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WW1 Letters Home - Dec 29, 1916

12/29/2016

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Picture
Sinking of the Linda Blanche out of Liverpool, 1915, Painting by Willy Stower (1864-1931). Courtesy of wikipedia
My previous post showed a map with Noah Draper's presumed route to Chatham, England, according to his letter of Dec 19, 1916 where he wrote that he was headed overseas. Since I read his letters beforehand, I knew he wasn't going straight there, but I didn't want to give out information before Noah himself told us. This letter, dated Dec 29, explains how he arrived in Chatham. Read the History Notes under his letter below for an explanation of how the above image relates to his journey.
​
​Author of Letter: Noah C Draper, 29 yrs old
Dated:  Dec. 29, 1916
Mailed from:  Chatham, England
Attached to: HMS Pembroke (21 Dec 1916 to 31 Dec 1916)
Profession:  Farmer, Temporary Sailor
Rank: Ordinary Seaman
Addressed to:  Mrs. N.C. Draper, Keswick, Ont.
Relationship: Wife
Writing instrument:  Fountain Pen with Black Ink
Writing Paper: 10" x 6.5" medium weight, semi-rough, folded into booklet form. Noah hasn't numbered the pages, but he's using the same technique he used for most of his previously posted courtship letters to Ethel, where his first page is the outside, then he's opened it and written on the right side, then moved over to the left side and written there, and finally, he's closed it and written on the back. For clarity, I'm posting the pages in the order they were meant to be read. 


People mentioned in this letter:
Ethel* 
- Noah's wife of 5 yrs, Ethel Isabel Nelson Draper
Percy* - Noah's older brother, lives near Adams, Saskatchewan
mother - Noah's mother, Sarah Sophia Deverell* Draper, widow of David Draper

​The babies:
- Mildred* aka Midge, 3 yrs old
- James David* aka Jay, 6 months old (later called JD)

Places/things mentioned in this letter:
- Keswick - where Noah's family lives (the ones who didn't move west)
- Liverpool** - a huge busy port on the River Mersey (**see map below)
- London** - on the River Thames, the capital of England, and the U.K.
- Royal Naval Barracks Chatham - aka HMS Pembroke
- the N.P. - Naval Police (see Naval Police and Shore Patrol)
​- whiffletree and tandem hitches (**see Historical Note #2 below)
- hut - barrack building

Word or Phrase Use: 
car - short for street car
navel barracks - Noah's spelling should read naval barracks
​
Legend: 
* 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 at the top of this page
** see History Notes below
​
Picture

Chatham, England
Dec.29. 1916
​
     Mrs. N. C. Draper,
               Keswick, Ont.
My Dear Wife & all; -
     Well I have arrived here
all safe & sound and right
side up & am fealing fine
got here last night after
midnight .left Liverpool about
2 P.M. but could not see much
of the country as it gets dark
about 4 P.M. here now. had
a fine trip over no rough
weather at all they said
although I was sick 1 day

​
Picture

but enjoyed the trip very much.
     Say I wrote a long letter 
on board (3 pages) but the
N. P. told me it was held up 
as I was giving information
which I had no right to
give, but I dont know what
it was so will have to be
careful I guess the letters are
censured from Canada to
so private news is not
private.
     Al that came over here
with me are quartered in
one hut. about 50. and we are
quite comfortable. there is
two long tables & three is told
​off for cooks for each day I 


Picture

am cook to day.
     Well I have not been out
in the city yet so can not
tell you much about the
place but you never see
a team hitched up as we
hitch them they are all
driven tandem or else
the tugs are hitched right
onto the frame of the tongue
no whiffletrees. but they
draw big loads, of course the
roads here are all good nearly
as good as our paved streets.
     Had supper in London last
night was there about 45 min.
but just took the street car
​
Picture
  
from one station to the other
so did not see much (only Lady 
guards) they take the railway
tickets before you get on the car
here & it saves a lot of trouble.
     Well I want to write to
Percy & Mother so will have have
to close soon in order to
get my address on this page
it is N.C Draper.
     Hut 16 East Camp
     Royal Navel Barracks, Chatham, 
                                              England.
Will try & send some little presents
next week if the stores are open
when I am out on leave, get out
every other night I guess. Well.
this is all for now. Write soon, love to
​you and the kiddies. N.C. Draper
​

​

History Notes
​

There are 2 History notes for this letter...

History Note 1 - Port of Liverpool
In this letter, Noah mentions that he disembarked at Liverpool and left there shortly after 2 pm, crossed the country, stopped in London for supper, and arrived in Chatham after midnight. Historical references mention Troop trains crossing England. I've also found reference to boat trains carrying troops. Boat trains are dedicated trains carrying passengers from a particular place to/from a port.
Picture
However, there was one major hurdle before arriving in Liverpool: In February 1914, Germany had announced that the waters surrounding Great Britain and Ireland, including the English Channel, and the western portion of the North Sea, was a war zone and any ships, be it British, neutral, or merchant, would be fired on and destroyed without warning. 

Germany wasn't fooling. In the seven-month period between March and September of 1916, 480 vessels were sunk by German U-boats in that area alone. In case you're wondering, a U-boat stands for undersea boat aka submarine. And that's where the image at the top of this post comes in... you never knew where the U-boats were hiding or if the ship you were traveling on would get fired on by torpedoes. We must never forget the brave captains, sailors, troops, and even passengers who risked everything by running the U-boat gauntlet, and to the ones who lost their lives along the way. 

Whatever ship Noah sailed on to get to Liverpool, he would have had to go through U-boat territory, yet he doesn't give Ethel any inkling of the danger.

Upon disembarkation in Liverpool, it seems most troop ships used the Riverside Railway Station to send the troops on their way, and although I couldn't confirm this is the dock where Noah disembarked, considering that I don't know what ship he sailed on, the following shows the station as it appeared around 1914.
Picture
ca 1914, Riverside Station and Princes Landing Stage, Liverpool, England
The Port of Liverpool's 7.5 mile/12.1 kilometre dock system is mostly on the eastern shore of the River Mersey, but also contains docks on the west side of the river. See wikipedia for detailed 1909 maps of the dock system.
​

History Note 2 - Whiffletrees

In this letter, Noah mentions that the British don't use wiffletrees, so here's the definition of a whiffletree and it's other name variants.
Picture
Wiffletree, whippletree, swingletree
Picture
Four-hitch with a set of whiffletrees. Courtesy of wikipedia
He goes on to say that instead of using a single or set of whiffletrees as pictured above, the British hitch their horses in tandem or right onto the frame of the tongue. Tugs and traces are also regional name variants as you can see by the following diagram.
​
Picture
Harness Diagram. Courtesy of wikipedia

To end this post, here's an image of two ponies being driven in tandem, much as you would see two riders on a tandem bicycle. ​I wonder if this is what Noah meant.
PicturePonies Driving in Tandem. Courtesy of Wikipedia



​


​
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1912 Harvest Photos & Noah's Sisters

6/30/2014

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Picture
ca1900-1910 - The 4 daughters of David Draper & Sarah Sophia Deverell. (L to R) Sarah Louisa "Louie" (Coventry), Eva Amelia (Perrault), Ethel Maud (Rigler), and Jennie F., sitting. Photo courtesy of Jim, grandson of Sarah Louisa.
If you're wondering if you missed any posts...no, you haven't. I've been busy writing and time slipped away on me, but I haven't been idle. Besides my writing, I've been working on the family tree and making contacts with new family members. One of these is a grandson of Noah's sister, Sarah Louisa Draper who is always referred to as Louie. The grandson is Jim - a 2nd cousin - and we are honored that he's made contact with us and is willing to share photos and information. 

I've also been scanning old newspapers for info on Noah and Ethel and it seems our newlyweds have nested quietly. Since they both like a social life of visiting with family and friends, I'm sure they're doing it in the Adams-Grand Coulee area, but it's not making the Regina newspapers. 

Interesting articles I found in the Newmarket Era included their articles on Regina's cyclone which was the subject of my post  June 1912: Regina's F4 Cyclone.  Here's what the Era said:
Picture
The Newmarket Era. July 5, 1912
Picture
The Newmarket Era. July 5, 1912
Picture
ca 1912-1916 Noah Draper's Threshing Crew, Adams, Saskatchewan. Percy Draper far right standing on the wagon. Noah Draper 3rd from right standing on thresher behind horses. Noah really blends in with background so click to enlarge.
PictureThe Newmarket Era. September 27, 1912

I first posted the above  threshing photo on 1911 Courtship: Dear Ethel Sep 3.  As you can see, it took a large crew to run the threshing machine of the early 1900's. 


However, I found the article on the right in the Sept 27, 1912 issue of the Newmarket Era where they talk about a new threshing machine which only requires a crew of 4 instead of the previous crew of 14 like Noah needed. 

The photo below is another one from Noah & Ethel's 1910-1924 album. I believe Noah is the man on the right side of the top row. Either of the women could be Ethel, but from the photo at the top of this post, I'm thinking that Ethel is on the left. Or perhaps the women are Noah's sisters, Eva Perrault and Ethel Rigler, and our newlywed Ethel is taking the photograph with Noah's camera. 

Regardless of who is in the photo, it's a 16 man threshing outfit. 

Picture
ca1912-1916 Noah Draper's Threshing Outfit, Adams, Saskatchewan
This next photo looks like there are only a few men working while the thresher is in action which makes me suspect that not only is it a different year, but that Noah has bought one of the new thresher's mentioned in the above newspaper article. 
 
Picture
ca1912-1919 Threshing on the farm of Noah & Ethel Draper, Adams, Saskatchewan.
The threshing photos on this page are courtesy of the Norma Draper Photograph Collection. 
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1911 Courtship: Nov 23 Dear Noah

2/24/2014

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Picture
John Zenuk, paternal uncle of Nelson Draper, driving double-axle sleigh, Chelan, Saskatchwan
Author of Letter: Ethel Isabell Nelson, age 21 (b 1890)
Dated:  Nov. 23rd 1911. 
Addressed to: My Dear Noah
Mailed  from:  Belhaven, P.O. 
Relationship:  Courting
Profession:  Farmer's Daughter  
Writing  instrument: Fine point pen, blue-black ink 
Written on:  Beige lined foolscap, newsprint quality, 9.5 inches x 6.5 inches, folded in half in booklet form and pages labelled as 1, 3,2,4, however, I've posted them here in the order they are to be read.   It seems that Ethel has run out of quality stationery - a common gift of the Edwardian period, but with Christmas a month away, she may get a new supply.


People mentioned in this letter of part of the Genealogy Notes:

Mother - *Ida Amelia Glover
*Christie - Ethel's 11 yr old sister
*Veda - Veda Perrault, 16 yr old daughter of  Noah's sister, Eva & Joseph Perrault
*Sadie - Ethel's 16 yr old sister
Herb *Winches - friends and neighbors
Walter *Yorke - stepson of Noah's 1st cousin 2x removed
Raymond *Yorke - son of Walter *Yorke, friend and neighbor
Squire *Yorke - Walter Yorke's son & *Hired Man of Ethel's family
**Stanley and Mae - Stanley *Mahoney & Mae Anderson
Professor *Dales - frequent fill-in preacher from Toronto 


Places/things mentioned in this letter:

- *West - Western Canadian provinces
- **sleighs, cutter, buggy
- *Brandon - community in southwestern Manitoba

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
Belhaven, P.O.
Nov. 23.rd 1911.
My Dear Noah, --
                                Rec'd your letter all O.K. 
on Monday. I guess you will think
I am a little Slow in writing this time
but I was up to Mr Herb Winches over
Sunday and Monday so did'nt have any
chance to write sooner. So I guess you
can forgive 'eh'.
                                My gracious I'm afraid
you'll freeze to death up there if it gets
any colder. good thing you're coming
down here there'll be more chance for you
living another year or so. "ha ha"


Picture
2.
                    No! Stanley and Mae are not
married. I don't know when they are to
to be married, but I hear sometime before spring.
Again I hear Raymond Yorke has decided
not to marry but go West in the Spring with
his father. 
                        Well I amy very glad indeed to
hear you intend coming as soon as you are
for certainly it can't be to soon for me. for
I am a lonesome girl sometimes, and
often I think if I get as homesick to see the
ones at home as I do to see you now. I
might pity you, for it gives one the blues.
                    My we had a splendid Service in
Belhaven Sunday evening. Professor Dales
spoke he is a Baptist, and he certainly can
speak. What church do you attend? And
do you believe their's a Father above?
Do you believe as I do? You may think these

Picture
3.
funny questions. Noah: I will tell you
sometime why I ask them.
     When ever I meet Herb Winch if
any one else is around he ask's them
if they heard Noah Draper was to
be married, then he'll ask me if I had
heard about it, The great clown he is; 
that's all I have to say for him.
     Well four weeks from now I
Suppose you will be here and you may
depend I want be here writing letters "eh"
Something better. I'll have you
right before me giving you a good lecture
"eh" I am sure I'll enjoy it better than
any show or writing letters.
     Squire has just come in from
Belhaven. and the rest have all gone
to bed.

Picture
4.
     We are having awfully rough and
cold weather this last week or so. but
hav'nt much snow yet. Have saw one
or two sleighs out. Guess we will
have to go sleigh-riding in the buggy
for we hav'nt any cutter or sleighs yet. "ha ha"
They helped to make a fire one day. "eh"
How is Veda? hope she has improved
and was she at Brandon? Sadie was
awfully anxious to hear from her.
     When I told our folks you would be
here in three or four weeks, Christie
was right on hand and said your
mother could come, but you could'nt
What do you think about that? ha ha
You know what a time you had last
winter. You'll remember Christy
"eh" the same old tease. Space says         x x x
you'd better close for this time , 
                      so bye bye love,    Sweetheart




Genealogy Notes

Genealogy Note #1 - Stanley Mahoney and Mae Anderson 

While posting these letters, I tried not to post events before they happened, but in the case of Stanley and Mae, a search showed their wedding date of Jun 17, 1912, and since Noah and Ethel marry in Jan 1912, I decided to post the information in case we didn't get back to them. You can read more about Stanley and Mae on the post 1911 Courtship: Mar 26.


Genealogy Note #2 - Winter Travel Vehicles

In this letter Ethel talks about a sleigh and cutter and how they haven't a new one yet. If you recall, the Nelson's lost lots of equipment when their barn burnt down in the early summer. 

The photograph at the top of this post is of Nelson's Uncle John Zenuk up in Chelan, Saskatchewan. John still works the farm where his father homesteaded back in the 1920's although the next generation is taking over in John's retirement. His mother - Nelson's grandmother - was the first white woman in the Porcupine Plain area, a fact detailed in the local history book. 

In the last couple of years, I've published a series of Sleigh posts on my Inkwell Inspirations group blog which show the different types of winter conveyances used throughout the years. It's not a comprehensive list, but one that shows what was available:

19th Century Sleighs - a basic primer on sleighs of all kinds

19th Century Children's Sleighs - small size sleds for kids and animals 

Royal Sleighs - Rich and extravagant sleighs spanning the centuries

Historic Winter Travel: Caboose - Enclosed sleighs for passenger travel


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1911 Courtship Letter: Oct 29 Dear Ethel

1/26/2014

2 Comments

 
Picture
c1915 - (L to R) Mrs. Walter Young, Ethel Nelson, Midge Draper (b Sep 1913). Photo back: Mrs. Walter Young. He was killed in elevator at G.C. Mom - Midge. From the Norma Draper Family Personal Collection.
Author of Letter: Noah Clement Draper (24 yrs old)
Dated: October 29/11
Addressed to: Miss E. Nelson, Belhaven, Ont., Dear Ethel 
Mailed from: Grand Coulee, Sask.
Relationship: Courting
Profession: Farmer 
Writing instrument: Pen with Black Ink
Writing Paper: Thick, textured, linen-like paper, 9 inches x 6.5 inches. Paper is folded in half and written in booklet form with the unnumbered pages. However, if they were numbered, they would read 1, 3, 2, 4, but I've posted them here as if they were in order.

People/places mentioned in this letter:


- Mrs. W. *Young  - see photo on 1911 Courtship: Oct 1 Dear Ethel
The photo at the top of this week's post is from the an album dated 1912-1924 which belonged to Noah and Ethel's daughter, Norma. It's not clear who the man in the vehicle is from the notation on the back of the photo.


Places/things mentioned in this letter:

- *Regina
- G.C. - *Grand Coulee
- Jobe's comforters - It sounds like a commercial product for a tooth ache, but I couldn't find anything other than a term for imagined pain
- Thanksgiving
- plumber 
- **tin-smith
- *hired man
- threshing - see *harvest
- drawing wheat - threshing without using a threshing outfit


*Cliche/Phrase:
- Rome was not made in a day


Legend: 
* 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 at the top of this page
** see Genealogy Notes below



Picture
Grand Coulee, Sask.
October 29/11.
Miss. E. Nelson
         Belhaven, Ont.
Dear Ethel; -
     Well one more week has passed
& I will be glad when seven more
has become the past instead
of the future for it seems
lonesome out here dont suppose
it is the same down there.
     Well it is 12 oclock but we
did not go to church this moining
as mother has a bad cold & I
havew one of Jobe's comforters
on my cheek I tell you I am 
fat. Ha. Ha. 
     I suppose you remember
Mrs. W. Younge she is here now
making mother a dress say she
has been away for four years  &
hasnt changed a bit. I wonder

Picture
if there are many people like that.
Oh. say Ethel tomorrow is thanks-
giving I wish we could have
dinner togeather & that would
be something to be thankful
for. eh. but I look forward to the
future (to h--l with the present.)
it seems far more cheerful. say
only 7 more weeks it does'nt sound
like a long time but it seems
like it to me any way.
     Well Ethel I expect the
plumber will be out here on
Tuesday & the tin-smith 
Wednesday to finish up their
work then the house will be
all finished but painting
& I don't hardly think I can
get it painted this fall on
account of the bad weather
but Rome was not made in 
a day was it. & I know it took
me longer than that to get an 

Picture
an answer to a question I asked
a certain young lady, What do
you know a bout it. eh. dont you
think she was mean. Ha Ha.
     Well I have finished drawing
wheat at last. & it took some work
but I am glad it is out now instead
of having it to draw in the winter.
     Well this is another blue day did
not get your letter last week so you
see there is a reason. eh.
     Say Ethel just to give you
an idea of the work going on
around these parts I will tell
you of a few of the troubles of
a farmer. to start with Icould
not get a man for a week after I
fired that man & his wife. & I have
to pay him $50 a month what do you
know about that but still some
people will say they cant get work.
     Well again the threshing gang I
had here went on strike they

Picture
were geting $2 1/2 a day but wanted
$3 but I got them to stay untill they
finished my job. but I was in Regina
Friday & saw some of the men in
town they said they had been
offered $3 a day but would not
take it I know of four other
gangs that have gone on strike
and that is the way things
go.
     Well I guess you will think this
is a funny letter but you know
these things do not bother me
now. as I am all through Ha. Ha
     Well old girl I guess that I
will have some help next summer
all right but I certainly need
your love more than help that
is the best thing of all. Well I
guess I will have to ring off for
this time. So Bye Bye.
Love & x x x x      N. C. D.



Genealogy Notes

Tin Ceiling

Noah mentions that the tinsmith will be in to finish up their work so that got me thinking about what work a 1911 tinsmith might need to do. I came up with these possibilities off the top of my head:
- stove chimney, heat registers, etc
- tin ceiling

I remember seeing my first tin ceiling in a recreated drug store with soda fountain up in Cold Lake, Alberta back in the 1980's. The ceiling reflected light from the large front windows, but it was deflected from the eye by the amazing workmanship. I found out later that tin ceilings could be made with tiles or pressed metal panels. I've been impressed with them ever since. 


Picture
1912 - Interior of Hagel and Held general store, Beiseker, Alberta. Courtesy of Glenbow Archives.
According to Wikipedia, tin ceilings found favour in North America as an alternate for detailed plaster work used in Europe. As rolled metal sheeting became available for pressing or stamping, residential and commercial buildings were installed with the beautiful and fireproof tin. 

Picture
Music room in a private home, 1906. Interior view of a music room which features a pressed tin ceiling and two large windows. Courtesy Wikipedia.
Now I'm wondering if Noah installed a tin ceiling in the home he built for Ethel at Adams, Saskatchewan. So far, I haven't found a photo of the interior, and the house itself is long gone. 

Does anyone know if there was a tin ceiling in Noah and Ethel Draper's house in Adams, near Grand Coulee, SK? Or what else a tinsmith would have been used for in 1911?
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1911 Courtship: Oct 22 Dear Noah

1/18/2014

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Picture
1897 S. S. Belhaven #4, Belhaven, Ontario, Canada. Clipping from Ethel Nelson Draper's Treasure Box. Newspaper source unknown.
I'm showing the 1897 photo of the Belhaven school because the student photo that was included with it is part of this post's Genealogy Notes below. Unfortunately, I don't have a source for this newspaper clipping and accompanying text, but it seems to have been published in 1965 - probably the Newmarket Era or Sutton Review. I'd appreciate any info on this old Belhaven School.


Author of Letter: Ethel Isabell Nelson, age 21 (b 1890)
Dated:  Oct . 22nd. Oct 1911
Addressed to: Mr. N.C.Draper, My Dear Noah  
Mailed  from:  Belhaven. P.O. 
Relationship:  Courting
Profession:  Farmer's Daughter  
Writing  instrument: Fine point pen, black ink - Once again, the ink still smudges upon touch as if it still hasn't dried. Since writing last week's post with the Genealogy Note about ink and pens, I'm wondering if Ethel is using a low-quality ink instead of a high quality one like the Stephens brand I mentioned. 
Written on:  Off-white, textured, plain, linen-like paper, 9.5 inches x 6.5 inches, folded in half in booklet form and written as 1, 2, 3 with page 2 being turned and written across the short side and down the length.


People/places mentioned in this letter:


- *Mary Smith - friend, neighbor, relative - 1911 Courtship: Oct 8 Dear Noah
- *Sadie Nelson - Ethel's 16 yr old sister
-  *Christie Nelson - Ethel's 10 yr old sister
- Jennie Draper - Noah's sister - school photo under Genealogy Note #2

- **Walter *Yorke and Squire Yorke - Genealogy Note #1
- **Walker Morton's **Genealogy Note #2
-*Mahoney girls - friends and neighbors
- **Wm Arnold - Genealogy Note #3
- Herb *Winches - neighbor and friends
- Steve Leopard (*Lepard) - many Lepards in Draper family tree
- *Manford Terry - Noah's cousin - 1911 Courtship: Sep 10 Dear Noah

 
 Places/things mentioned in this letter:
- *Ravenshoe - 7 km/4 ml south of Belhaven
- Aurora - 35 km/22 mls SSW of Belhaven (south of Newmarket)
- *Newmarket *Fair

- **chattel mortgage
- upset - buggy or sleigh accident (now called rollover)


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
Belhaven. P. O.
Oct 22nd. 1911
Mr N. C. Draper.
         Grand Coulee.
                    Sask.

My Dear Noah, - 
                            Rec'd your letter on
Saturday morning and the same
as usual was very glad indeed
to get it.
                  Well to-day is not as
fine a day as last Sunday was
it is windy & cooler to-day. but
not raining yet. Mary Smith & Sadie
& myself are going down to Ravenshoe
Church this afternoon. Mary says she
will be our young man to-day. So
you you may depend we are 
going to have a fine driver. "ha ha"
She can't take his place. "eh".


Picture
2.
     Say, you know about what Mr Walter Yorke
is? Some man in Aurora is selling him out
to-morrow. Every thing is to be sold. even to the
place. Mr Yorke has nearly all his stock under a
chatill mortgage. Squire Yorke is hired here for a
year. he started last Monday. we like him allright
So far. but don't know how long it will last.
Mr Yorke is talking of going West in the Spring.
Do you ever see any more of Walker Morton's? We
heard that her Uncle had left. her four thousand
Dollars. if he has it certainly will help them out
Some. Christie is hear giving me a good, solid
lecture. now I think you will know how to
sympathise with me. "ha ha"
Remember the last time you were to New market
Fair. Say if we certainly was'nt a happy three.
Little I thot thought it would be one of my last
Such days with Jennie. And little I thot. "eh"
that I'd break those few words I said I'd never
do. time tells & is so un certain. This week is
the New market Fair again. I may go down
on Thrusday if nothing happens. Sadie will be
their to go with me. Mahoney girls & going also.
As to the time you had planed on staying down this
winter I guess perhaps you will know best just how
long you can. So I will try & do as you think best
for us both. You certainly ought to be the one to
know & say what you think about it. for you are
coming from your own home. and you know just how you

Picture
3.
left things. Mr Wm Arnold was buried
on Friday. Herb Winches baby was playing
out in the back yard. & went
into a bed of ashes where Herb had a
 bonfire a couple of days before. & her clothing
caught fire. & she was burned badly. but
they think she will get  better. and on
Friday also Steve Leopard was working
at some bridge with Manford Terry 
and a heavy timber fell on him. We
heard he could'nt get better. but we hav'nt
heard of his death yet. Friday seems to be
an very unlucky day. Say I heard yesterday
you had an upset one day last winter. 
Oh, I hear lots of news now a day. 
It don't bother me much though it
passes the time as you say. and
anything to do that. It must be
nearly noon now and we want to have
an early dinner for you know our young
man for to-day wont want to wait long
"ha-ha" So must say good bye for this time
write often to you old Sweetheart at Belhaven.
                                                                                     xxxxx
                                                                                  xxxxxx
                                                                                      xxxx
                                                                                              x



Genealogy Notes

Genealogy Note #1 - Walter York and Squire York

Ethel writes... Some man in Aurora is selling him out tomorrow. Everything is to be sold. even to the place. Mr Yorke has nearly all his stock under a chatill mortgage.

I've checked different sites for the best definition of a chattel mortgage, and wikipedia has the easiest to understand: 
Under a typical chattel mortgage, the purchaser borrows funds for the purchase of movable personal property (the chattel) from the lender. The lender then secures the loan with a mortgage over the chattel. Legal ownership of the chattel is transferred to the purchaser at the time of purchase, and the mortgage is removed once the loan has been repaid.
PictureThe Newmarket Era. Oct 20, 1911
That meant Walter York was in debt up to his eyeballs, so to speak. 

Here's the sale listing that shows Walter York's sale on Monday, Oct 23rd. Walter lived on Conc 5, Lot 11, North Gwillimbury, just a few farms south of Ethel's family, and close to where Noah's family lived before they sold out and moved west.  

Walter York has been the topic of our Genealogy Notes before when Ethel reported the death of Mrs. Walter York back in her Dear Noah letter of June 25th.

At 14 yrs of age, Squire York, born 1897, is the new hired man of Ethel's family farm. He's also the son of Walter York and Wife #1 Minnie (Mary) Pollock. But as Ethel says, if Walter decides to move West, Squire may choose to accompany his widowed and destitute father. 


Genealogy Note #2 - Walker Morton's

Walker Morton and his wife Tillie (Matilda) Doane, are shown living in North Gwillimbury in 1901, then in Regina (close to Noah) in 1911, then in Hamiliton in 1921.

I suspect that their daughter, Emma Fern Morton, is the same Fern Morton who went to school with Ethel and Noah because of this photo and caption which I found in Ethel's Treasure Box. Although it came with Noah and Ethel marked, the accompanying newspaper article doesn't give a newspaper name or date other than that it's dated 1965.

Picture
1897 Belhaven School Students, Belhaven, Ontario, Canada. From Ethel Nelson Draper's personal collection. Source unknown.
As you can see above, Ethel is sitting next to Fern Morton. Also in the photo is Noah in the back right corner, and Noah's sister, Jennie, checkmarked in the row in front of Noah. (Several other names may ring a bell if you've been following these courtship letters.) 

Anyway, it's Fern's mother, Tillie, who was left $4000 by her uncle - a lot of money back then when prices looked like this:
- a 3 lb tin of beans = 25 cents
- 20 lbs dark brown sugar = $ 1.00
- a roll of wallpaper =8 cents
- in 1919, a Ford Runabout cost $660.00 and a Touring car cost $690.00

But who was this mysterious uncle? I couldn't find anything relevant in the Newmarket Era, and I didn't have the Walker Morton's in our family tree. Although I had found them in the 1911 census, Tillie had too many uncles in her family to figure out which one had money, and I didn't have time for the hours of research it would take to figure out. 

So I took the next step of checking out who else had the Walker Morton's in their family tree. I happened on a private Glover Family tree on the Ancestry site which was exciting because we have Glover's in our tree. I sent off a quick email to the Glover Family Tree owner explaining why I wanted to see their tree and within a day, I had received a nice email from a man named Grant who said:  Matilda "Tillie" Doane had an uncle Charles Doan, who never married, and who died on September 11,1911 in East Gwillimbury, York North, Ontario, Canada.


Grant also sent an invitation to look at his tree although he confided that his Glover branch originated from the Channel Islands and settled in Welland, Ontario. I accepted his invitation and checked it over, but nothing connected them to us except for the common name. Sending out a big thank you to Grant for the privilege of allowing me to see your tree. 


Genealogy Note #3 - Wm Arnold

Ethel wrote... Mr. Wm Arnold was buried on Friday. William Arnold had been sick for a long time. The Newmarket Era reported the following:  
  • June 30, 1911 - On account of continued ill health, Wm Arnold has deemed it advisable to sell his farm and be rid of so much care. His son-in-law, Mr. Fred Thompson, is the purchaser. It is one of the most productive and valuable agricultural properties in North Gwillimbury and is in perfect condition and modern and commodious buildings. There were many desirous of securing such a paradise.
  • Oct 13, 1911 - Sorry to report Wm Arnold is not improving very fast.
  • Oct 27, 1911 - We regret to state that Mr. Wm Arnold passed away last week. 



William's death was not unexpected then, but who was he? I was surprised to discover that he was part of our family tree. Using Noah as the home person in the tree, Ancestry has figured out this progression:

William Arnold (1860 - ) husband of wife of 2nd cousin:
Nellie Ellen Young (1853 - ) wife of William Arnold
*James Edward Wardell (1871 - 1852) husband of Nellie Ellen Young
Thomas Wardell (1829 - 1908) father of James Edward Wardell
Susan Draper (1808 - ) mother of Thomas Wardell
Joel Draper Sr Rev (1789 - 1856) father of Susan Draper
Joel Draper (1815 - 1897) son of Joel Draper Sr Rev
David Draper (1842 - 1909) son of Joel Draper
*Noah Clement Draper You are the son of David Draper

What it means is that  James Wardell and Noah are 2nd cousins as they are both great-grandsons of Joel Draper Sr...and that William is a relative by marriage because James Wardell married Nellie who was William's widow. 


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