NINTH GENERATION

458. Ephraim Roper (117) was born in 1687 in Sudbury, Massachusetts. He died on Feb 16 1730 in Worchester, Massachusetts. Ephraim Roper was captured by Indians at the second Lancaster Massacre in which his mother and father and one sister perished. He lived with the Indians for two years until he was ransomed and returned.

He lived in Sudbury, Massachusetts, where his first four children were born, until 1721 when the family moved to Worcester. From Oct 14 to Nov 28 1722, Roper was employed as a "sentinel, to keep garrison, or range the woods" for the protection of the settlement. Undoubtedly his youthful experience with the Indians was no small help in this task.

On Mar 21 1729 the sixteen tax payers of Worcester were assessed for a road to be built to Marlborough. Roper's assessment as two shillings, nine pence. The largeset assessment was for one pound ten shillings.

He was a farmer and died in an accident in the woods. He was buried on the east side of the Common, and his gravestone read:

Here lies Buri'd ye Body of
Ephraim Roper
who departed this life February ye 16, A.D. 1730,
in ye 43d year of his age. He was married to Sybillah Moore in 1714 in Sudbury, Massachusetts.

459. Sybillah Moore(117) was born on Sep 2 1694 in Sudbury, Massachusetts. She died on May 25 1750 in Oxford, Massachusetts. An interesting letter from Sybillah Moore to her daughter Priscilla survives.

"Louing son and dafter, these are to inform you that I am yet at Father Moore's and am not well, I have the fever and ague, I have not been well all this spring if you could you come down next fall if I am able I will com up with you. I have sent by the bearer hereof som camlet to make you a quilt, and a pair of stokins, I desire above all things that you mind the good of your souls, more than for the things of this world, and I desire the same of your two sisters, and be often thinking of your diing day, and let not the world steal your hearts from God--for I know not that whether I shall ever see you again.

"And hannah I desire that you be very careful that you do not keep bad company, but studdy the word of God, which is able to make you wise to salvation. Do not mis to read a chapter very day, my daughter star, remember how God raised you even from the mouth of the grave, and give God the prayes and never forget his mercy to you, and make thankful returns to God for the the same. Son Star I desire that you right to me by Mr. Shadtuck, and tell me how your wife does, my harts desire and prayer is that you may be saved--and Rest your loving

"Mother Sibbel Chamberlain"

Neither her spelling nor her punctuation would have caused the slightest comment in her day, as the regularization of both was a product of the age of the dictionary, just then dawning. It is also interesting to note that there was no regular postal system at that time except in the cities. As cable television is slowly spreading out from the cities in the late twentieth century, so in the mid-eighteenth was regular postal service. Until it got there, letters were entrusted to whomever was travelling in the right direction.

Camlet, to save you the trouble of looking it up--although this is the age of the dictionary--is a type of stiff cloth woven from camel's hair or an imitation of this type of cloth. In this case, presumably, it was the latter. Children were:

child i. Mary Roper was born on May 20 1715.
child ii. Ephraim Roper was born on Oct 21 1716. He died on Dec 5 1793.
child229 iii. Priscilla Roper.
child iv. Sybillah Roper was born on Mar 6 1720.
child v. Abigail Roper was born on Mar 11 1722.
child vi. Ruth Roper was born on Jan 14 1724.
child vii. John Roper was born on Oct 27 1725.
child viii. Nathaniel Roper was born on Mar 2 1727.
child ix. Hannah Roper was born on Mar 3 1729.
child x. Daniel Roper was born on Oct 2 1730. He died on Feb 27 1821.

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