334
VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
the class of 1891, in the following year re-
ceiving his Master's degree from the same
institution, also receiving an A. B. from the
Columbian University (now the George
Washington University) in 1892. The prob-
lem of an education was to him no mean
one. for he was but poorly supplied with
funds, and twice during his college life he
abandoned his studies for a brief period in
order to earn money to continue his course.
From 1889 to 1891 he filled pulpits in the country churches of South Carolina, and was subsequently engaged in city mission- ary work in Washington. District of Colum- bia, whence he was called to a charge in Attica, New York, which he occupied from 1892 to 1896. In the latter year he was graduated from the Rochester Theological Seminary, and in that year accepted a call to the First Baptist Church of Canton, Ohio, which he served as pastor until 1900. He became pastor of the First Baptist Church of Spartanburg. South Carolina, in 1900. his ministry in this place of twelve years duration. During this period, in 1905. his <ilma mater. Furman University, conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity, having two years previously extended him the presidency of the institution, an honor he felt obliged to decline. It was also dur- ing this time that Dr. Roper accepted serv- ice for May. 191 1, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle. London, England (Spurgeon's old church), supplying that church for one month.
In 1912 Rev. Dr. Roper accepted his pres- ent Petersburg charge, and has since labor- ed continuously and successfully in that field. He is an independent Democrat in political stand, and is a member of the Sigma Alpha E{)silon fraternity, to which he was elected while a student. Furman Uni- versity and Anderson (South Carolina) Female College claim his services in the capacity of trustee, and in the welfare of both of these institutions he takes a keen mterest. The devoted pastor always. Dr. Roper is essentially a student and scholar. ])ut the love of nature and the out-of-doors, won during a boyhood passed in the charms of country life, clings to him with undimin- ished attraction. He is fond of fishing, swimming and mountain climbing, and in- dulges his likings whenever possible.
Rev. Dr. Roper married. September 5. 1893. Leonora, daughter of William 11. and
Leonora (Connors) Mauldin, granddaugh-
ter of B. F. and Adeline ( Hamilton) Maul-
din. Her mother was a daughter of George
W. and Elizabeth (Willis) Connors, and
Mrs. Roper is descended from Andrew Lid-
dell, a soldier of the Continental army dur-
ing the war for independence, in whose
name she holds membership in the Frances
Randolph Chapter, Daughters of the Amer-
ican Revolution. Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Roper
are the parents of Leonora, Helen, Ruth,
Emily, William, Lewis M., Jr.. all of whom
are students at school.
Fred Carlton Abbott. Few young men have labored under greater disadvantages and more successfully won their way in spite of them than Fred C. Abbott, of Norfolk, one of the younger members of the bar of that city. Since a lad of thirteen years he has fought his own battle, securing a good preparatory education, good business train- ing, took his father's place as head of the family, studied law and in 1910, at the age of thirty years, was admitted to the bar. He is of an old Virginia family that de- scends from the distinguished Abbott fam- ily of England and through maternal lines is closely connected with other leading Vir- ginia families. He is a grandson of Wil- liam C. C. Abbott, who was a prosperous farmer of Luray, Page county, Virginia, owning considerable property. He married Martha Campbell and had issue.
George Rust Abbott, son of William C. C. and Martha (Campbell) Abbott, was born in Page county, Virginia, in 1859, died at Brandy Station. Culpeper county, Virginia, in 1907. He was educated in public school and academy, beginning business life as clerk in a general store. After becoming thor- oughly familiar with merchantile methods, he located at Brandy Station, where for many years he was a merchant and post- master. He was a member of the ofificial board of Fleetwood Chapel (Methodist Epis- copal), belonging to Shenandoah Lodge, No. 169, Free and Accepted Masons. He was a kindly-hearted gentleman, noted for his sympathetic, generous nature. He married, January 13, 1880, Mary Dawson Green, born in i860, died in 1906. Children: i. Fred Carlton, of further mention. 2. Allie Bal- sora. married, November, 1904. Joseph Mur- ray Slaughter, and has two children : Alice >\Iajor, born July 16. 1905. Joseph Murray
