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WW1 Letters Home - Feb 18, 1917

2/25/2022

 
Picture
Ferry Routes Across the River Mersey to Liverpool, 1911.
Author of Letter: Noah C Draper, 30 yrs old
Dated:  Feb 18, 1917 
Mailed from:  Birkinhead (Birkenhead, England) 
Attached to: HMS Bacchante 
Profession:  Farmer, Temporary Sailor
Rank: Ordinary Seaman, Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve
Addressed to:  Mrs. N.C. Draper, Keswick, Ont. 
Relationship: Wife
Writing instrument:  Fountain Pen with Black Ink
Writing Paper: 1 sheet 9" x 6" medium weight, smooth, linen-look, folded into a 4-page booklet. Noah hasn't numbered the pages, and he's using a form he's used often before where his first page is the front "cover", then he's opened it and written on the right side, then moved over to the left side - turned the page sideways - and written there, and finally, he's closed it and written on the back. For clarity, I'm posting the pages in the order they were meant to be read. 

People mentioned in this letter:
Ethel* - Ethel Isabel Draper, 27 yrs old, Noah's wife of 6 yrs


Places/things mentioned in this letter:
ferry** across the River Mersey
Birkenhead - town across the River Mersey from Liverpool, England
Liverpool - 
maritime city in northwest England
poverty** in Liverpool
​
Word or Phrase Use: 
​snapshot - photograph

Legend: 
* Look under the Categories/Labels in the right side column for more posts on this 
  person/place/thing, or use the search box in the header at the top of this page
** see History Notes below
​
Picture
Birkinhead, Feb. 18./17.
Mrs. N.C. Draper,
    Keswick, Ont.
My Dear wife & Babies;-
   Well am still in Port and 
expect to be for some time 
but can never tell. I was 
ashore yesteraday after-noon 
and went over to Liverpool it 
is only about 5 minutes by 
ferry from here & is some 
place I was in the poor 
district yesteraday and 
it is awful to see the
poverty so plainly to be 
seen on every side lots 
of children without shoes 

Picture
and stockings yet they 
say it is no worse than 
it was in peace time and 
I do not see why it should 
be as wages are so much 
higher. then at night I 
went to the theather they 
have two performances 
a night one at 640 PM & the 
other at 9. & I guess they get 
full houses at each one. 
   There is some talk of 
us getting a four days 
leave here but I do not 
know wheather we will 
or not if I do I will spend 
​it in or around Liverpool
Picture
   Say Ethel I think if I were you 
I would go west in the spring 
& look after things you could board 
your self or fix it any way you 
liked so you could get along untill 
I get back home.
   Well there is funny weather here 
foggy one day & cold the next and 
I will be glad to see the summer altho 
I would be more than supprised to be 
near England in April.
   Say you should see the clothes we 
​had issued to us & I had a suit 
Picture
made to order cost 14 shilling 
but it is better stuff than 
in the ones we get issued 
to us.
   Well it is a quite a job to 
write here as there is over 
1000 men on board & they 
all seem to want to talk 
at once when a person is 
writing. Well I have had 
tea & just started to finish 
this letter when the bugle 
sounded again but guess 
I will finish it this time.
   Have you sent that Photo 
& snapshots yet. I have not 
got them anyway. Well I guess 
I will close for this time so 
ByeBye Love to all.
                              N.C. Draper.

​

History Notes
​

There are 2 History notes for this letter of February 18, 1917:


History Note 1 - Ferry across the River Mersey 

In this letter, Noah had time off  to explore the Birkenhead area where the HMS Bacchante is docked and used it to take a ferry across the River Mersey to Liverpool. (Yes, I now have the 1965 hit song Ferry Cross the Mersey by Gerry & The Pacemakers running through my head.)

By the first decade of the 20th century, paddlewheel ferries had been replaced by modern single or twin-screw steamers such as in the following illustration from the book, The Atlantic Ferry by Arthur J. Maginnis, published in 1900 by Whittaker and Co, London.

Picture
Illustration of twin-screw steamer, 1900.
We don't know which ferry Noah took to Liverpool, but it may even have been the SS Iris or SS Daffodil which were requisitioned to serve as troop transports in April 1918. They were given the HMS designation to their names, and with their shallow draft, were able to safely skim over mines which floated just beneath the water's surface. They suffered gunfire and shell damage during the naval raid on Zeebrugge in Belgium, and returned to England. After repairs, they were refitted with the furniture and furnishings of their non-military river ferry days.

For their service, King George V renamed the steamers Royal Daffodil and Royal Iris. On May 18, 1918, they returned to River Mersey ferry service where they received a heroes' welcome.
Picture
Mersey ferries Daffodil and Iris at Dover in 1918, upon their return from participating in the Zeebrugge Raid in Belgium.
History Note 2 - Poverty in Liverpool

At the start of the 20th century, Liverpool was one of the most industrialized cities in England, and is said to have grown faster than London during the latter decades of the 1800's. For a large part, this was due to the seven miles of docks running alongside Liverpool, with many more across the River Mersey at Birkenhead and Merseyside which ensured the movement of goods manufactured in the area. 

The numerous cotton, woollen and textile mills, iron and steel manufacturing plants, potteries, car manufacturing plants, chemlcal plants, not to mention the shipbuilding and repair dry docks, needed workers. People flocked to Liverpool for this purpose. But unlike a steady weekly job that could be counted on, a majority of the employment in Liverpool was casual day labour where men and women spent hours each day just trying to get a job. The work was dangerous with no safety laws in effect, and many lost their lives while trying to make a living. Single parents had no choice but leave their children alone while they worked. Child labour was also used, especially in the textile mills, but often children were left on their own in the streets while their parents strived to make enough money to feed them.

As someone born to a loving family on the rich farmland north of Toronto, Noah wasn't used to the hopeless poverty and neglected children of the Liverpool slums. It seemed so senseless to him.

1911 Courtship: Nov 26 Dear Noah

3/2/2014

 
Picture
Brandon College, Brandon, Man, 1910. Courtesty of http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/postcards.html
Author of Letter: Ethel Isabell Nelson, age 21 (b 1890)
Dated:  Nov 26 inst. 1911  (inst. = Latin meaning this month)
Addressed to: Dear Noah
Mailed  from:  Belhaven, P.O. 
Relationship:  Courting
Profession:  Farmer's Daughter  
Writing  instrument: Fine point pen, blue ink 
Written on:  Beige lined foolscap, newsprint quality, 9.5 inches x 6.5 inches, folded in half in booklet form with only page 2 numbered. It seems that Ethel has run out of quality notepaper - a common gift of the Edwardian period. A good thing Christmas is only 4 weeks away.  


People mentioned in this letter or Genealogy Notes


Pa - *James H Nelson
Ma - *Ida Amelia Glover
*Sadie - Ethel's 16 yr old sister*Christie - Ethel's 11 yr old sister
Uncle Will *Glover's - Ida's older brother living in East Gwillimbury
Veda - 16 yr old daughter of Noah's sister, Eva Amelia and Joseph Perrault
Mr. *Dafoe - resident of Belhaven until widowed in Mar 1911
Herbie Hainer - a member of the Hainer preaching dynasty from Newmarket


Places/things mentioned in this letter:
*West
the office - Belhaven post office
*Newmarket
*Brandon
Christmas

Cliches mentioned in this letter:
- "Hot time in the old town"
- "they say no news is good news"
- "better late than never"

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

Picture
Belhaven. P.O.
Nov 26 inst. 1911.
Dear Noah, -
                         Well here I am again. the
same old story 'eh' but thank goodness
I'll only be found or have the same
privelege of writing to you two or
three more times. Something better
to take its place, 'eh' better than a 
dozen letters. Four weeks from to-day
is Christmas Sunday. I look forward
to see you by that time anyway. and
I don't in the least expect to be
dissapointed. But if I am. Oh say!
I don't know what will happen: have you 
any ideas? Hot-time in the old town, eh.

Picture
2.
Well Noah. I wrote the first page of this
letter this forenoon, and now am going to
try and finish it up. Pa and I were
down to Uncle Will Glovers this afternoon
and Sadie and myself were up to
church to-night. Herbie Hainer preached.
     You din'dat say how Veda was. but 
they say no news is good news. hope
so in this case anyway.
     Christie says to tell you she is sitting
here beside me seeing that I write
properly. "ha ha"
     Well Noah as to your last letter, I
hardly know how to answer it. But 
if you come Christmas and stay
until sometime in February (about the
six weeks..) I supose we had better be
made one about the middle of January.

Picture
For you intend to come home here again
after we are married before going
West don't you, Oh Noah if you were
only here we would know exactly
each others ideas. and so could arrange
things much nicer. I don't feel like
setting the day this time anyway. perhaps
when you come everything will be
made right. I feel though now as
though anytime will suit me. Ma
says we can't go away until the
very last minute. not until you think
you really have to go back. All I seem
to be looking forward to now is 
seeing you. and I hope I soon 
can close my eyes to that and see
the rest.
     Guess you will wonder why you

Picture
did'nt get a letter sooner last
week. But really it just seemed
as no one was going to the office
after I did get it wrote. But I
hope it is better late than never.
     Well there does'nt seem to be
much that I can write to-day, for
I can't seem to settle my mind on
any one thing. But I know or hope
there's a great Day coming by and
by, "eh".
     Mr Dafoe was here Saturday
he has been out west all summer
he was saying if he knew then that
I was going he would have stayed. and
so on it goes. ha ha. I guess you
know about what it tis. "eh". I must
close for this time. so Bye-Bye Love from
your Sweetheart, Ethel          x x x x 




Genealogy Notes

In this week's letter, Ethel mentions Veda once again. In the post entitled 1911 Courtship: Oct 30 Dear Noah, I showed a photo of Veda as an older adult - the only image I have of her, but this time - with only a couple courtship letters left, I wanted to know exactly where Veda was attending school back in 1911. In a recent letter, Ethel had asked Noah if Veda was taking music in Brandon, but we don't know Noah's answer because we're missing his letters - the ones that cover these last few week before he returns to Belhaven to claim his bride.

However, once again I've been going through Ethel's Treasure Box in preparation for the next stage in Noah and Ethel's life. While sorting Noah's WW1 letters from those received from friends and family I found a letter from Veda with Brandon College letterhead and her mention of Clark Hall. 

With the confirmation of where Veda was attending post-secondary school, I did some digging. For those who missed the first time I posted this map, here it is again with Brandon located in the southwestern corner of the Canadian province of Manitoba. 

Picture
Map showing places mentioned in the 1911 Courtship letters.
The image on the right is a sketch of what Brandon College looked like when it began as Prairie College in 1880. Located in Rapid City, Manitoba it was an academic school for the general public as well as a training ground for Baptist ministers. In 1890 the school had moved to the growing city of Brandon, 20 miles south of Rapid City. 

1900 saw the laying of the cornerstone of the renamed Brandon College,  a new 3 1/2 story brick and Manitoba limestone building. (see postcard above) It offered a liberal arts program with theology courses and included high school and commercial departments. 
Picture
Sketch of Prairie College. Source: Archives of Manitoba, Schools 5, Prairie Baptist College, c1884
In 1906, a school of music was added, and in 1910 Brandon College officially affiliated with McMaster University in Ontario. At first I thought Clark Hall was the actual music department of Brandon College, but the Historical Sketch page for Brandon University records that Clark Hall was first used as the women's residence of the college. 

By the time Veda started her instruction in 1911, Brandon College music graduates in voice and piano were gaining national reputation, but I haven't found a source yet for any of those graduates. Hopefully I'll discover more by the time I post her actual letter which will be in a couple week's time. Meanwhile, here's a list of courses Veda could have been taking during 1911...

Picture
Henderson's Brandon City Directory for 1911, page 22 - Brandon College. Source: Peel's Prairie Provinces from the University of Alberta

1911 Courtship: July 30 Dear Noah

8/19/2013

 
Picture
Royal Lyceum Theatre in Toronto, Ontario, ca. 1888. Courtesy of Toronto Public Library online collection.
In this week's Courtship letter, Ethel mentions going to the Lyceum show. Read the Genealogy Notes, after Ethel's letter, to discover the world of Lyceum.

Author of Letter: Ethel Isabell Nelson, age 21 (b 31 May 1890)
Dated:  July 30 (1911) 
Addressed to: Mr. N.C.Draper, Grand Coulee, Sask - My Dearest Noah  
Mailed  from:  Huntsville, Ont. 
Relationship:  Courting
Profession:  Farmer's Daughter  
Writing  instrument: Fine point  pen, black ink
Written on: Off-white, beautifully textured, linen-like paper, 9 inches x 7 inches, folded in half with a blue forget-me-not motif. This is standard early 20th century notepaper, pre-folded in booklet form. Ethel has written on the pages in booklet form numbering 1-4.

People/places mentioned in this letter:


Mother (usually called Ma) - *Ida Amelia Glover Nelson
- *Elva Mitchell - Ethel's cousin in Indian Head, Sask
- Aunt Sarah - *Sarah Elizabeth Glover, sister of Ethel's mother
- Ernie - Aunt Sarah's 9 yr old son 
- Uncle *Emanuel Nelson - Ethel's Pa's paternal uncle
- Percy - Noah's brother in Saskatchewan

Huntsville locals:
Mr Bradley's - the whole family as shown by use of the apostrophe
Mr Mays - no apostophe - unsure if him alone or family as well
Mrs. Harman
Mrs. Wallace Youngs' mother


Places/things mentioned in this letter:
**The Lyceum Show


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


Picture
Huntsville.July 30.
Mr N. C. Draper.
        Grand Coulee.
My Dearest Noah; -
                                     I rec'd your letter
last week & was glad I'm sure to
get it. and to know you were still
able to be hard at work. & have a good
time. You must'nt work too hard
for that is what is killing me. So
take warning! 'ha ha'. Had a letter
from Mother on Sat Morning. they are 
well, & have got the barn nearly done.

Picture
2.
Poor Old mother working & me up here.
I was out for a row on Friday evening
Mr Bradley's took me & Mr Mays out 
& say we certainly did enjoy ourselves.
We are going to have a private picnic.
Some of these days before I go home. I
just do wish you were here to go out
for a row. Say you don't want to get
to nce a girl. or I am afraid you 
may. think she the only one. 'he' 
I had a letter from Elva. asking me
to come & see her when I went west.
She has been made wise, "eh. Every body
even here in Huntsville seems to be.
Ernie here the other night, we had
company. Aunt Sarah was sort of
joking & Ernie shouted to the top of 

Picture
3. 
his voice, She's going to get married.
I felt like saying. "You little rat".
Aunt Sarah & I were down town last
night to the Lyceum Show  1 play was
The shadow of the Past
Young man married a very extravagant
wife. she wanted a diamond necklace
but could'nt afford it, so her husband
stole it. So of course he had to go to jail
He returned after 30 yrs. all in rags &
his wife about the same. He did'nt
want to be friends & she did. finally
he pushed her over & she died. Oh
is'nt it awful to watch them
sometimes. & yet I enjoyed myself.
Mrs. Harman, Mrs Wallace Youngs' mother
is here this afternoon. My it is lonesome
on Sunday's. As you say, you're certainly

Picture
not far from me in my mind, but I 
wish you were nearer. Well I have had my
tea & been to church & home again. it is
just a lonely evening. Uncle Emmanuel
Nelson isvery low I guess. the Doctor says
he cannot live long. & I would like 
awfully well to be home to see him, but
dont know whether I will get there in time
or not. I expect to stay about 2 weeks
longer if it is so I can. I suppose there
isnt another boy in all the West like Percy's.
Your  country surely isnt so forsaken
that the people here are all afraid to go
up there. No I dont know of anyone going up
Just at that time. "Wish I were". I guess I 
have scribbled enough foolishness for this timew. So Bye Bye with love & kisses
from youre Sweetheart faraway. x x x x
                         x x x x x x x x x x x 



Genealogy Notes

"Aunt Sarah & I were down town last night to the Lyceum Show  1 play was The shadow of the Past" (Page 3)

When I googled "Lyceum Show" a list of Lyceum Theatres in the UK, US, and Canada appeared. My first thought was that it was a theatre chain such as the Odeon,  Famous Players, and Strand theatres, among others. It wasn't.

My dictionary.com app shows the following definitions for lyceum:
1. an institution for popular education providing discussions, lectures, concerts, etc.
2. a building for such activities.
3. (cap.) the gymnasium where Aristotle taught, in ancient Athens.
4. a lycee.

The Lyceum movement was about community groups and organizations who sponsored educators, lecturers, and entertainment groups like plays and minstrels to educate and entertain their communities.

Although many public speakers used the lyceum approach to promote their cause, the movement branched out into drama clubs, literary societies, Chautauqua, and vaudeville. Although some lyceums were traveling shows, many were permanent venues that still stand today. 

For more information, check out these sites:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyceum_movement 
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyceum_Theatre,_London 

To get back to Ethel's letter, she attended a Lyceum Show with at least 2 plays. She doesn't say if it was a travelling Lyceum show, or a weekly or monthly event in a play or opera house. My research in Huntsville history hasn't overturned any information, and the local newspaper, The Huntsville Forester, isn't online. 

However, I find her statement, "Oh is'nt it awful to watch them sometimes. & yet I enjoyed myself" a fascinating study of human nature.

Don't you?

1911 Courtship Letter Special: July 14 from Iowa

7/28/2013

 
Picture
Map showing migration of Henry Nelson and Eliza Crouch Nelson and their family from York County in Ontario to Atkins, Iowa. (brown line)
The Courtship Letter Special: July 20 From Ma & Sadie mentions this Iowa letter from Ethel's paternal grandma, Eliza Crouch...

Author of Letter: Eliza Crouch Nelson 
Dated:  July 14th, 19011 (1911)
Addressed to: My Dear Son
Mailed  from:  Atkins, Iowa (on last page after signature) 
Relationship: Ethel's paternal grandma
Profession:  Farmer Laborer's Widow
Writing  instrument: Fine Black Ink
Written on: Off-white and yellowed with age, lined note paper, 5 1/2 inches by 9 inches. 


Note: This letter is easy to read if you sound out the words as they are written and ignore the spelling.

People/places mentioned in this letter:
Picture
Eliza Crouch Nelson ca. 1890 (1840-1919)
- Son and doter
- Jimmey

Ethel's parents:
*James Henry Nelson and 
*Ida Amelia Glover
Picture
James Henry Nelson (1864-1953) ca. 1905
Picture
Ida Amelia Glover (1874-1953) ca. 1905
- George - **George Caleb Nelson, James's brother
- Alice - Eliza Alice Nelson Wer, James's sister in California

- Annie - Eliza Ann Nelson, James's sister

Picture
Eliza Alice Nelson Wear (1869-1946)
- Mammey - Mamie E Fritz, wife of Emanuel

- Emanuell - Emanuel Francis Nelson, James's brother



Picture
Mamie E Fritz Nelson (1881-1916) ca. 1905
Picture
Emanuel Francis Nelson (1876 - unk ) ca. 1905

- Annie - Eliza Ann Nelson, James's sister

- Willes - Willis A Crouch, son of Eliza Crouch's brother, Alfred


Picture
Eliza Ann Nelson (1872-1946) ca. 1917
Picture
Willis A Crouch (1862-1946) ca. 1917
 - Mode - *Victoria Maud - Ida Amelia's sister  with the newborn Ethel mentioned
- John - John Rogers - *Victoria Maud's husband
- Ida's mother - *Sarah Elizabeth Greenwood (Ethel's maternal grandma)
- Cristey - *Christy Maud, Ethel's 11 yr old sister
- 2 boys - Ethel's brothers, 6 yr old *Emanuel Henry and 3 yr old James A.
- Rose - Rosetta Nelson Cozad, James's sister

- Jim and hunkle from Canada - Unknown as the family tree is foggy at this level 

Places mentioned:
- Caleforna - California
- **4th of July holiday

Phrase/Cliche:  "prettey sick" 

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

Picture
Julie 14 19011
Well my Dear son and
doter and famley all as i
got a letter and more from
you i Was much saprised as
i thoght you Was like gorge
you ad for got that you
ad a mother on the earth
eney more but i Wos very
glad to hear you Was well
but sorey to hear of youre
lose i Wos very glad to
hear that you got youre
in surence that Will help
quite a bit o Gimmey i think
you a very ondutifull son
as you sertnley right oftener
to your pore old mother how
is skarce able to be a round
i ave ad quite a sick spell

Picture
2

a gain but i do thank god
that i ame able to be up
a gain We ave ad som of
the hotest Wether i ever can
rember of it Was 100 and 10
in the shade and we ave a
dredfull storm the other
nite it Was fearfull all
nite long but i thank god
that our lives Was spared.
i got a letter from Caleforna
and tha Was all Well but
Alice and she wos prettey
sick  The folks hear is all
rite so far i did not get
eney card or eney thing about
youre barn but mamey said
tha did Emanuell is bisey
harvisting his Wife and young

Picture
3

ones Was down 2 days doing
the Baking as i cod not and
annie Went out and help
to shok oats Well we ave
lots of frout this year and
the Cosn loks good now
i ad a good time Wen i
Was in Caleforna and i wood
ave stade longer but the
peapil that i went With 
tha got home sick and i
did not like to Com back
a lone i saw som Wonderfull
sites Willes is a talking of
seling is plase and if he
do it may be posable we
ma go out there a gain ari
ave no one to stop With me
so i must do som thing

Picture
4  (across the top)  did you get your pictor that mamey sent you

i hope saday Will be able
to teach Willes and anney as
gone up to my garden to pick
chereys and curents the treas
Was so loded i sold 3 dolars 
Worth and there is lots yet
so i told them tha cod ave
them if tha ad a mint to
pick them as i cod not now
you give my love to mode
and John and all so to Idas
mother how is Cristey
and tehm to boys Rose and
her famley and Emanuell and
his famley Was all down hear
on the 4 asit is quite a holoday
and tha made hyse Cream
and ad a good time in general
now as I ave told you
turn over

Picture
5

all i can think an i want
you to be sure and ancer
quick and dont for get
and tell me how you are
getting a long i was very
much disapointed in not 
sean Jim and hunkle for
i sure thoght if tha com
to the states tha wood
com and see me now as
i cant think of eney more
i Will say good by trusting
god Will bles us all and
gather us all in to is
kindomn Wase parting
Will be no more this is
from youre loving mother
mrs JH nelson Atkins Iowa



Genealogy Notes

Genealogy Note #1 - Henry Nelson and Eliza Crouch

I've mentioned the Iowa branch of Ethel's family a time or two before in passing, but this is the first post detailing the Henry and Eliza Nelson family. (Hubby Nelson's 2 great-grandfather)

The Nelson family has been a mystery trying to figure out because one branch emigrated to Ohio in the United States after immigrating to Canada from England. And if it hadn't been for Eliza Crouch Nelson's letter posted above then I wouldn't have known anything about them. But when I added the basic information to the family tree on ancestry.com a nice lady named Sharon who happens to be the 2 x granddaughter of Eliza Crouch contacted me and said some of my information was wrong and/or missing. Between Sharon and ancestry.com I was able to fill in so many leaves on our tree it looks quite coloringful and interesting now.  Thank you, Sharon for sharing your tree info and photos with us - like the one below which is the only one we have of Ethel's grandfather and grandmother. (For the full photo, see 1911 Courtship: May 7 Dear Noah)

Picture
Henry Nelson (1835-1900) and Eliza Crouch (1840-1919). Photo taken about 1890, Iowa, USA.
Henry Nelson - b 3 Mar 1835 in England married Eliza Crouch - b 16 Apr 1840 in England on 5 Oct 1857 in Ontario, Canada 

I have the following census records for Henry and Eliza after their marriage:
 - 1861 Canada Census: living in East Gwillimbury Township of York County, Ontario
 - 1871 Canada Census: (same as above)
 - 1881 Canada Census: (same as above)
 - 1895 Iowa State Census: living in Benton, Iowa 
 - 7 Oct 1900: Henry Nelson died and was buried in Benton Co, Iowa
 - 1900 US Census: Eliza living in Atkins, Benton, Iowa
 - 1910 US Census: (same as above)
 - 28 Oct 1919: Eliza Crouch Nelson died and was buried in Benton, Iowa

We've been above to correlate that Henry and Eliza had the following children born in East Gwillimbury, York County, Ontario, although several of them died here:
Born in Canada
 - George Caleb b 1857 
 - John Thomas b 1860
 - Mary Pricilla  b 1863
 - James Henry b 1864 - Ethel's father
 - Elizabeth Jane b 1866
 - Unnamed Nelson b 1868
 - Eliza Alice b 1869
 - Eliza Ann (twin of Edwin) b 1872
 - Edwin (twin of Eliza Ann) b 1872
 - Jemima Isabelle b 1874
 - Emanuel (Manuel) Francis b 1876
 - Rosetta b 1878
 - Mariah Victoria b 1880
 - Fannie Louisa b 1882

Died in Canada





- born and died in Oct 1868


- died in 1872 - 19 days days
- died in 1882 - 8 yrs old


- died in 1891 - 10 yrs old
- died 1884 - 17 months old
Eliza's brother, Alfred Crouch, had emigrated to Ontario with the family, but in 1860 moved to Fremont, Iowa. Eliza's other siblings followed. Henry and Eliza decided to emigrate to the US as well which they did in the early 1880's taking most of the family with them. Eliza's brother, Francis Croutch, was the only sibling to stay in Ontario. He is also the only member of the family who uses a 'T' in the Croutch name.

When Eliza and Henry left Canada, only 2 of their children stayed behind and they are the 2 marked in red in the above list, namely, George Caleb and James Henry.

Eliza's parents, George Crouch and Percilla, are listed on the 1852 census and then they moved down to Iowa. But George shows up on the 1861 Canada census with a wife named Mary.  Percilla died in 1876 and is buried in Mound Cemetery, Benton, Iowa. But not George. Family rumour says George broke up with Percilla and came back to Canada, however no one can find a record of him dying and being buried in Ontario, either. 


Genealogy Note #2 - George Caleb Nelson

In Eliza's letter, she says, "i Was much saprised as i thoght you Was like gorge you ad for got that you ad a mother on the earth eney more"

Eliza is talking about her son, George Caleb Nelson, who - along with Ethel's dad, James Henry, didn't emigrate to the US once they'd settled in Ontario. I checked the family tree to see what could have prevented George Caleb from writing to his mother and at the first glance, saw the problem...
1857 - George is born. He is 17 yr old Eliza's 1st child.
1880 - 23 yr old George marries 18 yr old Hannah Victoria Latham
1894 - Hannah dies of consumption leaving George with 4 children aged 4-12 yrs***
1895 - George marries Hannah's sister, 22 yr old Emma Latham
1896 - Emma dies, childless
1897 - George marries 25 yr old widow, Mary Tryphena Smith
1913 - Mary dies of heart failure leaving an additional 11 yr old and 1 month old baby
1914 - 57 yr old George marries 55 yr old Mary Ellen Travis

By the time 1911 rolled around and Eliza wrote her letter, George was on his 3rd wife with a 9 yr old and 3 yr old still at home. And then Mary dies a month after giving birth in 1913.  So yes, George is busy with children and wives, but that shouldn't stop him from writing to his mother. 
But perhaps this is the reason... when George marries Mary Ellen Traviss, he makes an X in place of his signature. 
In other words, he can't sign his name.
Picture
Mark of X for George Nelson
Wife #3, Mary, could have written Eliza in 1911, but perhaps she didn't want to or perhaps she was too sick. She signed the marriage certificate, so we know she was able to write, but I guess we'll never know why she didn't. 

*** You've met 2 of George Caleb's children before in Ethel's letters:
- Elva Jane married Will Mitchell and is working for Stewart Draper in Indian Head
- Leslie is the missing cousin who is 'somewhere out west'

1911 Courtship: July 19 Dear Ethel

7/1/2013

 
Picture
Reaping, Indian Head, Assiniboia, on Canadian Pacific Railway. c1886. Prairie Postcards PC002464. Courtesty of http://peel.library.ualberta

See the Genealogy Note at the bottom of this post for more info on the above photo and the Experimental farm, mentioned by Noah in this letter. 

Author of Letter: Noah Clement Draper (24 yrs old)
Dated: July 19th/1911
Addressed to: Miss E. Nelson, My Dear Ethel (21 yrs old)
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, written on front and back like a book, but inside, paper is turned sideways and written across short length and down both pages. 

People/Places mentioned in this letter:
- *Joe & Eva - Joe Perrault and Eva Amelia - Noah's sister
- *Parthena - wife of Noah's brother, *Percy Draper
- Parthena's baby - Royden Wallace Draper b Jul 1911 but what date?
 - *Stewart Draper, Noah's cousin, in Indian Head, Saskatchewan
- *Louie:  Noah's sister, Sarah Louisa Nelson, married to Fred Coventry
- Fred's sister in Alberta - Probably Margaret Jane *Coventry

* Regina, Saskatchewan
** Experimental Farm, Indian Head, Saskatchewan
Local - Twice daily passenger train that runs from Regina to Indian Head. Used for excursions such as field trips to see the world famous Bell Farm, etc. 

* Look under the Categories/Labels in the right column for more on posts on the above people.
**More info under Genealogical Notes

Picture
Grand Coulee, Sask
               July 19th/11
Miss. E. Nelson,
        huntsville. Ont.
My Dear Ethel;-
     Received your letter last
week and was glad to hear
you were going to get a few
holidays & hope you have
a good time,
     Well we are good and buisy
here just now. just got
the cellar cemented and am
now digging a drain. expect 
the well diggers and carpenters
tomorrow. so will have 7 men
here for a while and a girl
if I can get one but they are

Picture
like hens teeth few and far between. 
    Joe. Eva. & I were down to the
experimental farm at Indian Head
yesterday. I went into Regina on 
the morning Local with out any
intentions of going down but I got
through with my business by
the time the excurtion train
came along so I jumped on and
went down. it rained nearly all
afternoon. but we hired a livery
rig and got out to Stewarts before
it started so we didnt mind
it. but there was a good many.
dissapointed people on the train
coming home.
     Osay Ethel Parthena has a baby 
boy. about a week old have not seen
it yet but i hear it looks like
the Drapers. Ha. Ha.
     Louie & Fred went up to his
sisters in Alberta last Saturaday.
to pick raspberries. they said but
I guess they wont get many.
     Say you must be getting old to
be able to say the heat is the worst
for a 100 years back. Eh.

Picture
I hear it has been very dry
down there this summer how
do the crops seem. they are
very good here only a little late
but we have had such a
cold summer we will likely
have a hot fall. hope so
any way.
     Well it is getting nearly
time to get out to work again
am writing this at noon
and expect to post this to 
night. Well i guess this is
all for this time so Bye Bye
write soon and a long letter
to your Western Lover. N.C.D.
X X X X X X X 


Genealogy Notes

Genealogy Note 1: Margaret Jane Coventry

Fred Coventry had 2 sisters. Mary Catherine stayed in Ontario, married, and died there. 

But Margaret Jane is shown on the 1901 census where she and her parents are living in Kenlis, Assiniboia - about 10 miles northeast of Indian Head. She is not with them on the 1916 census, though, where they have moved close to Fred and Louie near Grand Coulee. Did Margaret Jane marry and move to Alberta? Or did she just move there because of a job opportunity?

Update! 
- Mary Catherine did NOT marry and die in Ontario - her Aunt Catharine did. In 1911, Mary Catherine and her husband lived in Strathcona, Alberta. 
- Margaret Jane moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada  sometime between 1916 and 1920. She didn't show up on the 1916 census because it was a special one for the prairie provinces only so that the government could keep track of immigrants on the newly opened prairie land.


Genealogy Note 2: The Experimental Farm

The Experimental Farm had it's beginnings as part of the 
53,000 acre Bell Farm which started operations in 1882 by the Qu'Appelle Valley Farming Company - before the railroad tracks had been laid on the bald prairie - before there was the town of IndianHead - and before Saskatchewan became a province, which is why the postcard at the top refers to it as Indian Head, Assiniboia. Once the railroad went through, the Bell Farm built a hotel, grain elevator and flour mill and Indian Head came into being. 

Using the most modern farming practices and equipment of the time, the Bell Farm drew  interested people from several countries to see for themselves how farming had/could progress. The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) carried tourists and farmers on daily excursions from Regina out to Indian Head to explore the farm for the day. 

The unique round shape of the Bell Farm Round Barn was one of the main attractions of the Bell Farm. Due to having its silo in the centre of the building, the layout provided ample space to stable 36 horses surrounding the silo - a time-saver when it came to supplying feed for the hard-working heavy horses. 

Picture
Stable, Major William R. Bell's farm, Indian Head, SK, 1884, by William McFarlane Notman. VIEW-1388 © McCord Museum
In 1887, part of the Bell Farm was sold to create a Dominion Experimental Farm - one of Canada's first agricultural stations. 


Picture
Experimental farm, Indian Head, SK, about 1920, MP-0000.25.431, © McCord Museum
A lasting legacy of the Indian Head area is the tree nursery located one mile south of the town which had been established in 1897 to supply trees for shelterbelt purposes to cut down on wind erosion. Called the Prairie Shelterbelt Program, the nursery of the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration  (PFRA) supplied seedlings free of charge to all legitimate homesteaders and farmers. 

Although The Shelterbelt Program ended in the Spring of 2013, the PFRA tree nursery is a showcase of tree varieties which is open to the public and a favorite spot for summer picnics as well as information gathering.

Picture
Image of a man holding a cloth sack and picking something off of a tree - possibly at PFRA tree nursery. Courtesy of http://saskhistoryonline.ca/fedora/repository/indianhead%3A31270
According to the Indian Head History Page by 1902, the Town of Indian Head was incorporated and had become "...one of the world's largest initial shipping points for wheat." 
Picture
1900-1909 Image of ten grain elevators at Indian head that read "Jos Glen No. 1", "Jos Glen No. 2", "Dominion Elevator Co. Ltd. No. 72", "Ogilvie's No. 67" - various structures in between elevators, Canadian Pacific railroad cars next to elevators - man and several cows in foreground on other side of fence. Photographer: Denison Indian Head. Courtesy http://saskhistoryonline.ca/fedora/repository/indianhead%3A31195
And that's the history of Indian Head, Saskatchewan, which Noah mentions in this week's letter and which has been mentioned several other times when talking about Elva Nelson and Will Mitchell, and Stewart Draper and Bertha Hamilton. 
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