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1911 Courtship: July 23 Dear Ethel

7/21/2013

1910 Regina Exhibition Livestock Grounds, Valentine and Sons' Publishing Co. Ltd. Courtesy of the University of Saskatchewan Library, Special Collections.

The above photo from http://saskhistoryonline.ca shows the numerous barns housing the livestock exhibits on the Exhibition grounds. As a former exhibitor of our goats, I've been in the livestock barns too many times to count, and even camped in them while we exhibited. Unfortunately, the barns in the image were devasted by fire and the ones I'm used to seeing are huge window-less metal structures which do the job of keeping the animals sheltered, but lack the beauty and charm of the original ones.

Author of Letter: Noah Clement Draper (24 yrs old)
Dated: July 23 (1911)
Addressed to: Miss E. Nelson, Dear Ethel (21 yrs old)
Mailed to: Huntsville, Ont
Mailed from: Grand Coulee (Sask)
Relationship: Courting
Profession: Farmer
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, Black ink which lightens as the letter lengthens.
Writing Paper: Thick, textured, linen-like paper, 9 inches x 6.5 inches. Paper is folded in half, written on front and back like a book, but inside, paper is turned sideways and written across short length and straight down both pages.

People/Places mentioned in this letter:

Ma - Noah's mother, *Sarah Sophia Deverell
*Elva Jane Nelson - Ethel's cousin, currently living in Indian Head, Sask
*Sadie - Ethel's 16 yr old sister back home in Belhaven
Manuel - *Emanuel, Ethel's 6 yr old brother back home in Belhaven

**Dominion Exhibition
*Regina, Sask
the head - *Indian Head, Sask, located east of Regina on Hwy #1

Phrases/Cliches in use at the time:
- "going to get hooked up"

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

Grand Coulee July 23

Miss. E. Nelson,
Huntsville. Ont.
Dear Ethel, -
Received your welcome
letter last week and was glad
to hear you were having
a good time. Hope it may last.
Say you want to have lots
of boat riding this summer
for you are apt to be a
long time up here with
out seeing much water here.
Well we have four
carpenters and two well
diggers here so you see
Mother has plenty to do.
have sent down to Manitoba

for a girl & I certainly hope she
comes for it is to much for mother.
Am going into Regina to-morrow
to get a furnace and see about the
plasterers. so you see we will
be buisy right along untill
after harvest or rather threshing.
Well I suppose you know
wheather Sadie has passed
her examinations by this time.
dont think there is much danger
of her failing.
Dominion exhibition starts
in Regina Monday next and
lasts untill the 13th of August
dont think I will be able to spend
muchtime at it tho for it is
harder work to keep the other
men going than it is to work
My self.
Suppose that new barn is
about finished by this time
or at least the rough work.
Oh say I dont know wheather
I told you I saw Elva at the
head on the 18th or not. she was
telling me she heard I was going
to get hooked up. Ha. Ha.

Well. who in the world was
telling that Manuel was
trying to set a hen's tail
on fire. (poor hen) I guess
she would go some. Eh.
Say do you know any
one who is coming up to
the exhibition or do they
all think it is out of their
reach and to God forsaken
a country to travel in. Ha. Ha.
Well I guess I will have to
close for this time wish I
were there to take you
out for a row. when you
get this but you will not
be far away in my thoughts.
Well bye. Bye. Write a long
letter to your little Lover.
xxxxxxxx N.C.D.

Genealogy Notes

In this week's letter, Noah mentions that the Dominion Exhibition will start on Monday. The above images are taken from the 1911 Dominion Exposition Regina Prize List which I found as a free download PDF at University of Alberta Libraries.

However, it notes the Regina Fair as the Dominion Exposition instead of an exhibition. In all my years, I've always known it as an exhibition or fair, although fair is usually reserved for smaller locations and exhibition for provincial capitals - like Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, etc. I checked dictionary.com and it states:
expositon - a large-scale exhibition or show

Calling the 1911 Exhibition an Exposition fits then, because it was the year Regina hosted the Dominion Fair - a privilege awarded annually from 1879 to 1913 to Canada's biggest fairs. This meant that exhibitors from all over Canada vied for the chance to win not just a ribbon that said Provincial Exhibition, but a medal confirming the exhibitor won it at the Dominion Exhibition. As you can see from the lettering below, even the organizers weren't sure if is was an exhibition or exposition.

Obverse: 1911 bronze Dominion Exhibition Regina Medal. Courtesy of Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. 1979-13-232M

Reverse: 1911 bronze medal donated by the Ontario Sheep Breeders' Ass'n for THE BEST ___ WON BY ____ Courtesy of Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. 1979-13-232M

Although cash prizes were handed out, the top breeder for each breed would receive a medal like the one above which were sponsored by commercial associations, like the Ontario Sheep Breeders, who used the Dominion Exhibition for promotion. The above medal isn't engraved with a breed of sheep nor a winner. The medals would have been struck ahead of time, but sometimes there aren't enough exhibitors in category so a medal isn't awarded.

Much like the Olympic medals are different for each game's location, so are the Dominion Exhibition medals.

On the right is the style of medal handed out at the 1904 Dominion of Canada Exhibition. Unlike the 1911 Regina medal, this one comes with a ribbon and badge for hanging on your chest.

I like the Winnipeg one, except for the hole they've drilled into the medal to enable it to hang. Truthfully, it's hard to find medals without a hole, but as a coin and medal collector, I tend to steer clear of the holed ones unless they were manufactured in that fashion, such as this one.

(Click the image for a larger version.)

“DOMINION OF CANADA EXHIBITION 1904 WINNIPEG” brass medal with ribbon and badge.

Exhibitions are made up of Livestock and Homecraft Exhibits, a Midway with rides, games, etc, and a commercial Trade Show where you can buy anything from homemade jams to farm equipment.

The on-line McCord Museum has a brief write-up about the trade shows on their site, which states in part, "Agricultural fairs and industrial exhibitions were an excellent opportunity to reach huge numbers of people." I always find interesting images at the McCord Museum, but I never imagined I'd find an engraving of a late 19th/early 20th century trade show booth for a corset manufacturer...

1850-1885 engraving by John Henry Walker showing The Crompton Corset Company trade booth. Courtesy of © McCord Museum

The Crompton Corset Company which was located in Toronto, Ontario displayed its line of corsets at trade fairs and exhibitions across Canada.

I wonder if Noah passed a booth like this at Regina's Dominion Exhibition?

Courtship Letter Special: July 15 From Elva Mitchell

6/18/2013

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

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

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

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:

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:

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...

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 Ethel

2/24/2013

1910 Rosetown Ball Team; Virtual exhibits: Part of Wish You Were Here: Saskatchewan Postcard Collections

Noah mentions in his letters that he's playing baseball against teams from Pense and Belle Plain. I tried digging up an old photo of the area around Grand Coulee, but this was the closest I could find. Rosetown is about a 4-5 hr drive in today's terms from Grand Coulee. Noah's team would've been like the above photo as they were just a bunch of farmers out for some competitive sport with neighbouring towns. No uniforms, although they made have sewed their name or town on their shirts. This 1910 Rosetown Ball Team photo is representative of the baseball clothing and equipment at the time.

Author of Letter: Noah Clement Draper (24 yrs old)
Dated: May 21/11
Addressed to: Miss E.Nelson, Bellhaven, Ont., My Dear Ethel
Mailed from: Grand Coulee, Sask.
Relationship: Courting
Profession: Farmer
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, Black ink, which he runs out of, so continues the next day with fresh ink
Writing Paper: Thick, textured, linen-like paper, 9 inches x 6.5 inches. Paper is folded in half, and written in a 4-page booklet form, except Noah has turned the paper inside and written down the full length.

People/places mentioned in this letter:

**Miss Hunt from last week - See Genealogy Notes for photos Ethel's family including Miss Hunt

* The Belhaven fires

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

Grand Coulee Sask
May 21./11.

Miss. E. Nelson,
Belhaven, Ont.
My Dear Ethel; -
Received your letter last
night and was glad to hear
you were still in the land
of the living. & you will
see by this that I am not
very bad in fact nothing
worse than lazyness. HaHa.
Well I guess by the time
you get this you will
know all about the big
time at Newmarket. & I
will know all about the

big time at Pense. We gothere the
24th to play ball. expect we will
get it in the neck for we have had
only one pratice but there is nothing
like being game so we are going to
try them any way.
Say Ethel you know your self where
your duty lies this summer and as
much as I would like to have you
here with me I would not like to
influence you to leave there this
summer. for like you I think the
burning of the barn makes a big
difference.
Well the clock is just striking
ten that would be 12 P.M. by your
time and I suppoe you woulbe
in bed asleep.
Say my pen is dry & I guess I will
finish with
Monday. night. well I was going to say
with a pencil but I could not find
one so I am at it again with Ink. Ha.Ha.
Am going in to Regina in the
morning & am going to try to get you
a little birthday present. & hope
you will like it when you get
it.
The carpenter was here to night
to see about building (my) house but
I know as much about it now as I

did before so am going to see
about it tomorrow & get some
other contractors prices.
Well it is preety cold and
windy to night hope it does
not last long.
Say do you think the barns
were set on fire by some one. It
certainly looks suspicious.
Oh say you should see
my bugg. Gee it is swell
nit .):) wish you were here
to ride in it any way. but I
guess it will keep. what
do you think. Well I guess I
will ring off for this time
so Good Bye. May Your shadow
never grow less. I remain forever.
Your faithful lover. N.C.D. xxxxx

Genealogy Notes

Last week, Ethel wrote to Noah, "Miss Hunt speaks of you each time I see her."

Well, I still haven't figured out where Miss Hunt fits in the Family Tree although I found a photo of her in Ethel's treasure box. The back of this photo reads:

Alice and Miss Hunt
Great Great Cousin

And although Alice is mentioned in another Courtship letter, I don't know where she fits in the tree either.

Look at this photo of Ethel's family taken the same day:

James H Nelson Family c 1931, (L to R back) unknown, unknown, James A Nelson, Emanuel Nelson and wife Vera Horner, Cousin Alice, Miss Hunt, Ida Amelia Glover (Ethel's mother), and James Henry Nelson (Ethel's father); (L to R front row: Frank Thompson, Leland (?) Nelson, Glenna Nelson, Clifford Thompson, Benny Thompson.

This family photo could very well show Ethel's complete family if I guess at the women on the left. We know the 2 on the right are Ethel's parents from other photographs. And we've identifed Miss Hunt and Counsin Alice at the top of this post.

We know that the 2 young men are Ethel's brothers, James A and Emanuel, while the woman in the cloche hat is Emanuel's wife, Vera. You've met this young man, Emanuel in Ethel's letters because back in 1911, he's 5 yrs old and gets bitten by the family dog after teasing him. The little girl, Glenna, is Emmanuel's oldest child, and the toddler could be her brother, Leland.

So that only leaves the 2 women on the left. Ethel had 2 sisters, Sadie, who was 5 yrs younger than her, and Christie, 10 yrs younger. So far in the letters we haven't heard about Christie, but we've heard plenty about Sadie and her schooling and teasing.

In the photo, 3 of the children are the Thompson boys and since Christie grew up to marry Roy Thompson, I suspect one of the women is Christie - my guess is the one on the end because she looks like a mother ready to chase after a wayward child.

So that leaves the lady second on the left with the white hat and carrying a Bible or camera. Could that be Sadie? I really wish I knew.

I believe the photo was sent to Ethel and Noah in Grand Coulee, SK from Belhaven, Ontario, which explains why Ethel and her children aren't in the photo.

If someone can help identify the people in this photo, we'd really appreciate if you let us know, either here, through my contact page, or on ancestry.ca/com.

1911 Courtship: May 14 Dear Noah

2/17/2013

May 14th, 1911 was Canada's 2nd ever Mother's Day, and it's how Ethel starts this week's Courtship letter.

Clipping from the Newmarket Era
5 May 1911, p. 1.

Northern Pacific Railway postcard for Mother's Day, ca 1916

Author of Letter: Ethel Isabell Nelson, age 21
Dated:  May 14, 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. The paper is folded in half with the first page on the front and last on the back, but inside, she's turned it clockwise and written straight across the whole width so technically, there are only 3 pages.

People/places mentioned in this letter:
- Ma - *Ida Amelia Glover
- Pa - *James Henry Nelson
- Maud *Bruels
- Grover Morrison - a young man from the nearby village of Baldwin
- **Mrs. Deverell mother of *Herbert Deverell - **updated info below!
- *Uncle Emanuel Nelson - brother of James Henry Nelson
- *Manuel - Emanuel Nelson - Ethel's little brother

More info on the *Fire(s) and current *market prices were posted under 1911 Courtship: May 14? Dear Ethel.

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

Bellhaven. May 14.1911.

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

Dear Noah, --
Well here I am again
with some more of my scribbling
I have just come home from
Church. Mr. Fletcher of Keswick
Christian Church preached.
To-day was Mothers day
Everybody was supposed to
wear a white flower.
I was home with
Maud Bruels to-night for tea
Grover Morrison took her home
from Church. He was driving a
colt and say I just had to
jump for my life to get out of the rig.

Oh Noah I got your letter last night
asking me to try and think that I would
be able to go home with you the first of
August if you came down. Oh Noah I do so
wish you could come, but just think, of my leaving
Ma with so much extra work that she will
have this summer building the barn.
I believe if our barn had not of burned I
would have said yes, without any hesitation.
It is'nt the lack of love for you (on my part)
that keeps me here. Now Noah what do you
say? Considering all. Oh if you were only here
so that I could talk and tell you everything and
just how I feel about it.
Stanley Mahoney and his May were up to
Church to-night. I heard to day Morn Yorke
was to married in June.
Mrs. Deverell has been visiting at Mrs. Bruels
a couple of days. I guess she feels awfully
bad about Herb's death.
We heard yesterday that there had
averaged a barn burning each day this
week except Saturday. Ours Monday, Rialton's
on Tuesday. they caught fire in just the
same place. Riddels on Wed, one near
Newmarket on Thursday, and a fire on
Friday we heard was Moleses barn.

We got Eleven Hundred
insurance. Everyone has been so
good. It shows you who your
true friend's are. No we have not
killed that dog yet. It was'nt
the dog's fault. Manuel was teasing
him. Uncle Emanuel is very sick
we are afraid he'll not recover.
Miss Hunt speaks of you each time
I see her.
Well how do you like batching it
alone. I often think of you, and
wonder what you are doing. haha
wether you are mixing bread or not.
Ethel would do your baking for
you would'nt she? I guess you can
tell by my writing about what my
pen is like, it scratches. Everyone
is well here in body. but rather
down hearted since the fire. I think
I must close for this time. with all
love I say good-Bye from your
Sweetheart,
x x x x x x x x (Ethel Nelson)

Genealogy Notes

This week's genealogy notes are in 2 parts:
1. The Deverell's
2. Uncle Emanuel

The Deverell's

A few weeks ago, I talked about the death of Herbert Deverell under Genealogy Notes in the post, 1911 Courtship: May 1 Dear Noah, and how many circumstances matched - and didn't match - Noah's mother, Sarah Sophia Deverell.

In that post, I stated the facts as I know them and then said,

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?

On the right is the obituary of Elder W. Deverell taken from The Newmarket Era May 11, 1888, Page 2.

The copy reads:
Another aged pilgrim has fallen in the
person of Eld. W. Deverell who departed
this life April 22, 1888, at the advanced
age of 81 years. Deceased was taken ill
while on a visit at the home of his son-in-law Mrs. D. Draper, but his illness was of short duration...

According to that, Sophia's father, a minister, died at her own home since she was married to David Draper.

However, if you read the final line of this obituary, it says he left a wife and six children to mourn his loss.

The crux of the above summation is that last line because according to the family tree, Sophia had 5 siblings. So taking that, the above questions, and the fact that William Deverell is a very common name into consideration, the other William Henry Deverell family didn't fit with ours.

Update: Well, guess what? I was searching for family names in The Newmarket Era this week, and found this little, notation in a 1900 edition...

BOOM! And there it is - the missing piece. Louie is Noah's sister. Their mother is Sarah Sophia Deverell. But how does William Deverell of Toronto fit in the picture if Sarah already has 5 siblings already? I went back to Elder W. Deverall's obit and read that last line again. This time I realized that it doesn't say he has 6 children... it says he's leaving 5 of them behind. What if one had already died? I checked the family tree again and wouldn't you know it... Frances Jane Deverell died in 1876, 12 yrs before. With her passing, that left a widow and 6 children to mourn his loss, including both Sophia and William, so yes, he is her brother.

As for the dates, I've discovered that Wm Deverell of Toronto was born one year before Sophia, so he is, in fact, one year older than her. As for the parents' dates, I have to assume mine are right - at least for Elder William Deverell based on his obituary.

And that explains why Ethel felt it necessary to send Herbert's obituary with her letter.

Uncle Emanuel

In this week's letter, Ethel mentions that her Uncle Emanuel is very sick. When she first mentions him back in Courtship Letter Apr 9 Dear Noah, I thought her Uncle Emanuel lived close to them in Belhaven because he was the one who told her father not to sell the farm.

***Update... Uncle Emanuel is the one who lives close to Belhaven! Uncle Emanuel Nelson (of Ontario) is the brother of Henry Nelson (of Iowa) which makes him the uncle of Ethel's dad, James Nelson. I was confusing Uncle Emanuel Nelson with Emanuel Francis Nelson (son of Henry Nelson and Eliza Crouch) who is down in Iowa. Clear as mud?

1911 Courtship: May 7 Dear Ethel

1/27/2013

Indian Head, Saskatchewan, Canada. The town is off to the right side. Undated postcard, suspect around 1910. Courtesy of http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/mainstreet/images/033a.jpg

Author of Letter: Noah Clement Draper (24 yrs old)
Dated: May 7, 1911
Addressed to: Miss E.Nelson, Bellhaven, Ont., Dear 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, with a front and back page, but inside, Noah has turned the paper lengthwise and written straight down both pages.

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
*Louie - Noah's sister, Sarah Louisa Draper, married to Fred Coventry
*Veda - 16 yr old daughter of Noah's sister, Eva & Joseph Perault who live nearby

Other mentions:

-Alf - Noah's *hired man, also referred to as 'that man'
- manless - doesn't have a hired man working for him at the moment
- Will's man - also referred to as the parrot - hired man of Noah's brother-in-law, Will

- the dog mentioned in Noah's postscript (written along the side of the last page) refers to Ethel's last letter where she wrote, "Manuel got bit on Friday night by our dog. It is torn to the bone on the one side of his leg." Emanuel is Ethel's 5 yr old brother, so this is a very traumatic experience for the Nelson family.

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

Grand Coulee, May 7/11.

Miss. E. Nelson,
Belhaven, Ont.
Dear Ethel; --
Well I got two letters
this week but none the
week before so you see it
is either a feast or a famin
Well I hope you are all well
as this leaves me. Mother is
down at Steward's went down
last night expect she will
stay a week.
Have not started batching
yet but I guess I will to-morrow.
Am going into Regina in
the morning after my buggy
have been getting it painted
Wine. colour. come up and have
the first ride in it.

Say Ethel mother is afraid to go east alone
& wants me to go along but I am afraid
to go unless you will come back with
me. cant you see your way clear to come
back about the first of August. it would
only be about five months and I guess
I could get you enough to eat for that
much longer . . eh. But if for any
special reason you feel it your duty
to stay at home that much longer
why just say so and that ends it.
but I dont think they love you any
better than I do.
Well Ethel I guess you will think
I am selfish & I cant deny the charge,
so far as you are concerned anyway
so if you can over look it I guess I
can.
Well I finished seeding wheat on the
4 of May. and will sow the oats next
week. thot it was a little early to
sow them when I finished the wheat.
Say that man of yours must be a
sticker. I have had two this spring
already sosoon, no. yes. but as they
say am manless just now. & I didnt
have any trouble geting rid of the
last one either. Mother & Louie were
up last Wed. & Louie asked me if I
were going to keep Alf. and I said I did
not know. I did not like him nor never
did. & our parrot (that is Wills man.) went
& told Alf so as his his time was up
next night when I went out after

supper he said will you make
up my time please and I said
all right. He had told Will what
the old man said so I did not
blame him for leaving. Eh.
But he had told Will the day
before he was going to stay for
the summer. Ha Ha.
Say did'nt I tell you Veda
did not go to College. She is
having her hands treated in
Regina with the ex-rays &
radium. but I hope she
will be able to go after summer
hollidays.
Well Ethell I guess this is all
for this time. so good Bye
am looking for a letter on
Thursday. Bye Bye.
May your shadow never grow
less. write soon to your little Willie
x x x x x N.C. Draper

P.S. Have you shot that dog. if you dont. we will
have a funeral when I go down. N.D.

Genealogy Notes

Since Noah keeps referring to the Stewart's, this would be a good time to show you my research on the Stewart Draper family, continuing with what I've already posted:
- Stewart's name (Stewart/Steward)
- map showing Indian Head, Saskatchewan

Stewart Trueman Draper b 1876, Belhaven, N Gwillimbury, York Co, Ontario
Bertha Charlotte Hamilton b 1879, Mount Pleasant, N Gwillimbury, York Co, Ontario

Stewart and Bertha married on 29 Jan 1902 at her family's home in Mount Pleasant, North Gwillimbury Township, York County, Ontario, Canada:

Taken from The Newmarket Era dated February 21, 1902. (Note spelling of Stewart's name.) Courtesy of www.ink.ourontario.ca

Sequence of Events:

Nov 1902 - Elvyn Hamilton Draper is born, but he dies 9 months later of meningitis.

Aug 1904 - Norma Elizabeth Draper is born.

Based on the above confirmed facts, I suspect the date of 1904 on the photograph below is wrong for the following reasons:
- the child Bertha is holding (behind Stephen and Martha, sitting) cannot be Elvyn, nor is it a newborn.
- Almeda and Edward didn't have a child until 1905

Farm home of Stephen Draper and Martha Barnhart and Family, ca 1904 ?, Keswick, Ontario. Courtesy of a member on ancestry.ca

I'm so very grateful to the ancestry.ca member who contributed the above photo as it's the only one we have of Noah's cousin, Stewart Draper and his wife, Bertha Hamilton, who play a big part in the upcoming courtship letters. Although we can't make out the actual faces, the notation shows us:
- Stewart's parents: Stephen Draper (1846-1919) & Martha Barnhart (1846-1923)
- Stewart and Bertha's child - Elvyn b 1902 or Norma b 1904
- Stewart's sisters:
- Almeda with her husband, James Edward Baker, and child, Milburn b 1905
- *Edith Draper and future husband, Frank Kavanaugh
**see Genealogy notes below for more info on Stewart, Bertha, and their child

Apr 1906 - Lennox Draper is born.

The Newmarket Era. April 13, 1906

Stewart & Bertha head to Canada's North-West Territories (the prairie provinces).

The Newmarket Era, Apr 12, 1907

I suspect the family photo above was taken during the summer of 1906 as preparations were underway for Stewart and Bertha to move West.

This brings us to the date of Noah's letter of May 7, 1911. Stewart and Bertha and their 2 children are living a few miles out of Indian Head, Sask (image at the top of this post).

Noah's mother, Sarah Sophia Deverell Draper, spends time at Indian Head because Stewart is her nephew by marriage. (Noah's dad, David, and Stewart's dad, Stephen, are/were brothers.)

If anyone has more information, or would like to dispute my research, please let me know as I strive for accuracy.

I have more images of early Indian Head, but I'll save them for future posts.

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1911 Courtship: July 23 Dear Ethel

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Courtship Letter Special: July 15 From Elva Mitchell

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1911 Courtship: May 21 Dear Ethel

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1911 Courtship: May 14 Dear Noah

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1911 Courtship: May 7 Dear Ethel

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