Walter Roper, of Hampton & Ipswich

• Not the son of John Roper, {Fictional}
• Not a known brother of John Roper, of Lancaster

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Leslie Mahler, FASK and Nathan W Murphy, AG, The English Ancestry of Alice Reynolds Wife of John1 Roper of Dedham, Massachusetts. , in The American Genealogist (TAG). (Donald Lines Jacobus, et.al.), 85:222-34, July 2011.

The authors review the research published by Lyman Mower and Ella E Roper and note that they and Robert Charles Anderson find them unreliable. They state unequivocally that that the elder John Roper in their books was not only not the father of this John Roper (or Walter Roper) but he did not exist!

Biography

He married Susannah "Susan" 1616 – 1680 in England.

Children:

1) Benjamin Roper – 1675 was killed in King Philip's War no heirs

2) Mary Roper 1641 – 1712 m John Sparks 1634 – 1706 (children see below)

3) Sarah Roper 1645 – unmarried

4) Elizabeth Roper 1648 – 1691 m John DUTCH 1646 – 1685

5) John Roper 1649 – 1709 m Anna Caldwell 1661 – 1721 (children see below)

6) Nathaniel Roper 1650 – unmarried

There are extensive court records to prove this.

http://www.sparksfamilyassn.org/pages/164-A.html

"Your editor deeply regrets that, like a number of other genealogists before him, he served to perpetuate in print (in the June 1977 issue of the Quarterly) inaccurate information regarding the family of John Sparks of Ipswich. He based that article on secondary sources which he identified in that article, but which he now realizes contain serious errors. In our 1977 article, we relied upon three secondary sources regarding the identity of the mother of the children of John Sparks of colonial Ipswich. Each of these sources pertained to the Perkins family. The first is a small volume published in 1896 in Salem, Massachusetts, and entitled Ancestry of Nathan Dane Dodge ... written by Mary A. (Dodge) Parsons, pp. 27-8. The second source is Vol. 2 of the Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine, page 669, and the third is Vol. 7, page 175, of this same magazine, also devoted to the Perkins family. It is probable that these two later sources simply repeated the statement made by Mary A. (Dodge) Parsons in 1896 regarding the identity of John Sparks's wife and the names of their children. (She had made this statement in giving the ancestry of the daughter of John Sparks named Elizabeth, who was married to Jacob Perkins in Ipswich on December 25, 1684.) We believe that Mrs. Parsons simply assumed that the wife of John Sparks, who appeared in a number of Ipswich records, was the Mary Sinnet married to John Sparks in Boston in 1661. It was a coincidence that Mary Roper not only had the name "Mary," but that her father's name was Walter, as was that of Mary Sinnet. The Elizabeth Sparks who was married to Jacob Perkins in 1684 was a daughter of John and Mary (Roper) Sparks.We have obtained from the Probate and Family Court of Essex County, Massachusetts, in which county Ipswich is located, photographic copies of a number of original documents which prove that the wife of John Sparks of Ipswich, who was the mother of the John's six children noted earlier, was a daughter of Walter Roper who was a resident of Ipswich as early as 1642. One of those documents, that will be quoted later, is the will of Walter Roper in which he identified Mary as his daughter and her six children (all named Sparks) as his grandchildren.."

The will of Walter Roper, father of Mary (Roper) Sparks:

In the name of god amen, I Walter Roper of Ipswich in Newengland being at this present time of perfit understanding & memory though weake in body comiting my soull into the hands of almighty god & my body to deasent buriall in hope of Resorection to eternal life by the power & merit of Jesus Christ, my most mersyfulle savior & redemer, doe thus dispos of the temporal estate that god hath graciasly given me.

Imprimis I give to Susan my wiffe the bed she layeth on with all that belongeth too it, with liberty to dispose of it as she pleaseth amongst my Children at her death; my will is that my sonn John shall maintaine my wiffe Conveniantly Comfortable in diet & Clothis;

& also that my wiffe shall have haife the fruit of my orchard, & also the use of the roome she now lodgeth in which is the parlor, & also the use of the rest of the rooms of the hous that I leave to my sonn John for her nesesary ocations, & if it shall faale out that my wiff doth not like her waye of living, then my will is that my wiffe shall have the use of my household goods, alonge with my sonn John; & allso my sonn John Shall maintaine her one Cow & four sheep, winter & somer, & if any one of th111 miscary, he to put another in the roome of it; also to Kepe her one hogg yearly & also to find her nessesary firewood and a horse for her necessary use, & also paye to her therre pounds a yeare, one haife in wheet & mault, the other half in Indian corn, all marchantable, all which she shall injoye so longe as she shall remaine a widdo;

also if my wiffe shall marrye, my sonn John shall paye to my widdo fouer pounds a year, and be freed from all the particulars above expressed.

I give to my sonn Nath^### [Nathaniel] four accers of marsh I bought of Nehemiah Jewet or twenty pounds in Currant pay® after my wiffes desseas, also half my Carpenters tooles at my desseas, also eight pounds, foure pounds of it to be p^### within one year after my wiffs desseas, & foure pounds foure years after my wiffes deseas.

I give to my dafter Mary five pounds to be p^### one half within one yeare after my wiffes decceas, & the other haife foure years after my wiffes decceas.

I give to my dafter Elizabeth five pounds to be p^### one haife one year after my wiffes decceas, & the other haife foure years after my wiffes decceas.

I give to my dafter Sarah tenn pounds to be pd one haife one yeare after my wiffes decceas, & the other haife fourer years after my wiffes decceas.

I give to my grandchild Elizabeth Sparks five pounds to be p^### at the age of twenty one years.

I give grandchildren Susan, Margarit, Rose & Sarah Sparks twenty shillings a pecce to be p^### at the age of twenty one years.

I give my grandchild John Sparks forty shilings to be pd at the age of twenty one years.

I give my grandchild John Duch [Dutch] forty shilings to be pd at the age of twenty one years; & also to my grandchildren Elizabeth & Susan Duch [Dutch] twenty shilings apecce to be p° at the age of twenty one years.

I do apoint my loving trends John Deneson, Senr. , John Brewer, Senr. , & John Whipple, Senr. of Ipswich the overseers of this my last will & testament & I doe hereby give them power to determin any differancs that maye arise betwen my executor & any of the Legatates aforesaid abought the payments afores^###. I doe ordaine & appoint my Sonn John Roper my sole executor of this my last will & testement, to whome I give all the rest of my estate, both houses, lands & Cattle, goods of alsorts, & depts from whomsoever due unto him [&] his heyers forever. In Confirmation whereof I have heruntoe sett my hand & sealle this fivetenth of July 1680 in pressents of

This will proved in court at Ipswich the 28 of Sept 1680. To be the last will & testament of Walter Roper by the oath of Capt John Whipple & John Denison to the best [of] there knowledge and that he was of a disposeing mynd, as attest

Note: John Dutch died on November 6, 1685, leaving his widow, Elizabeth (Roper) Dutch, with six children

The will of his son John Roper

http://www.sparksfamilyassn.org/pages/164-A.html

"In reading the will of John Roper (Essex Co. Probate File 24141), it should be kept in mind that in Colonial America, nieces and nephews were frequently referred to as one's "cousins." Thus, Benjamin Dutch, whom John Roper called "my cousin," was actually the only surviving son of his sister, Elizabeth (Roper) Dutch. Two nieces of his wife whom he named as heirs, Sarah Cauldwell and Mary Foster, were identified by his adding the names of their fathers (John Cauldwell and Jacob Foster, brothers-in-law of John Roper). The six married women whom John Roper named as heirs, whom he identified simply as "my Cousens above named," were his neices, i.e. daughters of his sisters, Mary Sparks and Elizabeth Dutch. He made no mention of his sister, Sarah Roper, who had doubtless died, unmarried, before 1709. His niece, Elizabeth (Sparks) Perkins, oldest child of John and Mary (Roper) Sparks, had died on April 10, 1692, so there was no mention of her in John Roper's will."

"Four of the six "other cousens" named by John Roper in his will were daughters of his sister, Mary Sparks. They were: Susannah (Sparks) Annable, Margaret (Sparks) White, Rose (Sparks) Newman, and Sarah (Sparks) Newman. Susannah Kinsman and Hannah Fellows were the only surviving daughters of John Roper's deceased sister, Elizabeth (Roper) Dutch. Thus did John Roper provide an inheritance for each of his living nieces at the time of his death. (His niece, Elizabeth (Dutch) Ringe, wife of Isaac Ringe, had died on May 3, 1700.)"

"Notably missing among the cousins named by John Roper in 1709 was his nephew, John Sparks, Jr. , the only son and youngest child of John and Mary (Roper) Sparks, who had been mentioned by his grandfather, Walter Roper, in his will in 1680. John Sparks, Jr. had probably died between 1680 and 1709, although there is the possibility that John Roper excluded him simply because John was no longer living in the Ipswich area."

"Following is the full text of John Roper's will as copied from a photographic copy of the original which is preserved in file 24141 of the Essex County Probate Court. Spelling and capitalization of the original have been retained, but the "thorn" has been changed to "th," and some punctuation has been added."

   (In the Name of God, Amen)

I John Roper of Ipswich Living Living [sic] in the provinc of the Mathatusets Bay In Newengland, being very 111 and Weak of Body, Tho of Perfict Mind and Memory, Prais be given Therefore to Almighty God, do make. Constitute and ordain This my Psent Last Will and Testament in maner and Form Following (This is to say) First and Prinsipally, I commend my Soul into the Hands of Almighty God, Hopping Throw The Merit, Death & Passion of my Saviour Jesus Christ, to have Free and full Pardon and Forgiveness of my sins, and to Inherit Everlasting Life, And my Body I commit to the Earth to be Decently Buried at the Discresion of my Executrix here after Named, And as Touching the Disposition of all such Tempera! Estate as it hath pleased God to bestow Upon me I give and Dispose There of as Followeth
Imp1'. I will that my Debts and Funeral Charges be Paid and Discharged.
Item I Give unto my Loving and well beloved wife Anna Roper all the Goods she brought with her that was property hers before our mariage. I Give to my sd wife all my Linning of all sorts in my House, Also I Give to my s^### wife Twenty Pounds to be at her sole Dispose in whatso ever she shal se Good to Receive it in, out of Any part of my moveable Estate, and also all my books I bought sine our mariage. I give to my Wife the Sole Use and Improvment of all my Estate Booth Real and Personal During The time of her Remaining my widdow; And if my s" Wife stands in Need of Further supply for her mentainance, I give her Leave to sell of my lands, viz: a salt marsh Lott which my Father Purchest of M1' Jewit with a Pees of Thachbarick Lying neer sd march which I use to Improve with it. And also my Land I bought of Thomas and Jeremian Dow8, [Dowse or Dowsett] And my Pasture Land Adjoining to Land of M1' Tuthles [Tuttle]; and in considerition my s^### wife stands in Futher Nesessity During the time of her Remaining my Widdow, I Give her Leave to sell Anny Part of my Lands, she First haveing had advice therin of Samuel Hart, Dillingam Caldwell & Nathaniel Knowlton or any two of them, and If anny two of the sd three should die then som other meet Person be Chosen to Joine with the sirviver in giving there advice in the Disposal of my Lands in case of Necessity as afore s^###; my will is my s^### wife shall Keep my Manssion House in Good Repair during the time of her Improvment of the same.
Item I Give to my Cousin Benjamin Dutch my Saltmarsh Lott I Bought of John Pengry [Pingery] with the Pees of Thatch Barck I purchist of the committe which was the Towns, Also I Give A Part of my Lott to s6 Dutch Lying at Reedy march Bridge, Bounded as Followeth: Beginning at the corner next to Wattles Aig[?] Neack, From thenc Extending upon a Straight line To A Lopt white Oake Tree which is the Bounds betwen Zacaas Newmarch & my Land, stil Extending upon a Straight Line til it comes to the Path or Hundred Roade, to him and to his Hairs for ever, in consideration all is to be Submitted to the Intention of my wives Improvement and Sale of s^### Land as a fore s^###; And in Consideration that my s" wives Necessity Requires it, I Give to her Full Pour, Right and Lawful Athority to make and Execute Deeds of Convaiance of my Lands as Afore sd. I will that all the Residue of my Estate, booth Real and personal. Excepting what is above Given, Be disposed of as Followeth.
Item I give to my cousin Benjamin Dutch the Right of Redemption of all my Housing and Lands; If sd Benjamin Take up with the Right of Redemption, and In Consideration that my wife doth not live to Spend any part of my Lands, I give unto my Sister Sparks, Susannah Annable, Margerit White, Rose Newman, Sary Newman, Susannah Kinsman, to Each of them Twenty pounds, and unto Hannah Fellows Twenty Five pounds. But if my s^### wife should spend any Part of my Land, I Give to the Forenamed Sister Sparks, Susannah Annable, Margrit White, Rose Newman, Sarah Newman, Susannah Kinsman but Tenn Pounds each of them, & to Hannah Fellows Fifteen Pounds. My sister Sparks is to Receive one moyety in the first year after my Executor Enters upon his Executorship [and] any the other moyety or half part is to be paid to her with in two years, And the Rest of my Cousens above named are to Receive their Legacies one half with in two years and the other half part within four years as aforesaid; But if my s" cousin Benjamin Dutch should Renounce the Right of Redemption, I give unto him a Double Portion out of all my Estate booth Real and personal, Excepting what is above Given; and the Rest to be Equally Divided amungst the Rest above Named Excepting Hannah Fellows to whom I give five pounds more then to the Rest. I give unto my two Cousins, Sarah Cauldwell, Daughter [of] Jn° Cauldwell, and to Mary Foster, Daughter of Jacob Foster, Smith, to Each of them Fourty shillings; my will is that if my wife should dye my widdow, that her Fueral Charges be paid out of my Estate.
Finally I do Appoint, Constitute and Ordain my Loving and well beloved wife to be the Executrix of this my Last will and testament dureing the time of her Remaining my widdow. And after my sd wifes Deces or mariage, I do constitute and Appoint my Loving cozin Benjamin Dutch to be the Executor of this my Last will and Testament, and I do here by Revoke, Disanul, and make void all other Former wills by me heretofore made, and for the confirmation of this my Last will and Testament, I, John Roper, have hereto set my hand and seal this 22 day of November in the yeur of our Lord one thousand seven Hundred and Nine.
signd, seall and Declard to be my
Last will and Testament in prenc of witnesses
== Sources ==

1. The most up-to-date source for Walter Roper: http://www.sparksfamilyassn.org/pages/164-A.html
2. https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/12/surname-saturday-rop...
3. https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Walter_Roper_(2)
4. WikiTree contributors, "Walter Roper (1614-1680)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Roper-772 : accessed 04 April 2024). Lists as Born 1614 in New Buckenham, Norfolk, , England without source. cites:
   1. The most up-to-date source for Walter Roper: http://www.sparksfamilyassn.org/pages/164-A.html
   2. New Hampshire Probate Records, 1635-1717, Vol. 1, New Hampshire State Papers Series (1907) (Rumford Printing Co., Concord, NH, 1907) Vol. 31, Page 53.
   3. "Guardianship of Joseph Palmer granted to his brother, Christopher Palmer of Hampton, and Walter Roper of Ipswich, Mass., Oct. 8, 1661."
   4. The Ropers of Sterling and Rutland, by Ella E. Roper (East Orange, N.J.: F.H. Colvin, 1904). https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89064848112&view=1up&seq=7