TOPE FAMILY PAGE

Chapter 2, Page 8

The Levi Tope Family

Tope Family History

Although much effort has been expended in researching Levi's ancestors, no conclusive evidence has been found to identify the early beginnings of the family.  Melancthon Tope published the earliest information found in a Tope history in which information prior to Carroll County, Ohio, was very sketchy.[i]
Melancthon corresponded with and visited many Tope descendants, and fairly accurately pieced together a comprehensive history.  The beginning of the family escaped him, except for references to a John Tope in Maryland, in which he stated: According to the very best accounts, the first paternal ancestor of this race of people in this country was John Tope, who emigrated from Germany.[ii]
Sometime before the New World declared its independence from England, refugees from the Palatines and other German states settled in Western Maryland.  They are credited with a significant role in early colonial history.  Although people of German extraction settled in all sections of Maryland, the most significant settlement was in the western section.[iii]
    The German Protestants, who were moving to the new country to escape persecution, first settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, then moved westward into the southern parts of the state, and across the border into Maryland.  John Tope followed this pattern, although it is not known if he first settled in Philadelphia.  It seems to be an established fact . . . that he settled in Maryland near Harper's Ferry . . . .[iv]  The 1896 History places the birth of the three sons in Washington County, Maryland, but that county was not formed until 6 September 1776, thirteen years after George's birth.  According to a western Maryland history, Originally Washington was part of Frederick, and embraced the present counties of Washington, Allegany, and Garrett.[v]  Therefore, George, born 3 March 1761,[vi] brother John, born 16 November 1767,[vii] and Frederick, born in 1768,[viii] were born in a section of Frederick County, Maryland.
   Information on John Tope is very limited, but a will for a Jacob Doub in Frederick County, Maryland, names three sons in this order: George, John and Frederick.  Wills normally list children in order of age, but Jacob additionally names George as the oldest.  With this listing and the English pronunciation of the letter "D" as "T" and "B" as "P" we conclude this is the will for our progenitor, John Tope. [ix]

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