Category: Document

1911 Courtship: Apr 9, Dear Noah

11/26/2012

After a couple months of weekly letters, Ethel finally addresses her Courtship letter, Dear Noah, and drops the location she's sending it to. Their formality is shedding as they slowly admit their feelings to each other on paper. Not all at once, but between hints, salutations and signatures.

Author of Letter: Ethel Isabell Nelson, age 21
Dated: Apr 9, 1911
Addressed to: Noah
Mailed from: Belhaven, Ontario
Relationship: Courting
Profession: Farmer's Daughter
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, Black ink
Written on: Slightly thick, textured, linen-like paper, 9 inches x 6.5 inches, folded in half. Ethel has written on the pages in order from 1 to 4, so it reads like a book.

People/Places mentioned in this letter:
- Emmanuel Nelson - brother of Ethel's father
- Veda Perrault - Noah's 16 yr old niece in Regina.
- Alice Draper - school teacher. For a social visit? Or for Sadie's studies? **
- Della Mahoney* - friend/neighbour
- Mr. Shepherd - the man who wanted to buy the Nelson farm
- Holland Landing - a nearby town

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

** see Genealogy Notes below

Belhaven. Apr 9 11.

Dear Noah, --
Rec'd your long looked
for letter last night. You may depend
I thot you had forgotten all about
me. I don't know wether this
letter will be much better than
none or not. I am feeling rather
lazy to day. Guess I have the
La Grippe. what ever it is I hope
I will soon be rid of it.
Well you think you
will be glad when you have
your threshing done and started
for the East again. And I guess
you are not the only one,

for I will certainly be pleased
when the day comes for you
to start for here. And the house
that Noah built looks. (kind of
uppish) eh.
The reason we did not
sell our place, was because
Uncle Emmanuel didn't want
us to. also People said we were
not getting enough for it.
Mr Sheppard had the money
alright. May I ask who
told you about Pa having the
price shoved under his nose? and
refusing it.
I think I am beginning
to realize how far away you are

when I think, my it would be
nice if Noah would run in this
evening. (But wishing that is all in
vain. at least for a time.)
               I see by the paper you
have had quite a fire in Regina.
Have you no College's or High Schools
at Regina. I certainly wish
Veda success in her studies.
Sadie is studying very hard
lately. but perhaps it will pay
in the end.
                 Alice Draper is here
this afternoon.
                  Hav'nt saw Della yet
but I think, she is home now,
Came on Friday.

         Well Noah you tell me
to write you, what you most
want to hear. i guess you will
have to tell me what it is.
           Our sleighing is all gone long
ago. You can't see any snow
now. I like the summer best,
anyway.
             Sadie and I have an
in vitation to spend our Easter
holidays at the Holland Landing
We don't yet whether we will
accept it or not.
              Say you will have to excuse
paper for this time, And now I am
going to say. Good-Bye for this
this time with lots of xxx
                from Your Sweet heart.

Genealogy Notes

Entrance Exams certificates have been mentioned several times in these Courtship letters starting with images of the ones awarded to Noah and Ethel. Sadie is studying for her entrance exam. I used to think it was like a graduation diploma from Grade 12, but it's not. Yet, I couldn't find information explaining why the certificates said the person named on it was ready to be admitted to high school when both Noah and Ethel ended school at that point.

During an internet search, I found the Government of Ontario archives with a current exhibit on Education. I emailed the curator and asked. Here is part of the archivist's response:

This quotation is taken from the Archives of Ontario’s online exhibit, Lessons Learned: The Evaluation of Education in Ontario.

“In 1871 An Act to Improve the Common and Grammar Schools of the Province of Ontario established high school entrance examinations. Students had to pass these examinations in order to be admitted to a collegiate institute or high school. High school entrance examinations were originally administered by a board consisting of the school inspector; the chairman of the high school board; and the high school principal. Revised regulations issued in 1873 centralized the conduct of the High School Entrance Examinations under the Central Committee of Examiners.

High school entrance examinations were abolished in 1949, and the last of the departmental examinations (for graduation from Grade 13) was eliminated in 1967.”

Thank you to Nana Robinette, Archivist, Ontario of Archives, for answering my email.

To recap, the entrance exam confirmed that the student was at a level of proficiency to enter high school or the equivalent. Noah left school when he received his Entrance Exam Certificate in 1903 at the age of 15yrs. Two years later, 15 yr old Ethel received her Certificate and left school.

1903 Entrance Exam Certificate made out to Noah Draper

1905 Entrance Examination Certificate made out to Ethel Nelson

When I first read that Alice Draper was visiting the Nelson house, I didn't think anything unusual since Belhaven is a small village and both Nelsons and Draper's abound. But then I noticed how Ethel made the statement as a distinct paragragh all by itself - and it immediately followed the mention of Sadie studying for her exam. I believe this is significant.

Mrs Alice Draper is a school teacher. I don't know which school she teaches at, but I don't believe she's there for a social call. Especially after Ethel's crack that 'perhaps it (the studying) will pay off in the end'.

We shall see in the weeks ahead.

As for the romance between Noah and Ethel... did you catch Ethel's coy answer on page 4?

Well Noah you tell me to write you, what you most want to hear. i guess you will have to tell me what it is.

Her answer was in response to Noah's last letter where he ended it with, "Write & tell me
what I most want to hear".

Noah might be her fiance, but in each letter he's dancing around the topic of love without admitting much himself. Sure he misses her, but how much? Why can't be tell the woman he loves that he loves her? Does he love her, or is he just lonely out there on the windy prairies where men outnumber women 10 or more to one?

I like Ethel's spunk. On the other hand, we have no idea how Noah proposed, and now I'm wondering if he's ever professed his love.

Do you think Ethel is shy, a tease, or insecure at this point of their courtship?

1911 Courtship: Mar 26, Dear Noah

10/21/2012

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

Author of Letter: Ethel Isabell Nelson, age 21
Dated:   March 26th, 1911
Addressed to: Mr N. C. Draper, Grand Coulee
Mailed from:  Belhaven, Ontario
Relationship: Courting
Profession: Farmer's Daughter
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, Black ink
Written on: Slightly thick, textured linen-like paper, 9 inches x 6.5 inches. Once again, Ethel has written page 2 and 3 lengthwise so you have to turn the letter after the first page and then turn it back for the final page.

People mentioned in this letter:

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

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

Belhaven Mar 26th 1911

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

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

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

Genealogy Notes

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

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

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

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

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

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

BELHAVEN.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1911 Courtship: Mar 5, Dear Noah

9/10/2012

This week we're starting the 2nd month of Noah and Ethel's courtship, as the last letter posted was Feb 27 Dear Ethel.  The letters are mentioning more names, some of whom I recognize, and others that send me into research mode. I'm beginning to think I should start posting a genealogy chart to keep the names straight.

Author of Letter: Ethel Isabell Nelson b1890
Dated:  March 5, 1911
Addressed to: Mr. N. C Draper, Grand Coulee, Sask.
Mailed from:  Bellhaven, Ontario
Relationship: Courting
Profession: Farmer's Daughter
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, Black ink,
Written on: slightly thick, textured linen-like paper, 9 inches x 6.5 inches, folded, written as pages 1 to 4

Mentioned in the letter:
- Aunt Maud (Ethel's mother, Ida Amelia Glover, had a sister Victoria Maud who had a child Ethel Marie)
- Pa (James H. Nelson, wife of Ida Amelia Glover)
- Sadie (Noah's 16 yr old sister)
- Christie (Ethel's 11 yr old sister)
- Veda Perrault (the 16 yr old in Noah's last letter)
- Edyth Draper* (Edith's father, Stephen, is brother to Noah’s father, David)
- Cecil Prosser* (20 yr old Cecil has eyes for Sadie and Sadie's looking right back)
- Fern Morton*
- Mr. Wm Sheppard of Michigan
*see Genealogy Notes below

Belhaven, Mar. 5, 1911

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

Dear Noah, -
               I came home this morning
from Aunt Maud's. And the first
thing I received from Sadie were
your letters. I was very glad indeed
to hear from you. and to know
you got home safe.
             Did you look for a letter
last week? I didn't write because
I could not get to the Post Office
to post it. Don't you neglect writing
because you do not get a letter,
for I will always have a reason.

2
Never the less I will try to be
true to my promise, "eh"
Pa is talking of selling our
place. Mr Wm Sheppard of Michigan
was here on Saturday looking
over the place. He seems to think
it is what he wanted. Pa told
him what he would take, So
Mr Sheppard is coming Tuesday
evening to let us know if he
takes it. If he does we are going
to make a sale, and rent a house
and lot, in Queensville or Newmarket
until Pa can get another Farm.
We will have to be moved by the
First of April. What do you think
about it "eh"?

                                  3
          Does Fern Morton work in
Regina! and what does she do!
          Cecil Prosser came home
from the States last week. I
hav'nt saw him yet, But Sadie
say's she thinks he is going to
Stay all summer, I guess he is
beginning to think, "There is no
place like home".
               Aunt Maud calls her
baby Ethel Marie. And the baby
is just as pretty as her name is. haha
               I think you had better
send Veda down here, with her
Grandmaw this summer.

                                   4
         I hear that your cousin Edyth
Draper is to be married in May
to a man in the West, Suppose
you know all about it.
               I am in the front room
writing this, Christie was just here
and she saw who I was writing to
and she run and told ma. She
say's Ethel is writing to Noah. Ma
said, "I suppose, Guess you hav'nt
forgotten Christie? Have you.
               Well this is all for this
time, as I can't think of any more
news to write. Will be looking for your
letter every day. Bye Bye from
                               Your Lonesome Ethel,
                                                x x x x x x x x

Genealogy Notes

*Fern Morton - In the 1st post of Noah and Ethel, Noah & Ethel 1887-1911, Fern Morton is the
little girl sitting beside Ethel in the school photograph. From the census records, we also know that a Morton Family farmed next door to Ethel's family.

*Edyth Draper - According Edith's birth record, her name is spelled, Edith as follows...

Schedule of Births 1885, pg 293, North Gwillimbury Township, York County, Ontario, Canada

However, we've found many names are either misspelled throughout the person's
life. Usually, this comes about when the parents tell the registrar the name of
their new baby but don't know how to actually spell the word. Sometimes they
guess and it's written down as so, while at other times, the registrar seems to
write it one way, but it appears another on all the census records.

1911 Census of Canada: North Gwillimbury, York County, Ontario, Canada, showing the partial record of the Stephen Draper Family

As you can see in the partial census record above, Edith is spelled with an 'i' versus a 'y'. I checked back on the 1891 and 1901 cenus of Canada records and her name has always been recorded as Edith. (I would have liked to show you the complete line with all the information, but it's so long, the words would be too tiny to read.)

However, the letter is written by Ethel and I've noticed in some of the letters written by the Nelson family, they sometimes even spell Sadie as Sadye - as you'll see when I post a July 1911 letter written by Ethel's paternal grandmother who lives in Iowa.

*Cecil Prosser - I'm tempted to tell you what happens between Cecil and Sadie, but I equate that to someone telling me how a book ends. I don't like others doing it, so I won't do it. Well, not until the time comes anyway. :)

1906 Percy's Policy

7/2/2012

In the continuing story of Noah and Ethel, I’m posting the letters, cards, and other bits of historical papers I found in the treasure box collected by Ethel and handed down to my husband. For a list of corresponding posts, check the Genealogy Post Index.

This past week, I went through the final envelope which contained a haphazard collection of legal documents from several generations. Some of them are private, but others should be posted for their historical value, and genealogical information. That's why I'm presenting this life insurance policy - it gives genealogical information about the Draper Family and helps answer the question of when they moved to Saskatchewan.

Life Insurance Document:

Company: The Supreme Court of the Independent Order of Foresters
Benefit Member: Percy R. Draper of Grand Coulee, Saskatchewan
Beneficiary: Sarah Draper (nee Deverell)
Relationship: Mother
Amount of Policy: 1000 Dollars or 200 pounds sterling
Dated: 19 November 1906 in Toronto, Ontario
Writing instrument: Black Inked pen

Tri-folded 1906 Life Insurance Policy for Percy R. Draper.

The policy is tri-folded so the centre block with Percy's name, his address, the amount, and the policy number are on the outside and the two flaps fold inside.

When fully opened, the 'benefit certificate' measures 12 inches x 19 inches. I find it strange that the policy isn't in Percy's handwriting, nor is it signed by him. I base this fact on his handwritten postcard to Noah in the post, 100 Year Old Postcards.

1906 Life Insurance Policy for Percy R Draper

Please excuse the reproduction quality of these images. Since I didn't want to create new folds in this 106 year old document by photocopying it, my only choice was taking photos.

In case you can't make out the detail of the header image, I'm showing it below again and hoping it's better quality.

1906 The Supreme Order of Foresters Whole Life Benefit Certificate.

With the document folded in half once again, you read where Percy named his mother, Sarah Draper as his sole beneficiary. By naming his mother, the document tells us that in November 1906, Percy was still a single man, because if he had been married, he would have named his wife as his beneficiary instead of his mother.

1906 Life Insurance Policy naming Sarah Draper as beneficiary

Through this post, I hope others looking into their genealogies will realize that one document or one small newspaper clipping won't give a complete picture of your ancestors. However each is small puzzle piece in the overall picture of your past. When placed in a timeline, those small bits of information flow together to tell the story of how you came to be where you are today.

Some good news:

A welcome event happened this week due to the posting of material from Ethel's treasure box... one of the Draper descendants commented on 1909: To Noah, A Letter From Home and as well as 100 Year Old Postcards and left valuable information which has solved the first major puzzle of this story.

Thank you going out to Geoff Bowerman who commented that David Draper moved his wife, Sarah, and their children, Percy, Louie, Jennie, and Noah to the NorthWest Territories (now Saskatchewan) in 1903. He based this on Noah and Ethel's 1912 marriage certificate.

Since I have that document listed as a citation for proof of their marriage, I went to take a closer look at it and indeed, Mr. Geoff Bowerman is correct. I had missed the line where it lists Noah as having lived in Grand Coulee as of 1903. Geoff was also correct about the bad handwriting, because I can't make out if they moved in June or July 1903. The word looks like Juny.

So what does this all mean? It means that the family moved west as soon as Noah - the youngest child - received his school certificate, dated July 1903, as shown in my post, Noah & Ethel 1887-1911.

In the story of Noah and Ethel, we now know:
- their place and date of birth
- when they completed school
- what they each did in the time leading up to their courtship year

Or do we? We still don't know why Noah was in Burk's Falls, Ontario on 25 Dec 1908. As a mixed farmer, he would be required on the farm during the winter months. Would he leave Sarah, Jennie and Louie alone to do the chores? Or were they strictly grain farmers?

I'll present another piece to the puzzle of Noah and Ethel next week.

Forward>>

1911 Courtship: Apr 9, Dear Noah

Genealogy Notes

1911 Courtship: Mar 26, Dear Noah

Genealogy Notes

1911 Courtship: Mar 5, Dear Noah

Genealogy Notes

1906 Percy's Policy

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