Author of Letter: Ethel Isabell Nelson b1890
Dated: March 5, 1911
Addressed to: Mr. N. C Draper, Grand Coulee, Sask.
Mailed from: Bellhaven, Ontario
Relationship: Courting
Profession: Farmer's Daughter
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, Black ink,
Written on: slightly thick, textured linen-like paper, 9 inches x 6.5 inches, folded, written as pages 1 to 4
Mentioned in the letter:
- Aunt Maud (Ethel's mother, Ida Amelia Glover, had a sister Victoria Maud who had a child Ethel Marie)
- Pa (James H. Nelson, wife of Ida Amelia Glover)
- Sadie (Noah's 16 yr old sister)
- Christie (Ethel's 11 yr old sister)
- Veda Perrault (the 16 yr old in Noah's last letter)
- Edyth Draper* (Edith's father, Stephen, is brother to Noah’s father, David)
- Cecil Prosser* (20 yr old Cecil has eyes for Sadie and Sadie's looking right back)
- Fern Morton*
- Mr. Wm Sheppard of Michigan
*see Genealogy Notes below
Belhaven, Mar. 5, 1911 Mr. N. C. Draper. Grand Coulee. Sask. Dear Noah, - I came home this morning from Aunt Maud's. And the first thing I received from Sadie were your letters. I was very glad indeed to hear from you. and to know you got home safe. Did you look for a letter last week? I didn't write because I could not get to the Post Office to post it. Don't you neglect writing because you do not get a letter, for I will always have a reason. |
2 Never the less I will try to be true to my promise, "eh" Pa is talking of selling our place. Mr Wm Sheppard of Michigan was here on Saturday looking over the place. He seems to think it is what he wanted. Pa told him what he would take, So Mr Sheppard is coming Tuesday evening to let us know if he takes it. If he does we are going to make a sale, and rent a house and lot, in Queensville or Newmarket until Pa can get another Farm. We will have to be moved by the First of April. What do you think about it "eh"? |
3 Does Fern Morton work in Regina! and what does she do! Cecil Prosser came home from the States last week. I hav'nt saw him yet, But Sadie say's she thinks he is going to Stay all summer, I guess he is beginning to think, "There is no place like home". Aunt Maud calls her baby Ethel Marie. And the baby is just as pretty as her name is. haha I think you had better send Veda down here, with her Grandmaw this summer. |
4 I hear that your cousin Edyth Draper is to be married in May to a man in the West, Suppose you know all about it. I am in the front room writing this, Christie was just here and she saw who I was writing to and she run and told ma. She say's Ethel is writing to Noah. Ma said, "I suppose, Guess you hav'nt forgotten Christie? Have you. Well this is all for this time, as I can't think of any more news to write. Will be looking for your letter every day. Bye Bye from Your Lonesome Ethel, x x x x x x x x |
Genealogy Notes
little girl sitting beside Ethel in the school photograph. From the census records, we also know that a Morton Family farmed next door to Ethel's family.
*Edyth Draper - According Edith's birth record, her name is spelled, Edith as follows...
life. Usually, this comes about when the parents tell the registrar the name of
their new baby but don't know how to actually spell the word. Sometimes they
guess and it's written down as so, while at other times, the registrar seems to
write it one way, but it appears another on all the census records.
However, the letter is written by Ethel and I've noticed in some of the letters written by the Nelson family, they sometimes even spell Sadie as Sadye - as you'll see when I post a July 1911 letter written by Ethel's paternal grandmother who lives in Iowa.
*Cecil Prosser - I'm tempted to tell you what happens between Cecil and Sadie, but I equate that to someone telling me how a book ends. I don't like others doing it, so I won't do it. Well, not until the time comes anyway. :)