Distance from Belhaven Methodist Church to Family Farm of James H Nelson & Ida Amelia Glover
Since Ethel says she goes up to Sunday School, I thought this Google Earth photo is a good representation of the distance and elevation of the Nelson farm in relation to the village of Belhaven. In this view, we're looking south and so the Nelson farm is on the left/east side of the road, right where that first shelterbelt starts.
Author of Letter: Ethel Isabell Nelson, age 21 (b 1890)
Dated: Sep 1911 (events confirm date as 25th)
Addressed to: Mr. N.C.Draper, Dearest Noah
Mailed from: Belhaven, Ont.
Relationship: Courting
Profession: Farmer's Daughter
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, black ink
Written on: Off-white, textured, plain, linen-like paper, 9.5 inches x 6.5 inches, folded in half with inner page written straight across short width and down length to the bottom before continuing to page 3. The letter is very hard to read - as if the ink was still wet when the letter was closed and folded.
People/places mentioned in this letter:
- Ma - *Ida Amelia Glover Nelson- Pa - *James Henry Nelson
- *Sadie Nelson - Ethel's 16 yr old sister
- *Veda - 16 yr old daughter of Noah's sister, *Eva Amelia and *Joe Perrault of *Grand Coulee, SK
- Percy's - *Percy Draper (Noah's brother) and wife *Parthena Fisher
- Uncle Stephen Draper - brother of Noah's deceased father, *David Draper
- *George Draper - brother of *Stewart Truman Draper in Indian Head, SK)
- *Manford Terry - Noah's 1st cousin on *David Draper side
(George Draper, Stewart T, and Manford's wife, Mary Jane, are all offspring of Uncle Stephen)
- Dester *Sheppard - 18 yr old son of the nearby Sheppard family
- Mr **Walker Prosser - see Genealogy Notes
- Harold *Winch - who went west in Aug 1911
- Adele - neighbor and unmarried sister of Harold Winch
- Annie *King - close neighbor
- Robert *Davidson's wife, Lily May *Kellington, is a distant cousin of Noah's
- Davidson's little boy - *Davidsons have 5 boys born between 1902 and 1909.
- *Maud Bruels - Ethel's good friend as well as neighbor
- Ellie *Sheppard - Ethel's friend and neighbor
- Gertie *Yorke - Ethel's friend and neighbor
- Chris *Willoughby - older widowed gentleman (mentioned in other Genealogy Notes)
- Dora *Mahoney - close neighbor
- Ivan and Geraldine *King - relatives of Ethel's King neighbors
- Uncle Harry Barkers - Harry *Barker and Margaret E. *Glover (Ma's sister)
- Old Mrs. Pine - local resident
- Belhaven Choir
- Orville *King
- Elgin Barker (unsure if relative of Harry Barker) is at Phillips - ?
Places/things mentioned in this letter:
- Ravenshoe - a few miles south of Belhaven
- *Huntsville
- Holt
- Chicken Pie Social
- **Box Social
Legend:
* Look under the Categories/Labels in the right side column for more posts on this
person/place/thing. If you don't see a label, use the search box at the top of page.
** see Genealogy Notes below
Dated: Sep 1911 (events confirm date as 25th)
Addressed to: Mr. N.C.Draper, Dearest Noah
Mailed from: Belhaven, Ont.
Relationship: Courting
Profession: Farmer's Daughter
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, black ink
Written on: Off-white, textured, plain, linen-like paper, 9.5 inches x 6.5 inches, folded in half with inner page written straight across short width and down length to the bottom before continuing to page 3. The letter is very hard to read - as if the ink was still wet when the letter was closed and folded.
People/places mentioned in this letter:
- Ma - *Ida Amelia Glover Nelson- Pa - *James Henry Nelson
- *Sadie Nelson - Ethel's 16 yr old sister
- *Veda - 16 yr old daughter of Noah's sister, *Eva Amelia and *Joe Perrault of *Grand Coulee, SK
- Percy's - *Percy Draper (Noah's brother) and wife *Parthena Fisher
- Uncle Stephen Draper - brother of Noah's deceased father, *David Draper
- *George Draper - brother of *Stewart Truman Draper in Indian Head, SK)
- *Manford Terry - Noah's 1st cousin on *David Draper side
(George Draper, Stewart T, and Manford's wife, Mary Jane, are all offspring of Uncle Stephen)
- Dester *Sheppard - 18 yr old son of the nearby Sheppard family
- Mr **Walker Prosser - see Genealogy Notes
- Harold *Winch - who went west in Aug 1911
- Adele - neighbor and unmarried sister of Harold Winch
- Annie *King - close neighbor
- Robert *Davidson's wife, Lily May *Kellington, is a distant cousin of Noah's
- Davidson's little boy - *Davidsons have 5 boys born between 1902 and 1909.
- *Maud Bruels - Ethel's good friend as well as neighbor
- Ellie *Sheppard - Ethel's friend and neighbor
- Gertie *Yorke - Ethel's friend and neighbor
- Chris *Willoughby - older widowed gentleman (mentioned in other Genealogy Notes)
- Dora *Mahoney - close neighbor
- Ivan and Geraldine *King - relatives of Ethel's King neighbors
- Uncle Harry Barkers - Harry *Barker and Margaret E. *Glover (Ma's sister)
- Old Mrs. Pine - local resident
- Belhaven Choir
- Orville *King
- Elgin Barker (unsure if relative of Harry Barker) is at Phillips - ?
Places/things mentioned in this letter:
- Ravenshoe - a few miles south of Belhaven
- *Huntsville
- Holt
- Chicken Pie Social
- **Box Social
Legend:
* Look under the Categories/Labels in the right side column for more posts on this
person/place/thing. If you don't see a label, use the search box at the top of page.
** see Genealogy Notes below
| Belhaven. Ont. Sept. 1911. Mr N. C. Draper. Grand Coulee. Sask. Dearest Noah, - Well one more week past and one more nearer the time I am looking forward to. but there are weeks yet. only wish they were days. This is rather a cloudy morning, so of course I am rather a dull girl to-day and this pen I am using is worse than an old quill. I am sure I can't say much for it. I hear you have run across one of the boys., heard Harold Winch was staying with you a few days. |
| 2. How does Harold like it up there? Adele said she thought he would be home in about 2 weeks. Say you ought to have been here for the box social I had the pleasure of eating my tea with the honorable Dester Sheppard, "ha ha" Sadie had Mr Walker Posser. We did very well though Made $24.00. It has started to rain now. Say how did election suit you? My there were some sick looking people around here. Of course it isnt always the smartest man that wins. The rogues are sure to. and of course there's no rogues on the Reform side. "ha ha" Pa tells ma to look out for hard times now. "ha" Sadie had a letter from Veda Friday. I think she surely will be lonesome for a while anyway What does she intend studying? Sadie was given a pass after all. She is now trying for her first part of the first class certificate Annie King and I spent most of the day yesterday down at Mr Robt Davidsons. one of there little boys fell off a beam in the barn and was quite badly hurt. They think he is out of danger now. Mr Manford Terry spent the day there last Sunday. Mrs Davidson said she heard there was a new house up there. and it was nearly finished What a lively pair Mr Davidson's are. Maud Bruels is coming up for tea next Sunday. Remember the night you were there. Ellie Sheppard Gertie Yorke was there too. was'nt she. Gertie was telling me she met you. "ha ha" |
| 3. Mr Chris Willoughby was here a few days last week. You ought to hear him blow the west up. Says he is going up next Summer. Wanted to know if I would go with him. I guess I will have to soon go and get dinner. we are going up to S. School. and church to- night if it dont rain to much. Dora is going to give a solo to-night & the choir a chorus. Well I have been up to S. School & home again. Ivan & Geraldine King came home with us. There appointed me for organist. but I told them I could'nt fill the place as well as someone else. so it was left. I think perhaps they can get Adele Winch. she was'nt there to-day. I would hope not to be able to stay more than 2 or 3 mos, I tell the time isnt passing 1 minute to fast to suit me. I never was more lonesome to see anyone than you. Love from Ethel xxxxxx (Last line written up the right side of page) |
Genealogy Notes
Genealogy Note 1: Mr. Walker Prosser
There were several Walker Prossers including Charlie Walker Prosser and William Walker Prosser. Usually when they said Walker Prosser, they meant William, a Belhaven area farmer.
William Walker Prosser was born in 1856 in North Gwillimbury Township, the eldest of eleven children to farmer Elijah Prosser (1830-1909) and his wife, Cinderella Morton (1834-1925).
In 1881 Walker married Margaret Hester Soules (1858-1945) whose father ran a grist mill on Concession 6, Lot 2, East Gwillimbury. Walker and Hester had 3 children:
1. Warren Soules Prosser born 1882
2. Cecil Daniel Prosser born 1891
3. Alice Alma Prosser born 1896 and died in 1901 after suffering a week of diphtheria
Ethel mentioned Cecil once when he was back in town after working in the States for a year. She also wrote, "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".
Ethel also wrote, "Say that Cecil Prosser is a clip. he goes out of an evening and reaches home sometime the next day."
Although I don't like to get too far ahead of the letters so readers don't get confused, in this case I feel you ought to know that in a few years, Sadie will marry Cecil Prosser. I'm telling you now so that you may get some enjoyment out of their courtship whenever Ethel and Noah, and even Sadie, talks about Cecil.
Take this letter, for instance, when Ethel writes that Walker Prosser bought Sadie's decorated box at the Box Social. I would have loved to been privvy to that conversation, considering how forthright and spunky our Sadie has shown herself. I wonder, too, if Walker knew he was bidding on Sadie's box and wanted to get to know her - possibly curious at something Cecil allowed to slip. Or maybe - as a 20 yr old, Cecil is too busy playing the field and hasn't taken notice of 16 yr old Sadie. Whatever the case, there is more mention of Cecil in the upcoming letters.
One thing about the Box Social... I thought only single men bought the boxes, but if Walker Prosser is indeed Cecil's dad, then he was married to Hester at the time of this Box Social. If anyone knows the rules of this event, please let me know. Meanwhile, here's a snippet I found about a Box Social in the 1913 paper.
There were several Walker Prossers including Charlie Walker Prosser and William Walker Prosser. Usually when they said Walker Prosser, they meant William, a Belhaven area farmer.
William Walker Prosser was born in 1856 in North Gwillimbury Township, the eldest of eleven children to farmer Elijah Prosser (1830-1909) and his wife, Cinderella Morton (1834-1925).
In 1881 Walker married Margaret Hester Soules (1858-1945) whose father ran a grist mill on Concession 6, Lot 2, East Gwillimbury. Walker and Hester had 3 children:
1. Warren Soules Prosser born 1882
2. Cecil Daniel Prosser born 1891
3. Alice Alma Prosser born 1896 and died in 1901 after suffering a week of diphtheria
Ethel mentioned Cecil once when he was back in town after working in the States for a year. She also wrote, "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".
Ethel also wrote, "Say that Cecil Prosser is a clip. he goes out of an evening and reaches home sometime the next day."
Although I don't like to get too far ahead of the letters so readers don't get confused, in this case I feel you ought to know that in a few years, Sadie will marry Cecil Prosser. I'm telling you now so that you may get some enjoyment out of their courtship whenever Ethel and Noah, and even Sadie, talks about Cecil.
Take this letter, for instance, when Ethel writes that Walker Prosser bought Sadie's decorated box at the Box Social. I would have loved to been privvy to that conversation, considering how forthright and spunky our Sadie has shown herself. I wonder, too, if Walker knew he was bidding on Sadie's box and wanted to get to know her - possibly curious at something Cecil allowed to slip. Or maybe - as a 20 yr old, Cecil is too busy playing the field and hasn't taken notice of 16 yr old Sadie. Whatever the case, there is more mention of Cecil in the upcoming letters.
One thing about the Box Social... I thought only single men bought the boxes, but if Walker Prosser is indeed Cecil's dad, then he was married to Hester at the time of this Box Social. If anyone knows the rules of this event, please let me know. Meanwhile, here's a snippet I found about a Box Social in the 1913 paper.
Newmarket Era (Newmarket, ON), 19 Mar 1915, p. 6
