Martin Raper (abt. 1797 - aft. 1870)

Born about 1797 in North Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died after 1870 after about age 73 in Lee County, Mississippi

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Biography

Time-Line for Martin Raper

1797 Martin RAPER born, in North Carolina. He married Nancy Jane BAILEY before 1820 in North Carolina. He died after1870 in Guntown, Lee County, Mississippi.

^[1]

1820 Johnston County, North Carolina Census

May1821; Johnston County, NC; Martain (sp) Raper, buyer at Noel Rentfrow estate sale;^[2]

August 22, 1821; Estate of Noel Rentfrow, dec'd; amount of estate: $121.17; Vouchers in the hands of the executors: Cash paid to: Stephen Grice, Micael Oeim, Jethro Harrison, John Spele, Josiah Hinnant, Jr.; Absolem Farmer, Horn & Guions, Martain Raper, Stephen Grice, Stephen Grice, Hardy Richardson, James Parker ^[3] August 15, 1822; Martin Raper, buyer, Hardy Thorn Estate sale; and axe for 87 cents; ^[4]

Nov 1825 Jury Duty, ^[5]

17 Dec 1827; with others laid off and allotted to Penny Bailey her dower in the lands belonging to Arthur Baily, decd.;240 A. Johnston Co. NC.^[6]

1830 Johnston Co. NC Census.

22 May 1838; ^[7] M.B.Raper and R.Bissitt,chain carriers, and Henry Mardoffs, M.; for Lindsey Rucker, surveyor.Cert #215 BLC of Washington Co. East Waters of the Middle Yegua

18 May 1838 (p. 84), same as above, Cert # 90 BLC of Houston Co. East Waters of the Middle Yegua

9 June 1838 (p.85), same as above Cert #? BLC of Austin Co.

11 May 1842; Itawamba Co.MS. Land purchase from John & Jane Brown ^[8] 8 Sept 1852 ; Itawamba Co. MS; 160 A. from J.T. Covey to Martin Raper. $250. ^[9]

27 Feb 1849; , Chain Carrier for Coleman Robinson,surveyor, Owner, Louis Johnson; Jubilee Bamitt (Barritt)other chain carrier. Itawamba Co. MS.^[10]

Transfer of land to Henderson H. Raper, 21 Jan 1853, E1/2SE1/4 S22 T7 R6E, Itawamba Co. MS; P. 371 ;^[11]

November 19, 1862; Martin made oath that he is the father of Robinson Raper, Dec'd, late private in Co. E. 2nd Reg. Mississippi Volunteers.

Richmond, Va; Affadavit by M.Raper appointing Henderson Raper his attorney to collect money due his son Robertson Raper, deceased, for service to Confederate Army. ^[12]

May 23, 1831; Administration of the estate on John Baily, decd, is granted to Jessee Baily who entered into bond in the sum of $4000 with John Rains and Martin Raper, his securities and qualified agreeable to law. ^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ Determined from 1820,1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, and 1870 U. S. Census
2. ↑ Johnston County, NC 1821-22 Record of Estates p. 49
3. ↑ Johnston Co. NC Estate Records; photocopy; See p. 193.
4. ↑ Johnston County, NC 1821-22 Record of Estates; p.22.
5. ↑ Johnston Co.NC Court Min Bk. XII
6. ↑ Johnston Co. NC Land Book 2, p. 139.
7. ↑ MILAM CO. TX RECORDS,Vol II, Martin and Hill; Waco, TX 1968; p.80; (p.86);
8. ↑ Bk 10, p.585.N1/2 NE 1/4 S36 T7R R6E
9. ↑ Bk.9, P.161
10. ↑ Plat B. I, 1839-1901;pp234-35
11. ↑ Deed Record book No. 9 pp 371-372;
12. ↑ Affadavit dated 19 Nov 1862.
13. ↑ Johnston Co. NC Court of Pleas and quarter Sessions; P. 15

May 23, 1831, Johnston Co. NC Court of Pleas and quarter Sessions; P. 15

No biography yet.^[14] Can you add information or sources?

Research notes

For many years members of the Raper family of Mississippi could not prove their lineage beyond Martin Raper who was born 1797 in North Carolina. All evidence pointed to Robertson Raper (d. 1836) as Martin’s father, but no documents could be located to prove the relationship.

Martin moved from North Carolina to Itawamba Co. MS before Robertson Raper died 8 May 1836 in Johnston County, NC. and was not named in Robertson’s will. Although there were many indications that he was the son of Robertson and Nancy Weeks Raper, there was no paper trail.

The answer to the riddle came when DNA testing became available.

Five previously unacquainted males bearing the surname Raper created a DNA project which began with the goal to prove that the Raper family and the Roper family were separate families. All of these men represented direct lines of ancestry through different sons from one ancestor: John Raper who was born about 1660, in Albemarle, VA. All but Martin’s line had documentary proof of their lineage.

With five different lines participating, the results could be validated.

The attached chart is color-coded to show the different lines. All had the surname of Raper, but to maintain privacy, first names of the men who were tested are replaced by numbers.

Testers #3 AND #4 had identical results

Tester #1 differed from the others by two markers.

Tester #2 differed from the others by one marker.

Tester #5 differed from the others by one marker.

These DNA results allowed the Martin Raper descendants to relate to Robertson, Henry, and John Raper.

DAR accepted the results as proof of lineage for membership.

Sources

1. ↑ Determined from 1820,1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, and 1870 U. S. Census
2. ↑ Johnston County, NC 1821-22 Record of Estates p. 49
3. ↑ Johnston Co. NC Estate Records; photocopy; See p. 193.
4. ↑ Johnston County, NC 1821-22 Record of Estates; p.22.
5. ↑ Johnston Co.NC Court Min Bk. XII
6. ↑ Johnston Co. NC Land Book 2, p. 139.
7. ↑ MILAM CO. TX RECORDS,Vol II, Martin and Hill; Waco, TX 1968; p.80; (p.86);
8. ↑ Bk 10, p.585.N1/2 NE 1/4 S36 T7R R6E
9. ↑ Bk.9, P.161
10. ↑ Plat B. I, 1839-1901;pp234-35
11. ↑ Deed Record book No. 9 pp 371-372;
12. ↑ Affadavit dated 19 Nov 1862.
13. ↑ Johnston Co. NC Court of Pleas and quarter Sessions; P. 15
14. ↑ Raper-323 was created by Beryl Jacobs through the import of Moreland Family Tree.ged on Mar 13, 2015. This comment and citation should be deleted after a short biography has been added and primary sources have been cited.

MILAM CO.TX RECORDS,Vol II,Martin and Hill;Waco,TX 1968;p.80; (p.86);

1820 Census for Johnston County, NC. 1830 Census for Johnston County, NC 1840 Census for Cherokee County, AL 1850 Census for Itawamba County, MS 1860 Census for Itawamba County, MS 1870 Census for Lee County, MS