James Roper

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE:

James Roper, (son of James Roper, farmer, and Sarah Snell) b. 1830, bapt on 2 July 1830 in Whitechurch Canonicorum,, Dorset. James Roper farmer married (1) Sarah Ann Durrant, a daughter of Silas Durrant, farmer, in Whitechurch Canonicorum, in Bridport district on November 7th., 1852, ( BMD ref 5a / 841) and had 7 children, all probably baptized in Whitechurch Canonicorum; Sarah Ann was born in Whitechurch C. about 1828; she was bp. in W.C. on April 6th., 1828, a daughter of Silas Durrant and Sarah, his wife. In the 1861 census James 29 was described as a flax merchant. In 1865 / 66, James was a beneficiary from the estate of his Aunt Sarah Farwell Roper. Sarah Ann Roper died in Bridport district in Q3 of 1864.

At the 1871 census, James 39, widower, was a dealer in Whitechurch C. James married (2) Ellen Scadden on March 20th., 1873, in Marshwood, in Beaminster district (BMD ref: 5a / 538) and they had 12 children; Ellen had been born in Chideock about 1844. In the Whitechurch C. 1881 census, James was an agricultural labourer, 50, living in “Cockwell” with Ellen 37 and eight children; same place for the 1891 census, James 60, general dealer, Ellen 46 and 10 children. In the 1901 census in Whitechurch Canonicorum, James 70 was a general labourer, living with Ellen 56, a net braider, Job 27, single, a thatcher, and Mabel 13. James 71 died in about Q3 of 1901, in Bridport district.

Peter D. Ferreira.
Toronto, Canada.
August 2022.