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1911 Courtship Letter Special: July 14 from Iowa

7/28/2013

Map showing migration of Henry Nelson and Eliza Crouch Nelson and their family from York County in Ontario to Atkins, Iowa. (brown line)

The Courtship Letter Special: July 20 From Ma & Sadie mentions this Iowa letter from Ethel's paternal grandma, Eliza Crouch...

Author of Letter: Eliza Crouch Nelson
Dated: July 14th, 19011 (1911)
Addressed to: My Dear Son
Mailed from: Atkins, Iowa (on last page after signature)
Relationship: Ethel's paternal grandma
Profession: Farmer Laborer's Widow
Writing instrument: Fine Black Ink
Written on: Off-white and yellowed with age, lined note paper, 5 1/2 inches by 9 inches.

Note: This letter is easy to read if you sound out the words as they are written and ignore the spelling.

People/places mentioned in this letter:

Eliza Crouch Nelson ca. 1890 (1840-1919)

- Son and doter
- Jimmey

Ethel's parents:
*James Henry Nelson and
*Ida Amelia Glover

James Henry Nelson (1864-1953) ca. 1905

Ida Amelia Glover (1874-1953) ca. 1905

- George - **George Caleb Nelson, James's brother
- Alice - Eliza Alice Nelson Wer, James's sister in California

- Annie - Eliza Ann Nelson, James's sister

Eliza Alice Nelson Wear (1869-1946)

- Mammey - Mamie E Fritz, wife of Emanuel

- Emanuell - Emanuel Francis Nelson, James's brother

Mamie E Fritz Nelson (1881-1916) ca. 1905

Emanuel Francis Nelson (1876 - unk ) ca. 1905

- Annie - Eliza Ann Nelson, James's sister

- Willes - Willis A Crouch, son of Eliza Crouch's brother, Alfred

Eliza Ann Nelson (1872-1946) ca. 1917

Willis A Crouch (1862-1946) ca. 1917

- Mode - *Victoria Maud - Ida Amelia's sister with the newborn Ethel mentioned
- John - John Rogers - *Victoria Maud's husband
- Ida's mother - *Sarah Elizabeth Greenwood (Ethel's maternal grandma)
- Cristey - *Christy Maud, Ethel's 11 yr old sister
- 2 boys - Ethel's brothers, 6 yr old *Emanuel Henry and 3 yr old James A.
- Rose - Rosetta Nelson Cozad, James's sister

- Jim and hunkle from Canada - Unknown as the family tree is foggy at this level

Places mentioned:
- Caleforna - California
- **4th of July holiday

Phrase/Cliche: "prettey sick"

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

Julie 14 19011

Well my Dear son and
doter and famley all as i
got a letter and more from
you i Was much saprised as
i thoght you Was like gorge
you ad for got that you
ad a mother on the earth
eney more but i Wos very
glad to hear you Was well
but sorey to hear of youre
lose i Wos very glad to
hear that you got youre
in surence that Will help
quite a bit o Gimmey i think
you a very ondutifull son
as you sertnley right oftener
to your pore old mother how
is skarce able to be a round
i ave ad quite a sick spell

2

a gain but i do thank god
that i ame able to be up
a gain We ave ad som of
the hotest Wether i ever can
rember of it Was 100 and 10
in the shade and we ave a
dredfull storm the other
nite it Was fearfull all
nite long but i thank god
that our lives Was spared.
i got a letter from Caleforna
and tha Was all Well but
Alice and she wos prettey
sick The folks hear is all
rite so far i did not get
eney card or eney thing about
youre barn but mamey said
tha did Emanuell is bisey
harvisting his Wife and young

3

ones Was down 2 days doing
the Baking as i cod not and
annie Went out and help
to shok oats Well we ave
lots of frout this year and
the Cosn loks good now
i ad a good time Wen i
Was in Caleforna and i wood
ave stade longer but the
peapil that i went With
tha got home sick and i
did not like to Com back
a lone i saw som Wonderfull
sites Willes is a talking of
seling is plase and if he
do it may be posable we
ma go out there a gain ari
ave no one to stop With me
so i must do som thing

4 (across the top) did you get your pictor that mamey sent you

i hope saday Will be able
to teach Willes and anney as
gone up to my garden to pick
chereys and curents the treas
Was so loded i sold 3 dolars
Worth and there is lots yet
so i told them tha cod ave
them if tha ad a mint to
pick them as i cod not now
you give my love to mode
and John and all so to Idas
mother how is Cristey
and tehm to boys Rose and
her famley and Emanuell and
his famley Was all down hear
on the 4 asit is quite a holoday
and tha made hyse Cream
and ad a good time in general
now as I ave told you
turn over

5

all i can think an i want
you to be sure and ancer
quick and dont for get
and tell me how you are
getting a long i was very
much disapointed in not
sean Jim and hunkle for
i sure thoght if tha com
to the states tha wood
com and see me now as
i cant think of eney more
i Will say good by trusting
god Will bles us all and
gather us all in to is
kindomn Wase parting
Will be no more this is
from youre loving mother
mrs JH nelson Atkins Iowa

Genealogy Notes

Genealogy Note #1 - Henry Nelson and Eliza Crouch

I've mentioned the Iowa branch of Ethel's family a time or two before in passing, but this is the first post detailing the Henry and Eliza Nelson family. (Hubby Nelson's 2 great-grandfather)

The Nelson family has been a mystery trying to figure out because one branch emigrated to Ohio in the United States after immigrating to Canada from England. And if it hadn't been for Eliza Crouch Nelson's letter posted above then I wouldn't have known anything about them. But when I added the basic information to the family tree on ancestry.com a nice lady named Sharon who happens to be the 2 x granddaughter of Eliza Crouch contacted me and said some of my information was wrong and/or missing. Between Sharon and ancestry.com I was able to fill in so many leaves on our tree it looks quite coloringful and interesting now. Thank you, Sharon for sharing your tree info and photos with us - like the one below which is the only one we have of Ethel's grandfather and grandmother. (For the full photo, see 1911 Courtship: May 7 Dear Noah)

Henry Nelson (1835-1900) and Eliza Crouch (1840-1919). Photo taken about 1890, Iowa, USA.

Henry Nelson - b 3 Mar 1835 in England married Eliza Crouch - b 16 Apr 1840 in England on 5 Oct 1857 in Ontario, Canada

I have the following census records for Henry and Eliza after their marriage:
- 1861 Canada Census: living in East Gwillimbury Township of York County, Ontario
- 1871 Canada Census: (same as above)
- 1881 Canada Census: (same as above)
- 1895 Iowa State Census: living in Benton, Iowa
- 7 Oct 1900: Henry Nelson died and was buried in Benton Co, Iowa
- 1900 US Census: Eliza living in Atkins, Benton, Iowa
- 1910 US Census: (same as above)
- 28 Oct 1919: Eliza Crouch Nelson died and was buried in Benton, Iowa

We've been above to correlate that Henry and Eliza had the following children born in East Gwillimbury, York County, Ontario, although several of them died here:

Born in Canada

- George Caleb b 1857
- John Thomas b 1860
- Mary Pricilla b 1863
- James Henry b 1864 - Ethel's father
- Elizabeth Jane b 1866
- Unnamed Nelson b 1868
- Eliza Alice b 1869
- Eliza Ann (twin of Edwin) b 1872
- Edwin (twin of Eliza Ann) b 1872
- Jemima Isabelle b 1874
- Emanuel (Manuel) Francis b 1876
- Rosetta b 1878
- Mariah Victoria b 1880
- Fannie Louisa b 1882

Died in Canada

- born and died in Oct 1868

- died in 1872 - 19 days days
- died in 1882 - 8 yrs old

- died in 1891 - 10 yrs old
- died 1884 - 17 months old

Eliza's brother, Alfred Crouch, had emigrated to Ontario with the family, but in 1860 moved to Fremont, Iowa. Eliza's other siblings followed. Henry and Eliza decided to emigrate to the US as well which they did in the early 1880's taking most of the family with them. Eliza's brother, Francis Croutch, was the only sibling to stay in Ontario. He is also the only member of the family who uses a 'T' in the Croutch name.

When Eliza and Henry left Canada, only 2 of their children stayed behind and they are the 2 marked in red in the above list, namely, George Caleb and James Henry.

Eliza's parents, George Crouch and Percilla, are listed on the 1852 census and then they moved down to Iowa. But George shows up on the 1861 Canada census with a wife named Mary. Percilla died in 1876 and is buried in Mound Cemetery, Benton, Iowa. But not George. Family rumour says George broke up with Percilla and came back to Canada, however no one can find a record of him dying and being buried in Ontario, either.

Genealogy Note #2 - George Caleb Nelson

In Eliza's letter, she says, "i Was much saprised as i thoght you Was like gorge you ad for got that you ad a mother on the earth eney more"

Eliza is talking about her son, George Caleb Nelson, who - along with Ethel's dad, James Henry, didn't emigrate to the US once they'd settled in Ontario. I checked the family tree to see what could have prevented George Caleb from writing to his mother and at the first glance, saw the problem...
1857 - George is born. He is 17 yr old Eliza's 1st child.
1880 - 23 yr old George marries 18 yr old Hannah Victoria Latham
1894 - Hannah dies of consumption leaving George with 4 children aged 4-12 yrs***
1895 - George marries Hannah's sister, 22 yr old Emma Latham
1896 - Emma dies, childless
1897 - George marries 25 yr old widow, Mary Tryphena Smith
1913 - Mary dies of heart failure leaving an additional 11 yr old and 1 month old baby
1914 - 57 yr old George marries 55 yr old Mary Ellen Travis

By the time 1911 rolled around and Eliza wrote her letter, George was on his 3rd wife with a 9 yr old and 3 yr old still at home. And then Mary dies a month after giving birth in 1913. So yes, George is busy with children and wives, but that shouldn't stop him from writing to his mother.

But perhaps this is the reason... when George marries Mary Ellen Traviss, he makes an X in place of his signature.
In other words, he can't sign his name.

Mark of X for George Nelson

Wife #3, Mary, could have written Eliza in 1911, but perhaps she didn't want to or perhaps she was too sick. She signed the marriage certificate, so we know she was able to write, but I guess we'll never know why she didn't.

*** You've met 2 of George Caleb's children before in Ethel's letters:
- Elva Jane married Will Mitchell and is working for Stewart Draper in Indian Head
- Leslie is the missing cousin who is 'somewhere out west'

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1911 Courtship: July 19 Dear Ethel

7/1/2013

2 Comments

Reaping, Indian Head, Assiniboia, on Canadian Pacific Railway. c1886. Prairie Postcards PC002464. Courtesty of http://peel.library.ualberta

See the Genealogy Note at the bottom of this post for more info on the above photo and the Experimental farm, mentioned by Noah in this letter.

Author of Letter: Noah Clement Draper (24 yrs old)
Dated: July 19th/1911
Addressed to: Miss E. Nelson, My Dear Ethel (21 yrs old)
Mailed from: Grand Coulee, Sask
Relationship: Courting
Profession: Farmer
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, Black ink, but looks blue-grey in places
Writing Paper: Thick, textured, linen-like paper, 9 inches x 6.5 inches. Paper is folded in half, written on front and back like a book, but inside, paper is turned sideways and written across short length and down both pages.

People/Places mentioned in this letter:
- *Joe & Eva - Joe Perrault and Eva Amelia - Noah's sister
- *Parthena - wife of Noah's brother, *Percy Draper
- Parthena's baby - Royden Wallace Draper b Jul 1911 but what date?
- *Stewart Draper, Noah's cousin, in Indian Head, Saskatchewan
- *Louie: Noah's sister, Sarah Louisa Nelson, married to Fred Coventry
- Fred's sister in Alberta - Probably Margaret Jane *Coventry

* Regina, Saskatchewan
** Experimental Farm, Indian Head, Saskatchewan
Local - Twice daily passenger train that runs from Regina to Indian Head. Used for excursions such as field trips to see the world famous Bell Farm, etc.

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

Grand Coulee, Sask
July 19th/11

Miss. E. Nelson,
huntsville. Ont.
My Dear Ethel;-
Received your letter last
week and was glad to hear
you were going to get a few
holidays & hope you have
a good time,
Well we are good and buisy
here just now. just got
the cellar cemented and am
now digging a drain. expect
the well diggers and carpenters
tomorrow. so will have 7 men
here for a while and a girl
if I can get one but they are

like hens teeth few and far between.
Joe. Eva. & I were down to the
experimental farm at Indian Head
yesterday. I went into Regina on
the morning Local with out any
intentions of going down but I got
through with my business by
the time the excurtion train
came along so I jumped on and
went down. it rained nearly all
afternoon. but we hired a livery
rig and got out to Stewarts before
it started so we didnt mind
it. but there was a good many.
dissapointed people on the train
coming home.
Osay Ethel Parthena has a baby
boy. about a week old have not seen
it yet but i hear it looks like
the Drapers. Ha. Ha.
Louie & Fred went up to his
sisters in Alberta last Saturaday.
to pick raspberries. they said but
I guess they wont get many.
Say you must be getting old to
be able to say the heat is the worst
for a 100 years back. Eh.

I hear it has been very dry
down there this summer how
do the crops seem. they are
very good here only a little late
but we have had such a
cold summer we will likely
have a hot fall. hope so
any way.
Well it is getting nearly
time to get out to work again
am writing this at noon
and expect to post this to
night. Well i guess this is
all for this time so Bye Bye
write soon and a long letter
to your Western Lover. N.C.D.
X X X X X X X

Genealogy Notes

Genealogy Note 1: Margaret Jane Coventry

Fred Coventry had 2 sisters. Mary Catherine stayed in Ontario, married, and died there.

But Margaret Jane is shown on the 1901 census where she and her parents are living in Kenlis, Assiniboia - about 10 miles northeast of Indian Head. She is not with them on the 1916 census, though, where they have moved close to Fred and Louie near Grand Coulee. Did Margaret Jane marry and move to Alberta? Or did she just move there because of a job opportunity?

Update!
- Mary Catherine did NOT marry and die in Ontario - her Aunt Catharine did. In 1911, Mary Catherine and her husband lived in Strathcona, Alberta.
- Margaret Jane moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada sometime between 1916 and 1920. She didn't show up on the 1916 census because it was a special one for the prairie provinces only so that the government could keep track of immigrants on the newly opened prairie land.

Genealogy Note 2: The Experimental Farm

The Experimental Farm had it's beginnings as part of the 53,000 acre Bell Farm which started operations in 1882 by the Qu'Appelle Valley Farming Company - before the railroad tracks had been laid on the bald prairie - before there was the town of IndianHead - and before Saskatchewan became a province, which is why the postcard at the top refers to it as Indian Head, Assiniboia. Once the railroad went through, the Bell Farm built a hotel, grain elevator and flour mill and Indian Head came into being.

Using the most modern farming practices and equipment of the time, the Bell Farm drew interested people from several countries to see for themselves how farming had/could progress. The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) carried tourists and farmers on daily excursions from Regina out to Indian Head to explore the farm for the day.

The unique round shape of the Bell Farm Round Barn was one of the main attractions of the Bell Farm. Due to having its silo in the centre of the building, the layout provided ample space to stable 36 horses surrounding the silo - a time-saver when it came to supplying feed for the hard-working heavy horses.

Stable, Major William R. Bell's farm, Indian Head, SK, 1884, by William McFarlane Notman. VIEW-1388 © McCord Museum

In 1887, part of the Bell Farm was sold to create a Dominion Experimental Farm - one of Canada's first agricultural stations.

Experimental farm, Indian Head, SK, about 1920, MP-0000.25.431, © McCord Museum

A lasting legacy of the Indian Head area is the tree nursery located one mile south of the town which had been established in 1897 to supply trees for shelterbelt purposes to cut down on wind erosion. Called the Prairie Shelterbelt Program, the nursery of the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) supplied seedlings free of charge to all legitimate homesteaders and farmers.

Although The Shelterbelt Program ended in the Spring of 2013, the PFRA tree nursery is a showcase of tree varieties which is open to the public and a favorite spot for summer picnics as well as information gathering.

Image of a man holding a cloth sack and picking something off of a tree - possibly at PFRA tree nursery. Courtesy of http://saskhistoryonline.ca/fedora/repository/indianhead%3A31270

According to the Indian Head History Page by 1902, the Town of Indian Head was incorporated and had become "...one of the world's largest initial shipping points for wheat."

1900-1909 Image of ten grain elevators at Indian head that read "Jos Glen No. 1", "Jos Glen No. 2", "Dominion Elevator Co. Ltd. No. 72", "Ogilvie's No. 67" - various structures in between elevators, Canadian Pacific railroad cars next to elevators - man and several cows in foreground on other side of fence. Photographer: Denison Indian Head. Courtesy http://saskhistoryonline.ca/fedora/repository/indianhead%3A31195

And that's the history of Indian Head, Saskatchewan, which Noah mentions in this week's letter and which has been mentioned several other times when talking about Elva Nelson and Will Mitchell, and Stewart Draper and Bertha Hamilton.

2 Comments

Courtship Letter Special: July 15 From Elva Mitchell

6/18/2013

3 Comments

Indian Head, Saskatchewan, Canada, looking North, ca 1909. Courtesy of the SCAA Virtual Exhibits Mainstreet Images. http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/mainstreet/main.html

Sorry about last week's missing letter. I've decided to put Eliza Crouch Nelson's letter aside for now and I've posted an explanation as **Genealogy Notes #4 below as to why.

This week's letter is another special one - this time by Elva Jane Mitchell, cousin to Ethel since their mothers are sisters.

Author of Letter: Elva Mitchell, age 24 (Ethel's cousin)
Dated: July 15, 1911
Addressed to: Ethel Isabell Nelson, age 21
Mailed from: Indian Head, Saskatchewan
Relationship:  1st cousins (mothers are sisters)
Profession:  Farm worker's wife
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, Blue ink
Written on: Cream-colored, slightly thick, unlined writing paper, 5 inches x 8 inches. This letter seems straightforward with page 1, 2 and 3, however it's not quite that cut-and-dry. At the top of page 3, Elva has written, "3. the first one" although I don't know what that's about.

People/Places mentioned in on Page 1, 2 and 3 of this letter:

- *Elva - Elva Jane Nelson and husband, Will Mitchell
- Mrs Draper (pg 1) - *Bertha Hamilton, wife of *Stewart Draper, of Indian Head
- Norma - **Norma Draper, 7 yr old daughter of Bertha and Stewart
- *Lennox's Picnic - see the Genealogy note on July 2 Dear Noah
- Roy Cowieson and wife (Roy's wife, Lavina, is the daughter of William Rye and Hartie Draper - 2nd cousin to Noah)
- Ernie Glover - Ethel's 1st cousin (Ethel's mom, Ida, is sister to Ernie's dad, William)
- Jim Philps/Phillips (Ernie eventually married a Phillips)
- Ethel's Aunt Mary - Mary Ann *Glover, sister of Ida, and wife of William *Linstead of Sintaluta, Sask (about 10 miles from Indian Head)
- Mrs Draper (pg 2) - Noah's mom, *Sarah Sophia Deverell, in Grand Coulee, Sask
- Uncle Jim - *James Nelson, Ethel's dad
- Fathers - **George Caleb Nelson (Elva's father who was on his 3rd wife in 1911)
- Uncle - possible Emanuel since he was very sick in an earlier letter
- Miss Hunt - still haven't discovered the identity of this gentle spinster

- *Indian Head, Saskatchewan - 1 town (about 10 miles) west of Sintaluta on Hwy #1
-  Sintaluta, Saskatchewan - 34 miles north of our farm

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

Indian Head July the 15.1911

Miss Ethel Nelson.
Belhaven.
My. Dear. Cousin.
Received your welcome
letter a short time ago we are well
hope this to find you folks all the
same. Ethel this is Saturday
afternoon well Ethel this is Saturday
but a week later. it is Just a lovely
day. Mr's Draper is getting supper.
she came home on Wednesday.
morning she has been away for
6 weeks up to the home stead
Norma and I are going to town
to night Mrs Draper Just has
2 children the same two
that she had down East.
But they are big youngester's now

2.
Well have you folks got the Barn
raised yet. I suppose you will be
going to Lennox's Picnic I was there
last year but I guess I will
not be there this year. Roy
Cowieson and wife just live about
3 or 4 mile from here. I was to see
them a few sundays ago.
Ernie Glover is working for Jim
Philps. I think perhaps that
Will and I will go over to Philps
tomorrow. Ethel I have not
been over to see your Aunt Mary
yet but will go. some of these
days. we only live about 4 mile
from the head. go in quiet
often. I have not been up to
see Mr's Draper. is she down
East yet. Well Ethel when you
come west don't for get to come

3. the first one

and see me.
tell Uncle Jim he had better
come up West there is lots of
money up here. people I think
can do a lot better up here.
Well Ethel I can not think of much
to write this time do you ever see
any thing of Fathers. and is Uncle better
now. is Miss Hunt married yet. and
does Benie still go to see her.
Well Bye Bye with Love to all.
hope to here from you soon
Elva Mitchell
Indian Head.
Box 142, Sask.

P.S. Please Ethel do not forgot to
put the number of the Box
142, as you other one ws in the
office for nearly 3 weeks.

Genealogy Notes

There are 4 Genealogy Notes this week.

Genealogy Note #1 - Elva Nelson and William Mitchell

Elva Jane Nelson married William Mitchell in 1907 and sometime after they headed west. In Noah's letter of May 1 Dear Ethel, he writes, "So you did not know Elva & Will were in the West. yes they are working for Steward this summer."

Since 1911 was a census year in Canada, I thought it would be easy to confirm the above fact. Nope. I couldn't find them anywhere. Not in the East. And not in the West. Elva is the sister of Leslie Nelson, the missing cousin, also spoken of in the May 1st letter.

And then I couldn't find several of the names Elva mentioned in the 1911 census - people who were all living around the Indian Head area. (see the map) But a quick look at the census revealed an inky mess and it's a wonder anyone was able to transcribe it at all. What I had to do was find the record in Qu'Appelle's subdistrict #20 and go along page by page. That's what I did and I was on pg 13 of 28 when I found this gem:

1911 Canadian Census for William and Elva Mitchell

Whoever took down this census had the worst pen and very rough handwriting. I've highlighted 4 names in the top half of this image:
- Rigler, Joseph (Joseph Walker Rigler)
- Mitchell, William (Elva's husband)
- " , Alva (should be Elva)
- Linstead, Norman (Aunt Mary's boy from Sintaluta)

The problem is that whoever transcribed the image couldn't read the handwriting and so the 4 names were typed as follows (lower red box):
- Royles, Joseph
- Midahild, William
- Midahild, Alva
- Lumhead, Normon

No wonder the search engine didn't pick them up. One or two letters off would have been okay, but with these errors, the names would have been at the end of thousands of records if I went by search alone. So in this case, knowing the small area to be covered and the small population of it, bypassing the search engine and checking each page was the most efficient way to get a result. Actually, I'm just thrilled I found them!

This presented another problem since, as I said above, Elva and Mitchell are working for Stewart for the summer. If so, why are they listed under Joseph Rigler who happens to be the brother of Will Rigler, husband of Noah's sister? It seems that the 4th person mentioned in this record is 5 yr old Norman Linstead - son of William Linstead and Mary Ann Glover of Sintaluta - yes, the same as in the letter. (And yes, that makes 3 Williams in the same paragraph.)

Since Will Mitchell is listed as a laborer and not a lodger of Walker's, does that mean he's working for both Walker and Stewart? Perhaps they're next door?

I'm not sure how little Norman fits into this if the census was recorded on June 1st and Elva's letter is July 15th, yet Elva hasn't been over to visit her Aunt Mary in Sintaluta yet. But perhaps Norman was only visiting Walker during the census taking period.

When Elva says on Page 1, "Norma and I are going to town to night Mrs Draper Just has 2 children the same two that she had down East" I assumed she meant Norman but left off the N. But no, Bertha and Stewart have 2 children: Norma (b1904) and Lennox (b1906) - both born back in Belhaven before the family moved west. So Norma is with Elva yet I don't know if she's only visiting or if Elva's job is babysitting/child care for Bertha during the day so Bertha can take care of the men.

Genealogy Note 2 - Elva's father, George Caleb Nelson

One more thing about Elva... she's the daughter of George Caleb Nelson which means her grandmother is Eliza Crouch Nelson of last week's missing letter. In this week's letter, she asks Ethel, "do you ever see any thing of Fathers"?

I'm not sure why she added the s at the end of fathers, but here's the story of George Caleb Nelson:
#1 - Hannah Victoria Lantham died in Jun 1894 - mother of 5 kids including Elva
#2 - married Emma Lantham April 1895 - (Hannah's sister) Emma died Aug 1896
#3 - married Mary Tryphena Smith Jan 1897 - she died Aug 1913
#4 - maried Mary Ellen Traviss Aug 1914 - she died May 1922
George Caleb Nelson died in 1936 having outlived his 4th and last wife. His 5 children were all from Hannah.

Perhaps with his record, she was ready for bad news at any moment.

Genealogy Note 3 - Ernie Glover

As for Ernie Glover, I found him on 2 different 1911 Canadian census records. At first I thought perhaps the censuses were recorded with a few months between them which would give Ernie time to move west, but they're both dated June 1st, 1911. Take a look at this first one:

1911 Canada Census for Ernie/Ernest Glover living in Saskatchewan

As mentioned earlier, Ernie is found at the farm of Jim Phillips. In the upper image, he's the last one in the red box, and in the bottom image, he's the red box.

Everything looks good. According to this letter, he's where he's been confirmed as being. So how can he be on another census? Let's take a look...

1911 Canada Census for Ernie/Ernest Glover living in Ontario

Okay, now it's starting to make sense because Ernie Glover on this census has been scratched out - as show in the thick red box which means he was written in then as an afterthought, they realized he was probably going to be counted out west so they scratched him out. Same goes for his sister, Georgie, in the blue box. I'm not sure where she was at the time this census was taken, but she was a 25 yr old of marrying age and I haven't found her anywhere else in the records for 1911 yet.

One more thing about this census - the search engines will continue to find this census for Ernie because he is indexed in the transcription (the red box in the bottom image). As long as he's there, he'll be found. Because of that, I left a note in the update option beside his name in order to save others the same grief I had while searching for him.

Genealogy Note #4 - Last week's missing letter by Eliza Crouch Nelson

As can often happen in the field of genealogy, I ran into a couple problems just prior to posting the July 14th letter from Eliza Crouch Nelson in Atkins, Ohio. The main problem was that some of the information couldn't be confirmed - or sourced. I had originally planned to post it anyway in the hopes that another 'hidden' relative would find the post and come forward with new information. However, with suspected problems on both the Nelson and Crouch side of the tree, I used last week to research - not intentionally, but one day lead to another and suddenly the week was gone. Although I've made strides, much of it is still speculation.

So until I can confirm more details, I've put Eliza's letter aside.

And that's it for this week. Wow, what a week!

3 Comments

1911 Courtship: May 28 Dear Noah

3/10/2013

0 Comments

1910 Jackson's Point, Lake Simcoe, Ontario, Valentine & Sons' Publishing Co. Ltd, Courtesy http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca

Since Ethel talks about picnics, beaches, and Jackson's Point, I'm posting a 1910 postcard from the Baldwin Room Postcard Collection, Toronto Public Library, which shows that exact scene. More on this topic below under Genealogy Notes.

Author of Letter: Ethel Isabell Nelson, age 21 (born 31 May 1890)
Dated:  May 28, 1911
Addressed to: Mr. N. C. Draper... My Dear Noah, Grand Coulee, Sask.
Mailed from:  Belhaven, Ont.
Relationship:  Courting
Profession:  Farmer's Daughter
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, black ink
Written on: Light bluey/gray, slightly thick, textured, linen-like paper, 9 inches x 6 inches, folded in half. The paper is folded in half with the first page on the front and last on the back, but inside, she's written straight across the width of both pages, hence this letter has only 3 pages.

People/places mentioned in this letter:

- Pa -  *James Henry Nelson
- Ma - *Ida Amelia Glover
- *Sadie Nelson - Ethel's 16 yr old sister (see photos last post)
- Aunt Maggie - *Margaret Glover Barker
- *Elva Jane is Ethel's cousin. Their grandparents are Henry Nelson and Eliza Crouch pictured in  1911 Courtship: May 7 Dear Noah. Elva and her husband, William Mitchell are working for Noah's cousin, *Stewart Draper in Indian Head, Saskatchewan.
- *Maud Bruels - Ethel's school friend
- *Professor Dales
- Norman Anderson - ?
- the English man (*hired man)
- Martha Brooks and her young man ?
- Mabel Wright in Queensville

The following locations are shown on a map under Genealogy Notes
- Queensville
- ** Morton Park / Brighton Beach
- Jackson's Point

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

Belhaven, May 28th, 1911.

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

My Dear Noah, -
Well my dear boy
I hardly know what to say
or write that will express
my feelings. So unworthy as I
was, yet you sent me that
beautiful watch and pin, and
Noah what have you ever got in
return, Nothing. I think your choice
is simply grand. Oh! I just
wish you were here so I could
give you a good embrace
and tell you my love and thanks.

Maud Bruels came home with me to-night from Sunday School we were up to Belhaven Church. Professor Dales preached.
Well Noah I guess you think I am rather careless in
answering you sometimes. I got your post card. Sadie you know
forgot to post my letter to you, that was the reason you had
a feast or famine.
Norman Anderson is going to start work here in the
morning. I think Pa intends keeping the English man until
Wednesday his two months is in then. I say for him "Good riddance
to bad rubbish".
I had a letter from Elva. she speaks as though she liked
it fine up there. She spoke of you being down for Easter. and
said she heard you were to be married. she thot it was
to some girl in Toronto. "ha ha". I wonder if she wont
get great a surprize some day.
Well it is Monday noon now and Pa and Ma are going
to Queensville this afternoon so I will send this letter with them.

Martha Brooks and her young
man are just going by. They came
home saturday to spend Sunday.
Sadie did'nt come home this
week she went home with Mabel
Wright at Queensville.
Well i don't know what we are
going to do for picnic's I guess they
will all be private ones. if we have
any. Morton Park is called Brighton
Beach now. and is private. Jackson's
point is all so closed to the public.
Well I again say many. many
thank you's for that lovely birth
day present. Aunt Maggie brough
me up one the other day also.
I now must close for this time
with all love and xxxx from your
Ever thankful, Sweetheart.

Genealogy Notes

Before I forget, last week's Genealogy Notes were about John Prosser and his seasonal job as the Fox Island Lighthouse Keeper. On the map below, I've flagged Fox Island at the top of image, where it's located in Lake Simcoe.

Note the mention and drawing of the Fox Island Lighthouse as a Point of Interest in the Morton Park newspaper snippet below. (Morton Park/Brighton Beach is the yellow pin above the word Ewert on the map. (Eeps - that should be Bell Ewart!)

Ontario Places mentioned in 1911 Courtship Letter May 28 Dear Noah: Queensville, Morton's Park, Brighton Beach, and Jackson's Point.

Ethel mentions Jackson's Point and Morton Park have been turned into private resorts and the name Morton Park is now called Brighton Beach. This week's delve into history is about Morton Park since it played such a huge part in recreational activities while Ethel was growing up.

The image above is what you see if you zoom in on the map below, more or less.

Red square is Lake Simcoe, and the Townships of Georgina and East Gwillimbury, York County, Ontario, Canada.

I came across some newspaper articles about Morton Park while I was searching the www.ourontario.ca online newspaper archives looking for info for our family tree. I can't stress how valuable this website is for genealogical and historic research.

The Newmarket Era. May 20, 1898

Ethel was born in 1890 and Morton Park was the closest beach to Belhaven. From everything I've read, it was a favourite place for a summer outing.

Following is an 1899 new article in The Newmarket Era telling the history and amenities of Morton Park. Altough it's found on the right side of Page 1, I wonder if it was actually paid advertising. I'm posting it in its entirety, although it's too long for one image, so I've had to split it in half. I'm sorry about the mess at the bottom right corner, but that's the way it is with 100 year old newspapers.

The Newmarket Era. May 26, 1911

The name of Morton Park has been
changed to Brighton Beach and the
whole property laid out in lots, the
sale of which was to take place on
Wednesday last. A number of peo-
ple were up from the city.

Note: The reference to a city in the above snippet is the City of Toronto, Ontario, Can.

The Newmarket Era. June 2, 1911

The name Morton Park has been
changed to Brighton Beach, accord-
ing to the new trolley time table.

An interesting side note to this is the following information from Library and Archives Canada concerning Post Offices and Postmasters about Morton Park/Brighton Beach, keeping in mind this was a seasonal post office only:

Establishment Re-openings - 1896-08-11
Closings - 1974-08-31

Former Office Information:
Former Name Date of Change
Brighton Beach (SO) 1919-07-03
Morton Park (SO) 1913-02-01

Postmaster Information:
Name of Postmaster - Neil Morton
Date of Birth - 1896-08-11
Date of Vacancy - 1911
Cause of Vacancy - Death

So from the Post Office information, we find that the Post Office started when Neil Morton bought Morton Park in 1895 from the previous owner, Sir James Edgar, Speaker of the House of Commons, and that Neil died in 1911, which is when Ethel and the news snippets say it became the private Brighton Beach. (Photo of Neil Morton on the first section of large writeup.)

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1911 Courtship: May 14? Dear Ethel

2/10/2013

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Since Noah's letter mentions the devastating fire at Ethel's farm, this week's genealogy notes will concentrate on that event.

Author of Letter: Noah Clement Draper (24 yrs old)
Dated: May ? (Suspect May 14 - see below)
Addressed to: Miss E.Nelson, Bellhaven, Ont., Dear Ethel
Mailed from: Grand Coulee, Sask.
Relationship: Courting
Profession: Farmer
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, Black ink, but looks grey in places and pencil-like in others.
Writing Paper: Thick, textured, linen-like paper, 9 inches x 6.5 inches. Paper is folded in half, and written in a 4-page booklet form. The paper is ripped on the first page so we can't read the date, but because Noah writes every week with his last letter dated May 7th, and his next one dated May 21st, the evidence is there that this is dated May 14th, 1911.

People/places mentioned in this letter:

Mother - *Sarah Sophia Deverell Draper, Noah's widowed mother
Bertha - wife of Noah's cousin, *Stewart Trueman Draper of Indian Head, Sask
*Louie - Noah's sister, Sarah Louisa Draper, married to Fred Coventry
*Veda - 16 yr old daughter of Noah's sister, Eva & Joseph Perrault who live nearby
*Joe - Veda's father, Joseph Perrault

** The Belhaven fires

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

Grand Coulee M----------

Miss. E. Nelson,
Belhaven, Ont.
Dear Ethel ; -
Received your letter
last week and was glad to
hear you were still in the
land of the living. Hope
you are well as this leaves
me at present.
So you have had a fire
eh. Well it is a good thing
no one was killed. you dont
know how it started.
Well I was home all day
Sunday. & have not been
to church for two weeks

so I must be getting bad.
Mother came home Saturaday
ght & Bertha and the children
me up with her. They
e going home tonight.
Mother & Bertha went down
to Louies today.
Well we had a great old
rain yesteraday it must
have fell about 3" of water.
but it is fine today.
Have not sowed my oats
yet but guess I will sow
them as soon as it drys up.
Say Sadie has not had
her final examinations yet
has she.

Am going into the Coulee
to night base ball pratice
We play Pense on the 24th.
Veda is in Regina now
doctoring with her hands.
I guess they will cure them
all right.
Joe has the frame of his
barn up but it will take
about a month yet to finish
it.
Say didnt you get my card
you didnot say any thing
about it.
Well Ethel you know
them five words allright
and all remains is to say them

Well Idont want you to
think I am so selfish as it
may seem Ethel. & I guess
you will have lots to do
there for a while. Eh.
Well I guess I will have
to close once more for I
do not know what to
write outside of a lot
of foolishness &. I will leave
that unsaid this time.
So Bye Bye .Write soon
to your Loving Friend
& future Hubby.
X X X N.C.D.

Genealogy Notes

Here's the newspaper article about the fire that burned the barn at Ethel's place in Belhaven...

Clipped from The Newmarket Era. May 12, 1911 - Page: 6

BELLHAVEN.

The 5th paragraph down is about the barn fire at Ethel's place:

Mr. James Nelson's barn was burn-
ed on Monday and Mr. Roy Murrell's
on Tuesday. We sympathize with
them. Mr. Nelson's barn was com-
pletely destroyed, together with three
calves, five fat pigs, poultry, imple-ments etc. The wind was blowing
from a favorable quarter, so that his
dwelling was saved. The loss of
barn, and contents will probably
reach from $1500 to $2000. There
was a small insurance on barn and
contents. Mr. Nelson was not at
home when the fire first commenced,
but returned before it was all over.

It's estimated that Ethel's family lost $1500 to $2000 all things considered. That doesn't seem like much by today's standards, but to put it into perspective, here's what costs were back in May 1911:

Newmarket lies halfway between Belhaven and the city of Toronto. I know it's hard to read, but a pound of butter costs between 16 and 25 cents between the 2 markets, while potatoes are from between 80 cents and 1.05 a 100 pound bag. Put in that light, the Nelson's have lost a huge amount.

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1911 Courtship Letter Special: July 14 from Iowa

Genealogy Notes

1911 Courtship: July 19 Dear Ethel

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Courtship Letter Special: July 15 From Elva Mitchell

Genealogy Notes

1911 Courtship: May 28 Dear Noah

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1911 Courtship: May 14? Dear Ethel

Genealogy Notes

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