761-1765
Vol. # 5
page 15 Deed Book Z
(Library # VR 929.3755 Am 47d D29a)
163. 27 May 1844 Seaton Y. Dempsey 1, Patrick Drummond 2, Wilson M. Dempsey 3, $1.00 Stock, tools, crops.

January 20, 1845⁹
Deed Bk. AA (Amherst County, Virginia)
Page 368:
Jan. 20 1845,  …210 acres by bid to Wilson M. Dempsey from William Dempsey dec’d. (Note: 210 acres would be 4 times 55 acres; Wilson is buying Wesley, Isham, Louisa and Eliza’s share; Seaton’s share went to Jno. J. Morgan)

August 31, 1848¹⁰
Amherst County Circuit Court Chancery Files
No. 2 1841-1849
page 448
#431
Sixth Day August 31, 1848 Thursday Amherst County
Wilson M Dempsey_____________________________________Plaintiff
against
Isham C Dempsey, Seaton Y Dempsey, Wesley G Dempsey, Patrick Rowsy and Eliza his wife, Simeon A Burch and Louisa his wife, Zacharias Drummond and John J Morgan, James Powell Sheriff of the County of Amherst Young & Meem ___________Finley and ___________and Morgan ___________Defendants
This cause came on this day to be heard upon the papers formerly read and the report of the commissioner Zach Drummond made in the pursuance of the decretal order of the 7th day of November 1844 and was argued by consul. Upon consideration whereof the court doth ratify and confirm the said report except so much thereof as relates to the portion of Seaton Y Dempsey. The courts being of opinion that the lien of Young & Meem to said Seaton’s portion of the fund is superior to that set up by the said Drummond doth adjudge order and decree that the said Zacharias Drummond do pay to Young & Meem the sum of ninety six dollars and seventeen cents with interest thereon to be computed at the rate of six per cent per annum from the 20th day of January 1846 till paid.
And the court doth further order that the said Zacharias Drummond who is hereby appointed a commissioner for the purpose do convey by deed with special warranty the lands in the bill and proceedings mentioned to the respective purchasers thereof at their several costs.
And the purposes of this suit having been attained the court doth order that the same be discontinued.

William’s wife Martha “Patsy” LANDRUM died on 27 September 1834 in Amherst County, Virginia. As seen above William never returned to Amherst and by 1848 all matters having to do with his estate had been settled. Why did Wilson M. DEMPSEY have to travel to King William County on the business of the estate? When did William DEMPSEY actually disappear? When did the family last hear from him?

In 1830, his wife Martha Dempsey is listed in the Amherst County census with her two young daughters.¹¹ William DEMPSEY was last seen on the 1820 census in Amherst County, Virginia. He was listed as “Will Dempey.” There is no mark in the age category that he would have fit in. Was he away from home on some kind of business? “Will” was not his nickname, this was a quirk of the enumerator who wrote “Will” for every man with the name William.

Let’s jump back to the time when William was in Amherst County. Norma searched everywhere even through a box of loose papers that was accessible to the public at the Amherst County Courthouse. In this box, she found a permission slip dated 21 August 1799 signed by Susannah DEMPSEY who had no objections to her son William DEMPSEY marrying to any person that he choose (illegible due to its being crossed through – this is a close guess). I believe that when his mother signed the slip she did not know that Patsey LANDRUM would be the bride. The bride’s name was apparently added later, perhaps by another person. 

MARRIAGE CONSENT
This is Certify that I have no objections against
my son William Dempseys marrying to [text marked out] Patsy Landrum
provided she is willing
given under my hand this the 21. day of August 1799
Test   George Wright
Allen Cameron                     Susannah Dempsey

On the same day William DEMPSEY and Allen CAMERON, who had witnessed the permission slip, went bond on the marriage “intended shortly to be had and solemnized between Patsey Landrum (Spinster) and the above bound William Dempsey.”

MARRIAGE BOND
Know all men by these presents that we William Dempsey & Allen Cameron
are held and firmly bound unto James Wood Esquire the Governor of
Virginia for the time being and to his successors in office for the
use of the Commonwealth in the sum of one hundred and
fifty Dollars current money to which payment well and truly
to be made we bind ourselves and each of us our and each of
our heirs executors and administrators jointly and severally
firmly by these presents sealed with our seals and dated
this 21st day of August 1799
The condition of the above obligation is such that
whereas there is a marriage intended shortly
to be had and solemnized between Patsey
Landrum (Spinster) and the above bound
William Dempsey
Now if there should be no legal cause to
obstruct the said marriage then the above
obligation to be void or else to remain in full
force and virtue
Signed & ackd                        Wm Dempsey (his mark & seal)
in presence of                          Allen Cameron (his mark & seal)
S Garland

Both of these documents show that Susannah DEMPSEY was the mother of William DEMPSEY who married Martha “Patsy” LANDRUM on 21 August 1799 in Amherst County, Virginia. Without these documents I would have believed the information given in the following:

William Montgomery Sweeny, “Marriage Bonds and Other Marriage Records of Amherst County, Virginia, 1763-1800”, Genealogical Publishing Company, 1937.

Here we see that Susannah DEMPSEY is listed as “her mother,” therefore the mother of the bride. What complications this would have caused in further research! The mention of the certificate of marriage by the Rev. James BOYD (sic, FLOYD) is information not found on the permission slip or bond.¹²

Other than the DEMPSEY to LANDRUM marriage, there were two other DEMPSEY marriages found in Amherst County during this time period.

◉ Jane DEMPSEY (ca 1774-aft 1820) married Allen CAMERON (ca 1771-aft 1820) on 21 December 1795 in Amherst County, Virginia¹³
◉ Tandy DEMPSEY (ca 1777-1836) married Nancy THOMPSON (?-aft 1830) on 19 January 1801 in Amherst County, Virginia¹⁴

Notice that Allen CAMERON who married Jane DEMPSEY in 1795 was a witness on the 1799 permission slip and went bond with William DEMPSEY when he married. Could it be that Jane and William, and maybe even Tandy, were siblings?

In 1800 William and Tandy, both seen with the surname spelled DEMSEY, were on the Amherst Tax List with 1 tithable each (white male over 21 years old) and 0 horses.¹⁵

Following William’s marriage to Patsey they had six known children as seen in the records found for the estate of William DEMPSEY:

◉ Wilson M. DEMPSEY (ca. 1802-aft. 1883)
◉ Seaton Y. DEMPSEY (ca. 1803-aft. 1880)
◉ Isham C DEMPSEY (ca. 1806-aft. 1854)
◉ Wesley G. DEMPSEY (ca. 1808-1890)
◉ Louisa J. DEMPSEY (ca. 1812-1888)
◉ Eliza DEMPSEY (ca. 1815-aft. 1860)

By 1810 William and Patsey’s four older boys seen above are enumerated for the first time in the census taken in Amherst County. The image found on Ancestry is not as legible as the one found on the Internet Archive. The transcription of the census on Ancestry shows that there were also 3 slaves in the household (see arrow on the second image). There may have been a fifth son who pre-deceased his parents. Also in the household was a young woman aged between 10-16. Was she a child of William’s wife from a previous relationship, a girl hired to help in the household, or a relative?

1810 U.S. Federal Census > VA > Amherst (ancestry.com)

1810 U.S. Federal Census¹⁶
Amherst County, Virginia
William Dempsey
5 males under 10 yo (Wilson M., Seaton Y., Isham Coleman, Wesley G. & unknown)
1 male 26 & under 45 yo (William b. 1765-1779)
1 female 10 & under 16 yo (unknown b. 1795-1800)
1 female 26 & under 45 yo (Martha b. 1765-1778)
Numbers of Slaves: 3
Number of Household Members Under 16: 6
Number of Household Members Over 25: 2
Number of Household Members: 11

During the 1810s William DEMPSEY bought land in Amherst County and witnessed his neighbors’ deeds. The 330 acres of land that he owned at the time of his death was located in Buffalo Springs, Amherst County, now known as Forks of Buffalo, located twelve miles west of the present town of Amherst on U.S. Route 60. Many land deeds from 1813 to 1830 show that William shared lines with several neighbors, notably Higginbotham, Sandidge, Rucker, Coleman, Gillespie, Rowsey, and Toler.

15 June 1810¹⁷
Land Purchase (120 acres)
WILLIAM WILLMORE and wife, SUSANNA, Amherst County, to WILLIAM DEMPSEY, Amherst County.  7000 pounds inspected tobacco – 120 acres. Lines:  JOSEPH HIGGINBOTHAM, BENJAMIN SANDIDGE, RACHEL ATKINSON. Witnesses:  NELSON CARTER.  To WILLIAM DEMPSEY, 20 October 1815.
[Source: Amherst County Virginia Courthouse Miniatures, The Deeds of Amherst County – Deeds Books 1-5, by Bailey Fulton Davis, A.B. Th. M., Pastor of Baptist Church, Amherst Courthouse, Virginia; page 135, #367]

1 June 1811¹⁸
Land Purchase
JONATHAN C. DEVASHER and wife, ELIZABETH, Amherst County. $400  no acres.  Lines:  mouth of a branch running into Long Branch. To WILLIAM DEMPSEY, 20 October 1815.
[Source: Amherst County Virginia Courthouse Miniatures, The Deeds of Amherst County – Deeds Books 1-5, by Bailey Fulton Davis, A.B. Th. M., Pastor of Baptist Church, Amherst Courthouse, Virginia; page 43, #487]

17 June 1811¹⁹
Land Purchase (96 acres)
CHARLES L. BARRETT and his wife, SARAH, Amherst County. £100 96 acres. Lines: JOSEPH HIGGINBOTHAM, Horsleys Creek, Childress’ Gap Road, WILLIAM SCHOFIELD dec’d. To WILLIAM DEMPSEY, 20 October 1815.

Note: This entry wasn’t included in the many entries Norma sent from the Amherst County Virginia Courthouse Miniatures. It is unknown if she missed it or if it was missed by Davis in his compilation.

27 January 1817²⁰
Witnesses deed
JAMES  SMITH. to heirs of my brother WIATT SMITH…for $1.00 and love; two slaves named. Witnesses: WILLIAM DEMPSEY, WILLIAM COLEMAN, BENJAMIN HIGGINBOTHAM, ROWLAND GILLESPIE.
[Source: Amherst County Virginia Courthouse Miniatures, The Deeds of Amherst County – Deeds Books 1-5, by Bailey Fulton Davis, A.B. Th. M., Pastor of Baptist Church, Amherst Courthouse, Virginia; page 117, #225]

20 October 1817²¹
Witnesses deed
JOSEPH HIGGINBOTHAM, Amherst County, to BENJAMIN SANDIDGE, Amherst County.. .no amount; 14 1/2 acres south side Buffaloe. Lines:  the road.  Witnesses:  CHARLES L. BARRET, WILLIAM COLENA, WILLIAM DEMPSEY, DAVID CLARKSON, WILLIAM COLEMAN.
[Source: Amherst County Virginia Courthouse Miniatures, The Deeds of Amherst County – Deeds Books 1-5, by Bailey Fulton Davis, A.B. Th. M., Pastor of Baptist Church, Amherst Courthouse, Virginia; page 140, #518]

In 1820 we see William as the head of household in the census, however, he is not included in the count. Also in the household are his wife, the six known children as well as an unknown male under 10 and an unknown female 10-16.

1820 U.S. Federal Census > VA > Amherst (ancestry.com)

1820 U.S. Federal Census²²
Amherst County, Virginia
Will Dempey (sic)
2 males under 10 yo (Wesley G. and unknown)
3 males 10 & under 16 yo (Wilson M., Seaton Y., Isham Coleman)
3 females 10 & under 16 yo (Louisa, Eliza and unknown)
1 female 26 & under 45 yo (Martha)
2 persons engaged in agriculture

William’s sons began to marry in the late 1820s:

◉ Isham Coleman DEMPSEY married Sarah Elvira THOMAS (1809-1879) on 5 March 1827 in Rockbridge County, Virginia²³
◉ Seaton Y. DEMPSEY married Clementine M. GOWING (1814-1880) on 3 January 1829 in Amherst County, Virginia²⁴

By 1830, as was mentioned previously, William DEMPSEY was not seen in the census. His wife Martha, no longer using her nickname Patsey, had their two youngest daughters in her household. Their married sons Isham and Seaton had their own households. Young Wesley may have been with his brother Seaton. Wilson who didn’t marry until 1839 hasn’t been located.

While William’s estate was being taken care of his oldest son and young daughters, first seen with their maiden names, married:

◉ Wilson M. DEMPSEY married(1) Evalina Carolyn RHODES (d. bef. 1848) on 30 December 1939 in Amherst County²⁵
◉ Louisa J. DEMPSEY married Simeon A. BURCH (1790-1870) on 8 October 1840 in Amherst County at the residence of her brother S. Y. Dempsey²⁶
◉ Eliza DEMPSEY married Patrick H. ROWSEY (1814-1858) on 4 February 1843 in Amherst County²⁷
◉ Wilson M. DEMPSEY married(2) Paulina (maiden name unknown) (1815-1881) abt 1848

After William DEMPSEY’s estate was finally settled his youngest son Wesley G. DEMPSEY married Mary HUGHES (1823-1889) on 6 May 1856 in Rockbridge County, Virginia.²⁸

ღ ღ ღ ღ ღ

The story of my 4th great-grandfather William DEMPSEY of Amherst County, Virginia, is dedicated to Norma Barnett Dempsey and her husband Richard, my 4th cousin. I found Norma when I began researching my paternal family history on the internet in 2000. She sent me large envelopes full of copies of everything she had found on the DEMPSEY families in old Virginia. I’m amazed at her determination in researching the DEMPSEY family as her husband does not carry the Y-DNA of the line. His mother Cindy, grandmother Nannie, and great-grandmother Polina did not marry but had children to whom they gave their maiden name – DEMPSEY. Three strong single women raised their families in an era when the rights and privileges of women were limited.

This Post was Updated on 18 September 2022: Missing source citations were added, images were scaled, and some corrections were made to the text and format. Records found by Norma and mentioned in abstracts were located on FamilySearch as the collections are now available to the public. They have been cited in the footnotes. Chancery records for Amherst became available in late 2020. All sources used by Norma have been kept in the text of this post to give her credit for the preliminary work.

Several years after this was published, a new theory on the death of William DEMPSEY was formed as DNA evidence came to light. If you are interested, please continue by reading: Dempsey Research Question Crafted During the Research Planning Magic Challenge written 9 January 2021.

© 2014–2022, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

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1. Virginia Chronicle, a historical archive of Virginia newspapers, providing free access to full-text searching and digitized images of over a million newspaper pages by the Library of Virginia, Lynchburg Virginian, Volume 13, Number 95, 29 June 1835, page 3, column 5. “—–, on the 27th September, 1834, at her residence, Mrs. Martha Dempsey, of Amherst county, Virginia. The papers in the State of Ohio are requested to publish the foregoing, for the information of Mr. William Demspey, the husband of the deceased, who is supposed to be somewhere in that State.” (https://virginiachronicle.com/?a=d&d=LV18350629.1.3 : accessed 7 May 2022). ↩
2. Virginia. County Court (Amherst County), “Order books, 1766-1904,” browse-only images, FamilySearch, citing microfilm of original records at the Amherst County Courthouse in Amherst, Virginia, Order books 1836-1840, 1844-1848 (1840-1844 missing at time of filming), Film 1888563, DGS 8151602, image 27 of 478, page 33, 20 Jun 1836, admin bond for est. of William Dempsey acknowledged by Wilson M Dempsey and Peter Rucker, appraisers appointed. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKJ-3S6W-S?i=26&cat=275660 : accessed 4 February 2022). ↩
3. “Virginia, Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1983,” (index and images), Ancestry, citing original data of Virginia County, District, and Probate Courts, Amherst Will Books, Vol 7-9, 1827-1838 > image 589+590 of 651, Will Book 9, page 315-316, 15 May 1837, Wm Dempsey inventory (accessed 19 January 2018). NOTE: “Virginia, Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1983 > https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9085/ is not available in Ancestry‘s catalog. It is only viewable using a backdoor link. The collection “Virginia, Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1900” is available and searchable at https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62347/ but the quality is poor compared to the first. ↩
4. Virginia. County Court (Amherst County), “Deed books, 1761-1900; general indexes to deed books, 1761-1903,” (database with images), FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1949; citing microfilm of original records at the Amherst County Courthouse in Amherst, Virginia., Film 30294, DGS 8571075, Deed books, v. 1847-1853, image 358 of 509, Deed Book X, page 239-240, 8 Aug 1839, Wilson M, Ceaton Y., Wesley G., Louesia, and Eliza Dempsey to Nelson Hicks, 2 and 3/4 acres. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3Q1-K91D-F?i=357&cat=282807 : accessed 15 May 2022). ↩
5. Virginia, Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1983, Amherst Will Books, Vol 10-12, 1838-1852 > image 191 of 831, Will Book 10, page 368, administrator’s accounts of Wilson M.and Westley G. Dempsey – for the family in 1835. 19 Jul 1841: W. L. Saunders and Pitt Woodroof (accessed 19 January 2018). ↩
6. Ibid., Amherst Will Books, Vol 10-12, 1838-1852 > image 257 of 831, Will Book 11, page 82-83, administrator’s accounts of the estate of Wm Dempsey from 1838-1842, 18 Jul 1842 (accessed 15 May 2022). ↩
7. Amherst County Deeds, Film 30295, DGS 8316258, Deed books, v. Y-Z 1841-1846, image 102 of 623, Deed Book Y, pages 183-184, 16 May 1842, Dempsey to Morgan, 55 acres (1/6 of 330 acres). (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSRY-XQLZ-G?i=101&cat=282807 : accessed 14 May 2022). ↩
8. Ibid., Film 30295, DGS 8316258, Deed books, v. Y-Z 1841-1846, image 388 of 623, Deed Book Z, pages 163-164, 29 May 1844, an indenture: Seaton Y Dempsey of the first, Patrick Drummond of the second, and Wilson M. Dempsey of the third. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSRY-XQ2V-4?i=387&cat=282807 : accessed 14 May 2022). ↩
9. Ibid., Film 30296, DGS 8571076, image 200 of 623, Deed Book AA, page 368, 20 Jan 1845, Drummond to Dempsey, 210 acres, highest bidder on tract, acknowledged 21 March 1849. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3Q1-T9QH-P?i=199&cat=282807 : accessed 10 May 2022). ↩
10. Chancery Records of Virginia, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, Local Government Records Collection, Virginia Memory (https://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/), Amherst Court Records, Amherst County Chancery Causes 1779-1912, W M Dempsey/Wilson M Dempsey v. Isham C Dempsey etc Zachariah Drummond etc, 1848-003 (36 pages). (https://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=009-1848-003 : accessed 28 October 2020). ↩
11. 1830 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8058/), citing Fifth Census of the United States, 1830 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C. NARA microfilm publication M19, 201 rolls, Nara Roll M19_194, FHL Film: 0029673, Virginia, Amherst County, page 506 (double-page spread), line 6, Martha Dempsey (accessed 19 Feb 2013). ↩
12. “Register of marriages, Amherst County, Virginia, 1763-1853” (browse-only images), FamilySearch, citing microfilm of original records at the Virginia State Library in Richmond, Virginia, Film 30273, DGS 7578824, image 724 of 786, Amherst County Register of Marriages, page 437, 5th entry from bottom of page, Aug 1799, William Dempsey and Patsey Landrum married by James Floyd. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89XF-N8P3?i=723 : accessed 21 Jan 2021). ↩
13. Ibid., Film 30273, DGS 7578824, image 392 of 786, Amherst County Register of Marriages, page 106, 21 Dec 1795, Allen Cammeron (sic) and Jane Dempsey (Dempsie in parenthesis above her name), parent or guardian of wife is “Spencer, Thomas” giving consent. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89XF-NZV4?i=391 : accessed 13 September 2022). ↩
14. Ibid., Film 30273, DGS 7578824, image 435 of 786, Amherst County Register of Marriages, page 149, 19 Jan 1801, Tandy Dempsey and Nancy Thompson, securities Charles Thompson and S. Garland. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99XF-NCVQ?i=434 : accessed 13 September 2022). ↩
15. The Virginia Genealogist (magazine), John Frederick Dorman (Editor), Vol. 5-6 (1961-62), page 82. ↩
16. 1810 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7613/), citing Third Census of the United States, 1810 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C. NARA microfilm publication M252, 71 rolls, Roll 66, FHL Film 0181426, image: Vam252_66-0309, Virginia, Amherst County, page 296, line 10, William Dempsey (accessed 31 September 2015). ↩
17. Amherst County Deeds, Film 30289, DGS 8140711, image 547 of 633, Deed Book L, page 367, 15 Jun 1810, Willmore to Dempsey deed. 120 acres. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKW-FQMF-P?i=546&cat=282807 : accessed 10 May 2022). ↩
18. Ibid., Film 30289, DGS 8140711, image 607 of 633, Deed Book L, page 487-488, Devasher to Dempsey, no acres. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKW-FQ9J-P?i=606&cat=282807 : accessed 15 May 2022). ↩
19. Ibid., Film 30289, DGS 8140711, images 606+607 of 633, Deed Book L, page 486-487, 17 Jun 1811, Barrett to Dempsey, 96 acres. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKW-FQ9J-P?i=606&cat=282807 : accessed 10 May 2022). ↩
20. Ibid., Film 30290, DGS 8316257, image 545 of 733, Deed Book N, page 225 (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSRY-XQZM-4?i=544&cat=282807) ↩
21. Ibid., Film 30290, DGS 8316257, image 658 of 733, Deed Book N, page 518 (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSRY-XQH1-F?i=684&cat=282807) ↩
22. 1820 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7734/), citing Fourth Census of the United States, 1820 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M33, 142 rolls, NARA Roll: M33_131, Virginia, Amherst County, page 191 (handwritten), sheet 24 (stamped), line 4, William Dempsey (accessed 19 November 2004). ↩
23. “Virginia, Marriages 1740-1850,” (index-only), Ancestry, citing Dodd, Jordan R., et al., Early American Marriages: Virginia to 1850, Precision Indexing Publishers, Bountiful, Utah. Two marriages are listed: 1. Coleman Dempsey and Elvina Thomas married on 5 March 1827 in Rockbridge County, Virginia, and 2. Coleman Dempsey and Sarah E. Dempsey married on 6 March 1827 in Rockbridge County, Virginia. I am assuming that it is the same marriage and different dates refer to bond, license, and/or return. ↩
24. Amherst Marriages 1763-1853, Film 30273, DGS 7578824, image 589 of 786, Amherst County Register of marriages, page 301, entry 2, 3 Jan 1829, Seaton Y Dempsey and Clementina Gowing, security and witnesses: Landon S. Gowing, Philip Smith Sr., Ro. Tinsley. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99XF-N8WJ : accessed 26 February 2022). ↩
25. Ibid., Film 30273, DGS 7578824, image 647 of 786, Amherst County Register of Marriages, page 359, first entry, 30 Dec 1839, Wilson M. Dempsey and Carolyne Rhoads, father Reuben Rhoads, security or witness Edward Rhoads. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9XF-NZ6Y?i=646 : accessed 26 February 2022). ↩
26. Ibid., Film 30273, DGS 7578824, image 652 of 786, Amherst County Register of Marriages, page 364, 3rd entry, 8 Oct 1840, Simeon A. Burch and Louis Demsey, brother of Louisa: Seaton Y Dempsey, witnesses: John A. Staton, Clementine Dempsey, and W. S. Saunders. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99XF-NZB1?i=651&cat=680855 : accessed 7 May 2022). ↩
27. Ibid., Film 30273, DGS 7578824, image 668 of 786, Amherst County Register of Marriages, page 379, 6th entry, 4 Feb 1843, Patrick H. Rowsey and Eliza Dempsey, Seaton Y Dempsey security. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9XF-NZ8C?i=667&cat=680855 : accessed 7 May 2022). ↩
28. Rockbridge County (Virginia) County Clerk, Birth records, 1853-1896 and marriage records, 1782-1913; general indexes to marriage & birth registers, 1778-1918, FamilySearch, Film 33799 (Item 3), DGS 7579057, Register of marriages (licenses), 1854-1866 (original), image 235 of 329, 1856 Marriage Licenses, right page, 4th entry, license 14 Apr 1856, Wesley G. Dempsey & Marry Hughes married 6 May 1856 by Rev. J. James Largent. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89XF-2BFK?i=234&cat=473852 : accessed 7 May 2022). Note: daughter of Thomas Hughes, deceased, affidavit of A. Entsminger that she is above 21. ↩

William DEMPSEY b. abt. 1779 d. bef. 20 June 1836

This is not a repeat posting of a brick wall. I have two DEMPSEY lines with a William DEMPSEY – both are brick walls.

William DEMPSEY was first seen in Amherst County, Virginia, in 1799 when his mother Susannah DEMPSEY gave consent for his marriage to Patsy LANDRUM [Hurrah! for marriage consents].
He was on the 1800 Tax List and 1810 & 1820 census for Amherst. He bought land in that county in 1810 and is mentioned in land deeds for land that adjoined his property up until 1830.
On 29 June 1835, the “Lynchburg Virginian” published a notice of Martha DEMPSEY’s death on 27 September 1834 with a request for the papers in the state of Ohio to publish the information for Mr. William DEMPSEY, the husband of the deceased, who was supposed to be somewhere in that state. A year later, as William did not return home, a bond was filed making Wilson DEMPSEY the administrator of William DEMPSEY’s estate. The division of the estate was well documented as court records were found from 1836 until 1848 when the suit was discontinued. These records show that his children were Wilson M., Seaton Y., Isham Coleman, Wesley G., Louisa J. (wife of Simeon J. Burch), and Eliza (wife of Patrick H. Rowsey).
Did William go to Ohio with his son Coleman who lived in Ross County, OH, from 1830 until 1854 when the family immigrated to Missouri?
Were Jane DEMPSEY, wife of Allen CAMERON (md. 1795) and Tandy DEMPSEY, husband of Nancy THOMPSON (md. 1801) William’s siblings?
Was William DEMPSEY, a man who had land in Amherst in 1771, the husband of Susannah?
Were John and Jane DEMPSEY, a planter and his wife who lived in Amherst as seen in court records from 1762 to 1768, the parents-in-law of Susannah?
Hopefully, these questions will one day be answered.
A special thank you to Norma Dempsey for sharing the court and land records!

© 2013, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.