When asked what he wanted his legacy to be, Shawna Meers-Ernst, Clarkesville Library Branch Manager said Bill Raper was very clear, “He wanted to help other people. He wanted to be remembered as someone passionate about history, his own family’s story, and helping others find theirs.”
William “Bill” Hughes Raper was born on March 13, 1944 in Cornelia. He married Linda Gail Meeks on October 16, 1966, and they had two children, Bradley Raymond and Julie Ann. Raper passed away on January 30, 2024.
A volunteer for 30 years
Raper was a regular fixture at the Clarkesville Library for over 30 years. Known as the local Historian, he helped those in search of information about their families or a landmark home or a path to become a member of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR). His background in research was extensive, serving as the genealogy and historian of the Joseph Habersham Chapter, Georgia Society, Sons of the American Revolution, and for one year at the State of Georgia Society.
When he first started volunteering at the Clarkesville Library it was on Saturdays only. Raper worked in retail sales for 56 years. After his retirement, he became a full-time volunteer and a source of information for people all over the country.
To become a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, one has to prove a direct line of an ancestor who fought in the American Revolution. Interestingly, it can’t just be digital evidence but the actual physical documentation.
Meers-Ernst said the document does not have to be an original. It can be a copy, but it has to be a physical piece of evidence. Raper went to great lengths to help people find these documents to become a member of SAR.
Often, people from all over the country would call the library to seek Raper’s expertise in the area of genealogy. “We would receive a call from someone from Texas searching for an ancestor from this area and Bill was on it!” Meers-Ernst added. She said he was a wonderful source for people researching historical landmarks and homes.
Dedication of Heritage Room
A room was dedicated in 2017 to housing a genealogy collection to assist patrons in researching their family histories. It contains marriage licenses, birth, and death certificates, obituaries, the federal census index, property records, and much more. Named the William H. Raper Heritage Room, many people have found resources that have been instrumental in finding the answers they needed.
“All of the materials and reference books will still be available to the public,” Meers-Ernst informed. “We are so grateful for Bill’s contributions. There is no replacing him. He will always be remembered.”
