Rapert Family compiled by Bill Brackett

I believe the name Rapert comes from the German word rapport (reporter). This word is similar to the French word rapport and when pronounced it sounds like rahpour, the "t" being silent. When looking at the early records of this name in America it is written as Raper when being spelled by pronunciation but when being written in legal documents it is written Rappert or Reppert. The records I have seen are from Pennsylvania around 1730-1740. These records are from ships that were English but transported the Germans to America.
The "Masters" of these ships would have been familiar with the Raper name, which is English from Wales, and may have thought that the name being pronounced was Raper when in fact it was Rappert.
There were Raper families from England in Virginia at an early date. I do not believe Raper and Rappert are the same family name. Since the first Reppert I have found in America from Palatinate he would have lived in the Rhineland and would have been of German heritage. The Palatinate was a region west of the Rhine River. There are still families in Germany by the names of Reppert and Rappert.
Stephen Reppert came to Philadelphia in 1727 aboard the ship "Molly" from the Palatinate. The Molly was mastered by John Hodges and had sailed from Rotterdam "but last from Deal", England. Stephen is listed by the Master of the ship as Stephannus Raper and later in court records as Stevus Reppert.
Stephen Reppert settled in Pennsylvania and had several children and one of them was named Daniel Reppert. In 1745 Stephen's son Daniel Reppert was baptized in a German parish of the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania. The records of this parish are known as the Goshenhoppen Registers 1741-1764. This is probably the same name as Rappert allowing for translation errors and various spellings.
Peter Rappert came to Philadelphia in 1740. Peter Rappert was a passenger on the "Robert and Alice". This ship sailed from Rotterdam, stopped at Cowes, England and then at Deal, England before crossing the Atlantic. The Master of this ship was Walter Goodman. The ship carried people from the Palatinate. The list of passengers put together by the Master of the ship lists a Peter Raper and indicates he signed with an "X", therefore his name was written for him. When these passengers took an oath of allegiance to the Government the court clerk recorded the name as Peter Rappert, which was also signed with an "X".
It is believed that John Adam Rapert (Reppert) married Anna Barbara Erhlander and that one of their sons was Adam Rapert who married Barbara Zimmerman. Adam and Barbara Rapert lived in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Adam and Barbara 's sons are reported as Daniel Rapert born 10 Apr 1776, Johann Adam Rapert born in Jul 1777, Johannes Rapert born in Jul 1779, Herman Rapert born 14 Feb 1790 and Gideon Rapert born in 1799. It is believed that this is the Daniel Rapert who later appears in southern Illinois.
In 1794 there was a John George Reppert who was brought to the Monongahila Valley as a glassmaker from eastern Pennsylvania. It is believed that this may be the connection by which Daniel Rapert was in western Pennsylvania and left via Wheeling, in what would become West Virginia for southern Illinois by 1810. Travel to southern Illinois was via the Ohio River to the Mississippi River.
Others of the Rappert name coming to America from Germany were, Conrad Rappert who arrived in Philadelphia in1817 with his wife and three children, A. Rappert who arrived in Philadelphia in 1833 with his wife and three children, Johann Rappert who came to New York in 1848 and Louis Rappert who came to Philadelphia in 1880. Daniel Rapert (Illinois) married 1st Ameliah Worley on 10 Dec 1794 possibly in Pennsylvania or perhaps in southern Illinois. The name Worley also appears in the Monongahila Valley in Pennsylvania and in Kaskaskia in southern Illinois. In southern Illinois in 1785 there were listed a Joseph Worley and two of his children, Joseph and John Worley. There was a John Daniel Worley in Pennsylvania in 1729 and a Joshua, Anthony and Ezekiel Worley in the Monongahila Valley in 1790.
Daniel Rapert married 2nd Polly ... . In 1815 Daniel Rapert purchased land in Monroe County, Illinois. In 1816 Daniel Rapert paid taxes in Monroe County. In 1816-1818 he is recorded as a farmer in Monroe County by the registration of his cattle mark (brand). He is listed in the 1818 and 1820 census records of Monroe County. Daniel Rapert authored his will in Monroe County on 10 Jan 1821. The will states "being weak in body". He mentions his children as, "my son Daniel" (Daniel M. Rapert), " my daughter Minda" (Laminda), "my youngest daughter Millie" and a married "daughter Vina Pettle" (Lavina). He also names his wife as "Polly" and "her son, John". He had apparently remarried. The son of his wife at the time of his death is believed to be John Ryan as there is mention of a John Ryan later.
It is reported that Laminda (Minda) Rapert married Joseph Patton on 18 Sep 1822, that Lavina Rapert married David Pettit (Pettle) in 1814 and that Millie (Millie Ann) Rapert married August Louis Lanier on 14 Nov 1849. Daniel Rapert probably died in 1822 because in April 1823 the executors named Andy Kinney and Prince Bryant had not attended to their duties and a petition was made to the court. John Ryan (mentioned earlier) petitioned the court and was appointed to administer the will. This was probably Polly's son John. If this is the same Daniel Rapert born in Berks County, Pennsylvania in 1776. He would have been but 46 or 47 years of age at his death.
In Volume VII of the Territorial Papers Of The United States, which was edited by Clarence Edwin Carter and was published by the United States Government Printing Office, Washington, in 1939 there is a reference to Daniel Rapert. This volume covers the Indiana Territory from 1800-1810.
The Indiana Territory was established in 1800 and included the present states of Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and part of Michigan and Minnesota. The reference to Daniel Rapert is his signature on a document titled “Memorial To Congress by Inhabitants of St. Clair and Randolph Counties”. This document reads:
(Read October 26, 1803) "To the Honourable The Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled. The Memorial of the Inhabitants of the two Western Counties of the Indiana Territory, respectfully setteth forth That the information recently received of the success of the negotiation instituted between our Government and the French Republic, and it’s termination in the Cession of the Louisianas to the United States, has diffused an universal satisfaction and a joy inexpressible throughout the Western Country, and has excited in the warmest degree the sense of gratitude due to those, by whose exertions and anxious solicitude for the welfare of their Country, this important object has been so happily accomplished. But in no place is this satisfaction and this joy more sensibly felt, or this sense of gratitude more deeply entertained, than in these two Western Counties. These gratifying sensations however would not have fallen to the lot of your Memorialists, had they not been inspired by the firm reliance they place on the wisdom and strict impartiality of the General Government, to the respective interests of the several parts of the Union and its dependencies. These two Western Counties considered both their local situation with respect to the Upper Louisiana, and in their connexion under a Territorial Government with the Eastern Extremity of this Territory, must be subjected to inconveniences and embarrassments, which will inevitably, from the common course of things, ultimately tend to their almost utter depopulation, unless such wide and timely measures shall be taken by your Honourable Body as may avert the impending evil. As your Honourable Body has been convened by our Executive, for the purpose of taking into consideration the measures most necessary to be adopted relative to the result of the negotiation with the French Government, and as in case of the ratification, the Organization of a Government in the new acquired Territory, will in all probability form a subject for your further deliberations, your Memomerialists deem it the most favourable opportunity to present a respectfull claim to a portion of your attention to their immediate concerns. Your Memorialists, under full confidence that this claim will meet with favourable acceptance, will now offer to the consideration of your Honourable Body a view; first, of the gloomy and discouraging situation in which their two Counties must be placed, in case of the Organization of a Government in the Upper Louisiana under the United States and their continuance in their connexion in Government with the two Eastern Counties; and secondly, of the prosperous and flourishing situation in which they must exist should they be connected under a Territorial Government with the Upper Louisiana. Many of the most prominent evils which are to be apprehended from a continuance under the same Government with the Eastern Counties, will arise from their present superiority in population and in the number of Counties, a superiority which your Memorialists have reason to expect would continue to exist. At this present time, in case of the establishment of the second Grade of Government, they would be entitled to four out of seven Representatives in the Lower House, and in the Council to three out of five Members, and of course would possess a decided majority in both Houses, which would enable them to pass or reject all bills at their pleasure. Of consequence the interests of this part of the Territory would lay entirely at their mercy, and how far that mercy would be extended towards those whom they would consider as rivals for the superiority in point of population and consequent wealth, may be estimated by their experience of former ages, and by the natural propensity of mankind to self-aggrandizement, not confined to any particular class of men but an infirmity by which both good and bad are liable to be hurried away. An enumeration of the evils to be apprehended from this source, your Memorialists deem superfluous, as from moments consideration of the local situation of the Western with respect to the Eastern extremity of the Territory, separated by an immense wilderness at least one hundred and sixty miles in extent, and connected in no one respect by a reciprocity of interests, they must appear obvious. Another source of evil apprehended, is the establishment of the Seat of Government at Vincennes, which has an evident tendency to insure a continuance of their superiority in population, inasmuch as it is the means of attracting principal Officers of the Government to, and concentering their interests in, that spot, and of directing the whole force of the influence attached to their high situations as public officers, to the exclusive aggrandizement of their chosen place of residence. This holds out to view so strong a partiality, as to carry with it in the minds of your Memorialists a conviction, that they are not destined to enjoy the happy effects of that harmony and mutual confidence so desirable in all governments, and so essentially necessary to their peace and prosperity, but to witness substituted in their place a scene of jarring and confusion. Our proximity to the Upper Louisiana, if not connected with them under the same Government, will operate as another source of evil to our two Counties and will have material effect in checking their growth. That Country already possessed of an extensive population from emigration rapidly made in the course of a few years past from the United States, blessed with a rich and luxuriant soil, their settlements contiguous and united by reciprocal interests, and equally within the reach of the benefits to be derived from a good Government, will hold out attractions to emigrants too flattering to be slighted, when put into contrast with the poor encouragement presented by our Counties, when groaning under the embarassments already described. This would occasion not only an effectual check to their growth, but the settlements already formed on this side of the Missisipp would be broken up, and their inhabitants would remove to that Country, where the happiness would be in store for them, which was denied them here. Thus placed as it were between two fires, the one destroying what the other spared, the prospects exhibited to the view of the Memorialists, are of the most gloomy nature and forebodes an almost total depopulation of their Country, unless the opposite side of the picture, which we now beg permission to present to your view, should induce your Honourable Body to realize the prospect by granting the prayer of your Memorialists. By a connexion with the Upper Louisiana under the same Government, we should avoid all the embarrassments, which must inevitably fall to our lot in case of our continuance under our present Government. In the place of those embarrassments will be substituted all the happy effects of an Union rendered firm by the combination of the mutual and reciprocal interests, and of a mutual confidence inspired, on the one part, by a consideration of the favourable intentions of the American Government towards them, in connecting them with those who had always lived under their auspices, and who have used their utmost exertions to form a junction with them upon the firm basis of an equal participation of the benefits arising from the operations of a just and wise Government; and on the other part, by a conviction, that from their experience of the effects of an arbitrary, they will be prepared to receive once more and with gratitude the advantages flowing from a Republican, Government. In the case of the desired connexion with the Upper Louisiana taking place, Your Memorialists are confident, that this once exposed frontier will exhibit the pleasing spectable of a rich and flourishing Territory, which the bountifull gifts of Nature will ensure to it, When they shall be called forth into operation. Under a firm reliance that every thing will be done by your Honourable Body, which the nature of their situation may require, Your Memorialists with the greatest respect submit their prayer, that the two Western Counties of the Indiana Territory may be connected under the same Territorial Government with the Upper Louisiana Ans as in Duty bound & I:

Darneille
William adams Jarrot
Henry Carr
Shadrach Bond
Cald w Cairns
John Moredock
William Cairns
William Atcheson
Leonard Carr
William Ratcliff
James Gillham
John Hay
Thomas Gillham
Bpt Dumoulin
James Thomas
John Lyle
Wm Moss
John Hays
Mark Thomas
Josephe Manegre
William Scoby
Amos Squire
John Byrum
Perrey
Joseph hogan Martine
William Clover
Pirre Beguin
Absalom Bratcher
Danel McCann
Davis Whiteside
Thomas Porter
Miles Hotchkiss
Martin Mauch
Oliver Reuben, O
David Waddel Sr.
Wm Wilson
Alexander Waddell
James McNabb
Davies Waddell
Nathan Rumsey
James Wilson
James Morrison
John O'Harra
John Bloom
John Scott
John Kidd
James Garetson
Philip Rouke
Sollomon Shook
Jesse Griggs
Henry Noble
Simon meceffery
Jonathan Horrnback
Thos Newberry
William Goinges
James Cooper
William Goinges Juner
James Dockerry
John Pullman
Parker Grovenor
Robt McMahon
John Locke
Abraham teter
George Atchinson
George Dement
Daniel Link
John Whitside
Jorge tery
Wm Murrey
Daniel Stone
John mssinger
Ichabod Badgley
Francis Pelham
David Badgley
John Sullivan
John Everet Sr
Matt tolland
William Dunn
William Robins
James Dunn
John Robins
Samuel Prilel
Thos Halfpenny
John Noland Junr
Thomas Todd
John Nowland Senr
Elijah Noell
Wm Hamilton
Edward Todd
Prince Bryant
Jacob Reznor
Robert Kidd
Daniel Rapert
Clement Drury
Winder kinney
Alexander McNabb
James Mcgaughlin
Raphael Drury
Wm Hogan
Charles McNabb
John Worley
William Everitt
N. Hull
Edwd Everitt
James Henderson
Pierre Menard
Joseph Worley
Ephraim Carpenter
Amos Baily
Joseph Miller
Ebanezor Bowen
William Cannon
Wm Chaffin
M Adams
Amos Chaffin
James Edgar
Daniel Hull
Martin Brewer
Michael Masterson
Jos menard
(Endorsed) Memorial of the Inhabitants of the two Western Countries of the Indiana territory of the United States. 26th October, 1803. Read and ordered to lie on the table. 3d November, 1803. Referred to Mr. Lucas, Mr Morrow, Mr Chittenden Mr Lyon, and Mr Claggett. 24th November, 1803. Report made and ordered to lie on the table. (to lie) (section 2 of Subscribers to Memorial)

Wm Morrison
Levin Crapper
J Edgar
Elias Chalfin
Robt Morrison
Samuel Taylor
Adam Winger
Ephraim Bilderback
William Lemon
Hanrey Levens
Dennis Sullivan
Hapsley McBride
William Roberts
Jospeh Overman
Archal McNabb
Luois Gerome Chamberlain
Leroy Eliott
Micajah Cox
John Gaerdiner
Samuel Judy
Peter flores
Joel Whiteside
Jerome St Pierre
George Green
Michel Denis Jr
Issac Gillham
Pierre Damusheer
Nathan Carpenter
J. adrien Langolis
Clark Gillham
Samuel Gillham
George Richardson
James Gillham
John Primm
John Capps
James Primm
George Stout Sr
Abram Clark
Christian Stout
Jacob Clark
Henry Stout
John Vanterpol
George Stout Jr
Thomas Levens
John Jarvis
Michael Miller
Abraham Varner
John Dempsey
J,W, Bozelf
Solomon Brown
Robt Reynals
Isaac West
Pierre Pergis
Henry Cook
Arthur Ebberman
Robert Moore
Nimrod Brewer
John Gilham
John Pulham
Anthony Cox
William Kinney
Jas Gilbreath
Peter Mitchel
William Sullivan
James Applegate
(Endorsed) Memorial of the inhabitants of the western counties of the Indiana territory of the United States. 9th November, 1803. referred to Mr Lucas, Mr Morrow, Mr Chittenden, Mr Lyon, and Mr Claggett. 24th November, 1803. Report made and ordered to lie on the table.”
It is interesting that Daniel Rapert, his future in-law, Davis Whiteside (Rebecca’s father) and Prince Bryant, an executor in his will all signed this document. Other names of interest are “winder kinney” and Willian Kinney, John Worley , “Hanrey Levens” and Thomas Levens. Another executor in Daniel’s will was an Andey Kinney, Daniel’s wife was a Worley and his son Daniel m. Rapert married 2nd Nancy Levens and then Rebecca Whiteside. Also interesting is the mixture of names, some French, some German and others English. It is not clear if Daniel Rapert may have been a French name (Rapport)or a German Name (Rappert). His daughters were named Laminda and Lavina sounding French?
The 1818 census of Monroe County, Illinois lists a Daniel Raport as not yet twenty-one years of age with his wife and one child. The 1820 census of Monroe County lists a Daniel Rapert with his wife and three children. If these ages can be trusted the Daniel Raport in the 1818 census may have been the son of Daniel Rapert (1776)?
Daniel M. Rapert is believed to have been born about 1806 in southern Illinois. Daniel married 1st Delinda Young on 18 Jan 1828 in Columbia Precinct, Monroe County, Illinois. She may have died that same year. Daniel married 2nd Nancy Levens (Lovens) on 29 Oct 1829. It is believed that Nancy (Levens) Rapert died in 1837. Daniel M. and Nancy Rapert had children:

George Rapert
Lorenzo Dow Rapert
James Jackson Rapert
Daniel married 3rd Rebecca Whiteside on 10 Mar 1838. A Methodist Episcopal Minister, Enoch Moore, performed the service. The clerk of Monroe County, Illinois witnessed the marriage, Daniel Converse. Daniel M. and Rebecca Rapert had children:

Francis A. Rapert born in St. Clair County, Illinois
Luthada Anena Rapert
Elanora J. Rapert
Daniel Rapert (Jr.) died young
Jasper Newton Rapert b. 29 Apr 1849
Leander Alonzo Rapert
Malissa Charlotte P. Rapert
Simeon M. Rapert
Daniel Rapert is belived to be buried in the Siloam Cemetery near Middlebrrok, Arkansas.
There was a James Rapert who married Jane Ditch on 16 June 1849. This may have been James Jackson Rpaert? Mrs. Jane Rapert married Josiah Clark on 28 Oct 1852, perhaps James had died?
The 1840 census of St. Clair County, Illinois includes on page 245:
Daniel Rapert with one male child under five years of age, 2 male children between 5-10 years of age and himself being between 30-40 years of age and his wife being 20-30 years of age and one female child being 10-15 years of age. This is very likely Daniel and his new wife Rebecca (Whiteside) Rapert. The children must have been a daughter by his first or second wife and the three sons listed above who were by his 2nd wife, Nancy Levens?
Around 1850 this family moved to Randolph County, Arkansas from southern Illinois. Daniel M. Rapert purchased land in the District of Batesville in 1851 at an auction in Batesville, Arkansas. In 1852 he sold part of this land to William L. Rice. In 1853 he sold part of this land to James D. Cross. In 1855 he sold part of this land to William Thompson. In 1860 he sold the remainder of this land to Nancy Burton.
Jasper Newton Rapert married 1st Sarah E. Vann on 05 Nov 1871 in Randolph County, Arkansas. Sarah Vann was reportedly born 15 Jun 1855 in Illinois. Her father, according to the census, was born in Illinois and her mother in Tennessee. It is reported that Sarah Vann Rapert died 06 Jan 1899. Jasper Newton Rapert was born on 29 Apr 1849 and died on 02 Apr 1909. Jasper and Sarah (Vann) Rapert are buried in the Siloam Cemetery near Middlebrook, Arkansas. Jasper N. and Sarah Rapert had children:

Daniel Elbert Rapert b. 03 Aug 1872
Milas N. Rapert b. 1873
John Francis Rapert b. 1875
Thomas F. Rapert b. 1876
Birdie M. Rapert b. 1880
Almous T. Rapert b 1883
Silas M. Rapert b. 1886
Effie L. Rapert b. 1889
Ethel A. Rapert b. 1894
Archer O. Rapert b. 1895
*Sarah Vann is believed to have been Cherokee.
Jasper N. Rapert married 2nd Mrs. D. E. Murrell whose maiden name was Parrish. Jasper N. Rapert married 3rd Mrs. Leander Rapert. This was Julia A. Thompson. Julia Thompson was the 2nd wife of Leander Rapert, Jasper's brother. In 1871 Jasper N. Rapert bought land (320 acres) from Hiram W. Brown, et al.. In 1886 Jasper N. Rapert bought land (92.5 acres) in Randolph County, Arkansas from his brother Leander A. Raper. In 1896 Jasper N. Rapert was given claim to another 40 acres that he had homesteaded in Randolph County. Jasper N. Rapert died abt. 1911.
John Francis Rapert married Uler (Ula) Balkus Swindle on 25 Mar 1896 in Middlebrook, Randolph County, Arkansas. Uler Balkus Swindle was the daughter of Dr. William T. Swindle and his wife Vandora Hatley, whose name was Victoria Vandora Hatley. John and Uler Rapert had children:

Gussie Irene Rapert b. 1897
Infant daughter b. 17 Nov 1889 d. 15 Apr 1899
Grace Rapert b. 1900
Hadey F. Rapert b. 09 Sep 1902 d. 03 Aug 1903
John Francis and Ula (Swindle) Rapert are buried in the Antioch Cemetery near Doniphan, Missouri and the two small children above are buried in the Siloam Cemetery near Middlebrook, Arkansas. John Francis Rapert claimed to be "full blooded Indian". An aunt says he was Cherokee.
John Francis Rapert bought land (80 acres) in Randolph County, Arkansas in 1907 from T. F. and Maggie Vann. This may have been a relative to Sarah E. Vann, Jasper's wife and John's mother?
In 1907 John F. Rapert bought land (80 acres) from S. M. Rapert (Silas Rapert), his brother. In 1907 John F. Rapert bought land (80 acres) from R. L. Cook and his wife B. M. Cook (Birdie M. Rapert), his sister.
In 1908 John F. Rapert bought land (80 acres) from M. N. Rapert (Milas Rapert), his brother.
In 1908 John F. Rapert bought land (40 acres) from A. T. Rapert (Almous Rapert), his brother. Apparently these Rapert brothers had homesteaded these lands and John Francis Rapert was buying them out.
In 1913 John F. Rapert bought land (80 acres) from E. G. and Estelle W. Schoonover.
In 1916 John F. Rapert bought land (120 acres) from his siblings that had been left to them by Jasper N. Rapert. They are listed as S. (Silas) M. Rapert and his wife M. C. Rapert, Effie (Rapert) Johnson and her husband W. H. Johnson, Birdie M. (Rapert) Cook and her husband R. L. Cook. These lands were near Maynard, Randolph County, Arkansas.
In 1916 John F. and Ular B. Rapert borrowed money against 200 acres of land from O. H. Bainbridge trustee for the Union Farm Mortgage Company and they became indebted to the company for $ 2000.00. If payments were made this land transfer was to be voided and if they defaulted the land would be sold. This loan was transferred in that same year to the Protective League Life Insurance Company. It is not know what happened in this case.
There are some who believe this name was actually Rupert before leaving Pennsylvania. There are some who have seen the names Ruppert, Reppert and Rappert interchanged. I tend to believe that Rapert may have come from Reppert but not from Rupert?
Gussie Irene Rapert married Thad Hambrick 25 Oct 1912 in Middlebrook, Randolph County, Arkansas.
Their daughter Arvena Hambrick married 2nd Harold Earl Brackett in 1947 in Michigan.
Their son William Brackett married Jane Hauch in Lakeside, Berrien County, Michigan in 1970.

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