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1911 Courtship: Mar 26, Dear Ethel

10/28/2012

If you read last week's courtship letter, you may notice that the date is the same, except on this one, it's addressed to Ethel and not from her. Since Noah and Ethel each mail letters every week, there are bound to be delays and such as the letters cross by train and wagon from Ontario (previously Upper Canada) to the new province of Saskatchewan (previously North-West Territories).

Author of Letter: Noah Clement Draper
Dated: Mar 26 (1911)
Addressed to: Miss E. Nelson, Bellhaven, Ont.
Mailed from: Grand Coulee (Saskatchewan)
Relationship: Courting
Profession: Farmer
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, Black ink, but looks blue-grey in places
Writing Paper: Thick, textured, linen-like paper, 9 inches x 6.5 inches. Paper is folded in half, but written as Ethel's whereby page 2 and 3 are one long page and you have to turn the letter after the first page and then turn it back again for the final page.

People mentioned in this letter:

Mother - Sarah Sophia Deverell, Noah's widowed English mother
Orville - 23 yr old Orville King of Ethel's letter of Mar 26 who plays violin at Sunday School and will head west in August of 1911.
Mary Crowder & Mr. Crowder - Neighbours we met in Mar 19 Dear Noah
Louie & Fred* see Genealogy Notes below

Things mentioned in this letter:
La Grippe - Used frequently during the cold and flu season in the Newmarket Era as well as these letters.

Grand Coulee March 26/11

Miss E. Nelson,
       Belhaven, Ont
Dear Ethel; --
        Received your letter tonight
& was glad to find out you
were still kicking. and
hope you have not got
the La Grippe. Am feeling
fine & working like a
setting hen you should
feel the muscels in my arms
I can tell you it went hard
for the first few days but
I dont mind it now.
        Mother is down to Louie's
for a week dont know whether
she will be home tomorrow
or not.
        Well I suppose your snow

is all gone by this time. we have some
yet but it will be all gone if it keeps
on like this in two or three days it is
just nice & muddy here now. but it
will soon dry up.
     Well I have my stable up & my
horses in it and I have to walk
about quarter of a mile to do my chores
& that is worse than the work while
it is so wet will put up my tent
as soon as it dries then hurrah for
batching. wouldnt you like to eat some
of my cooking? eh.
     Have not got a man yet expect to go
into Regina Monday or Tuesday. wish
I had hired one when I was down
there. Will have to pay about $35.00
a month this year but dont care as
long as I have a good man.
     Well we have a start at cleaning
wheat cleaned about 110 bu yesterday
after noon we can clean it in about
2 days more I guess so that wont be
bad.
     Have been a way all day hunting
my cow she has been out about
2 weeks. but I could not get any trace
of her yet. was on horse
back & so am good & tired for I had
to ride my driver as Louie has her
pony down there. & there is a big
difference in the way they ride

Well Ethel you talk about
geting lonesome I can tell
you there is two of us at
that trick then. for you are
never out of my mind very long
at a time even when Iam
fooling with other girls I often
think what is my darling kid
doing now so I guess we are
two fools well met. eh.
     Suppos Orville has grown
about two feet since he started
playing in the Sunday School.
& goodness knows he was big
enough before.
     How is Mary Crowder geeting
a long & (Mr. Crowder) tell her
I was very glad to meet her. Ha. Ha.
     Well. Ethel I guess this is all
for this time so ByeBye. I am
yours for ever & after N C.D.
    as B4

Witten along the left side of the page above...

P.S. Am writing this so if I go to church tomorrow I can post it Bye Bye xxxxx N.D

Genealogy Notes

- I'm surprised Noah called Ethel 'kid' and it's not because it isn't a romantic term for a fiance, but rather because us historical writers are always wondering when certain words were brought into common usage. This is definitive proof that the word 'kid' was being used to refer to someone other than a baby goat prior to 1911.

- Louie and Fred update! Louie is one of Noah's older sisters. Her real name is Sarah Louisa but everyone calls her Louie and she's also recorded in the census records that way. I recently gave an update on Fred and Louie in Mar 6 Dear Ethel because I'd finally found them after a long search. That post has an image of Fred in a buggy as well as Louie's headstone although the cemetery records show that Fred, his father, and his mother are also buried there.

In preparation for this week's letter, I went on another search for Fred's vital records, Louie's death record, and their marriage record. I thought it strange that none of these came up in my previous searches. I only had Louie's birth record. There wasn't even any mention of the girls Noah talks about in one of his letters, either.

And I found something.

I found a death record for Sarah Louise - not Sarah Louisa, but Sarah Louise. I assumed it was an error until I looked at the age - 2 yrs old. Awh. Louie had a little girl with a name similar to hers and the little one died. As a mother myself, I grieved for Louie. The death record was from British Columbia because Fred and Louie died in Kelowna, and but it didn't list the Cause of Death. I have to send away for the actual Death Certificate to get that information.

But that's not all.

Louie and her little girl both died on Feb 1, 1920. With premature deaths like that, it had to have been some kind of accident. I still haven't found Louie's death record, or Fred's. Or their marriage record. Or Fred's birth record, although he's listed in all the censuses with his parents.

But no evidence of any other children, and no online newspaper for Kelowna that I can check. I believe I'm getting spoiled by the Newmarket Era from Ontario which gives all the Belhaven news from 1860-1980.

So, another chapter in Louie's life, and like everything else in genealogy, I now have more questions than before.

Anyone out there from Kelowna? Wanna check some old newspapers at the Kelowna Library Archives for me?

1911 Courtship: Mar 26, Dear Noah

10/21/2012

We've been posting the letters of Noah Draper of Grand Coulee, Saskatchewan, and Ethel Nelson of Belhaven, Ontario, who began exchanging courtship letters in February 1911. The last letter published was Mar 20, Dear Ethel however, the links to all the letters are listed here.

Author of Letter: Ethel Isabell Nelson, age 21
Dated:   March 26th, 1911
Addressed to: Mr N. C. Draper, Grand Coulee
Mailed from:  Belhaven, 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. Once again, Ethel has written page 2 and 3 lengthwise so you have to turn the letter after the first page and then turn it back for the final page.

People mentioned in this letter:

- Maud Bruels - friend of Ethel, I'll add a post card from her soon
- Frank Tomilson and Bessie Chapman*
- Stanley Mahoney and May Anderson*
- Elgin Barker and Ada Boadway*
- Veda - (Veda Perrault, daughter of Noah's sister, Eva & Joseph Perault)
- Jim Barker*

- Update on the Draper move west posted below under Genealogical Notes*

Belhaven Mar 26th 1911

Mr. N.C. Draper,
        Grand Coulee,
My Dear Noah. --
                    I have just come
home from Church, and I am
very thankful . I am here . for it
is raining quilt hard. There were
not many out, I guess it was
to dark.
                     Maud Bruels came
home with us from Sunday
School and stayed for tea. Say. she
is quilt a girl. She is talking of
going out to British Columbia in about
     two weeks.

            Do you remember Frank Tomilson!
He is engaged to Bessie Chapman.
They say she is only sixteen. I think
She is to young. (just like myself.) dont you?
They are to be married in June.
Stanley Mahoney and May Anderson.
are also engaged, and Elgin Barker and
Ada Boadway Suppose there are lots
more.
        Will you soon be starting seeding?
I don't think it will be long before they
get started here. Pa has hired a foreigner
for a while, He is quilt a musician.
         Well Noah I wish you did not
live so far away. I think if you were
nearer here time would pass or seem to
pass much quicker. for me anyway.
           Hope you are having a good
time all these days.
           Suppose Veda is studying hard
ready to try for her Entrance.

   Was reading a story in one of
your magazines last night
"River Robers." I think it was fine.
Am reading Uncle Tom's Cabin now.
It is quite nice.
       Jim Barker starts for the West
next Monday. I dont know just what
post he is going to. I think I have
did some poor writing to night,
as you say all blots & blurs & blunders
are kisses. I think there are a good
many of them.
             I can't think of any thing
much more that I can write. But
if you were only here. Guess I could
talk awhile. If I was'nt to overjoyed,
Will be looking for your letter.
and waiting for the time when it will
be you I am looking to see come. Good-Bye
    xxx              x x x          from Yours. Ethel

Genealogy Notes

*Frank Tomilson and Bessie Chapman: Finding these two was more difficult because I assumed Bessie would be listed under an official name like Elizabeth. Nope. My initial search for Frank Tomilson and Elizabeth Chapman didn't offer any appropriate choices. But when I searched for Bessie Chapman alone, I found a 1901 census with an 8 yr old Bessie Chapman living in Ethel's area. In the sidebar of that page was a suggested list of relevant records which
included a 1911 census. The census was taken in June of that year and lists Bessie as being 17 yrs old with a birthday in Dec.

Yet another suggested relevant record was Bessie's marriage certificate to Frank Tomilson. I pulled it up and guess what? It shows that Frank married Bessie on Aug 16, 1911 except it lists Bessie's age as 19 yrs old...

Isn't that funny how a person can age a couple years in a few months. 'Nuff said.

*Stanley Mahoney and May Anderson: The Mahoney's have been mentioned twice in these letters so far:
- Mar 12, Dear Noah - a brief mention about Mr. Mahoney's buggy
- Mar 20, Dear Ethel - an explanation of the Mahoney Family
According to the 1911 census, 22 yr old Stanley Mahoney is one of Della's younger brothers. When I clicked on Stanley, suggested relevant records showed up in the sidebar of his census record and one of them was a marriage record which showed that Stanley Mahoney and Edith Mae Anderson would marry in Belhaven on June 17th, 1912. According to Voters Lists, the Stanley Mahoney family would stay in the area for many years.

*Elgin Barker and Ada Boadway: I searched for Elgin Barker with a spouse named Ada and their location as Gwillimbury Township, York County, Ontario, Canada - the same location as Ethel - and the first thing that popped up was their marriage certificate. Here's their story... In Oct of 1912, 28 yr old Elgin and 22 yr old Ada would marry in nearby Sutton. There is no mention of Elgin and Ada in the 1916 Census for the Canadian NorthWest Territories (now Saskatchewan), so we don't know if they ever made it to the West. However, in Nov of 1919, Elgin Barker, his wife, Ada, and their 4 children crossed the international border at Niagara Falls with a destination of New York. While searching the newspaper for info on Elgin Barker, this showed up:

However, while checking the newspaper to see if Jim Barker ever went west, I came upon this notice:

BELHAVEN.

    Prof. Dales...
    Mr. Elgin Barker, Mr. Harold
Winch, Mr. Orman Willoughby and
Mr. Orville King left for the West
this week. They will appreciate home
when they land in Ontario in the
fall.
    If reports are true, bells are ring-
ing already, though there are no
signs of sleighing yet.

I didn't find Jim Barker going West yet, but it seems that Elgin Barker went west before he married Ada Boadway and emigrated to the U.S.

According to other reports in this Newmarket newspaper, the sound of bells is used when there's a rumour of impending marriage but it hasn't officially been announced. I assume this is the rumour of engagement between Elgin and Ada.

*Update on when Noah's family moved West - Further to the last update which I'm still thanking Geoff Bowerman for, I found a bit more information about Noah's father, David Draper. We know David Draper moved his family west in 1903 after Noah finished school, but apparently he didn't sell his land at that time. Perhaps he wanted to hang on to it in case the upheaval didn't work out. He may have rented it for a while, too, but whatever the case, it was the end of 1904 when he got around to selling his farm in Ontario:

David Draper Auction Sale, Newmarket Era, pg 3, Nov 25, 1904

When I searched the old newspapers for an obituary for Noah's father, I found this:

David Draper Obituary, Newmarket Era, pg 6, dated July 2, 1909.

1911 Courtship: Mar 20, Dear Ethel

10/15/2012

Our last 1911 Courtship letter was Mar 19 Dear Noah. If you've missed some of the courtship letters, click here for a list of links.

Although I have a receipt that states Noah bought five quarters of land back on Dec 29th, 1909 for $1412.75, this is Noah's first letter where he talks about the home he is building as he readies himself for married life. I notice that when he first starts talking, he's saying my barn and my house and then suddenly, he crosses out the my and adds our. I can only imagine what Ethel is thinking at that point.

Author of Letter: Noah Clement Draper
Dated: Mar 20 (1911)
Addressed to: Miss E. Nelson, Bellhaven, Ont.
Mailed from: Grand Coulee, Sask.
Relationship: Courting
Profession: Farmer
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, Black ink, but looks blue-grey in places
Writing Paper: Thick, textured, linen-like paper, 9 inches x 6.5 inches. Paper is folded in half and written in booklet form although unnumbered.

People mentioned in this letter:

Louie - Sarah Louisa Draper, Noah's older sister
The Mahoneys and Della* - First mentioned in the Mar 12th letter when Ethel writes, "Mr Mahoney's had buggy to S. School."

Grand Coulee. Mar 20.

Dear Ethel,
        Received your letter last
Thursday & was glad to hear
you were still in the land
of the living.
         Well Ethel I some times
miss writing on Sunday as
you will see but I was down
to Louies for tea & didnt get
home untill the wee small
hours.
         Am busy building my
barn. & it will take about
2 days yet. I can tell you it
is a change from watching
other people work but it does
a person good.
        I dont know wheather I told
you in my last letter or

not but I have sent for a tent
& am going to live in it untill
fall & then build my house
(the nest for my bird). eh
Say kid I am going to send
you my plans for our house
& if you see any alterations
you would like to make.
why you can just say so
& it will be as you want
it. is'nt that fair. you will
be the one that has to run
it. so i think you should have
it preety nearly as you want
it.
Am going to dig the cellar
& cement it this summer so
as to have it ready for fall
for when I start it I want it
done quick. (in the sweet bye & bye.

am going to the Coulee in
the morning after lumber so
will have a chance to post
this.
        The roads are preety near
impassable so expect to
have a big time but cant
stop for that as spring work
will soon start. & I have
got to clean over 800 bushel
of wheat for seed. & over a 100
of oats. & I have no strawing
done yet. Oh. say you might
come out & help.
         Well Dearest I guess you
will think I am trying to
stuff you but it is all to
true. Ha. Ha.
        How is Mahoneys getting
along. Isent Della a card.
but have not got any answer

another case like 2 years ago (eh)
        Well I guess you will be
in bed while I am writing
this. it would be half past
ten by your time now.
        & we have just come in
from the barn.
       Well Ethel I have not much
to tell you in aletter but
if I were there I guess I
could find lots to say.
but just now I am going
to say. Bye Bye &
write soon to your

Prairie Boy.
N.C. Draper,

Although Noah isn't the greatest writer, I believe this is his worst letter yet for grammar and spelling errors. But when you consider how tired he must be after working all day doing the physical work out in the cold, the mistakes in his writing doesn't matter. It's the fact that as tired as he is, he's taken the time to write to Ethel and let her know his plans.

Genealogy Notes

To find out who Della Mahoney was, I went to the ancestry.com website and searched for Della Mahoney who once lived at Belhaven, North Gwillimbury Township, York County, Ontario, Canada which is the address for Ethel.

The results brought up an 1891 and a 1901 Canada census as possibilities. I clicked on each in turn which showed that the Thomas Mahoney family lived down the road from the James Nelson (Ethel's) family and the David Draper (Noah's) family. But 10 yrs between census records is a long time in a family's life, and I wanted to see where the Mahoney family was at the time Noah wrote this letter. The 1911 Canada census is dated on June 1st of that year and shows the Mahoney's living on the same farm down the road from Ethel.

As to why Noah asked about Della and no one else in the Mahoney family... the census records show that Della was born in 1887, while Noah was born in 1888. To confirm that they knew each back as children, I pulled up the 1897 school photo of SS #4 Belhaven school as seen below.

SS #4 Belhaven 1897 School Photo. Mom is Ethel Nelson, Dad is Noah Draper. Noah's sister, Jennie, is check-marked in 2nd row from the top.

According to the above info, Della Mahoney is 2nd from the right in the 2nd row from the top. That puts her right in from of Noah. Not only that, but the Newmarket Era regularly printed exam results for each grade from Primary up and prove that Della and Noah competed against each other in the one-room Belhaven school.

The 1911 census records Della as being 24 yrs old and still living at home. Her occupation is listed as Farmer's Daughter with 5 younger siblings, all in their teens. Most farmers' daughters were married at that age - partly because they'd found a love, but many because they tried to escape the drudgery of home life and have freedom from siblings. Her older sister, Stella, is already married with a small family. What was Della's case?

And then I noticed that the 1911 census didn't show the mother, Ellin Mahoney and that Della's father is listed as a Widower. If Ellin died recently, and the family was in turmoil, that could explain Noah's worry.

So I went back to the 1901 census and realized that it also listed Thomas Mahoney as a widower with 7 children and in the column for relationship to the head of the family, Ellin is listed his Housekeeper and single. Since they share a name, and she's listed above the children's names, (and not below where their 17 yr old domestic servant is listed), I can only conclude that Ellin is Thomas's sister.

Yet there must've been a Mrs. Mahoney at one time to produce 7 kids. So, I went farther back to the 1891 census, and there she was - Lucy Mahoney. Since with the youngest Mahoney child is listed on the 1901 census as 5 yrs old, Lucy Mahoney died in the 5 yrs before the 1901 census was taken. Between the years Dellas was 9 and 14. That's a rough age to lose a mother in any period of time.

But, did I really need to do all this research to discover a mention in Noah's letter?

Nope. However, I wanted to show you how easy it sometimes is to find your ancestors. All you need is a name and a location. They don't even have to be exact since the internet and computer systems offer suggestions of similarly spelled names and a range of close dates. Give it a try and then let me know how you made out. And let me know if you need help and I'll try my best to help you on your journey.

1911 Courtship: Mar 19 Dear Noah

10/8/2012

I find that as each week passes and Noah and Ethel mention more people, I find myself with a growing list of people to research. Who are friends, and who are relatives? Who do I give details on, and who do I merely mention? I'd love to research them all, but unfortunately, time restraints won't allow that.

And then I find a letter like this one when Ethel turns her thoughts inward and reveals how she's really dealing with this courtship year.

Our last 1911 Courtship letter was Mar 14, Dear Ethel. If you've missed some of the courtship letters, click here for a list of links.

Author of Letter: Ethel Isabell Nelson, age 21
Dated: March 19th, 1911
Addressed to: Mr. N. C Draper, Grand Coulee
Mailed from: Belhaven
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. Ethel has written page 1 and 4 as covers, but inside,
pages 2 and 3 are written together as one long page.

People mentioned in this letter:

- the Kings including Orville - neighbours of Ethel's family
- the Crowders - neighbours of Ethel's family
- Professor Dales*
- School Teacher, Miss McClure
- Mrs. Dafoe*
- Pollacks
* see Genealogy notes at bottom of post

Famous quote: "Time flies"

Belhaven, Mar 19, 1911

Mr N.C. Draper,
        Grand Coulee,
My Dear Noah, -
                           Well here I am again
with some more of my scribbling.
and I was disapointed last night
for I missed your letter last
week. And I wonder why it failed
to get here? I will look for two this week.
                                We were up to
Sunday School this afternoon, and
Kings came home with us for tea.
We were to go to Church but it
was snowing to hard. And my
Ma said I had better stay at home.
Oh say; I have a dreadful cold in
           my head.

We rang Crowder's up and they were
telling us, Professor Dales preached
and our School Teacher, Miss McClure
gave a solo. Orville King plays his
violin in the Sunday School now. He
says we've got to make the music go
now.
         Mrs Dafoe died last Monday
at 12 o'clock. and buried on Thrusday.
Will Dafoe came down from Swift
Current, but he did not get here until
the next morning after the funeral.
          Well it seems to me the past
week has been a very lonesome one,
I don't know but I guess I must be
foolish, for I get so lonesome I hardly
know what to do to pass the time.
          People say, Time flies.
but I don't think it is fling any
to fast to suit me at the present
time. I don't know what you think
about it.

The clock has just struck
eleven, and everyone is asleep
but me. I guess. So I think
you would be saying you had
better say your prayers and
go to bed.
There has been quite a few
from around here start for the
West this spring. I think Pollocks
went last week. Saw a man
from the west. and oh the
wiskers he had. He said it was
cold up there, so he grew them
to help keep his face warm.
What about it, Eh. Well Noah. I
close my scribble for this time
and hope to hear from you.
Soon. Hope all are well. From
One who loves you. Ethel.
X X X x & lots more.

That point about growing the whiskers to keep your face warm is a fact. One of the worst things you can do in sub-zero temperatures is shave and then go outside while your face is raw. It'll sting and hurt for sure. This photo isn't even old enough to be called vintage, but it's right on topic as it shows my husband, Nelson Draper, when he was in the Canadian military and serving at Alert, which is the closest inhabited site to the North Pole. The CAF doesn't allow beards unless you're in the Navy or you have doctor's chit for a medical condition, but men in remote northern stations are allowed to grow one if they wise. Nelson served there for 4 long months and when he came home, his beard was three times as bushy as this:

Nelson Clement Draper, grandson of Noah Draper and Ethel Nelson, 1987, Canadian Forces Station Alert, Northwest Territories (now known as Nunavet).

Genealogy Notes

Back to the courtship letters of Nelson's Grandpa Noah and Grandma Ethel...

This week while looking for one of Ethel's mentions, Professor Dales, I stumbled upon the website of http://news.ourontario.ca/newmarket/ which lists newspapers of the Belhaven area. I couldn't resist and brought up the issue that carried the same date as this courtship letter of Ethel's. Although it's digitized, the newspaper is difficult to read in the bottom left of every page which happens to be where the Belhaven news is, so like the letters, I'll post the image then transcribe the words except this time, I'm skipping the hyphenated words.

The first column talks about something Ethel and Noah have mentioned a couple times - that of her Pa selling their farm. That's when I knew this was the perfect type of newspaper to get all the information I've been searching.

Belhaven

   It was reported that Mr. James
Nelson has sold his place. Don't
you believe it.
   The sleighing has nearly gone, we
use buggies now.
   The special meetings at Keswick
still go on. We thank Mr. McCarthy
for the good he is doing.
   Sorry to hear Mrs. Albert Dafoe
passed away on Monday, March 13.
We mourn the loss in Belhaven.

    Service was held in Belhaven on
Sunday night.   But Keswick got
the largest crowd as a very queer subject was to be discussed. Ask the men about it.
     Mrs. W. Rose is still improving.
We rejoice with her relations.
    Belhaven is looking up. Mr. Norman York is buying butter and eggs
and shipping them to Toronto.
     Mr. Ough and Mr. allison made a
flying visit to friends near Fish Market.
     Mr. Wm. Wrightman is moving to
Mr. Steve Winche's house at Belhaven.
     Mr. Wm. King is still in Toronto.

Of course, the first paragraph in the 2nd column intrigued me, especially since it was about Mr. McCarthy who was also mentioned in the right column, so I dug out Ethel's last letter and this is what she'd written:

There are special meetings being held
in the Christian Church, Keswick by an
Evangelist, Mr McCarthy. I have been up
three times and say he is a fine speaker.
Friday night his topic was Impure
Amusements. He spoke of Theatre, Dances
and card tables. His topic to-night was
"He blamed his wife for it". Wish you were
here to hear him.

And that's when it clicked in what the newspaper was talking about... "He blamed his wife for it." It must've been a fun speech if the reporter said to "Ask the men about it." Haha

On a sad note, the newspaper gave a brief mention that Mrs. Albert Dafoe died. Another issue of the newspaper mentions her son, Will, came down for the funeral. What the paper doesn't say is what Ethel says with such emotion in her letter - and the misspelling is Ethel's not mine:

Mrs Dafoe died last Monday
at 12 o'clock. and buried on Thrusday.
Will Dafoe came down from Swift
Current, but he did not get here until
the next morning after the funeral.

However, back to Professor Dales, several editions mentioned he would be conducting services in Belhaven, and one mentioned that he was from Toronto. I'm assuming his title is for theological training.

I've read some upcoming issues of the Newmarket Era and think showing the stories side-by-side with Ethel's will had a new dimension to these posts.

What do you think? Did you like when I added the newspaper clipping above?

1911 Courtship: Mar 14, Dear Ethel

10/1/2012

1907 4-seater cutter in Regina, SK. Courtesty of the Glenbow Museum online Archives.

I hope you're enjoying this continuing series of Noah and Ethel's 1911 courtship year. The last letter was Mar 12, Dear Noah and if you missed any, you can find them below this post or click the links on the Genealogy Post Index page.

Author of Letter: Noah Clement Draper
Dated: Mar 16 (1911)
Addressed to: Miss E. Nelson, Bellhaven, Ont.
Mailed from: Grand Coulee, Sask
Relationship: Courting
Profession: Farmer
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, Black ink, but looks blue-grey in places
Writing Paper: Thick, textured, linen-like paper, 9 inches x 6.5 inches. Paper is folded in half and written in the following order: no number, III, II, no number. I placed them in the correct order for this post and also for the .pdf copy.

An Asterisk* denotes more info will be provided under Genealogy Notes at the end of the post.

People mentioned in this letter:
- Veda* - 16 yr old daughter of Joe & Eva
- Fanny - Joe's niece
- Joe - husband of Noah's sister, Eva Amelia
- Ethel's father - James Henry Nelson (1865-1953)
- Mrs. Nelson - Ethel's mother, Ida Amelia Glover (1874-1953)
- Fern - see the Genealogy notes on 1911 Courtship: Mar 5, Dear Noah
- Louie & Fred - see the Genealogy notes on 1911 Courtship: Mar 6, Dear Ethel

- Dr. Ball*

Famous Quote: "they say absence makes the heart grow fonder"
(from page 4)

Grand Coulee. Mar. 14.

Miss. E. Nelson;
      Belhaven, Ont.
Dear Ethel; -
      Received your letter last
night & was glad to hear from
you. you can bet. that you
had eloped. Ha. Ha. Guess I did
look for a letter last week I
watched the P.Ol. like a cat
watches a mouse but I had a
good idea why you did not
send one.
      Was in Regina last Thursday
night withg Veda & Fanny to
a show had a big time going
in. Veda said she wished we
would upset. & Fanny said
she would'nt get out if we did.
   We went to turn out for a rig
& over we went, Fanny changed

her mind about getting out. Ha. Ha.
No damage done tho. so we got
(gathered up) & went on. got the
rest of the way all right tho.
I had to jump out & hold up the
cutter once or Fanny might have
got out again. Ha Ha.
      Joe & I were in town yesterday
Joe bought a nother guarter
section right beside his own
& is well pleased.
      Suppose you know wheather
you will sell your place or not by
this time, Do you think you would
like town life?
      Do you think your father
will come west if he does sell
out down there? I think he would
do well out here & he would
like the place so would.
      Mrs. Nelson.
Say Ethel you did not say how
you liked that P.C. or havent

you got it?
      Fern is a stenographer in a lawyers
office but I have not seen her
since I left school so do not know
what she is like. saw her father
in Regina yesteraday. but he
did not act as friendly as he used
to. he has not returned that dollar
yet. HaHa. makes quite a difference.
      Well you may be in Queens
vill by the time this reaches
you & that is a little step on the
way to the west. Wish it were
G.C. instead of Q.V.
      We have been having nice
weather but it is windy and
cold to-day.
      Say Ethel you speak about Veda
going East with mother but if
she had to take her I would
not want her to go at all. for
Veda is a clip I can tell y0u
    she will have to go to a Ladies
college just as soon as her hands

get better & Dr. Ball. says he can
cure them with the Ex. Rays if
no other way so they are doctering
with him.
      Louie & Fred were up Sunday
& we had a big time. I have not
been down there yet but guess
I will go down Sunday.
      Well Ethel it will be 4 weeks
Thurs day since I saw you & it.
seems like as many months, I
can tell you. Just remember
how stingy you were when
I was there see. x Ha Ha wish I
could deliver them & receive them
personally instead of by letter
but they say absence makes
the heart grown fonder. Ha. Ha.
(dont beleive it.) Well I guess
I will ring off for this time so
good by. Write soon & often to
your Loving Lover. Liver Friend.
                               N. C. Draper

Items mentioned in this letter

- cutter - either a 2- or 4- seater sleigh as in the top photo.

One thing I discovered in my research is the impact bobs - separate runners - had on the safety of sleigh travel. Originally, sleighs had a pair of runners connected to a solid frame as in the sleigh pictured at the top of the post. However, a design improvement consisted of independently turning runners connected to a reach. This made turning quicker and safer. Probably more expensive, too. I can only assume that as farmers, Noah's family owned a simple sleigh instead of a bob sleigh as pictured below.

Dr. Bell's horses & sleigh , Montreal, QC, 1895. McCord Museum Online Archives.

Close up of bobs on Dr. Bell's horses & sleigh, Montreal, QC, 1895. McCord Museum Online Archives.

The next photo is Prince Arthur's sleigh at "Rosemount", Montreal, QC, 1870 and it's also from the McCord Museum online Archives. Note that this is a sleigh and not a bob sleigh with independent runners as shown in the accompanying close up. Please excuse the quality of the closeup as this is my doing for educational purposes only and in no way reflects the quality of the photogragher and his work.

Prince Arthur's sleigh at "Rosemount", Montreal, QC, 1870 from the McCord Museum online Archives

Close up of sleigh runners of Prince Arthur's sleigh at "Rosemount", Montreal, QC, 1870. From the McCord Museum online archives.

- rig - a horse and conveyance regardless of the amont of horses or what type of conveyance is being used (buggy, wagon, sleigh, sledge, etc)

- quarter section - 160 acres (The land is surveyed in one mile increments with one square mile equal to one section of land which is 640 acres.)

- Queensville - Belhaven is approx 5 miles from Queensville which is why Noah laughs after saying Ethel has taken a small step toward the west.

*Veda's hands - This is the first instance I've heard that Veda needs medical attention for her hands. Since Noah mentioned Dr. Ball and xrays, it seems to imply it's not a skin problem like eczema, athough Noah's son had this skin condition. I don't understand how an 'Ex Ray' machine can cure anything, but I guess we'll have to wait for more information to be revealed. I'd also wondered if her hands were broken when they 'upset' but Noah said no damage had been done at that time. Veda's hands will go on the list as another mystery waiting to be solved.

Regina had several dozen doctors by this time and Dr. Francis Ball may have been well known in his field except I only found him referred to as 'a local physician'. However, the Queen Anne Revival home he built in 1912 was unique as then, as it is today, with its bell-capped multi-sided corner tower.

Queen Anne Revival home of Dr. Frances Bell, built in 1912, Regina, SK. Photo courtesy of www.worldisround.com

Back to Noah, Veda and Fanny's upset, here's a verse from Riding In A Sleigh, Copyright, 1871, by William Shakespeare Hays :

Whips were cutting, drivers shouting, horses flying fast;
Sleighs upsetting, voices yelling as they quickly passed;
Till at last the race was ended, morn was turning gray.
Homeward came the jolly parties, riding in a sleigh.-

Chorus.
Hip, hurrah! hold your horses or they'll get away!
Ain't it pleasant, with your sweetheart, riding in a sleigh.

Now isn't that exciting!
Doesn't it make you want to come visit and take a sleigh ride with us?

1911 Courtship: Mar 26, Dear Ethel

Genealogy Notes

1911 Courtship: Mar 26, Dear Noah

Genealogy Notes

1911 Courtship: Mar 20, Dear Ethel

Genealogy Notes

1911 Courtship: Mar 19 Dear Noah

Genealogy Notes

Belhaven

1911 Courtship: Mar 14, Dear Ethel

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