1915 - 4 Generations (L to R) Ethel Nelson Draper, Sarah Elizabeth Greenwood Glover holding Ethel's daughter, Mildred "Midge" Draper, and Ida Amelia Glover Nelson, daughter of Sarah and mother of Ethel
Author of Letter: Ethel Isabell Nelson, age 21 (b 1890)
Dated: 15th Oct 1911
Addressed to: Mr. N.C.Draper, Dear Noah
Mailed from: Belhaven, P.O.
Relationship: Courting
Profession: Farmer's Daughter
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, black ink - Once again, the ink still smudges upon touch as if it still hasn't dried.
Written on: Off-white, textured, plain, linen-like paper, 9.5 inches x 6.5 inches, folded in half in booklet form and written as 1, 3, 2, 4 although I've set them in order here for legibility.
People/places mentioned in this letter:
- *Edyth Draper - Noah's cousin, sister of George and Stewart Draper
- *Veda - Noah's niece in Grand Coulee, Sask
- *Miss Hunt - 2nd time mentioned with Uncle *Emanuel Nelson
- Grandma - Ethel's maternal grandmother *Sarah E Greenwood
- Grandpaw - Sarah E Greenwood's 2nd husband, *Albert Rogers
- John *Prosser - Neighbor and Retired Fox Island Lighthouse Keeper
- *Mahoney's - friends and neighbor
- **Norman *Yorke & Minnie Traviss - (related to Cecil Prosser)
- Willie *Sweet & Laura *Traviss see Genealogy Note 3 - Sept 18 Dear Noah
- Carl Morton & Leslie Morton - may be cousins, but Carl marries Clara Pringle
Boys home from the West:
- Orville *King - friend and neighbor
- *George Milburn Draper - lives near Belhaven, Noah's cousin on paternal side.
Places/things mentioned in this letter:
- Keswick
Cliche/Phrase
- bad pennies are sure to return
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: 15th Oct 1911
Addressed to: Mr. N.C.Draper, Dear Noah
Mailed from: Belhaven, P.O.
Relationship: Courting
Profession: Farmer's Daughter
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, black ink - Once again, the ink still smudges upon touch as if it still hasn't dried.
Written on: Off-white, textured, plain, linen-like paper, 9.5 inches x 6.5 inches, folded in half in booklet form and written as 1, 3, 2, 4 although I've set them in order here for legibility.
People/places mentioned in this letter:
- *Edyth Draper - Noah's cousin, sister of George and Stewart Draper
- *Veda - Noah's niece in Grand Coulee, Sask
- *Miss Hunt - 2nd time mentioned with Uncle *Emanuel Nelson
- Grandma - Ethel's maternal grandmother *Sarah E Greenwood
- Grandpaw - Sarah E Greenwood's 2nd husband, *Albert Rogers
- John *Prosser - Neighbor and Retired Fox Island Lighthouse Keeper
- *Mahoney's - friends and neighbor
- **Norman *Yorke & Minnie Traviss - (related to Cecil Prosser)
- Willie *Sweet & Laura *Traviss see Genealogy Note 3 - Sept 18 Dear Noah
- Carl Morton & Leslie Morton - may be cousins, but Carl marries Clara Pringle
Boys home from the West:
- Orville *King - friend and neighbor
- *George Milburn Draper - lives near Belhaven, Noah's cousin on paternal side.
Places/things mentioned in this letter:
- Keswick
Cliche/Phrase
- bad pennies are sure to return
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. P.O. 15th Oct. 1911. Mr N. C. Draper Grand Coulee. Sask. Dear Noah I missed your letter last night, but Ill be looking for one to- morrow night. Well this is another fine Sunday. our rain storms seem to be staying away now for this last two day have been lovely. It rained all day Wednesday and Morm Yorke was married to Minnie Traviss. Also Willie Sweet was married to Laura Traviss. So it was'nt much of a day for the wedding. , 'eh' Morm came home last night. and they certainly made things |
| 2. lively. Willie came home Wednesday. brought his bride up here to Elis's where I suppose she had to get her own supper. for there is no one their but Elis. Then they tried to fool the people by slipping out the back door and through the fields but the ony followed them. "ha ha". Say. I hope you are having some fine weather by this time, for really it must be very discouraging to think your grain is out in so much rain. Quite a few of the boys have come home from the West. Orville isnt here yet, but I hear he does'nt think much of it. George Draper is home so I hear, and I hear again that Edyth Draper is to be married. Say! there is no end to the number of people that |
| are engaged around here. Carl Morton & Leslie Morton are engaged for I hear. they are Second Cousins too. I got your card. But I believe either you or I failed to be at the Kings for we didn't happen to meet one another "ha ha" I hope it is not long before will be able to meet some place anyway. How does Veda like going to College? Uncle Emanuel & Miss Hunt were here last tuesday. Grandma & Grandpaw were here on Friday. & we had quite a visit with old people last week. Old John Prosser was here yesterday. Say you remember him dont you. every thing is the fool. or the brute. "ha ha" Hello. here I am again. I been away for a little while. but bad pennies are sure to return. We have been to Sunday School & home with Mahoney's for tea |
| had a lively old time. We walked up to church, & home again. and here is where I land first of all. Our church was nearly full to-night So many young people were there from Keswick. We were late so did nt all go up in the choir. Oh! say I wish you were only starting down here to-morrow. I'll be glad when you get all that work of yours done. I think you had better leave some and let me help you. for that is just what I want to do. "We two'. work together all alone by ourselves. I think you must be doing to-much, wait for me my good old boy. Oh I wish your home was right near here some where. so I could see you oftener. I wonder whats the use of my wishing so much. I think I had better stop for this time. Iclose with Love & xxxxs Your Sweetheart Ethel forever. |
Genealogy Notes
Genealogy Note #1: Norman Yorke
I knew Ethel had mentioned Norman Yorke and Minnie Traviss before, but when I went searching, I kept coming up with Morin York because that's the way Ethel had written it. Even in this week's letter she writes, "Morin Yorke was married to Minnie Traviss." Here are other letters mentioning Norman:
1911 Courtship: May 14 Dear Noah - Morn Yorke
1911 Courtship: Sep 10 Dear Noah - Morin Yorke
1911 Courtship: Oct 8 Dear Noah - Norm Yorke
I wonder if it's just a habit for Ethel to write Morm instead of Norm? Regardless, I found this snippet in the era about the happy occasion:
I knew Ethel had mentioned Norman Yorke and Minnie Traviss before, but when I went searching, I kept coming up with Morin York because that's the way Ethel had written it. Even in this week's letter she writes, "Morin Yorke was married to Minnie Traviss." Here are other letters mentioning Norman:
1911 Courtship: May 14 Dear Noah - Morn Yorke
1911 Courtship: Sep 10 Dear Noah - Morin Yorke
1911 Courtship: Oct 8 Dear Noah - Norm Yorke
I wonder if it's just a habit for Ethel to write Morm instead of Norm? Regardless, I found this snippet in the era about the happy occasion:
The Newmarket Era. October 20, 1911
| Mr. Norman Yorke of Belhaven and Miss Minnie Traviss were married at Newmarket on Wednesday last. We wish them every happiness. |
Genealogy Note #2: Shivaree or Charivari
A shivaree is an old-fashioned way to welcome a the newly married. Friends and relatives surround the newlyweds' house when they think the couple has gone to bed and then make as much ruckus as possible with all kinds of noisemakers. Sometimes this keeps up for hours before the newlyweds invite them in for some refreshments. Most newlyweds try to sneak away.
In this week's letter, Ethel writes... Then they tried to fool the people by slipping out the back door and through the fields but the ony followed them. - Ethel's words are verbatim - as if she was trying to write the words so fast her fingers couldn't keep up to her thoughts.
A shivaree is an old-fashioned way to welcome a the newly married. Friends and relatives surround the newlyweds' house when they think the couple has gone to bed and then make as much ruckus as possible with all kinds of noisemakers. Sometimes this keeps up for hours before the newlyweds invite them in for some refreshments. Most newlyweds try to sneak away.
In this week's letter, Ethel writes... Then they tried to fool the people by slipping out the back door and through the fields but the ony followed them. - Ethel's words are verbatim - as if she was trying to write the words so fast her fingers couldn't keep up to her thoughts.
| The second pararagraph of this hard-to-read snippet talks about the shivaree for Norman Yorke & Minnie Traviss, and also Willie Sweet & Laura Traviss: A couple of young men left us on Wednesday, and returned after a short absence with their wives. Congratu- lations. The young people of this vi- cinity with various instruments, such as dinner bells, cow bells, plow coul- ters and tin pans, gave them lively music on the nights of their arrival. | 
The Newmarket Era. October 20, 1911
|
| This charivari is from Nov 26, 1926 and the newly married couple is Edith Draper who is often mentioned in Ethel's letters. Edith had health problems as a youth and married William Crowder later in life, but that didn't stop the 'boys' from welcoming them home. And if you notice, after they were done with Edith and William, they went to 'pay their respects' to the next newlyweds. | 
The Newmarket Era Nov 26, 1926
|
Writing this post about the charivari reminds me of my tour at the Canadian Armed Forces Base in Cold Lake, Alberta back in the early 80's because we encountered something similar.
I remember that my parents were visiting and it was the first time they ever came for Christmas so I was trying very hard to show my best front. But around 11 pm a day or two after Christmas, several people showed up outside our door and living room window - singing and yelling for us to let them in. We did because it seemed quieter that way. So in they came and we offered refreshments. They sang carols, etc, and then when we encouraged them to go, they said we had to go with them because that's how it went.
As their admonitions grew, we realized the only way to get them out was to go with them and since my parents were there in case our daughter awoke, both Nelson and I went with the crowd. I can't say I enjoyed the experience because some people - all co-workers - just didn't want to get up and let us in, but the partyers insisted until the lights came on and we were invited inside. We corralled our hosts as we went along so the crowd grew with every house call until we finally escaped and headed home around 4 am.
The next day, I tried to explain to my parents this Christmas charivari-like tradition, but I can't say they were impressed. If I remember correctly, only one of us went the following year while one stayed back, and I don't remember ever being bothered by anything like it since. My parents never came back for Christmas, either.
If you google shivaree or charivari, you'll find all kinds of stories including several that turned into murders, etc. At times, it's a fine line between a charivari and a riot depending on who's doing the 'music' and who's doing the running.
I remember that my parents were visiting and it was the first time they ever came for Christmas so I was trying very hard to show my best front. But around 11 pm a day or two after Christmas, several people showed up outside our door and living room window - singing and yelling for us to let them in. We did because it seemed quieter that way. So in they came and we offered refreshments. They sang carols, etc, and then when we encouraged them to go, they said we had to go with them because that's how it went.
As their admonitions grew, we realized the only way to get them out was to go with them and since my parents were there in case our daughter awoke, both Nelson and I went with the crowd. I can't say I enjoyed the experience because some people - all co-workers - just didn't want to get up and let us in, but the partyers insisted until the lights came on and we were invited inside. We corralled our hosts as we went along so the crowd grew with every house call until we finally escaped and headed home around 4 am.
The next day, I tried to explain to my parents this Christmas charivari-like tradition, but I can't say they were impressed. If I remember correctly, only one of us went the following year while one stayed back, and I don't remember ever being bothered by anything like it since. My parents never came back for Christmas, either.
If you google shivaree or charivari, you'll find all kinds of stories including several that turned into murders, etc. At times, it's a fine line between a charivari and a riot depending on who's doing the 'music' and who's doing the running.
