Category: Crowder

1911 Courtship Special: Aug 8 Dear Ethel From Ma

9/16/2013

L to R - Ida Amelia Glover Nelson, Sarah Sophia Deverell Draper, Ethel Nelson Draper, James H Nelson, and a very young JD Nelson. ca 1916

The above image is part of a bigger photo that we found last summer in Ethel's Treasure Box but I didn't post it here because I couldn't place everyone. Now, thanks to the photos in the Norma Draper Family Albums, I've been able to confirm that the photo is 1916 and includes Ethel with her parents and her mother-in-law. I'm posting it here because this week's letter is from Ethel's ma and I thought you might like to see who's doing the writing.

Author of Letter: Ida Amelia Glover Nelson
Dated:  Aug 8th (1911)
Addressed to: Dear Ethel (Ethel is up in Huntsville, Ontario visiting Ida Amelia's sister, Sarah Elizabeth Glover Winter)
Mailed from: Belhaven, Ont.
Relationship:  Ethel's ma
Profession:  Farmer's Wife
Writing instrument: Blue pen
Written on: Off-white, textured, and heavily stained, linen-like paper, 9 inches x 7 inches, folded in half with a flowery bough and hanging basket motif. Ida has written the pages in this order: 1, 3, 2, 4, although I've rearranged them for legibility.

People/places mentioned in this letter:

- *Sadie - Ethel's 16 yr old sister
- *Christie - Ethel's 11 yr old sister
- Uncle - *Emanuel Nelson - paternal uncle of Ethel's pa
- Sarah - *Sarah Elizabeth Glover - Ida Amelia's sister
- Gorden Crouder - Gordon *Crowder - a neighbor
- Loal Dales - Minister Lowel *Dales (not sure if related to Prof. Dales)
- Misses/Mrs Perry *Morton - a neighbor

Topics:
- **Doing the Wash

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 Aug 8th

Dear Ethel
got your letter
friday but have
been slow about
Writing you had
better come home
when your month
is in I am getting
tired I washed yester
had a big washing.
want to iron to
day Sadie is talking
to Crouders Gorden is
acting like goose went

with sadie friday night
we went to quartley metting
sunday and he had to come
and kept then from sunday
school then Sadie come home
from church with him and
left Christie co come with
anyone she could then
he was here last till
10 oclock. I am out with
them all to gether.
Uncle is some better is
up but doctor says he
will not live long you
tell us what day you can
come and get of at Uncles

then we can get you
there get some of
that thread if it is
nice for me. enough for
a pair of shams sadie
can be working some
Sadie failed so you
see there will be lots
of sewing to do if she
goes to school again.
and the pickles and
fruit soyou had better
come home I had the
headache again Sunday
after noon but done a big
days work yesterday.

(Written upside down across the top and down the left side)

How is Sarah would like to have her come down good by

good bye

washed 2 blankets and to
quilts besids the other clothes
cleaned the cellar made
a cake and had 9 men
have no men to day have
got the barn nearly all
done and all the cutting
done men are coming
this after noon to start
cemmenting the stable
floor Loal Dales was
here for tea on friday
and then he shingled
another half day misses
perry Morton said she
was coming down some
day but I wont have her till

(written up the right side)
you come home

Genealogy Notes

Wash day in the Ponoka, Alberta area, April 1913. Courtesy of the Glenbow Archives.

In this week's letter, Ethel's ma is feeling the strain of the extra workload while Ethel has a much needed vacation up in Huntsville. Electric washing machines didn't come along until 1916 so until then, the washing had to be done with the crank wheel like in the above photo. Let's take a walk through the early history of washing machines in this weeks' Genealogy Notes.

ca 1989, Visitors washing clothes, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

The photo shows clothes lying on the ground to dry for the lack of a clothesline. I can imagine this is what the majority of the pioneers had to do as they traveled across the United States and Canada in conestoga wagons and red river carts.

ca 1913, Dave Blacklock doing his laundry, Black Diamond, Alberta

If you were lucky enough, you had a washboard and tub to scrub your clothes with before hanging them on the line. Whether they were out on the range or living on the ranch, cowboys have always been responsible for their own laundry.

ca 1897, Bachelor washing clothes, Beynon, Alberta

An early washing machine had a handle to push and pull to agitate the clothes thereby relieving you the job of scrubbing them on a washboard. It also contain a roller mechanism which squeezed the water from the clothes instead of having to physically wring them all out.

ca 1901 Inscription: "Improved Imperial Washer. T. Eaton Co. Ltd. Canada." Courtesy of http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/en/collection/artifacts/M999.38.1/

According to the McCord Virtual Museum, the 1901 T. Eaton Co. catalogue showed this washing machine which contained a hand crank to agitate the clothes instead of the push/pull lever. Again, a roller system for squeezing out the water was included. From the height, it looks like this model saved a lot of back pain compared to the model in the previous photo.

The McCord Museum states, "It would take many years to discover the ideal material for the tubs of washing machines. After wood in the 1890s, came metal in the 1910s, which was replaced in the 1930s with enamelled steel, a material that had proved that it could stand up to a wide range of temperatures."

ca 1910's Thomas Iredale family doing laundry on verandah, Groton area, Alberta.

As I mentioned at the top of this post, electricity wasn't available for washing machines until about 1916, but some mechanically-minded folks were using belts to hook their washing machines to gasoline engines and other motors to save their arms from the dreary task of cranking the wheel.

This style of washing machine was so successful at washing clothes and wringing them out, that other than changing the composition to enamel on steel, it would be decades before improvements were made to the actual design of the machine.

It may have done a decent job of washing clothes, but raise your hand if you ever wore a shirt that was missing part, or a complete button because it'd been snapped off by the powerful wringer. Or have you ever been pulled into the wringer because it nabbed part of the clothing you were wearing when you weren't paying attention?

Courtship Letter Special: July 20 From Ma & Sadie

7/7/2013

The Massey Harris binder about to start cutting the wheat. Courtesy of wikipedia.

In this week's letter, Ethel's ma tells Ethel that Pa bought a new binder and already has some wheat cut. This was necessary since their old binder burned in their barn fire. Although the above photo shows a binder pulled by a tractor, in 1911 Ethel's pa would use horses to pull his binder which would cut the wheat, tie a string about a bunch of stalks to bind them in a sheaf, then drop the sheaves by the side where someone would come along and stand them in stooks or shooks to dry. The shape allowed the rain to slide off.

Author of Letter: Ida Amelia Glover Nelson and Sadie Nelson
Dated:  July 20th, 1911
Addressed to: Dear Ethel (Ethel is up in Huntsville, Ontario visiting Ida Amelia's sister, Sarah Elizabeth Glover)
Mailed from: Belhaven, Ont.
Relationship:  Ethel's ma, and Ethel's 16 yr old sister
Profession:  Farm Family
Writing instrument: Blue Ink
Written on: Off-white, beautifully textured, linen-like paper, 9 inches x 7 inches, folded in half. Two notepapers, one with a pansy motif, the other with a forget-me-not motif.

People/places mentioned in this letter:

- *Christie - Christine Maud Nelson - Ethel and Sadie's 6 yr old sister
- Crouders - *Crowders
- *Noah Draper - Ethel's fiance out on the Canadian prairies
- *Elva Mitchell - see Special Letter of July 15 as well as Label list
- Pa - *James Henry Nelson
- Grandma - *Eliza Crouch Nelson in Aikens, Benton, Iowa, USA
- Aunt Lill - Lillian Maria Blizzard married to Pa's cousin, James A. Nelson- **Sarah - *Sarah Elizabeth Glover, sister of Ethel's ma
- Theao Ralston
- Francis Slingerland
- Edna, Wilmot, Gertie, and Lottie
- Sweets and Thompsons
- Gertie and Walt Brooks
- Nancy
- Perry Morton

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

Page 1 - Written by Ethel's ma, Ida Amelia Glover

Belhaven July 20. 1911
Dear Ethel.
got your letter tuesday
I suppose you are going
to the picnic. we are
staying at home having
a good time watching the
people go by Crouders just
went by in a buss it is Just
1/2 past 9 oclock. I washed tuesday
Sadie and Christie went picking
berries got 2 quarts we had 7
men tuesday. yesterday Just

Page 2 - Written by Ethel's ma, Ida Amelia Glover

our own men and J and
your pa went to theao
Ralstons raising and I
got the sick head ache
came home and went to
bed. there was only about
50 men and 15 women
and some kids. they had
a nice supper but I couldnt
eat any they were very
clever with me. and there
was Noah Draper from
the west there. when I heard
them peeking about Noah
you bet I did some squinting
untill i saw him but it
wasnt tall Noah.

Page 3 - written by Sadie

Ma is getting to be a
regular gad about
since you went away
She has been away
nearly everyday. Tuesday
was the only day she
stayed home. Christie
wants us to tell you
that she can comb her
hair. I have got two
cards and you got
a letter from Elva
and pa got one from
grandma. I am having
a fine time since you
went away. Francis
Slingerland came here

Page 4 - written by Sadie

Sunday after dinner
and stayed until
after nine at night
Edna, Wilmot, Gertie
and Lottie have been
here. I was down to
Sweets and Thompsons.
The rigs are just stringing
along here to the picnic.
There has been an awful
lot go. Mine hasn't come
yet but will be here soon.
Gertie was here last
night and Walt Brooks
walked home with her.
Ma is going to see how
Aunt Lill is if she can

Page 5 switches to Ethel's ma where she writes, "Well Sadie has been spinning yarns..."

over the 'phone
She did and she
is better. We have
got beets and
beans on for
dinner and we
are going to have
green apples for
supper. (Don't your
mouth water?) We have
got liver too for dinner.
well Sadie has been
spinning yarns I was
to Crouders 1/2 a hour was
not in house and to

Page 6 - written by Ethel's ma

Nancies about 3/4 hours
took her nives home
well i must quit
this and get to work
perry Morton is working
here to day Christie
has got to go to
belhaven for salt
for dinner.
Sadie has got the blues every rig goes
by it makes her worse
there was a big storm
yesterday. we have got
our new Binder set
up and one piece
of wheat cut

Page 7 - written by Ethel's ma

well my head aches
and i dont feel
very good wish
i could scribble
some more. but i
must quit how
is Sarah hope she
is better did you get
a return tickit if
you did you will have to come
in a month for it is only good
for a month unless you got
if for longer. say you
write soon for i get
the blues once in a while.
Sadie is looking bad she is
holding her mouth on one side
she looks so cross.

Page 8 - written by Sadie

Ma wants to know
if we can set the old
hen behind the bee boxes
If so how soon? How
many eggs do you
think she can cover.
It is the grey hen that
has a red feather for
a collar. They have
got the barn boarded
in and the floor
nearly all laid. As we
can't afford to waste
any more paper over
you we will have to quit
Write soon
Ma and Sadie

Genealogy Notes

Genealogy Note 1: Update on Fred Coventry's Sister in Alberta

Update to Louie and Fred Coventry going to visit his sister in Alberta which Noah mentioned in his last letter in 1911 Courtship: July 19 Dear Ethel... we have a new development. While researching the Coventry family and trying to find out what happened to Louie (Noah's sister), I hit a newspaper goldmine on the usual ourontario.ca website I use for the Newmarket Era except this time, I've discovered the Halton News which encompasses the Acton Free Press and Georgetown Herald.

The Coventry family came from the Halton area of Peel Country, Ontario and the newspapers covered many of their social events. One of the first items I discovered was a wedding announcement for Maggie Coventry aka Margaret Jane Coventry and a Mr. W. T. Campbell.

Acton Free Press (Acton, ON), 1 Aug 1901, p. 2

CAMPELL-COVENTRY - At the residence of the Bride's parents, Kenlis, Assa., on Wednesday, 10th July 1901, by Rev. A. Robson, Mr. W. T. Campell to Miss Maggie Coventry, daughter of David Coventry.

From the same newspapers I've found the obituary for Fred's father, David Coventry, as well as the brief announcement on Louie's death. They are both almost illegible due to the inking process and I need to decipher them. However, I've read enough to know that David Coventry's daughter, Mrs. W. T. Campbell (Margaret Jane) lives in Vancouver, BC and his other daughter, Mrs. C. F. Powell, lives in Alberta. So it's not Maggie in Alberta, but rather Mary Catherine whom I thought stayed in Ontario. (I've updated last week's Genealogy Note 1)

Genealogy Note 2 - The Lennox Picnic

Can't you just picture 16 yr old Sadie in this week's letter as she stands by the door watching all the rigs and outfits (autos and conveyances) filled with excited people as they make their way to the Lennox Picnic?

I love the part where Ethel's ma writes on page 7, "Sadie is looking bad she is holding her mouth on one side she looks so cross."

For more info on the Lennox Picnic, check the Genealogy Note 3 on July 2: Dear Noah. Here is a news article about the post 1911 Lennox Picnic:

The Newmarket Era. July 28, 1911 - Page: 5, Part 1

That's 15,000 people attending the Conservative Party's annual picnic and a good portion of those people drove right past the Nelson farm where Sadie stood by the door watching them go by. No wonder she felt she was missing out.

However, other snippets tell of pickpockets in the crowd, as well as people coming home with empty pockets due to buying the refreshments. Many people commented that their neighbors either got home late and loud, or didn't get home until the next day. By most accounts, it sounds more like a 'liberal' party than a 'conservative' one.

The Newmarket Era. July 28, 1911 - Page: 5, Part 2

1911 Courtship: July 9 Dear Noah

5/27/2013

Playing Croquet in 1900-1920's Ontario. Courtesy of Burlington History Collection, http://www.bpl.on.ca

Author of Letter: Ethel Isabell Nelson, age 21 (born 31 May 1890)
Dated:  July 9th, 1911
Addressed to: My Dearest Noah (Mr. N. C. Draper, Grand Coulee, Sask.)
Mailed from:  Belhaven, Ont.
Relationship:  Courting
Profession:  Farmer's Daughter
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, blue ink
Written on: Ivory, slightly thick, textured, linen-like paper, 9 inches x 7 inches, folded in half. Ethel has folded the paper in half and written in booklet form where the front and back are pages 1 and 4, but inside, she wrote the right side first and then the left, so the order of pages are 1, 3, 2, and 4. Of course, I've rearranged them here for clarity.

People/places mentioned in this letter:

- Pa -  *James Henry Nelson
- Ma - *Ida Amelia Glover
- *Sadie Nelson - Ethel's 16 yrs old sister
- *Christie Nelson - Ethel's 10 yr old sister
- *Veda Perrault - Noah's 16 yr old niece (Joe & Eva Amelia's daughter)
- *John Winter - husband of *Sarah Elizabeth Glover, sister of Ethel's ma
- **Mr John Warriner (Ethel spells it Warner)
- G.C. - It appears we're missing one of Noah's letters.
- **Edith Draper
- Orville *King - close neighbor

- Update **Kellington

- croquet - a game played with mallets, balls, and wickets, shown above
- Ethel mentions the heat wave which will be in next week's Genealogy Notes
- *Hunstville
- *Keswick
- ** Pink Pills

Word/Phrase Use - 'go for' for 'gopher'

Legend:
* Look under the Categories/Labels in the right side column for more posts on this
person/place/thing.
** see Genealogy Notes below

Belhaven. July 9.th 1911,

My Dearest Noah,
Well I was glad to
know you were able to be having a
good time. as it leaves us all well
but very tired indeed. we have been as
busy as anyone could be. We did'nt have our
raising yester day. but are having it tuesday
afternoon. Say! just come along now and
we can give you enough to eat now.
if you never did get enough here before. Oh Say it
is hot in this kitchen of ours, (baking)

Pa & I were up to Keswick this
morning to Mr John Warner's funeral.
He dropped dead on thursday night.
amid the excitement of a game of
croquet. We dont find much time to
play croquet this summer,
Sadie is going to write a letter to Veda
this afternoon. Say. Sadie got your
card all safe & sound. I hope she
never has the misfortune that poor girl
was having.
I am going to Huntsville on Saturday
July 15 if nothing happens. I hope your
letter happens to come on Friday next.
Send my letters to Huntsville in
careof John Winter. I certainly do wish
you were going there too. I expect to stay

about a month or 6 weeks.
Say! you had better "don't suppose"
I was with G.C. on the first. I
hav'nt been in his rig since you
went home. Nor do I want to be
when I am with other people sometimes.
I just get so lonesome. thinking about.
you. I don't half enjoy my self. I think
it will be my happiest day when
I see you again. wish it were to-morrow.
It was 90 in the High School on
Monday last. the heat here has never
been so. for 100 years back.
Saw Edith Draper this forenoon she is
the same old girl. Say don't let those
old railroad men carry you away.
I hope they are finished by your place when
I go up. for if they are anything like the

gang of men that worked on this track
down here. I'd want to be out of their
reach. even though I wouldn't be much
loss if they did carry me away. "eh"
If I were you I would 'go for' that (gopher)
Were you able to read your last letter
Sadie & Christie thot they would
like to read it, so of course they had
to do their best to get it. Sadie is
lying here on the bed sound asleep.
It is starting to rain. My it will do ever
so much good. & Ihope it cools the air a
bit. I don't know wether Orville King is
going west in time for the fair or not
but he says he's going this fall. He wanted
to know if I was going and I told him I
thot I would wait until he came back. Lahs (?)
I close now with love from your Sweetheart.
x x x x x x x Ethel Nelson

Genealogy Notes

There are 3 Genealogy Notes this week:

Genealogy Note #1 - Kellington Update re 1911 Courtship: July 2 Dear Noah where Ethel writes, "Mr & Mrs John Kellington are here visiting & Mr R. Davidson's are they living anywhere near you."

When I posted the above letter, I didn't quite understand what Ethel was saying. My genealogy notes for that post shows my research for the James Kellington family, but nothing on R Davidson's because I couldn't find any appropriate R Davidson's in the North West. However, Ethel kept mentioning Robert or Rob't Davidson who lived on the 5th Concession near Belhaven. She mentions him in the following letters:
- 1911 Courtship: July 2 Dear Noah
- 1911 Courtship: May 7 Dear Noah
- 1911 Courtship: May 21 Dear Noah

After more research into last week's letter for James Kellington however, I've found the following obituary of 1958:

The Newmarket Era. Dec 11, 1958 Pg 5

The obituary at left is for James Wesley Kellington who married Hattie (Ida Elizabeth) Draper in 18 Feb 1904.

James and Hattie moved west to Estevan which is about 190 km/118 miles southeast of Grand Coulee where Noah lives.

However, this obituary states that James' sister, Lillie, married Robt (Robert) Davidson and lives in Belhaven. Robert and Lillie married 19 Mar 1904 and their children match those of the Robert Davidson mentioned in Ethel's letters.

Genealogy Note #2 - Edith Draper In this week's letter, Ethel writes, "Saw Edith Draper this forenoon. She is the same old girl."

This is not the same Edith/Edyth Draper mentioned in 1911 Courtship: Mar 5, Dear Noah who was Noah's 1st cousin since his dad, David, and her dad, Stephen, were brothers.

Although this week's Edith Draper was also born in Belhaven, she was born in 1868, so in 1911 as a 42 yr old spinster, she really is "the old girl" as Ethel writes. She was Noah's 2nd cousin once removed as they share the same g-g-grandfather.

Edith Alicia Sarah Jane Draper was the 14th out of 15 children born to Luther Draper (1819 - 1904) and Hannah Bennett (1823 - 1917). Twelve years separated Edith from her next older sisters, twins Martha and Margaret, born in 1856, so Edith may have stayed home and single to care for her aging parents because she was the youngest female and felt obligated. However, another reason may be that she was ill much of the time.

The Newmarket Era. July 6, 1894 - Pg 2

The Newmarket Era. May 31, 1901 - Pg: 7

In fact, if it hadn't been for the above snippets and others, I wouldn't have believed the following ad which not only appeared in The Newmarket Era, but also in the February 17, 1898 edition on Page 7 of the Qu'Appelle Progress in The North West Territories (now Saskatchewan).

The Newmarket Era. February 12, 1897 - Pg: 5

The Newmarket Era. Feb 12, 1897 - Pg 5

Whether Luther and Hannah Draper approved of the ads, or perhaps even was paid a stipend for them I can't tell you. Neither do I know if Edith suffered from the ailments
mentioned in the ads. At the time, ads for Dr. Williams' Pink Pills abounded in the local papers and I have nothing to prove or disprove their value. However, for a girl who suffered heart failure, etc in 1894 as a 26 yr old and stayed sick for several years, she went on to live a fulfilling life.

Luther's death record states he died at 85 yrs of age from old age. In 1911 during Ethel's letter, Edith was still living at home and caring for her 88 year old mother, Hannah, as shown in the following 1911 Canada Census:

1911 Canada Census for Hannah Draper and daughter, Edith.

As the above census shows, Hannah is a widow and is the head of the house, and her daughter, Edith, is living with her. The last column shows neither have an occupation, so Luther must have left them enough money to live in comfort without having to work.

Since I don't think Ethel mentions Edith again, I'll tell you the rest of her story because it's quite inspiring and I may even use her for a character model some day...

Hannah died in June of 1917 at 93 years old with the official cause of death being old age after 2 yrs of senile weakness. Edith is listed as the informant...
... and was for the first time in her 49 yrs, Edith was alone.

There is much more to the story of Miss Edith Draper, but it will have to wait for another day.

Genealogy Note 3 - John Warriner - he's not in the family tree according to my research to date, but I found a very ineresting Era snippet about him when you look at it in context with Edith's snippet above...

The Newmarket Era. July 14, 1911 - Page: 6

It was with deep regret I learned
of the sudden termination of the life
of my esteemed friend, John War-
riner of Keswick.
I feel confident that in the use of
patent medicines such as Dr. Wil-
liam's Pink Pills, etc, his life might
have been prolonged for many years.
But medical etiquette is inexorable.
Under no circumstances would such
remedies be prescribed. Our sin-
cere sympathy is with the bereaved
friends.

Of course, now I want to know about these little pink pills that Miss Edith Draper took and thrived, and Mr. Warriner didn't take and died. The snippet seems to imply that many considered them more of a 'snake oil' remedy than a proven medical alternative. If anyone out there knows, please share your knowledge. Otherwise, I guess I have more research waiting.

1911 Courtship: May 21 Dear Noah

3/3/2013

In this Courtship letter, Ethel mentions that her Pa will buy whatever he needs from Eatons. That's the T. Eaton Co. Ltd - a giant retail and mail order family- owned business. Eaton's had everything a person and their house and barn needed - including the house itself. Eaton's houses bought by mail order and shipped in kit form are still standing strong across the prairies 100 years after assembly.

Like this one to the right:
Henry Rockel ordered this house from the T. Eaton Co. Ltd. It was shipped on the train from Winnipeg to Lanigan. The package, including the house and building materials, was $1,509.10. A return of 20 cents a sack for unused cement was allowed.

T. Eaton Co. Ltd. House, ca. 1927, Location: R.M. of Usborne, Saskatchewan, Credits: Ruth Wildeman, Lanigan and District Heritage Assoc.

Author of Letter: Ethel Isabell Nelson, age 21
Dated:  May 21, 1911
Addressed to: Mr. N. C. Draper... My Dear Noah, Grand Coulee, Sask.
Mailed from:  Belhaven, P.O.
Relationship:  Courting
Profession:  Farmer's Daughter
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, black ink
Written on: Light bluey/gray, slightly thick, textured, linen-like paper, 9 inches x 6 inches, folded in half. The paper is folded in half with the first page on the front and last on the back, but inside, she's written on the right side first, and then the left.

People/places mentioned in this letter:

- Pa - *James Henry Nelson
- Ma - *Ida Amelia Glover
- Noah's mother - *Sarah Sophia Deverell
- Herb Nelson's - Ethel's cousin Herb and his wife, Francis Jane Smith & 2 kids
- *Veda - 16 yr old daughter of Noah's sister, Eva & Joseph Perrault who live nearby
- *Sadie Nelson - Ethel's 16 yr old sister (see photos last post)
- *Christie Nelson - Ethel's 11 yr old sister (see photos last post)
- Uncle John Rogers married *Victoria Maud Nelson, Ida Amelia's sister
- R Glover's - possibly Ida Amelia's family although Family Tree not advanced there yet
- *Elva - Ethel's cousin, Elva Jane and husband, Wm Mitchell
- *Crowder's
- Sam Cuthbertson's mother
- Jack Hopkins
- Mary Smith - school friend
- Martin Rose's
- Blanche Morton
- Mr. Davidson - Mr. Robert Davidson and his family have been mentioned in other posts (click on the search box to find them). At first, however, I thought he was talking about his daughter being like no other on the fifth, but upon reflection, I believe he's talking about his barn. Haha. By the Fifth, he means the Fifth Concession which was one of the major thoroughfares through North Gwillimbury.

** John Prossers - farmer and Fox Island Lighthouse Keeper (see lighthouse photo below). I'm using John Prosser as the subject of a mini-research genealogy lesson under this week's Genealogy notes.

Legend:
* Look under the Categories/Labels in the right side column for more posts on this
person/place/thing.
** see Genealogy Notes below

Belhaven, P.O.
May 21. 1911.

Mr. N. C. Draper,
Grand Coulee,
Sask.

My Dear Noah, -
Well I was rather
disapointed last night. I did'nt get
a letter from you. I will be looking for
one to-morrow night.
We are having very
hot weather the last week or so.
The heat Friday & to-day is some
thing fierce. We had a very heavy
thunder storm last night about
Eleven o'clock. It struck R. Glover's
barn & burnt it. Also struck a tree in
Crowder's lane and burnt it.

I guess I would like to be the
first one to have a ride in that
newly painted buggy. We have'nt got
us one yet. Except one Mr Kings
let us have until we could get another.
Pa thinks he shall go to Eatons
to get what things he really has
to have now.
Mr. Sam Cuthbertson's mother is
buried to-day.
We hav'nt got our barn started
yet, but Pa has had extra men
on trying to get ready to start as
as soon as possible. He is going
to build a longer barn & not quite
so wide as the old one.
I am not sure but I think Jack
Hopkins will be puting it up.
Mr Davidson has his barn nearly
completed. He says there isnt a girl

on the fifth like his. Suppose Mrs
Davidson will have lots of help now.
There little boy is better now of the
pneumonia.
When does your Mother expect to
come East. Will it make any difference
in the time if you come, or not?
Oh Noah! I wish you could come, but I'll
wait and hear what you have to say.
in your next letter. for I ask your
opinion.
Herb Nelson's are just driving in
and as it is nearly dinner time I guess
I will have to say good Bye for just the
present.
Monday. Well as you say, I am back.
again. I was up to S.S. and home with
Mary Smith for tea yesterday.
Herb was telling us there were
three different barns struck by
lightning and burnt, and Martin
Rose's was struck but they got the fire out.

I think I am keeping you well posted
on the engagements. Blanche Morton
and Milton Hamilton are to be married
in June.
Hope you are not manless yet as
you say. especially if you are as busy
as pa seems to be. Uncle John Rogers
was here all last week helping him.
I think I shall go up to night and
post this. and call to see Mr John
Prossers they both are very low.
Hope Veda is successful in
having her hands doctored. and
will be able to go to college. I
suppose she is quite anxious to go.
Sadie is feeling a little discouraged
there school has'nt been graded &
now they have to take up some more
subjects. and she is afraid she wont
pass. I close now with love and
lots of xxx from, Ethel. P.S. I hope I get your letter to-night. Ethel Nelson, Christie has just brought your
letter, also one from Elva.

Genealogy Notes

Ethel mentions that she is going to visit the John Prosser's because they are low. That means they aren't in the best of health. The Prossers are neighbours, and although Ethel isn't related to any of the Prossers in 1911, she will be before the decade is out. (Hint, hint.)

I have to admit, when I first found the census record showing a John Prosser with the occupation of a Lighthouse Keeper, I sat up and took notice. After all the yeoman/farmers and labourers, it was refreshing to see something different.

John Prosser: born 14 Jul 1825 in North Gwillimbury Twp, York Co, Ontario, Canada
Father: Eld. John Prosser born 8 May 1796 in Florida, Montgomery, NY, USA
Mother: Sarah Willoughby born 9 Aug 1803 in Midland, Ontario, Canada

The first record I've found of John Prosser is in this 1851 Canada West census:

1851 Canada West census Image 35 for John Prosser, North Gwillimbury, York, Ontario, Canada.

Genealogy Tip #1: To find out where your ancestor is located on the image when it first opens, look at the bottom right where I have the red arrow. That is the indication where the name you've searched will be on the page. Then, move the image up or down until you see it. Usually, the transcript (the typed lines at the bottom) will show the line numbers of the image, so #1 on the bottom - Sarah Prosser - will match #1 on the image, which it does.

Genealogy Tip #2: On the 1851 Canada West census, the transcript lines match the image HOWEVER they don't start at #1. That is why in this case, Line #1 - Sarah Prosser, is beneath Line #50 Margaret Keef in the transcript only. (Yes, I took a learning curve figuring that one out.)

Line #1 (blue) is Sarah Prosser, John's mother. She's followed by John's brother, George, and the rest of John's siblings. John is recorded on line #9 (red) - out of order if you look at their ages. Why is he down there?

Genealogy Tip #3: Subsequent censuses will have a column for 'Head of the Family'. Wherever you see the word, HEAD, that means everyone listed next will belong to that family until you see the next word, HEAD. Generally, the Head is the Father, followed by the mother, eldest child, and so on until the youngest child. Then, a new Head of a family will start.

Other choices for Head could be a Widow, Eldest Adult Child if orphans, Grandparent if custodian of grandchildren, etc. In a multi-generational family, the Head is the person who is the Head of that household, so it could be a matriarchal or patriarchal family. If the son takes over the family farm but the parents are still there, the son will be listed as the Head, and his parents listed beneath the children.

The 1851 Canada West Census is different than other years because it contains more information on the next page (Image 36), and this is where we go to find out if John lives with the rest of his family:

1851 Canada West census Image 36 for John Prosser, North Gwillimbury, York, Ontario, Canada.

This image doesn't have the typed transcript at the bottom of the page, but we know that Sarah Prosser was on Line 1, and John was on Line 9:

Line 1 - Sarah Prosser and her family lived in a Frame house, 1 storey, 1 family dwelling.
Lines 2-8 are people who live with Sarah.
Line 9 - John Prosser lived in a Frame house, 2 storey, 1 family dwelling.

This 2nd page/image of the 1851 census shows Marital Status:
Line 1: Sarah Prosser was a widow (W)
Lines 2-8: John's siblings were all single (S)
Line 9: John was single (S)

Genealogy Tip #4: The letter following the line number is the Marital Status of the individual.

What we've learned from the 1851 census is that John Prosser was an enterprising young man. Although he lived next door to his family, he lived in his own house, which would have been a fine one at that time. We know this because you could generally tell the monetary worth of a man and his family by the type and size of his dwelling, and by the amount of people/families who reside in it. Census records usually indicated the type of dwelling by its construction starting with the most expensive to the least: Brick, Stone, Frame/Wood Boards, Log, or Shanty. Also, the bigger the home, the more expensive to build.

In the 1851 census, John lived alone in a 2 storey frame home.

In 1853, John married Lucretia Emes, also from North Gwillimbury, as shown on their marriage record:

1853 marriage record of John Prosser and Lucretia Emes

In the above record of John and Lucretia's marriage (1st red box) we see that they married on 25 Nov 1853, by licence, and the names of their 2 witnesses. The bottom red box shows the transcript. If you notice in the transcript, Lucretia's name is in italics. That's because it originally read 'Lucritia Ennes' and I put in an update to read 'Lucretia Emes'. Anyone looking at the record will now see both names and either confirm or dispel my update. The bottom right of the image shows the location where the marriage took place, which in this case, is North Gwillimbury.

Genealogy Tip #5: The final column, Marriage County or District, shows HOME DISTRICT. Back when Ontario (Canada West) was first settled, York (now Toronto) and York County, was considered the Home District. Ontario records which simply state Home District will mean York County.

The next time we see John and Lucretia is on the 1861 Canada West census which shows everything on a single page:

1861 Canada West census for John Prosser

This image shows John married to Lucretia with 4 children, although only 2 children show up on the official typed transcript at the bottom because it is limited to viewing 4 people at a time. Scrolling with show the rest.

The 1861 census shows marital status and dwelling along with ages and religous denominations, etc. However, we now find John and his family living in a 1 storey frame house which means it's smaller than the previous census. Is it an error? Although census records can be wrong, in this case, John has moved away from the family farm as evidenced by the other people on the lines above and below him. He may have sold his farm to a sibling, or someone else, or even is renting it out. All I know is that after marrying, John moved to a farm in the Belhaven area of North Gwillimbury where his land bordered the family farm of Noah Draper (before David Draper moved Noah's family to the North West).

Genealogy Tip #6: The 1861 and subsequent censuses recorded the age of the person. The estimated birth year (red arrow) was then filled in during the transcription process.

For the record, don't assume it's right because it's in the transcript. The 1891 Canada census is notorious for age and date errors, but they can happen anywhere. Census takers didn't always have the best handwriting and transcribers took their best guesses.

Between 1861 and 1881, John and Lucretia raised over a dozen kids on their farm, with nothing much changing except for kids leaving home and others being born. The census records continually show John's occupation as Farmer.

But things change in the 1901 census because at the age of 76 (his age, not the census estimate), John's occupation is now listed as Lighthouse Keeper - shown beside the little hand in the centre of this image:

1901 Canada census for John Prosser, wife Lucretia (Emes) and youngest child, Ida.

Since when did he become a Lighthouse Keeper? Or perhaps a better question was, is this the John Prosser I've been researching? But yes, same man, same wife, same youngest child. Birth dates as close as you can get on a census. Religion the same, location the same.

Still skeptical, I searched out the 1911 Canada census and found this:

1911 Canada census for John and Lucretia (Emes) Prosser, James Nelson's, Crowder's, and King's.

The 1911 census shows John Prosser as a Retired Farmer (red arrow). Well, at 86 yrs of age, he deserved to be retired. But look at who his neighbours are:
- James Nelson and family - that's Ethel!
- Crowder's and King's - both families regularly mentioned in Ethel's letters

This confirms that we have the right John Prosser, but where does the lighthouse keeper come in? For that, I turned to the wonderful Our Ontario website with its online newspaper collection. Being the largest town between Belhaven and Toronto, The Newmarket Era printed tidbits of information from the surrounding area. Here's what I found in my search about John Prosser and the Fox Island Lighthouse:

The Newmarket Era. February 19, 1897 - Page: 3

Fox Island Lighthouse, courtesy of www.lighthousedigest.com

The Newmarket Era. April 23, 1897 - Page: 6

The Newmarket Era. April 30, 1897 - Page: 6

The Newmarket Era. October 22, 1897 - Page: 6

On the left below is an article about an excursion on Lake Simcoe including a stop-over at Fox Island Lighthouse for Tea. It doesn't give credit to the author, but I can only imagine that the person who was so cordially received by the Lighthouse Keeper was a member of the wide-spread Prosser family, since Queensville is only a stone's throw from Belhaven. Not only that, but I'd assume it would be lonely for a father of over a dozen children to suddenly be alone.

The Newmarket Era. August 27, 1897 - Page: 7

The following news items show us John Prosser working the Fox Island Lighthouse from 1902 - 1910, except for 1909 when his son, Leslie takes over.

The Newmarket Era. April 4, 1902 - pg. 2

The Newmarket Era - Mar 7, 1902 - Pg. 7

The Newmarket Era. April 3, 1903 - Pg: 7

The Newmarket Era. March 28, 1957 - Page: 2. Under the heading, 50 YEARS AGO. (1907)

The Newmarket Era. Oct 29, 1909 - Pg: 6 (Leslie is recorded as a Blacksmith on the census records.)

The Newmarket Era. Mar 4, 1910 - Pg: 6

The Newmarket Era. May 12, 1911, p. 6 (Should be Leslie vice Lester)

The Newmarket Era. May 31, 1912 - Pg: 8

I couldn't find any further news items in The Newmarket Era mentioning the
Fox Island Lighthouse.

One further note to the story of John Prosser and Lucretia Emes... in Ethel's 1911 letter above, she's going to visit John and Lucretia because they've been 'down'.

They will recover. I know, because of this:

John Prosser died in his Belhaven home on April 30th, 1916 at the age of 91 yrs. The immediate cause of death is listed as Sclerosis of Arteries, in part due to 8 months of Senile Decay/Old Age.

Lucretia Emes died on May 9th, 1916, just 9 days later. Her death record is listed next to John's and states that she died, at 81 yrs of age, in Belhaven, after 9 days of Pneumonia.

Both John and Lucretia are buried in Queensville Cemetery, Queensville, Ontario.

1911 Courtship: Apr 23 Dear Noah

12/31/2012

After stopping for a week of Christmas, we're continuing with the 1911 Courtship Letters of Noah Draper and Ethel Nelson. You can find an index to all the letters at Genealogy Posts Index.

Ethel seems out of sorts this week. She says she's writing the letter before church and Sunday School instead of after, which may account for some of the rush, but she either skips or repeats words. It isn't like her to have this many mistakes in a missive. Check my Genealogy Notes below for more thoughts on this.

Author of Letter: Ethel Isabell Nelson, age 21
Dated:  Apr 23, 1911
Addressed to: Mr. N. C. Draper... Dear Noah
Mailed from:  Belhaven, Ontario
Relationship:  Courting
Profession:  Farmer's Daughter
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, black ink
Written on: Light bluey/gray, slightly thick, textured, linen-like paper, 9 inches x 6.5 inches, folded in half. Ethel has written with a front and back page, but inside, the letter is written across the long width and down the 6.5 inches so that the paper must be turned to read the inside.

People/Places mentioned in this letter:
- Uncle John - too many Uncle John's to figure out which one she means
- *Veda Perrault - Noah's 16 yr old niece in Regina
- *Sadie - Ethel's 16 yr old sister
- **John Sheppard (not the William Sheppard who tried to buy their farm)
- **Ross

*Look under the Categories/Labels in the right column for more posts on this person.
** See Genealogical Notes below

Belhaven. Apr. 23. 11

Mr. N C Draper,
Grand Coulee,

Dear Noah, --
Well another Sunday
is here, and it is just a lovely
day. the dust is even flying.
Now I don't believe you could
say that (in truth) about your
roads.
Am writing this letter
in forenoon. for I find when I
wait until later. there is S. School
& church that I am for ever being
stopped by something. also we are
looking for Uncle John's up to-day.
Say: here is this Sadie now. I just wish

you were here to help me alittle with her. I think her and
Veda should be to-gether. How is Veda getting along at college
I was over to John Sheppard's Friday night to a party given
by them for Ross. We certainly had a fine time. They drove
over for us. (so kind eh) Ross is going to South America for three
years. He gets his B.A. in June.
Prof H. C. Kent was here on Friday night. he is a character
reader. he read Sadie's head. he is coming back some day
and we are all going to have our heads read. What do you
say to it?
I am just going to tell you a little trick Crowder's did -
there sheep were on the road, also ours we missed one so we
phoned over there to see if he had got with theres. They said no.
So pa went to look for it, and he was told by a man that
Gordon drove our sheep in with his. Gordon told that one of there
sheep were with ours. and that he was going to have one our ours.
So we are one sheep less, for we never had one of theres. He said that man errorred.

Pa saw the sheep and ask him what
about it and he said it had never been
on the road.
Well Noah the time is passing but it
seems to be very slow indeed. I think
I would like to push the calender
around a little if I could. if it
would start you down here.
Hope you are having a good time
as I am. but I think I would have
better if you were here! I all I
can do is wait until you come eh.
Monday morning.
Here I am this morning before breakfast
Sadie is going to take this with her. and I
have to take her to Uncles. We were up
to S.S. & church. Sadie sang at church.
Well Noah I think I could write you a
good many more words. but you would
think I had gone crazy. just wait until
you come. I close with all a sweethearts love.
X X X Bye - Bye from Ethel. XXX

Genealogy Notes

Having read the letter, what do you think? Do you think Ethel is agitated by her neighbours, the Crowders? She calls it a trick and now her family is one sheep less because of the encounter. Yet in the preceding letters, the Crowders appeared to be very good friends with Ethel's family. Which makes me wonder of their future relationship.

It took me awhile to find out who John Shepperd and Ross was. At first, I thought it was the Mr. Shepperd who tried to buy the Nelson farm, and I didn't understand why Ethel would go to a party there when the men didn't part on good terms. However, in checking back to 1911 Courtship: Mar 5 I saw that was a Mr. William Sheppard from Michigan.

So I searched the digital library of Ethel's local newspaper and found tidbit:

The Newmarket Era. April 28, 1911 - Page: 6 of 8

Our good friend John Sheppard,
Esq., Belhaven, was gloriously full
of fatherly pride the other day. His
son, Ross, 22 years of age, has pass-
ed through his university career with
flying colors. After winning prizes
and scholarships year by year, he has
passed his final, winning a scholar-
ship entitling him to three years spe-
cial study in astronomical science at
Lick University, California, and up
among the Andes at Santiago, South
America. He also gets a large fi-
nancial consideration. Ross must be
a brainy chap.

So that explains the party Ethel went to for Ross.

Because the newspaper article is so hard to read, I wasn't sure of the name of the university Ross was attending, but it looked like 'Lick' so that's what I googled, and here's what I found...

Lick Observatory, Mt Hamilton, California ca.1910

The Link Observatory has been part of the University of California since 1888. For more information about this distinguished research observatory, check this website:http://mthamilton.ucolick.org/public/about_LO/

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1911 Courtship Special: Aug 8 Dear Ethel From Ma

Genealogy Notes

Courtship Letter Special: July 20 From Ma & Sadie

Genealogy Notes

1911 Courtship: July 9 Dear Noah

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1911 Courtship: May 21 Dear Noah

Genealogy Notes

1911 Courtship: Apr 23 Dear Noah

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