Anita Mae Draper
  • Home
  • Books
    • Secret Admirer
    • American Heiress Brides
    • Austen in Austin
    • Here We Come A-Wassailing
    • Riding on a Christmas Wish
  • Blogs
    • Writing/Author Blog
    • Author Memories
    • Inkwell Inspirations
    • Heroes, Heroines, & History
    • Draper's Acres
    • Photo Blog
  • Research
    • The Oregon Trail Ruts
  • Fun
    • Text-Free Photos
    • Recipe Blog
    • Jigsaw Puzzles >
      • Christmas
      • Fauna
      • Flora
      • Travel Destinations
    • Free Reads >
      • The Shepherd
    • Poetry >
      • You Were By My Side
  • About Me
    • Long Bio
    • Media Kit
  • Contact

1912: Letter Fm Hester Soules Prosser

5/11/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
1912 RPPC Ethel Draper with horses, Adams, SK. Photo by Noah Draper from Noah & Ethel's 1912-1924 Photo Album. Courtesy of the Norma Draper Family Photograph Collection
Ethel is now in Adams, Saskatchewan and enjoying her life as a newlywed. How do I know? Because this week's post contains a letter from Hester Prosser - close neighbor and friend of Ethel back in Belhaven - and Hester mentions what Ethel wrote her.  

In the above RPPC, it looks like the object on the near right is the CNR track laying machine from last week's post. 

Author of Letter:  Hester Prosser (nee Soules, wife of Walker Prosser)
Dated:  Mar 21st, 1912
Addressed to: My Dear Friend Ethel
Mailed  from:  Belhaven (Ontario)
Relationship: Close friend and neighbor
Profession:  Farmer's wife
Writing  instrument: Black ink 
Written on: Linen-like cream-colored folded notepaper. Hester hasn't numbered the pages but if she had they would read 1, 2, 3, 4 in booklet form

People/places mentioned in this letter:

- *Noah Draper, age 23 (Newlywed, moved west in 1905)
- *Ethel Nelson, age 21 (Newlywed, moved west Feb 1912)
- *Christie - Ethel's 11 yr old sister
- *Sadie/Sadye -  Ethel's 16 yr old sister
- *Ethel & *Will Rigler - Noah's sister and her husband, living near Noah & Ethel

- **Mr. Brooks & Martha - we find them in Regina later on
- Annie *King & Mr. King - neighbor
- Mr S. *Winch - Stephen Winch? - neighbor
- Lulu ?
- Mr Dave *Sprague's - neighbor
- Mary *Sheppard,  John *Sheppard - neighbor
- *Breuls boys, Whetford & Mr. Breuls - neighbors
- Herbert *Winch, Erwin *Winch, Adele *Winch - neighbors
- **Prof. Dales  & Lowell - ministers (mystery solved)
- Mr. Frank *Morton's - neighbor
- Blanche B ?
- Alma & Johnnie - probably elementary school-aged children
- Alice - Hester Soules & Walker Prosser's only daughter, Alice Alma (1896-1901) died at 6 yrs old from diphtheria
- Isaac Prosser (1846-1912) died 24 hrs after apoplexy attack (stroke)


Places/things mentioned in this letter or in the Genealogy Notes:
- *Toronto
- Owen Sound - 170 km/106 ml fm Keswick on the southern shore of Georgian Bay
- Paisley - 55 km/34ml south of Owen Sound
- The West - Canadian prairie provinces of Man, Sask and Alberta
- Newmarket Era - local newspaper
- the car - the streetcar 

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   Mar 21st 1912
My Dear Friend Ethel
                                            Your very welcome
letter was duly received and read
with a great deal of interest. Am 
so glad to hear you like your
new house, and that the climate
agrees with you. so far, I presume
it is pretty well settled, Where you
are. So nice to be near Ethel Rigler.
I would like that part of it myself.
She was my neighbor here for a short time
and I was sorry indeed to lose her. I
liked both her and Will, give them
my kindest regards. When you see
them next.     Mr Brooks called in
for a while yesterday. Martha is at
home this week, but expects to start
for the West next week. She and a


Picture
sister-in-law, their husbands went
a couple of weeks ago. I think you are
wise to subscribe for the Newmarket Era
am sure it would be an interesting
letter to me, if I were to move away
there is so much home news in it.
   Say, Ethel. We had the worst storm
last Friday that I ever witnessed, all
day long, and half the night. the roads
were in a terrible state, and the scholars
from High School, will not be apt to
forget it very soon, they had such
an experience getting home. & some did
not reach home. Annie King stayed at
Mr. S. Winch's all night, and Lulu stayed
at Mr Dave Sprague's. Mr King started
to go for Annie, but only got as far 
as your place, the road was full.
   We heard the sleigh pass here about 


Picture
nine o'clock, with Mary Sheppard and 
the Breuls boys. Whetford & Mr Breuls
had went after them, each put in a horse
the car was late getting in, and then the
horses tired out, or got discouraged, several
times, the men had to go ahead, and
tramp roads. Herbert Winch & his family
   (they had been to the city.)
were all in the sleigh, and Erwin Winch
so it was heavily loaded, twelve altogether,
but Saturday morning the road breaking
commenced. Our Choir was invited to
Mr John Sheppard's that night, and
bad as the roads were, there was eleven
young people there for practise. We
had a very pleasant evening. Lowell
preached on Sunday, his last two
sermons have been the best he has
ever preached, he is a fine boy
just what he seems to be. We are
expecting Prof. Dales for the next two

Picture
Sundays. the Choir spent a pleasant
evening at Your Father's two weeks ago
       (We are invited to Mr. Frank Morton's this week.)
and I got Sadie to come home with us
we spent the next day together, it was
a busy one too. We went to Isaac Prossers
funeral in the morning. S.S. in the afternoon
and Belhaven service in the evening.
hope to have her again if she will 
come. Adele came home with us last Sunday
from S.S.  She & her Father have gone away
to spend a couple of weeks, they started out
Monday. will visit in Toronto, Owen Sound, &
Paisley, his two brothers live in the two
places & his sister in Toronto. Adele deserving
the trip. She is a good worker. Christie sang
                              (she did fine)
a pretty solo in S.S. last Sunday. Blanche B.
is to sing one next Sunday. Alma & Johnnie
sang one two weeks ago. I love the pieces from
the little ones, it reminds me so much of Alice
Glad to hear you are attending Presbyterian Church.
How much we miss you here, but our loss is Noah's
gain. God bless you both in your far away home.
                                                                   Your Sincere friend,
                                                                                 H. Prosser
                                                                                 Write again





Genealogy Notes

Genealogy Note 1 - Mr Brooks and Martha


At the bottom of page 1, Hester mentions Mr. Brooks and his daughter Martha:
Mr Brooks called in for a while yesterday. Martha is at
home this week, but expects to start for the West next week. She and a sister-in-law, their husbands went

a couple of weeks ago.
And here's what the local newspaper had to say about the wedding:
Picture
The Newmarket Era. March 8, 1912 - Page: 2
Picture
The Newmarket Era. March 8, 1912 - Page: 6
Picture
Picture
The Newmarket Era. March 8, 1912 - Page: 6
Genealogy Note 2 - The Great Storm

Hester relates about kids unable to get from school due to the snowstorm that descended upon them that March. Here's what the newspaper said about it:
Picture
The Newmarket Era. March 22, 1912 - Page: 7
Picture
The Newmarket Era. March 22, 1912 - Page: 1

Picture
The Newmarket Era. March 22, 1912 - Page: 6
Genealogy Notes 3 - Prof. Dales  & Lowell
Prof Dales has been mentioned as a minister several times over the course of the 1911 Courtship letters, and the closest I've came to his identity was that he came from the Toronto area. 

And now in this week's letter, Hester Prosser mentions:
Lowell preached on Sunday, his last two sermons have been the best he has ever preached, he is a fine boy just what he seems to be. We are
expecting Prof. Dales for the next two Sundays.
From Hester's words, I wondered if Lowell might be a son of Prof Dales and following in the old man's footsteps. A quick search on Ancestry.ca for Lowell Dales brought up this 1911 census listing:
Picture
In 1911 Professor  John Nelson Dales, and his family, including 20 yr old Lowell, were living in Drayton, Ontario. A few columns to the right on this census shows Prof Dales as a minister and Lowell as a student. Although we don't know what or where Lowell was studying, I'm presuming it was theology like his dad. 


Stay tuned for next week when we find out about the 1912 Regina cyclone which Ethel mentions on the back of the RPPC shown at the top of this post.


0 Comments

1912: Jan 14 Letter fm Eva Perrault

3/31/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
1913 - Winter in Pense, Sask. Courtesy of University of Saskatchewan Libraries Special Collections
The postcard above shows the grain elevators of Pense, Saskatchewan - the community to the immediate west of Grand Coulee. However, in 1905, it could have been taken of any town on the Canadian prairies depending on the amount of farmers in the area which would have influenced the number of grain elevators.

Author of Letter:  Eva Amelia Draper Perrault b 1876, North Gwillimbury, Ont
Dated:  Jan 14, 1912
Addressed to: Dear Brother
Mailed  from:  Grand Coulee (Saskatchewan)
Relationship: Oldest Sister of Noah Draper
Profession:  Farmer's wife
Writing  instrument: Black ink 
Written on: Linen-like cream-colored folded notepaper. Eva hasn't numbered the pages, but if she had, they would read 1, 3, 2, 4 with the third page turned sideways much like her daughter Veda did last week. 

*Last week's letter shows the history of Eva and Joe until these letters of Jan 1912.

People/places mentioned in this letter:

- *Noah Draper, age 23 (b 1887, North Gwillimbury, York, Ontario)
- *Ethel Nelson, age 21 (b 1890, North Gwillimbury, York, Ontario)
- **Louie & *Fred - Noah's sister Louie (Sarah Louisa) and her husband, Fred Coventry
- Mrs Coventry - Fred's mother, Eliza Grogan Stevenson, lives south of Grand Coulee
- **Veda - Eva's 16 yr old daughter who is studying at Brandon College
- Mother - *Sarah Sophia Deverell Draper
- *Joe Perrault - husband of Eva (author of this letter)
- **Uncle Frank's - Frank Matt married Joe's sister, "Nettie" Josephine Jeanette
- *Edyth Draper - Noah's 1st cousin (their fathers, Stephen and David, are brothers)

**Mr. Wright - A.D. Wright -store owner in Grand Coulee who is selling out
Sample - new store owner in Grand Coulee


Places/things mentioned in this letter or in the Genealogy Notes:
Pense - shown in top postcard


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
Grand Coulee  Jan th 
14 
1912
Mr N. C. Draper
                    Belhaven. Ont.
Dear Brother ---
                                   I dont know
weather you think you have
wrote me or not But I did
not count a postcard, a letter
However it may be as well
not to wait for a letter as
I might not write at all if
I did.  Well Noah how are
you and Mother getting


Picture
along? and does mother keep 
well.  It is very cold here
since the 20 of Dec. What
is the weather like down 
there?  it is any place from
20 to 56 below zero since
Christmas. Louie and Fred
was here to day  Louies eyes
are much better again.
Mr Wright has sold out
to a man by the name
of Sample and they are
selling out the old stock
now.  You aught to be here


Picture
So you could get some thing cheap
in Grand Coulee  Mrs Coventry got a pair
of boots for 25 cents and it might be
a good time to lay in a suply I told
Veda I thought I had better go over
and get her suplyed for the summer.
Veda was home for 12 days  She likes
it fine down there now and is looking
forward to your return home.  Well
Noah have you got that little business
setteled up yet.  people are asking


Picture
and we just have to tell
them we dont know. However
Noah we wish you all happyness
and a prosperous married life
when the time comes. I have
not heard from Ethel just
lately but they were all well
the last we heard. How are
Uncle Franks and all 
the rest down there? Is Edyth 
Draper married yet? Write
me a good longletter and
tell me all the news.
From your Loving Sister Eva.



Genealogy Notes

Genealogy Notes # 1 - Veda's Opinion of College

I think it's quite hilarious that Eva would say about Veda, "She likes it fine down there now..."

Wasn't it just last week that Veda wrote a very different view of being back in Brandon College? Read Veda's letter here.  

The amazing part is that both mother and daughter wrote the letters within days of each other and here it is - 102 yrs later - and we have both of them. :)


Genealogy Notes # 2 - Louie's Eyes

This is the first time Louie's eye problems have been mentioned in these letters. A search of the local Newmarket Era found these snippets with the dates of 1897-98. Louie was born in March 1879, so she would have been 18 yrs old when she had her operation, and since Eva's letter is dated 1912, Louie at 32 seems to still be having problems. 

Picture
Genealogy Notes # 3 - Uncle Frank's 

Uncle Frank's is the family of Frank Matt and Josephine Jeanette Perrault (Joe's sister).  This family is special to me because of Melissa Matt, the Cultural Services Representative of the Georgina Pioneer Village and Archives.

I first heard of Melissa when she emailed me through my website's Contact page about a pleasant surprise...she enjoyed reading my Author Memories blog and thought it might be of interest to people who were interested in the local history of Georgina, and what used to be called North Gwillimbury.

As an aside, she mentioned that we might be related because Jeanette Josephine Perrault was her great-grandmother. And she's right. The connection is the marriage of Jeanette's brother, Joe, to Eva Amelia Draper. 


Genealogy Notes # 4 - Grand Coulee store

I spent several hours researching Mr. Wright, Mr. Sample, and the Grand Coulee store, but the only written information I could find is a local history book published in 1955 for Saskatchewan's Golden Jubilee - its 50th anniversary as a province. This soft-covered book is held at the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society (SGS) but you must be a member to view it. And from extensive research, if anyone else has a copy, they're keeping it well hidden - as are anyone with other information and images of the village and surrounding area. 

According to Grand Coulee A Social History, A.D. Wright was the owner of a general store in the early days of the village until his store burned down. But it doesn't say when it burned down or how Sample plays into it. Did the store burn down before any papers were signed, or right after but no one remembers the new owner, etc. 

PictureBook: Grand Coulee A Social History, 1955



If anyone knows 

where there is a copy 
of this book for sale, 
please Contact me. 



0 Comments

1911 Courtship Special: Letter from Noah's Mother

3/10/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
Grand Coulee, Saskatchewan, Octobert 1913; Courtesty of the Norma Draper Personal Photograph Collection
Noah is on his way to Ethel! 
For more info, read the Genealogy Notes below. 
Author of Letter:  S S Draper
Dated:  The 17  (presumed to be Dec 17, 1911)
Addressed to: Mr N C Draper, My Dear boy
Mailed  from:  Grand Coulee
Relationship: Noah's mother (Sarah Sophia Deverell)
Profession:  Widow of Farmer
Writing  instrument: Fine BlueInk
Written on: Very thin Ivory-colored lined notepaper 5" x 8" 


People/places mentioned in this letter:

Eva - *Eva Amelia Perrault, Noah's sister who married *Joe Perraul
Veda - *Veda Perrault, 16 yr old daughter of *Eva and *Joe 
Viola - *Viola Rigler, 14 yr old daughter of Noah's sister, *Ethel and *Will Rigler
Will - *Will Rigler, husband of Noah's sister *Ethel Maud
Fred & Louie - *Fred Coventry, who married Noah's sister, *Sarah Louisa aka *Louie
Percies - *Percy Draper - Noah's brother

Mrs H Winch - Margaret & Herb *Winch
Nettie  - Nellie? Winch - records show Margaret & Herb having a Nellie born in 1910
Sam - Will's *hired man
Alf - Noah's *hired man

Places/things mentioned in this letter or in the Genealogy Notes:
dora - the sow (pig) will "come in" or farrow (give birth)
wheat 91 cts - he sold his wheat for 91 cents a bushel
sistern - a big tank called a cistern to hold water
Regina, Saskatchewan
Ravenshoe, Ontario
Keswick, Ontario
Toronto, Ontario
West - the Western Canadian provinces

Cliches mentioned in this letter:
"...will wonders never sease"  (cease)

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
Grand Coulee The
17
Mr N C Draper

                My Dear boy
                                 received your letter and
too cards on the 14 was glad to hear you 
was well  hope this may find you the same
we are all well and getting on nicely  was
up home on sunday the children have all
got bad colds Viola was real sick but
is better  the things all loock well but
I never seen the snow piled up around
there as it is now we have had very cold
weather and the worst stormes I ever seen
but it is a lovely day to day  the snow
is settling fast  I stayed up all night
then Fred and Louie come up Monday
and I come down with them  they are well
Fred come and got Veda and I last wens
day and toock us to his place  it is far
better than I thought  They are very 
comfortiable but the roads are a fright to
travel on but then I se you have had


Picture
2
Stormes down there to but before this
I sapose it has stopped  so you haie got to
belhaven  Well how did you find them at Mr
Nelsons  all well I hope  remember me to
Them and all inquireing friends  I sapose
ere this you have been to our old home
how does it loock  did you goe and se
Mrs H Winch  I feel so sorrow for her
I hope Nettie is better ere this  you did 
not say what ailed her
Alfs was Just up to our place and said
one of Percies horses was sick  Will and
Percy are goind to kill the pigs this
week  they are not goeing to kill dora
they think she will come in in a fiew
weeks  wonders will never sease
Sam got drunk and brought to 
flasks home with him so Will
shipped him so he is doeing the chores
alone but when the roads get do he
can get straw and watter  he will get
a man  the sistern is dry and
they have to melt snow for all the watter
they have and feed the horses snow

Picture
3
Alf said Myres was drawing watter
with fore horses and the tank slewed of
the road and went down so far that the tank
up set and he said they lost their watter and
had a turble time to get it up again ' ' 
So you doe not think as mouk of down there
as you might.  but I hope you will have a
good time  I had a letter from Eva she
seemes to think they are haveing a big
time  your letter reads as tho you had a good
time goeing down ' '   you wanted to
know how much Will got for the
wheat he got 91 cts but could have got
more if he could have held it longer
but when it was drawed on he had to
sell it  well I will close my scribble
now be a good boy and remember
your Mother never for gets you in 
her prair, that god may keep you
safe from harm  from your ever
loveing Mother S S Draper
let me hear from you often



Genealogy Notes

Last week I posted the last of the 1911 Courtship letters between Noah Draper and Ethel Nelson. Ethel's Treasure Box didn't contain any from Noah for November, and there aren't any more from Noah or Ethel until Noah joins the Royal Canadian Naval Voluntary Reserve and starts writing to Ethel once more. (I do have much more to post of the family though.)

For whatever reason, the December 1911 issues of The Newmarket Era are not online. It seems that every issue before and after is accounted for, but not the one that announces Noah's homecoming. 

Hence, I'm so thankful for this week's letter where Sarah Sophia Deverell Draper writes to Noah or we wouldn't know when he left. It also seems that Noah travelled with his sister, Eva Amelia, although we don't know who else went along since no mention of Joe is made and Veda is still back in Grand Coulee. When Sarah writes that "...Eva she seems to think they are haveing a big time..." could be Eva and Joe, or Eva and the family she left behind when she moved West with Joe.

Although Sarah isn't clear about which date she sent the letter, certain events in the letter show it to be December 1911. Namely, the mention of:
- how she hoped everyone was well at Mr. Nelson's place (Ethel's home)
- the Herbert Winch Family and Nettie's burns  (see 1911 Courtship: Oct 22)
- cold weather and the worst storms she's ever seen (weather info below)

PictureThe Morning Leader (Regina) - Dec 19, 1911
Sarah says she received a letter and 2 cards on the 14th, so Noah was gone by then. I'm guessing he left soon after December began because Ethel's letters stop at the end of Nov. (I sure would have liked to have been there for that meeting between them!) 

The ad on the right is from Regina's Morning Leader newspaper from December 19 of that year and shows the most likely way Noah would have traveled east. If he chose the Canadian Northern Railway, then his fee would have been $47.15 from Regina to Toronto. 

At Toronto, Noah would have taken the Toronto and York Radial Railway north to either Ravenshoe or Keswick. We don't know which relative he's staying with, but there are many since Noah's great grandfather and his siblings were some of the original settlers of York County and the township of North Gwillimbury.  


Picture
1910, Keswick, Ontario Radial Station; Courtesy of Wikipedia and the Georgina Pioneer Village exhibit at Virtual Museum
About that cold weather... Grand Coulee is within sight of Regina and the coldest Nov 11th on record was in the year 1911 where temperatures dropped to -37.2C /-35F.  (Wikipedia's List of Extreme Temperatures in Canada). Although it didn't stay that cold, the temperatures over that winter averaged out to being one of the coldest winters on record. 

Actually, weather men are still talking about it. Check out this recent blog post from the United States National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office which talks about The Great Blue Norther of November 11, 1911:
...As dramatic as these weather changes were, we must go back further in time to look at one such cold front (also known then as The Great Blue Norther) that established a set of weather records that arguably are unique in modern weather history. On November 11, 1911 (remembered easily for now as 11/11/11), the afternoon temperature in Oklahoma City reached a record high for the date of 83, before plunging 66 degrees to a record low of 17 at midnight that evening. Both daily temperature records remain unbroken and untied since 1911...

The Wikipedia entry for  The Great Blue Norther of 11/11/1911 has this to say:
The Great Blue Norther of 11/11/1911 was a cold snap that affected the central United States on Saturday, November 11, 1911. Many cities broke record highs, going into the 70s and 80s early that afternoon. By nightfall, cities were dealing with temperatures in the teens and single-digits on the Fahrenheit scale. This is the only day in many midwest cities' weather bureau jurisdictions where the record highs and lows were broken for the same day. Some cities experienced tornadoes on Saturday and a blizzard on Sunday. A blizzard even occurred within one hour after an F4 tornado hit Rock County, Wisconsin. The main cause of such a dramatic cold snap was an extremely strong storm system separating warm, humid air from frigid, arctic air. Dramatic cold snaps tend to occur mostly in the month of November, though they can also come in February or March.


So finally, Noah and Ethel are together once again and can now plan the details of their wedding. Next week I'll post everything I can dig up on that happy event. Hope to see you here for the happy event. 




0 Comments

1911 Courtship: Nov 23 Dear Noah

2/24/2014

0 Comments

 
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


0 Comments

1911 Courtship: May 28 Dear Ethel

3/18/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
ca1910? Gideon School Picnic and Ball Game, Saskatchewan. Courtesy of the Online Learning Center in partnership with Western Development Museum.
Noah tells Ethel about the ball games the Grand Coulee team played on the 24th against Pense, and although I dug deep into the Saskatchewan Archives, the above image is the closest I could come to showing what Noah experienced that day. The scene is from a Picnic at the Gideon School in the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan area around that 1910 era.

Author of Letter: Noah Clement Draper (24 yrs old)
Dated:  May 28/11
Addressed to: Miss E. Nelson, Bellhaven, Ont., Dearest 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:
- Mother - *Sarah Sophia Deverell Draper, Noah's widowed mother 
- *Ethel - Ethel Maud Rigler - Noah's older sister
- G.C. *Grand Coulee

- the 24th**


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

Picture
Grand Coulee, May.28/11.
Miss. E. Nelson,
        Belhaven, Ont.
Dearest Ethel; -
   Well here I am again & I can
tell you it would supprise you
if you were here and could
look out of the window. We
have just had our annual
snow storm. it snowed
all day before yesteraday &
yesteraday. but it is over
now and the snow nearly all
gone to day.
        Well I suppose you have
your watch & pin by this
time and I hope you like them
       Well how did you spend
the 24th. The G. C. ball team
went up to Pense to play
ball. we won the game 6 to 5

Picture
and then played Bell Plaine and
beat them 2. to 1 so we had a big day.
    there was nothing only base ball
but a dance at night & only 2 of the
team stayed. about a dozen girls & 
ten menwent up to the game from
the Coulee. We are forming a league
Bell Plain Pense and G.C. we will
have to gotwice to each place &
have 4 games at home 8 games in all
guess we will get the cup eh.
       Well Ethel I guess you will think
I dont intend to batch much & I
dont. unless mother goes east. I am
still at Ethels. I seam to have a great
fancy for Ethels.
       Well Ethel I guess I will start at
the shack week after next so am going
to send you the plan of the ground
floor & will fin the upstairs as I go
along. you know the ground floor
is the most important. so if you see
any way to change it to advantage
why just say so. The stair way goes
up out of the hall & the hall leads back
into the kitchen. but you will be able
to see all this by the plan. there is
big sliding doors between Dinning
room and parlor. & a bay window
in front. but you will be able to see 

Picture
the rest by the plan.
       Well I wish I could drop in
for tea to-night but I guess it is
impossible but will make up for
lost time when I do get the chance
Ha. Ha.
       Mother is here but she is going 
down with me if I ever move I
guess she thinks I dont intend
to. eh. but we have had
such cold weather it has not been very nice in a tent.
       Well Ethel I guess this is
about all I can put on paper
this time but it is a lot easier
to talk than write. have
not got your letter yet as Iwas
not down to the Coulee since
Friday but expect to go in the
morning. Well Bye Bye. Yours as B4.
                                            x x x x x     N.D.

Genealogy Notes

On page 2, Noah says, "there was nothing only base ball but a dance at night". The reason he says that is because back in Ontario, May 24th was a huge event. Yes, it was (and still is) a community sports day, but there were fireworks, as well as a dance.  Here are some clippings from The Newmarket Era of things that Noah was missing out on:

Picture
The Newmarket Era. May 12, 1911
Picture
The Newmarket Era. May 26, 1911
The Orchard Beach clipping is from 1922, but it shows what the Victoria Day weekend means to Canadians. (Did back then, still does today.)
Picture
The Newmarket Era. May 26, 1922
Since Victoria Day is a celebration of the reigning monarch's birthday, Fire Works were available and very much looked forward to at the annual event. 

In the column on the left, the first clipping is an ad from a local Newmarket store. The second is a report following the 24th and mentions a two-hour firework show! It goes to say that on top of the fireworks, Pickering College had a huge bonfire that almost got out of hand. There was more to the article, but due to readability degradation (and boring subject matter) I cut it off where it descended into the logistics of the event. 

Immediately below this is a clipping from the report of the huge Sports Day part of the celebrations. I've cut this one as well due to horrid legibility, but May 24th, 1911 wasn't just a Sports Day - it was the Ontario Championship Races and Coronation Trials. The winners of the day's events had 2 weeks before heading off to the Olympics in London, England. These events included:
 - 10 mile marathon
 - 5 mile Run
 - 1 mile Run
 - 1/2 mile Run
 - 440 yd Run
 -  220 yd Run
 - 100 yd Dash
  - 120 yd Hurdle
  - 2 mile Walk
 - Running High Jump
 - Running Broad Jump
 - Pole Vault
 - Putting (16 lb?) Shot

The article concludes by saying the day's events wound up with an exciting motor race. 

(I've linked this clipping to the source in case you wish to read it in its entirety.)

Picture
Clipped from: The Newmarket Era. May 26, 1911, Page 3
0 Comments
<<Previous
    Picture

    Recent Posts

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Genealogy Posts Index

    Archives

    February 2019
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    November 2015
    April 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011

    Categories

    All
    19th Century
    19th Century
    20th Century
    20th Century
    21st Century
    Abingdon Press
    Adams
    Agriculture
    Alberta
    Albert Rogers
    Alcohol
    Ancestry.ca/com
    Ancestry.ca/com
    Anniversary
    Antique
    Antique Photograph
    Antique Photographs
    Arnold
    Auction Sale
    Aunt
    Aurora
    Australia
    Banff
    Barbour Books
    Barker
    Barn
    Barnhart
    Baseball
    Beechnuts
    Belhaven
    Belhaven School
    Belle Plaine
    Bellhaven Choir
    Bertha Hamilton
    Bethany House
    Bible
    Birthday
    Birth Records
    Blessing
    Blizzard
    Book
    Books
    Box Social
    Box Social
    Brandon
    Brighton Beach
    Brooks
    Brother
    Bruels/breuls
    Buggy
    Burks Falls
    Canada
    Canadian War Museum
    Car/streetcar
    C Deverell
    Cecil Prosser
    Census Records
    Census Records
    Certificate
    Chapman
    Charisma House
    Charivari
    Chatham
    Childhood
    Children
    Christie Nelson
    Christmas
    Church
    Circus
    Civil War
    Cliche Or Phrase
    CNR
    Cole
    Connecticut
    Consumption
    Coronation
    Courtship
    Cousin
    Cowieson
    Cozy Mystery
    CPR
    Crafts
    Croquet
    Crossway Books
    Croutch/Crouch
    Crowder
    Cyclone/tornado
    Dafoe
    Dales
    David Draper
    Davidson
    Davidsons3828f1982c
    Depression
    Destruction
    Deverell
    Deverell In Toronto
    Diphtheria
    Discala
    Disease
    Document
    Dora
    Easter
    Eatonaposs30973d10cc
    Eatonscf75de7cf3
    Edithedyth Draper7f425b64a8
    Education
    Ella
    Elva & Wm Mitchell
    Emanuel Nelson
    Emmanuel Nelson
    England
    Entrance Exam
    Ernie Glover
    Ernie Winter
    Ethel Marie
    Ethel Maud
    Ethel Nelson
    Europe
    Eva Amelia Perrault
    Even Before Publishing
    Excursion
    Exhibition
    Fabric
    Fair
    Fanny Joes Niece
    Farm
    Farm Equipment
    Farm Equipment
    Fashion
    Father
    Fauna
    Fern
    Finland
    Fire
    Fire Insurance
    Flag
    Flewell
    Florida
    Food
    Foresters
    Fort Battleford
    Fountain Pen
    Fox Island
    France
    Fred Coventry
    Fred Coventry
    Fundraiser
    Genealogy
    Generations
    Geoff Bowerman
    George Caleb Nelson
    George Metcalf
    George Milburn Draper
    Geraldton
    Ghosts
    Glover
    Google Earth
    Grainery
    Grand Coulee
    Grand Coulee
    Grandparents
    Graveyard
    Great Grandparents
    Great Great Grandparents
    Great Lakes
    Great Lakes Romances
    Great Parents
    Greenwood
    Hail Insurance
    Halifax
    Hamilton
    Harlequin
    Harvest
    Hearst
    Henry Nelson
    Herbert
    Hired Girl
    Hired Man
    Historical
    Historicals
    History
    HMCS Niobe
    HMS Pembroke
    Holiday
    Holland Landing
    Hollywood
    Holt
    Homestead
    Horses
    Hot Springs
    House
    Housework
    Hunting
    Huntley
    Huntsville
    Hustle
    Hymn
    Ice Harvest
    Ida Amelia Glover
    India
    Indian Head
    Industry
    Ink & Inkwell
    Insurance
    Iowa Relatives
    Ireland
    Irwin Or Erwin Perrault
    Jacksons Point
    James A
    James H Nelson
    JD (James David)
    Jennie Draper
    Joe Perrault
    Kavanagh
    Kellington
    Kelowna
    Kentucky
    Keswick
    Kidnapping
    Kids
    King
    King George V
    Kings
    Kit
    Lake Superior
    Lanigan Dist Ha
    Laundry
    Lennox
    Lepard
    Leslie Nelson
    Leslie Thomson
    Letter
    Life Insurance
    Lighthouse
    Linstead
    Little Willie
    Liverpool
    Location
    London
    Longlac
    Louie
    Louie Sarah Louisa
    Louie Sarah Louisa39defa3554
    Louisiana
    Love Inspired
    Love Inspired Historical
    Love Inspired Suspense
    Lyceum
    Mabel-winter
    Mahoney
    Mail
    Maine
    Man
    Manfredmanford
    Manitoba
    Mann
    Map
    Margaret Glover
    Marguerite
    Markham
    Marriage Record
    Mary Smith
    Massachusetts
    Matt Or Matte
    Maud Bruels
    Medieval
    Memoirs
    Memorabilia
    Memorial
    Merlin/Murland
    Midge (Mildred)
    Military
    Ministry
    Miss Hunt
    Mitchell
    Montana
    Moody Publishers
    Moose Jaw
    Morrison
    Mortgage
    Morton
    Morton Park
    Mother
    Mothers Day
    Mount Albert
    Mr Brooks
    Mr Young
    Music
    Muskoka
    Navy
    Nelson
    New Daly House
    New England
    Newlywed
    Newmarket
    New Orleans
    Newspaper
    Niobe
    Noah Draper
    Norma Draper
    Norman Draper
    Norman Yorke
    North Bay
    North Dakota
    North York
    Oak Tara Publishers
    Ohio
    Olympic
    Ontario
    Orillia
    Ourroots.ca
    Owen Sound
    Parthena Fisher
    Party
    Patty
    Pense
    Percy Draper
    Percy Draper
    Pets
    Phillips
    Photograph
    Photography
    Pie Social
    Playhouse
    Politics
    Pollack
    Pollock
    Portage Flyer
    Postcard
    Poster
    Post Office
    Prairies
    Prince Albert
    Prohibition
    Prosser
    Queen Mary
    Queensville
    Quincy/quinsy
    Railroad/railway
    Ravenshoe
    RCNVR
    Realms
    Recipes
    Reciprocity
    Regina
    Remembrance Day
    Reuben Perrault
    Rheumatism
    Rigler
    River Mersey
    River Thames
    RNCVR
    Rodeo
    Rose
    Royalty
    Roys
    RPPC
    Ryland
    Sadiesayde Nelson
    Sarah E Greenwood
    Sarah Elizabeth Glover
    Sarah Louisa Louie
    Sarah Louisa (Louie)
    Sarah Louisa (Louie)
    Sarah S Deverell
    Saskatchewan
    Scent
    School
    Scotland
    Sedore
    Seeding
    Seneca
    Series
    Sharon
    Sheppard
    Ship
    Shivaree
    Singing
    Sintaluta
    Sister
    Sk
    Sleighs
    Slideshow
    Snow
    Soldier
    Song
    Soules
    Speech
    Sprague
    Stamp
    Stephen Draper
    Stewart Draper
    Stockings
    Store
    Summerside Press
    Suspense
    Sutton
    Sweet
    Taimi Discala
    Tarter
    Teacher
    Terry
    Thames River
    The Waltons
    Thomas Nelson
    Thunder Bay
    Togo
    Tomlinson
    Tornado
    Toronto
    Toys
    Train
    Transportation
    Travel
    Traviss
    Tubercolosis
    Tyndale
    Udora
    Uncle
    Uncle Emanuel
    Uncle Frank
    Uncle John
    Update
    Veda Perrault
    Victoria Maud
    Video
    Vintage
    Viola
    Violet
    Wagon
    Wardell
    Washing Machine
    Wass
    Wawa
    Weapons
    Weather
    Wedding
    Well Water
    West
    Western
    Westgarth
    Whitaker House
    Whitefire Publishing
    White Rose Publishing
    Whooping Cough
    Willie Sedore
    Willoughby
    Will Rigler
    Winch
    Winnipeg
    Winter
    Women
    Woodblock Print
    Word
    Work Bee
    World War 1
    World War 2
    WW1
    YMCA/YWCA
    York County
    York/yorke
    York/yorke
    Zenuk


Created on Weebly  - Copyright Anita Mae Draper 2011-2021