An Illustrated History of Central Oregon, Western Historical Publishing Company,
Spokane, WA. 1905, page 415-416.

HERBERT C. ROOPER, one of the leading wool growers of central Oregon, now
residing at Antelope, was born in England, on May 22, 1852. John Rooper, his
father, was a native of Huntingdonshire, England, and a captain in the British
army, being in the Prince Consort's Own rifle brigade. His brother Edward, the
uncle of our subject. was major in the same regiment and was killed at the
battle of Inkerman in the Crimean War. Mr. Rooper's family were landed gentry
and were very prominent in the army and Church of England. Our subject's
paternal grandfather was a clergyman in that church. In 1630, George Rooper
compiled a genealogy of the family, reaching back for many generations. One of
the ancestors was keeper of the Enfield Chase and Hyde and Mary-le-bone park and
was a pensioner of Kings Henry VII and VIII. For many years thus it is seen the
Roopers have done much in the various places where they have lived to support
good government and to bring about the progress of the race. Our subject's
father married Charlotte Nethercote, a native of Northarnptonshire, England,
whose ancestors were also landed gentry and prominent in the army and church.
The parents of our subject are both now deceased. Herbert C. finished the
grammar school course at Uppingham, then entered the Royal Agricultural College
at Circester, graduating in 1870. The following spring found him in the United
States and for five years he dwelt in Iowa, renting land. In the spring of 1876,
he came to Wasco county and being desirous of understanding the sheep business
thoroughly, took a position as herder for two years. Then he engaged in
partnership with Chandler brothers in the sheep business and they were together
for seven years handling about six thousand sheep annually and several hundred
head of horses. In 1885 this partnership was dissolved and our subject has since
continued raising sheep. He now has four thousand of these profitable animals,
twenty-two hundred acres of land, two hundred head of cattle and sufficient
horses to handle his business. He also owns a fine two story residence in
Antelope, which is the family dwelling place at present.      

On November 26, 1886, at Astoria, Oregon, Mr. Rooper married Elizabeth Pohl, who
was born in Denmark, the daughter of Ferdinand and Fredricka (Bochan) Pohl,
natives of Denmark and Germany, respectively. The father was a seafaring man in
the English merchant marine and died at Copenhagen, Denmark. His widow resides
at Bay Center, Washington. Mrs. Rooper has two brothers, William and Max,
undertakers at Astoria; and two sisters, Alma, the wife of Henry Clark, a
merchant in Seattle, and Olga, single, dwelling in Seattle. Mr. Rooper has four
brothers, Maximilian, a solicitor in London, England; Walter, an electrical
engineer at Stafford, England; Edward, a school director in Devonshire, England;
and Percy, manager of a shipping line -- large company at Liverpool, which
leases vessels to the O.R. & N. He also has four sisters: Charlotte, wife of
Walter Earle, a retired clergy-man in England; Constance, the widow of Col.
Henry Dakeyene, of Leamington. England; Blanche, and Lucy, both single and at
Leamington, England. Mr. and Mrs. Rooper are parents of nine children: Henry and
John, students of the agricultural college at Corvalis; Edna, Bonfoy, Alma,
Margaret, William, Isolda and Frederick.      

Mr. Rooper is a member of the Elks and the W.W. He and his wife both belong to
the Episcopal church. In politics, he is a stirring and active Republican, and
is often found at the county and state conventions. He was the first stock
inspector of Wasco county and is now serving his second term as mayor of
Antelope. Mr. Rooper and his family are highly respected people and they have
reason to be proud of the fine record, -- priceless legacy -- left by a long
line of prominent ancestors.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2005 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. 
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.