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1911 Courtship: Aug 28 Dear Ethel

10/21/2013

 
1911 Canada's Golden Harvest
Postcard c1911 Young man harvesting with horse drawn binder and a man carrying grain stooks. Published by The Valentine & Sons Publishing Co. Courtesy of Peel Library, University of Alberta Postcard Collection.
Author of Letter: Noah Clement Draper (24 yrs old)
Dated: Aug 28/11
Addressed to: Miss E.Nelson, Belhaven, Ont., My Dearest Ethel 
Mailed from: Grand Coulee, Sask.
Relationship: Courting
Profession: Farmer 
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, Black ink, but looks grey in places and pencil-like in others.
Writing Paper: Thick, textured, linen-like paper, 9 inches x 6.5 inches. Paper is folded in half, written in booklet form, but Noah has written the pages in this order: 1, 3, 2, 4. 


People/places mentioned in this letter:

- Mother - *Sarah Sophia Deverell Draper, Noah's widowed mother 
- Steward - Noah's cousin, **Stewart Trueman Draper of Indian Head, Sask
- **George Draper - Stewart's brother from North Gwillimbury, Ontario
- Uncle - *Uncle Emanuel Nelson is an uncle of Ethel's Pa
- 3 men for stooking (stooks are shown in postcard above)
- well-diggers
- plasterers
- carpenters
- Regina - nearest city to Grand Coulee

Cliche/Phrasing:
"Will ring off..." - reference to new telephone system where the caller must turn the handle to sound a bell that makes a ringing sound so the Operator knows the caller is finished his call


* 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
** see Genealogy Notes below 
Picture
Grand Coulee, Sask.
August. 28/11
Miss E. Nelson,
        Belhaven, Ont.
My Dearest Ethel; -
     Received your letter Friday
and was glad to hear you
were still able to be around.
     Hope this may find you as
well as this leaves me at 
present.
     Well Ethel I have not started
harvest yet I got out to the
field Sat. morning when 
it started to rain so had 
to quit and will start again
Tuesday if nothing hapens.
     George Draper is up at
Stewards now got a card from

Picture
him Sat. he is comeing up as
soon as Steward gets thro
harvest (I wish it were you)
for a hunt.
     Say do you know where 
all the fellows went to from
down there? I havent saw
any of them yet!
     Well the well diggers are
away at last but they didnt
get water that hole turned 
out to be no good but it
cost me $375. to find it out.
     The plasters were here
and put on the first coat
and will be back on Wed.
to finish up. the carpenters
are here now or are supposed
to be. it will take about

Picture
2 weeks yet to finish it up.
     Well Ethel I guess Mother
is going down East with me
this winter but I dont think
she will come back as soon
eh.
     I am expecting the machine
agent out this afternoon to
start my binder have not
git it going yet.
     Was in Regina Sat for
a piece for the binder and
stayed all night & came
back yesteraday. say I will
be glad when the harvest
is over I have 3 men for
stooking and they cant do
anything while it is wet &
I dont like them laying around.

Picture
Well I hope your Uncle is better
by this time, sickness is an
awful thing. There is quite
a few sick around here now.
     Say there is over 500 men
in Regina waiting for harvest
some of them have been
here 3 weeks I guess they must
be tired of it by this time.
for I know how it goes only
I am waiting for something
else. eh. & it cant come to
soon for it seems lonesome
out here now. far more so
than before last winter.
     Well dear I guess this is
about all for this time
so I will ring off. so Bye Bye.
Write long letters to your lazy
lover.    N.C.D xxxxxxxxxx



Genealogy Notes

In this week's letter Noah mentions that George Draper is at Steward's place. Noah is talking about his 1st cousin, Stewart Truman Draper who farms in the Indian Head area east of Regina, and Stewart's brother, George, who lives in North Gwillimbury Township - the same township where Ethel lives. 

Stewart brought his immediate family west, leaving the rest of them in North Gwillimbury.  When Noah says that George is now out west with Stewart, I wanted to know if George had also brought his family out west. 

George Milburn Draper was born on 28 August 1880, 4 yrs after Stewart's birth, which makes George 31 yrs old at the time Noah wrote this letter.

In 1908, George married Eliza Alberta Hamilton whom I suspected was a sister of Stewart's wife, Bertha Hamilton. When I couldn't find evidence of that relationship, I went back a generation to see if the wives were cousins. I couldn't find a relationship there, either. However, I noticed that Bertha's father, Robert Hamilton, and Eliza Alberta's father, David Hamilton, were born 5 years apart in Nova Scotia. That was too much of a coincidence not to investigate.

I found an 1861 Canada West census with a Hamilton family that looked similar to the one I was seeking. At that time, Canada West was Ontario as the real west was under exploration and still run by the Hudson's Bay Company. 

Picture
1861 Canada census showing George Hamilton and Jane Patchell and their 5 children, 4 of whom were born in Nova Scotia with the youngest, John (from Image 1214) being born in Canada West/Ontario.
I realized I'd found the right family when the census jived with the following information I'd already collected:
Eliza's Father:  David
David's Birth Place: 
David's Father: George
David's Mother: Jane

Bertha's Father: Robert
Robert's Birth Place: 
Robert's Father: Unknown

My records
David b 1845
Nova Scotia
George b 1801
Jane b 1807

Robert b 1840
Nova Scotia

1861 CW census
David b 1845
Nova Scotia
George b 1800
Jane b 1802

Robert: b 1840
Nova Scotia

The above chart has enough compelling evidence to show me that David and Robert are brothers, that their father is George Hamilton b 1800 in Ireland, and their mother was Jane (Patchell) also born in Ireland. I'd like to add that I clicked over to the next census image/page to see if there were any other family members and there was - the youngest in the family - John Hamilton, whom I added to the above screenshot, was born in 1847, 2 yrs after David. 

I now knew that Bertha and Eliza were Hamilton cousins who married two brothers, Stewart and George Draper. It also meant that I now had a whole lot more people to add to the family tree when you include all the brothers and sisters as well as 200 yrs of descendants. Plus, I can research the Irish records with the names George Hamilton and Jane Patchell. 

Getting back to George and Eliza, although I couldn't find a newspaper snippet, their marriage record shows they were married 23 Sep 1908 in North Gwillimbury. 

The 1911 Canada census finds the couple living next door to his parents, Stephen Draper and Martha Barnhart, and his sister Edith, all whom we've met before in the Genealogy notes of 1911 Courtship May 7.  

Picture
1911 Canada Census showing Stephen Draper and his wife, Martha Barnhart, and daughter, Edith, followed by son George, and his wife, Eliza Hamilton. (The transcription only shows four names at a time)
According to this 1911 census, George and Eliza don't have any children. Although one other Ancestry.com family tree shows George and Eliza with a girl born in 1911, my search of the newspapers and records, including the 1916 census record, didn't produce any mention of live or still births until 1921 when a little one-year-old boy appears with them. 

So to answer my question if George went west alone, I found these snippets. The first one mentions that George, or Geo. as they call him in short form, is leaving for the west, and the 2nd one states that Geo. Draper has left Keswick for the west.
Picture
The Newmarket Era. August 11, 1911
Picture
The Newmarket Era. August 18, 1911
Since Aug 1911 had a huge demand for harvest workers, I can only assume that the above mentioned men have gone west to find work and perhaps have a look-see around while they're there. And where else would George go but to help out his brother, Stewart.

I'm looking forward to Noah's letter where he next mentions cousin George so we can perhaps learn what he thinks of the new Canada West.


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'

Courtship Letter Special: July 15 From Elva Mitchell

6/18/2013

 


Picture
Indian Head, Saskatchewan, Canada, looking North, ca 1909. Courtesy of the SCAA Virtual Exhibits Mainstreet Images. http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/mainstreet/main.html
Sorry about last week's missing letter. I've decided to put Eliza Crouch Nelson's letter aside for now and I've posted an explanation as **Genealogy Notes #4 below as to why. 

This week's letter is another special one - this time by Elva Jane Mitchell, cousin to Ethel since their mothers are sisters.

Author of Letter: Elva Mitchell, age 24 (Ethel's cousin)
Dated:  July 15, 1911
Addressed to: Ethel Isabell Nelson, age 21
Mailed  from:  Indian Head, Saskatchewan
Relationship:  1st cousins (mothers are sisters)
Profession:  Farm worker's wife  
Writing  instrument: Fine point  pen, Blue ink
Written on: Cream-colored, slightly thick, unlined writing paper, 5 inches x 8 inches. This letter seems straightforward with page 1, 2 and 3, however it's not quite that cut-and-dry. At the top of page 3, Elva has written, "3. the first one" although I don't know what that's about.


People/Places mentioned in on Page 1, 2 and 3 of this letter:

- *Elva -  Elva Jane Nelson and husband, Will Mitchell 
- Mrs Draper (pg 1) - *Bertha Hamilton, wife of *Stewart Draper, of Indian Head
- Norma - **Norma Draper, 7 yr old daughter of Bertha and Stewart
- *Lennox's Picnic - see the Genealogy note on  July 2 Dear Noah
- Roy Cowieson and wife (Roy's wife, Lavina, is the daughter of William Rye and Hartie Draper - 2nd cousin to Noah)
- Ernie Glover - Ethel's 1st cousin (Ethel's mom, Ida, is sister to Ernie's dad, William)
- Jim Philps/Phillips (Ernie eventually married a Phillips)
- Ethel's Aunt Mary - Mary Ann *Glover, sister of Ida, and wife of William *Linstead of Sintaluta, Sask (about 10 miles from Indian Head)
- Mrs Draper (pg 2) - Noah's mom, *Sarah Sophia Deverell, in Grand Coulee, Sask
- Uncle Jim - *James Nelson, Ethel's dad
- Fathers - **George Caleb Nelson (Elva's father who was on his 3rd wife in 1911) 
- Uncle - possible Emanuel since he was very sick in an earlier letter
 - Miss Hunt - still haven't discovered the identity of this gentle spinster

- *Indian Head, Saskatchewan - 1 town (about 10 miles) west of Sintaluta on Hwy #1 
-  Sintaluta, Saskatchewan - 34 miles north of our farm

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


Picture
                 Indian Head July the 15.1911
Miss Ethel Nelson.
           Belhaven.
                   My. Dear. Cousin.
                          Received your welcome
letter a short time ago we are well
hope this to find you folks all the
same. Ethel this is Saturday
afternoon well Ethel this is Saturday
but a week later. it is Just a lovely
day. Mr's Draper is getting supper.
she came home on Wednesday.
morning she has been away for
6 weeks up to the home stead
Norma and I are going to town
to night Mrs Draper Just has
2 children the same two
that she had down East.
But they are big youngester's now

Picture
                                            2.
Well have you folks got the Barn
raised yet. I suppose you will be
going to Lennox's Picnic I was there
last year but I guess I will
not be there this year. Roy
Cowieson and wife just live about
3 or 4 mile from here. I was to see
them a few sundays ago.
Ernie Glover is working for Jim
Philps. I think perhaps that 
Will and I will go over to Philps
tomorrow. Ethel I have not
been over to see your Aunt Mary
yet but will go. some of these
days. we only live about 4 mile
from the head. go in quiet
often. I have not been up to
see Mr's Draper. is she down
East yet. Well Ethel when you
come west don't for get to come

Picture
        3. the first one
and see me.
tell Uncle Jim he had better
come up West there is lots of
money up here. people I think
can do a lot better up here.
Well Ethel I can not think of much
to write this time  do you ever see
any thing of Fathers. and is Uncle better
now. is Miss Hunt married yet. and
does  Benie still go to see her.
Well Bye Bye with Love to all.
hope to here from you soon
                               Elva Mitchell
                                       Indian Head.
                                Box 142, Sask.

P.S. Please Ethel do not forgot to
put the number of the Box
142, as you other one ws in the
office for nearly 3 weeks.


Genealogy Notes

There are 4 Genealogy Notes this week.

Genealogy Note #1 - Elva Nelson and William Mitchell 

Elva Jane Nelson married William Mitchell in 1907 and sometime after they headed west. In Noah's letter of May 1 Dear Ethel, he writes, "So you did not know Elva & Will were in the West. yes they are working for Steward this summer."

Since 1911 was a census year in Canada, I thought it would be easy to confirm the above fact. Nope. I couldn't find them anywhere. Not in the East. And not in the West.  Elva is the sister of Leslie Nelson, the missing cousin, also spoken of in the May 1st letter. 

And then I couldn't find several of the names Elva mentioned  in the 1911 census - people who were all living around the Indian Head area. (see the map)  But a quick look at the census revealed an inky mess and it's a wonder anyone was able to transcribe it at all. What I had to do was find the record in Qu'Appelle's subdistrict #20 and go along page by page. That's what I did and I was on pg 13 of 28 when I found this gem:

Picture
1911 Canadian Census for William and Elva Mitchell
Whoever took down this census had the worst pen and very rough handwriting. I've highlighted 4 names in the top half of this image:
 - Rigler, Joseph (Joseph Walker Rigler)
 - Mitchell, William (Elva's husband)
 -       "        , Alva (should be Elva)
 - Linstead, Norman (Aunt Mary's boy from Sintaluta)

The problem is that whoever transcribed the image couldn't read the handwriting and so the 4 names were typed as follows (lower red box):
 - Royles, Joseph 
 - Midahild, William
 - Midahild,  Alva
 - Lumhead, Normon

No wonder the search engine didn't pick them up. One or two letters off would have been okay,  but with these errors, the names would have been at the end of thousands of records if I went by search alone. So in this case, knowing the small area to be covered and the small population of it, bypassing the search engine and checking each page was the most efficient way to get a result. Actually, I'm just thrilled I found them!

This presented another problem since, as I said above, Elva and Mitchell are working for Stewart for the summer. If so, why are they listed under Joseph Rigler  who happens to be the brother of Will Rigler, husband of Noah's sister? It seems that the 4th person mentioned in this record is 5 yr old Norman Linstead - son of William Linstead and Mary Ann Glover of Sintaluta - yes, the same as in the letter. (And yes, that makes 3 Williams in the same paragraph.)

Since Will Mitchell is listed as a laborer and not a lodger of Walker's, does that mean he's working for both Walker and Stewart? Perhaps they're next door? 

I'm not sure how little Norman fits into this if the census was recorded on June 1st and Elva's letter is July 15th, yet Elva hasn't been over to visit her Aunt Mary in Sintaluta yet. But perhaps Norman was only visiting Walker during the census taking period. 

When Elva says on Page 1, "Norma and I are going to town to night Mrs Draper Just has 2 children the same two that she had down East" I assumed she meant Norman but left off the N. But no, Bertha and Stewart have 2 children: Norma (b1904) and Lennox (b1906) - both born back in Belhaven before the family moved west. So Norma is with Elva yet I don't know if she's only visiting or if Elva's job is babysitting/child care for Bertha during the day so Bertha can take care of the men. 

Genealogy Note 2 - Elva's father, George Caleb Nelson

One more thing about Elva... she's the daughter of George Caleb Nelson which means her grandmother is Eliza Crouch Nelson of last week's missing letter. In this week's letter, she asks Ethel, "do you ever see any thing of Fathers"?

I'm not sure why she added the s at the end of fathers, but here's the story of George Caleb Nelson: 
#1 - Hannah Victoria Lantham died in Jun 1894 - mother of 5 kids including Elva
#2 - married Emma Lantham April 1895 - (Hannah's sister) Emma died Aug 1896
#3 - married Mary Tryphena Smith Jan 1897 - she died Aug 1913 
#4 - maried Mary Ellen Traviss Aug 1914 - she died May 1922
George Caleb Nelson died in 1936 having outlived his 4th and last wife. His 5 children were all from Hannah.

Perhaps with his record, she was ready for bad news at any moment.

Genealogy Note 3 - Ernie Glover

As for Ernie Glover, I found him on 2 different 1911 Canadian census records. At first I thought perhaps the censuses were recorded with a few months between them which would give Ernie time to move west, but they're both dated June 1st, 1911. Take a look  at this first one:
Picture
1911 Canada Census for Ernie/Ernest Glover living in Saskatchewan

As mentioned earlier, Ernie is found at the farm of Jim Phillips. In the upper image, he's the last one in the red box, and in the bottom image, he's the red box. 

Everything looks good. According to this letter, he's where he's been confirmed as being. So how can he be on another census? Let's take a look...
      
Picture
1911 Canada Census for Ernie/Ernest Glover living in Ontario
Okay, now it's starting to make sense because Ernie Glover on this census has been scratched out - as show in the thick red box which means he was written in then as an afterthought, they realized he was probably going to be counted out west so they scratched him out. Same goes for his sister, Georgie, in the blue box. I'm not sure where she was at the time this census was taken, but she was a 25 yr old of marrying age and I haven't found her anywhere else in the records for 1911 yet. 

One more thing about this census - the search engines will continue to find this census for Ernie because he is indexed in the transcription (the red box in the bottom image).  As long as he's there, he'll be found. Because of that, I left a note in the update option beside his name in order to save others the same grief I had while searching for him.

Genealogy Note #4 - Last week's missing letter by Eliza Crouch Nelson

As can often happen in the field of genealogy, I ran into a couple problems just prior to posting the July 14th letter from Eliza Crouch Nelson in Atkins, Ohio. The main problem was that some of the information couldn't be confirmed - or sourced. I had originally planned to post it anyway in the hopes that another 'hidden' relative would find the post and come forward with new information. However, with suspected problems on both the Nelson and Crouch side of the tree, I used last week to research - not intentionally, but one day lead to another and suddenly the week was gone. Although I've made strides, much of it is still speculation. 


So until I can confirm more details, I've put Eliza's letter aside.


And that's it for this week. Wow, what a week!

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. 

Picture
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

Picture
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.

Picture
2
     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

Picture
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.

Picture
4
     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:
Picture
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:
Picture
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:
Picture
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:
Picture
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:
Picture
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:
Picture
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:

Picture
The Newmarket Era. February 19, 1897 - Page: 3
Picture
Fox Island Lighthouse, courtesy of www.lighthousedigest.com
Picture
The Newmarket Era. April 23, 1897 - Page: 6
Picture
The Newmarket Era. April 30, 1897 - Page: 6
Picture
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.
Picture
Picture
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.

Picture
The Newmarket Era. April 4, 1902 - pg. 2
Picture
The Newmarket Era - Mar 7, 1902 - Pg. 7
Picture
The Newmarket Era. April 3, 1903 - Pg: 7
Picture
The Newmarket Era. March 28, 1957 - Page: 2. Under the heading, 50 YEARS AGO. (1907)
Picture
The Newmarket Era. Oct 29, 1909 - Pg: 6 (Leslie is recorded as a Blacksmith on the census records.)
Picture
The Newmarket Era. Mar 4, 1910 - Pg: 6
Picture
The Newmarket Era. May 12, 1911, p. 6 (Should be Leslie vice Lester)
Picture
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: May 1 Dear Noah

1/22/2013

 
Sorry for getting this out late, but I don't want to print erroneous information and I'm in a quandry about the Deverell Family. More on that under Genealogy Notes.

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 inches, folded in half. Ethel has written straight front to back like a booklet, with a PS page tucked inside.

People/places mentioned in this letter:

- Our English man - *hired man
- Robert Davidson - a Belhaven neighbour
- Manuel - *Emanuel Nelson - Ethel's 5 year old brother
- *Sedores - Hugh Sedore and his family had diphtheria
- Pa - *James Henry Nelson
- Rob't - the Nelson's hired man, Robert, who plays the violin 
- Herb Deverell **

*Absence makes the heart grow fonder

Legend: 
* Look under the Categories/Labels in the right side column for more posts on this 
  person/place/thing.
** see Genealogy Notes below
Picture
Belhaven. May 1st 1911.

Mr N. C. Draper
               Grand Coulee.
                            Sask.

Dear Noah,-
                          I missed your letter last
night, but I will be looking for one
to-morrow night. I sometimes
get them on Monday.
                          Say I just wish you
were here to hear our English
man talk, He gave us girls a
great old lecture last night
(Perhaps we need it eh) Well I
would rather have you lecture
us anyway.


Picture
2.
    I was down to Mr Robt
Davidson's yesterday. They
had a barn raising. There
were about 125 men there
There little boy has pneumonia
Glen)
     Manuel got bit on Friday
night by our dog. It is torn
to the bone on the one side
of his leg.
      Say: did you get that
letter, if you did not I think
it must have gone astray
for I posted one to you that
week. You may depend I
will write if I possibly can.

Picture
3.
   For I know just how I look for
your letters. I don't know but
I don't believe you are quite
as foolish as I be.
You say absence make the
heart grow fonder. I think by
the time I see you again that
love surely will reign, for I thot it
did before. I have no objections
to how strong my love grows
to thee in your absence.
But oh! I wish it was just
so you could run in once in
a while. Is your mother
still thinking of coming down?
Wish you were coming to.
But never mind it wont be
long after I hope until I see you.
I am awfully glad you sent your

Picture
4.
photo. It don't let me for get you.
I tell you there was no danger of me
forgetting you. The card is handled
quite a bit.
   How are all the folks up there.
There is quite a bit of sickness
around here just at present. 4 cases
of pneumonia. It was Mrs Sedore
that was sick at Sedore's they are
out now & Hugh is working here.
   I think Pa has about ten acres
to sow yet.
   I don't know wether  Robt can play
"I don't know why I love you but I do" true
I think I will wait and ask you.
instead of asking Robt. Pa has told Robt
twice for to leave, if he don't soon
pay attention I think Pa will be
tempted to walk with him to the road
unless he soon does better. hope your
man is better than ours. Well I think
I am nearly to the closing point for this
time. I am the same as B 4. with all love
x lots x this x time x eh x    from Ethel Nelson
   x     x   x    x   x    x    x   x  x
       x     x    x   x   x    x    x  x

Picture
P.S.
         I am going to send you
the piece that was in the
paper about Herb Deverell's
death. Suppose you have heard
of it before this reaches you
but perhaps not got the little
piece of the paper. It was in the
News. I wrote my letter Sunday.
So to-day when I had it ready
to post I just happen to think
that I intended to send it to you.
So here I am, finishing
up on Monday. It has been
raining nearly all day.
I guess I am making my P.S.
rather long. so Good-Bye
                                                  Ethel

Picture
Picture
Picture
THE TOMB

DEVERELL - At 107 Chester Aven-
          ue, Toronto, on Thursday, the
          20th April, 1911, Herbert Wil-
          liam Deverell, aged 36 years.
     Funeral last Monday. Internment
at Queensville.
* * *
Herbert Deverill Fasted
       and Died from Weakness

 We clip the following from the To-
ronto Star.  Mr. Deverill was a native
of Ravenshoe. 
      Herbert Deverill took sick with the
grip this winter and refusing to give
up and go to bed continued work ev-
ery day in Medd's grocery store in
Gerrard street east. On an occa-
sion of a former illness, due to dia-
betes, he had obtained good results
from a prolonged fast of 21 days,
and he became firmly convinced
of the efficacy of that treatment. He
tried it again for this grip and after
fifteen days, during which he grew
steadily weaker, he died at his home
at 107 Chester avenue.  The funeral
will be from his widowed mother's
house at 291 Palmerston avenue on
Monday.
      Herbert Deverill was well known in
New Ontario.  He was the manager
Revillon Brothers' store at McDou-
gall Chutes for some time, and con-
ducted stores of his own at Abilibi
Crossing and at Corcoran.   It is
said that he strained his vitality by
too heavy and too prolonged work.
When the prospectors came in for
outfits, they were always in a hurry
and Deverill would frequently work
all night.  He worked all day carry-
ing 100 pound bags of flour and sugar
half a mile to the boat from his store,
or from the railway station.
He was never a heavy or robust
man, but on the termination of his
former long fast, he became very
fleshy and continued so for a consid-
erable period.
      He came to Toronto on the death
of his father about a year ago to
settle the estate, and he still owned
a general stock of goods in the north
country.  He is survived by a wife
and three children.

* * * 

Genealogy Notes

 I found the newspaper clipping about Herb Deverell that Ethel mentions in her letter and have posted it above.  But as it happens with many things in genealogy, there's a mystery here as well...

Noah's mother is *Sarah Sophia Deverell and Noah's father is David Draper. Both Sarah and David were born and raised in Belhaven in North Gwillimbury Township. But in 1867 when David was 25 and Sarah was 21, they went all the way to Haldimand Township which is around the western tip of Lake Ontario and almost directly across from Erie, Pennsylvania, to get married. Why so far away? I can't find any record of family living there. Or did they elope?


The following info on Sarah Sophia's family is taken from the 1861 Canada census for North Gwillimbury:
Father  - William H Deverell b1808 in England, Occupation: Minister 
Mother - Fanny b1815 in Ireland

Residence:  Conc 3 Lot 26 Ravenshoe, North Gwillimbury

Note: the following children were all born in the above house.
Mary b1840
Robert b1855
Sarah b1846
Letitia b1857
Frances b1848
Thomas b1860
However, there was another Deverell family living in the same township and here is their information according to the 1881 Canada census for North Gwillimbury:
Father - William H Deverell b1814 in Ontario (English heritage),  Minister
Mother - Fanny b1818 in Ontario (English heritage)

Residence: Conc 4 lot 1 Queensville, North Gwillimbury

This William H and Fanny live with their son's family:
William Deverell b1846 and his wife Euphemia b1848
And among their many children born in Queensville are:

- Charles b1869
- Herbert b1876 

A note here... C Deverell is mentioned in the letter of  Feb 4 Dear Ethel when Noah talks of going up to Burke's Falls and seeing him having a rest. But according to the obit, he came down from the 'north country' soon after that. 

So, we finally found Charles Deverell and  Herbert Deverell and from the above information, it looks like they could be Sarah Sophia's nephews thereby making them Noah's cousins. And that would explain why Ethel is sending Herbert's obituary. 

Except for a few things... it would also mean their father - William Deverell b1846 - would be Sarah Sophia's brother, right? But they can't be siblings for the following reasons:
1. they share the same birth year but were born a couple months apart
2. their parents have the same names & jobs, but not the same birth years
3. if they were siblings, William would show up on Sarah's 1861 census. 

So what relation are Charles and Herbert to Sarah Sophia? 

(If you know, please tell me as I've exhausted all my leads.)
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