Captain And Brevet Major John L. Roper, U.S.V.

Captain And Brevet Major John L. Roper, the son of Richard Bryham and Esther Ann Roper, was born October 9, 1835, in the village of Greenwood, now called Belleville, in a beautiful valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains, known as "Big Valley," Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. His father died when he was only nine months old, leaving him and an elder brother and sister dependent upon their mother for support, and most nobly and heroically did she battle with the difficulties and trials with which she had to contend until the children were able to contribute to their own support, which was at a very early age, the subject of this sketch beginning his career as a wage-earner when only eight years old. He was, on this account, necessarily deprived of the advantage to be derived from a good education, and was only permitted to attend a few winter sessions of the public school, and thereafter such as he was able to acquire himself while engaged in the various positions which he filled. He was given a position in a store when thirteen years old. A year afterwards he was given charge of the same store, which position he held for six years. He was then placed in charge of the books of the same company, and remained in that position until the spring of 1857, at which time he made the trip by water to California.

Upon arriving there he determined to take the chances of the mines, and, armed with pick and shovel, adopted the life of a miner after the precious metals. It would require more space than can be spared to relate his various fortunes and adventures during his sojourn in California; but suffice it to say, that after four years of ups and downs in a varied experience, he found himself in circumstances such as would admit of a visit, as then intended, to his native State to see his honored mother, who was still living and the object of great solicitude upon his part. He left San Francisco in the early spring of 1861, on his way to the Atlantic States. He found, upon arriving at his native place, that the excitement consequent upon the rebellion of the Southern States was running high, and, conceiving it to be his duty to respond to the call for troops, he enlisted as a private in what was first organized as Harlan's Light Cavalry, afterwards the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry from having a majority of: Pennsylvanians in it.

At the close of the war he married Lydia H. Bowen, of Philadelphia, and settled in the city of Norfolk, Virginia, engaged in business, where he still resides and continues actively engaged in the same, being identified with large interests in Virginia and North Carolina, the head of the well-known firm of John L. Roper Lumber Company-Major Roper has a family consisting of five children, three sons and two daughters.

Source: Officers of the Volunteer Army and Navy who served in the Civil War, published by L.R. Hamersly & Co., 1893, 419 pgs.

Related Links:

• Civil War Records
• Civil War Microfilm at the National Archives
• Roper Surname