It's interesting how researching one's family history can take all kinds of twists and turns. Records can sometimes show up in the oddest of spots. Recently, a friend was walking along a street in Christiansburg, Virginia, when she spotted an old photograph laying on the sidewalk near a dumpster.
She picked up the photo, and it was of Fleming Smith Roop, and his wife Sarah Ann Hall. She took the photo home and safely tucked it away. Awhile later, she shared with friends about her finding the photo. Word soon got back to me that this photo was of Fleming Roop and his wife, Sarah. I got a call a few nights ago from my friend Kathy. When Kathy told me of the photo, she commented to me, "Don't you have Roop's in your family line? Do you know a Fleming Roop?" I replied that yes, Roop's were one of my family lines, but the name Fleming was not familiar. After a bit more conversation, I hung up the phone, eager to see if this Fleming Roop tied into my family line.
It did! Fleming Smith Roop is the son of Joseph Roop, grandson of Heinrich (Henry) Rupe of Montgomery County, Virginia. Joseph Roop and my third great grandmother Catherine "Caty"
Roop were brother and sister. Fleming would be Caty's nephew!
In my further research on Fleming, I learned that he was a Civil War Veteran; having served in the 11th Virginia Infantry. He was in many of the major battles of that war, including the bloodiest battle at Antietam, where he was wounded. He was part of Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg, and one of five out of his regiment of sixty-seven to survive the battle. After the war, he returned home to Montgomery County, Virginia; where he married Sarah Ann Hall. They were the parents of eleven children. Fleming died on 7 December 1908, in Snowville, Pulaski County, Virginia. He is buried on the old Rupe homeplace in Riner, Virginia.
