"Beechnuts" from A Year in the Fields, by John Burroughs, a Project Gutenberg EBook. 1st Printing 1875 by The Riverside Press, Cambridge.
Author of Letter: Ethel Isabell Nelson, age 21 (b 1890)
Dated: 8th Aug 1911 (Markham Fair dates and beechnut picking confirm date should be 8 Oct vice 8 Aug)
Addressed to: Mr. N.C.Draper, My Dear Noah
Mailed from: Belhaven, Ont.
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.
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, 3, 2, 4 although I've set them in order here for legibility.
People/places mentioned in this letter:
- *Sadie Nelson - Ethel's 16 yr old sister
- Harold *Winch - one of the Belhaven men who went west in Aug 1911
- Adele - neighbor and unmarried sister of Harold Winch
- Frank Terry - Noah's uncle who lives in Newmarket, Ontario
- **Mary Smith - This week's Genealogy Note #1
- Della *Mahoney - close neighbor and friend
- Stanley and Mae - Stanley *Mahoney and Mae Anderson - friends/neighbors
- Norman *Yorke - neighbor (not a relative until Sadie marries Cecil Prosser)
- **Gertie Glover - This week's Genealogy Note #2
- Wm King - William *King - friend and neighbor
Places/things mentioned in this letter:
- *Newmarket - largest town between Belhaven and *Toronto
- Markham *Fair - Markham, Ontario - near *Toronto
- Beechnuts
- Song - I Love You Only
- Hymn - Nearer, Still Nearer - Lyrics and Midi available here.
Cliche/Phrase
- hustle - seems to be a favorite word of Ethel's
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
Dated: 8th Aug 1911 (Markham Fair dates and beechnut picking confirm date should be 8 Oct vice 8 Aug)
Addressed to: Mr. N.C.Draper, My Dear Noah
Mailed from: Belhaven, Ont.
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.
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, 3, 2, 4 although I've set them in order here for legibility.
People/places mentioned in this letter:
- *Sadie Nelson - Ethel's 16 yr old sister
- Harold *Winch - one of the Belhaven men who went west in Aug 1911
- Adele - neighbor and unmarried sister of Harold Winch
- Frank Terry - Noah's uncle who lives in Newmarket, Ontario
- **Mary Smith - This week's Genealogy Note #1
- Della *Mahoney - close neighbor and friend
- Stanley and Mae - Stanley *Mahoney and Mae Anderson - friends/neighbors
- Norman *Yorke - neighbor (not a relative until Sadie marries Cecil Prosser)
- **Gertie Glover - This week's Genealogy Note #2
- Wm King - William *King - friend and neighbor
Places/things mentioned in this letter:
- *Newmarket - largest town between Belhaven and *Toronto
- Markham *Fair - Markham, Ontario - near *Toronto
- Beechnuts
- Song - I Love You Only
- Hymn - Nearer, Still Nearer - Lyrics and Midi available here.
Cliche/Phrase
- hustle - seems to be a favorite word of Ethel's
Legend:
* Look under the Categories/Labels in the right side column for more posts on this
person/place/thing. If you don't see a label, use the search box at the top of page.
** see Genealogy Notes below
| Belhaven. P. O. 8th Aug. 1911. Mr N. C. Draper, Grand Coulee, Sask. My Dear Noah, - Well another Sunday is here, and say it is a much different day that last Sunday. it is just a beautiful day. the sun is so nice and warm. Friday was a dredful day rained, hailed & snowed of course the snow didnt stay on at all. but lately it just seems to rain every other day. We were all back in the bush this forenoon, looking for some beech nuts. but we didnt get a one. We had a good walk anyway. |
| 2. Harold Winch is home. came on Friday morning. The West certainly seemed to agree with him. It was quite a surprize to his people when he walked in. Adele was telling me last night up at choir practice about Harold being at your place. said he had a fine time. I was down to New market yesterday. I saw your Uncle Frank Terry there too. I am thinking of going down in a couple of weeks to stay over Sunday. Well Noah you said you thot I must have found some one else that had changed my mind. But I don't think there is any one else living for me. Perhaps there is for you though. I guess you have often heard the song. (I love you only". and for me the "you" is to be emphasised for I am sure your the only one in my eyes. So now the rest lies with you. Oh Noah, if you were only here. |
| 3. We are going up to S.S. and Mary Smith is coming home with us to practice. she & Sadie are going Duet to-night. - "Nearer Still Nearer: They'll do-it won't they. Della Mahoney is away on a couple of weeks visit. and Stanley & Mae drove down to Markham Fair Friday & hav'nt returned yet. I guess they must be getting married "eh: Norm Yorke is to Married a week from Wednesday. so I hear Mr Stacey, a student, is to be at Belhaven to-night. Say! what is it you, get your lectrises over you might tell me and then maby I could sympathise with you. unless it is some thing awfully bad. and I know its not so bad as that. I tell you I caught it on Saturday. i met Gertie Glover and she flew into my wool. She didnt know any thing about you and me until that day. she said she was told after she got to New market. |
| 4. Well "Evergreen Farm" was certainly alive yesterday. Mr Wm King had Ladies Aid. Did your place have your place named when you were here. I am awfully glad your grain is turning out as well as you think it is. Noah hustle up your work and send me a letter saying you are coming East (Such & Such a time) and there'll be one happy girl, if ever there was one. You speak of getting lone some, but really I simple don't hardly know what I am doing some times. I got your letter last night, it seems like a long time from the time I get one until the next one comes. There's never one comes before I am ready for it. The girls are hustling me up to get ready for Sunday School. I am neare a close for this time anyway. So bye-bye with all love & xxxxx from Your Loving Sweetheart Ethel |
Genealogy Notes
Genealogy Note #1 - Mary Smith
Ethel has mentioned Mary Smith several times during the course of these letters, including the time that Mary was visiting Huntsville during Ethel's holiday there. So who was Mary Smith other than a school friend and neighbor?
Once again I used the Search pattern that I used last week (and other weeks) as well as below when I searched for Gertie Glover, and that began by searching for Mary Smith of Belhaven, York County with a date of 1911 because that was the current year, as well as a census year. By the time I finished my search, I had discovered:
Step 1: Results: Mary Elizabeth Smith, b 4 Jul 1885 in Belhaven, York County, Ontario. That put Mary at 26 yrs old during 1911.
Step 2: Mary's marriage record for 27 Dec 1916 to Malcolm McDonald.
Results: Mary's Parents: William Henry Smith and Sarah Diana Wass. This rang a memory bell because we have a Rebecca Wass in the Family Tree.
Step 3: Marriage record for William H Smith and Sarah D Wass
Results: Sarah's parents: Noah Wass and Mary Ann Marshal
Realized that Noah and Mary Ann were also the parents of Rebecca Wass, which meant Sarah and Rebecca were sisters, but I hadn't filled out the tree that far.
Rebecca Wass was married to Thomas Barker who was the father of Harry Barker - a familiar name to me because Harry was married to Ethel's Aunt Maggie Glover who I recently posted a photo of with her house.
Final Result: Since Mary Smith was the daughter of Sarah Wass and William Smith, that made her official relationship "1st cousin of husband of aunt". That's such a mouthful, forgive me if, in future, I simply refer to Mary as Ethel's cousin.
Ethel has mentioned Mary Smith several times during the course of these letters, including the time that Mary was visiting Huntsville during Ethel's holiday there. So who was Mary Smith other than a school friend and neighbor?
Once again I used the Search pattern that I used last week (and other weeks) as well as below when I searched for Gertie Glover, and that began by searching for Mary Smith of Belhaven, York County with a date of 1911 because that was the current year, as well as a census year. By the time I finished my search, I had discovered:
Step 1: Results: Mary Elizabeth Smith, b 4 Jul 1885 in Belhaven, York County, Ontario. That put Mary at 26 yrs old during 1911.
Step 2: Mary's marriage record for 27 Dec 1916 to Malcolm McDonald.
Results: Mary's Parents: William Henry Smith and Sarah Diana Wass. This rang a memory bell because we have a Rebecca Wass in the Family Tree.
Step 3: Marriage record for William H Smith and Sarah D Wass
Results: Sarah's parents: Noah Wass and Mary Ann Marshal
Realized that Noah and Mary Ann were also the parents of Rebecca Wass, which meant Sarah and Rebecca were sisters, but I hadn't filled out the tree that far.
Rebecca Wass was married to Thomas Barker who was the father of Harry Barker - a familiar name to me because Harry was married to Ethel's Aunt Maggie Glover who I recently posted a photo of with her house.
Final Result: Since Mary Smith was the daughter of Sarah Wass and William Smith, that made her official relationship "1st cousin of husband of aunt". That's such a mouthful, forgive me if, in future, I simply refer to Mary as Ethel's cousin.
Genealogy Note #2 - Gertie Glover
Since I didn't have a Gertie Glover in the family tree yet, I used the search engine of the Ancestry.ca site to search for a Gertrude Glover and found these facts:
Step 1: Search for Birth Record for Gertrude Glover
Results: Elizabeth Gertrude Glover born 25 Jan 1887, East Gwillimbury, York, Ontario. Parents William Daniel Glover and Maryette Willson
Note: Gertie is 24 yrs old in this letter
Step 2: Search for Marriage Record for William D Glover and Maryette Willson
Results: Marriage Record of Oct 2, 1883 in Pickering, Ontario for:
Groom: William Daniel Glover, 28, Bachelor, Farmer, residing in Ravenshoe, York County
Groom's Parents: William Glover and Mary Ann Bunce
Bride: Maryetta Wilson, 26, Spinster, residing in Pickering Twp, Ontario County
Bride's Parents: Seth C. Willson and Mary Ann Ernest
Witnesses: *Thomas J. Glover of Ravenshoe, and Susan Willson of Pickering
*Although Thomas J. Glover is not in our family tree, we do have 2 x Thomas Glover's.
Step 3: Search for for William Glover and Mary Bunce
Results: Marriage Record of 20 Feb 1837, Home District (York Co)
Groom: William Glover of East Gwillimbury
Bride: Mary Bunce of East Gwillimbury
No parents names given on this marriage record
Witnesses: William Miller and John Bunce
Married by Publication of Banns, Home District Record Vol #10 1831-1840
Step 4: Search Census Records for actual location and names of offspring for William Glover and Mary Bunce
Results: 1871 Canada Census for East Gwillimbury:
Father: William Glover born 1813, England, Primitive Methodist, Married Farmer
Mother: Mary A. Glover born 1819, England, Prmitive Methodist, Married
Child #1 - Charlotte b 1850 - age 21
Child #2 - William D b 1855 - age 16
Child #3 - Thomas Joseph b 1859 - age 12
Child #4 - Albert James b 1864 - age 7
Results confirm that Thomas Joseph is William Daniel's brother so I have the right William and Mary A Glover, and the right location since all our Glovers live in East Gwillimbury area.
Step 5: Search for William Glover, b 1813 in England and Thomas Glover, b 1811 in Yorkshire, England to discover if they are brothers.
Results: I didn't find anything conclusive on the ancestry.ca or .com or .uk sites, but I was successful on familysearch.org (a free site) which found records for:
- Thomas Glover, Christened 1 Jan 1811 at Loftus, York, England, Father: Thomas,
Index Project (Batch) Nbr: C10551-1
- William Glover, Christened 5 Apr 1813 at Loftus, York, England, Father: Thomas and Mother: Mary, Index Project (Batch) Nbr: C10551-2
Since Thomas Glover is Ethel Nelson's great grandfather, if William is his brother, then Gertie Glover would be Ethel's ***third cousin. Phew.
***Update on Gertie Glover (eff Dec 28, 2013):
After receiving confirmation from another Glover descendent (through my contact page here) that William and Thomas were indeed Glover siblings, I've filled in the Draper Family Tree on ancestry.ca and they have deduced that:
Gertie Glover is Ethel's second cousin 1x removed.
Since I didn't have a Gertie Glover in the family tree yet, I used the search engine of the Ancestry.ca site to search for a Gertrude Glover and found these facts:
Step 1: Search for Birth Record for Gertrude Glover
Results: Elizabeth Gertrude Glover born 25 Jan 1887, East Gwillimbury, York, Ontario. Parents William Daniel Glover and Maryette Willson
Note: Gertie is 24 yrs old in this letter
Step 2: Search for Marriage Record for William D Glover and Maryette Willson
Results: Marriage Record of Oct 2, 1883 in Pickering, Ontario for:
Groom: William Daniel Glover, 28, Bachelor, Farmer, residing in Ravenshoe, York County
Groom's Parents: William Glover and Mary Ann Bunce
Bride: Maryetta Wilson, 26, Spinster, residing in Pickering Twp, Ontario County
Bride's Parents: Seth C. Willson and Mary Ann Ernest
Witnesses: *Thomas J. Glover of Ravenshoe, and Susan Willson of Pickering
*Although Thomas J. Glover is not in our family tree, we do have 2 x Thomas Glover's.
Step 3: Search for for William Glover and Mary Bunce
Results: Marriage Record of 20 Feb 1837, Home District (York Co)
Groom: William Glover of East Gwillimbury
Bride: Mary Bunce of East Gwillimbury
No parents names given on this marriage record
Witnesses: William Miller and John Bunce
Married by Publication of Banns, Home District Record Vol #10 1831-1840
Step 4: Search Census Records for actual location and names of offspring for William Glover and Mary Bunce
Results: 1871 Canada Census for East Gwillimbury:
Father: William Glover born 1813, England, Primitive Methodist, Married Farmer
Mother: Mary A. Glover born 1819, England, Prmitive Methodist, Married
Child #1 - Charlotte b 1850 - age 21
Child #2 - William D b 1855 - age 16
Child #3 - Thomas Joseph b 1859 - age 12
Child #4 - Albert James b 1864 - age 7
Results confirm that Thomas Joseph is William Daniel's brother so I have the right William and Mary A Glover, and the right location since all our Glovers live in East Gwillimbury area.
Step 5: Search for William Glover, b 1813 in England and Thomas Glover, b 1811 in Yorkshire, England to discover if they are brothers.
Results: I didn't find anything conclusive on the ancestry.ca or .com or .uk sites, but I was successful on familysearch.org (a free site) which found records for:
- Thomas Glover, Christened 1 Jan 1811 at Loftus, York, England, Father: Thomas,
Index Project (Batch) Nbr: C10551-1
- William Glover, Christened 5 Apr 1813 at Loftus, York, England, Father: Thomas and Mother: Mary, Index Project (Batch) Nbr: C10551-2
Since Thomas Glover is Ethel Nelson's great grandfather, if William is his brother, then Gertie Glover would be Ethel's ***third cousin. Phew.
***Update on Gertie Glover (eff Dec 28, 2013):
After receiving confirmation from another Glover descendent (through my contact page here) that William and Thomas were indeed Glover siblings, I've filled in the Draper Family Tree on ancestry.ca and they have deduced that:
Gertie Glover is Ethel's second cousin 1x removed.
