Family Roper

Thomas Roper (ship's carpenter) married Susan Walsh. Family history relates the following about their son William Henry Roper:

"He sailed out of Liverpool, said to be about ten years of age and it's said that he sailed on his uncle's ship, bound for Rio de Janiero. He returned to England, sailed repeatedly and finally jumped ship at Adelaide, off the "Derwent" in 1853 and ten years later married Agnes Margaret Shortridge. W H Roper is said to have had two older sisters; one is said to have married Robert Boyle, the first Governor of India and the other is said to have had some connection with a Lieutenant Hobson, who settled in Canada and who sank a ship to blockade a harbour during the Spanish-American wars. Hobson may have been a blood relative of W H Roper."

William Henry Roper married (1) 14.5.1863 at Neuarpur Victoria to Agnes

Margaret Shortridge, daughter of John Shortridge (bookmaker); and Agnes Hall both born in Scotland

* Agnes (Kate) Roper married Walter Hockey

* John (Tom) Thomas Roper married Olive Chaston, daughter of Daniel Chaston, born 18.10.1829 and died 21.8.1900, married on 15.2.1856 to Mary Ann Munn born 15.6.1841 and died 27.8.1919, (Note: Olive's brother John Chaston married Louisa Light, daughter of Colonel William Light, the Surveyor General of Adelaide, South Australia.

A sister of Olive Chaston, Harriet Esther Chaston, born 15.6.1868, married George Munn (see elsewhere in this book for further details)

Evelyn Munn

Tommy Munn

Dave Munn

Bert Munn

Cecil Munn

Herbert Munn

* Janet (Jess) Matilda Roper married Frederick James Spurrell

William Henry Roper married (2) at Edenhope Victoria Christina Maria Chaston (needle-woman on the station at the time) and daughter of John Chaston and Sarah Self

* Elizabeth Roper married Thomas White

* Mary Edith Roper married Frederick Lawless

* William Henry Roper married Catherine Frances Howlett

* Christine Roper (died young)

* Ernest George Roper married Amelia (Millie) Pilven, nee Kerr in the 8th Light Horse Regiment W.W.I

* Henrietta Roper married David Shilcock

* Alexander McLeod Roper married Clarice Rankine in the 4th Light Horse Regiment W.W.I

* Herbert Francis Roper married Jessie Euphemia Hope

The first mention of William Henry Roper coming to Dergholm appeared on his application for a "licence to occupy", dated 18th March 1871. His selection of 320 acres, took in part of Salt Creek and to the Glenelg River. His house consisted of dressed slabs and bark roof 30 feet by 14 feet, built at a a cost of forty pounds. (quote from "The Temiangandgeen Country" (1973) by Alistair D Roper).

The Roper family was a farming family. William Henry Roper insisted on all pulling together, including the girls, but when his son, William Henry Roper (Junior) was old enough he stuck up for the girls saying that they should only work around the home and to leave the farm work for the boys.

Source: Alistair D. Roper