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DEATH TAKES C.R. ROPER, OF OAKDALE

(Unavoidably omitted last week)

Charles R Roper died December 13 in the OAKDALE community, where he was born and spent his entire years.

A farmer and singing school teacher, he was the son of Joshua and Mrs. Eliza Jones Roper and was born September 16, 1866. he was married to Mrs Delia Rowland, who survives, 62 years ago. He was a member of the Pentecostal Assembly of God Church.

Survivors, in addition to his widow, include six daughters, Miss Flora Roper, Mrs Alex Pendergrass, Mrs. Texie Reeves, Mrs. Charlie Bateman, and Mrs Wyile Pendergrass, all of Franklin, Route 3, and Mrs. Glenn Williamson, Monticello, Ga.; Four sons, Austin Roper, of Norfolk, Va., Charlie Y., of Columbia, S.C., Ernest, of Monticello, Ga., and Raleigh, of Franklin, Route 3; one brother, Sim Roper, of Andrews; one sister, Mrs. Addie Woodbury, of Asheville; 43 grandchildren, and 69 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held last Wednesday afternoon at the home, with the Rev. Fred Sorrells officiating, and burial was in the OAKDALE Cemetery. Arrangements were under the direction of Potts Funeral Home.

- The Franklin Press, 22 Dec 1949

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Charles Richardson "Charlie" Roper was born in Macon County, NC, the son of James Roper, Jr. And Margaret Tallent.

Charles "Charlie" Roper was 21 when he married Delia Caroline "Deely" Rowland, age 18, by A. B. Thomas, M.G. in Macon County, NC. He is listed as "Charles" here and on the census some years.

He was known as "Charlie" or "C.R."

Charlie and Deely lived in the Burningtown area of Macon County where they raised their children. His obituary says he lived in Oakdale community "where he was born, died, and spent his entire years." (Franklin Press)

He was a member of the Pentecostal Assembly of God Church.

He was a farmer and also led a singing school at Burningtown, NC. He used a tuning fork to teach the right tone to the singers taking lessons in his school. The family has one story how he wrote a song in 1924 and recorded it at Columbus Recording Studio in Atlanta, GA on November 21, 1927, "We Are On the Sea of Life." However, he didn't have the money to pay the recording company for the singles records and they bought the rights to the song, apparently he didn't realize his name would not be on the song as the writer, now that song has "Angel and Sloan" as the author/writer of it and it's a well known Southern Gospel song. He was out plowing the field when his wife came running with a letter to tell him the good news that God provided the means to pay for the records. It is important to note: some older great-grandchildren have refuted that he wrote this song but said he recorded it. They gave more details of the trip too and were very knowledgeable; they said the recording studio was in Georgia which was a long ways with a horse and wagon so they camped out at night along the way. Because of that, they did not take their instruments as there wouldn't be enough room in the wagon.

The Roper Family Singers were:

Charlie singing lead

His son Raleigh singing bass

His son Ernest singing tenor

His daughter Flora "Florrie" singing alto.

Link to a soundtrack of this record:

https://archive.org/details/78_on-the-sea-of-life_ropers-mountain-singers_gbia0439025b

Side 2: https://archive.org/details/78_when-i-walked-the-streets-of-gold_ropers-mountain-singers_gbia0439025a

See wife's obit for info on their children.

At the time of his death he was survived by one brother, Sim Roper of Andrews, NC and one sister, Mrs. Addie Woodbury of Asheville, NC.

See transcribed obit at the top of this BIO.

Other facts:

*He owned 150 acres of land in Macon County, NC.

*He conducted a singing school in Burningtown, Macon County, NC and also in Swain County, NC. Singing schools were popular in his day and competitions were held.

*When he was elderly, he had a stroke which resulted in atypical Parkinsonism (not Parkinson's disease but it made him unable to walk properly so he was in a wheelchair). Older family members relayed to me this and it fits pictures and his death record later on.

*Obviosly, he was a gifted musician and teacher, he had a reputation for being one if the best singing teachers around.

*His father was a Confederate soldier.

*Mountain Links*