My Tree

Deeply Rooted

Admin

Source 035 – Personal Letter by Nathan C. Draper

by

Author: Nathan C. Draper of Washington DC
Title: Letter to “Sister” [Nancy J. (Draper) Nelson]
Date: July 1856
Curator: Christine Fisher
Note:

Washington DC
July, 1856

Dear Sister [Nancy J Nelson]

I received your letter last Sunday the 6 of July. I have been thinking of writing to you for a long time, but I did not know where to direct a letter so I did not write. You have been moving about so much I could not keep track of you. My health has been very good this year past. Julia is not so good. She is very bilous. She has had the chills and fever this summer and that is enough to kill any person.

Sister, since I commended this letter I have been very sick with the chills and fever. I have had the chills and fever before for over a year off and on, but I think I never was sick than I have been this spell. My fever are so hard that am out of my head the most of the time. Washington is more subject to chills and fever than any place I ever saw or heard of. The oldest settlers here say there has been more of that complaint this last two years than ever before. But I have been taking medicine till I have got the bile pretty well out of my stomach. I feel better now than I have before for the last two months and as my work is very light to what it used to be a year ago. I think I shall get along now.

The man that I was at work for a year ago has failed in business and cheated his creditors out of all he owed them and all his journeymen lost some, I among the rest lost $38. But since I left him I have been at work for Mr. Baldwin and Brothers. They have a large Machine Shop where they run all kinds of Machinery for manufacturing all kinds of Carpenter work such as doors, sash, blinds, brackets, and moldings and many other things. They employ me a sash and pivot blind maker that is all I have to do and that is very light work. I do all of it by machinery except put it together. So the labor on that work is very light.

Dear sister, have read your letter over and over again and again there is something in it I do not understand. Do not the old school Baptist believe and put there whole trust in God. I used to hear my mother [Sarah Beckwith Draper] say, trust in the Lord for he doeth all things well and with out him we can do nothing. You say in your letter amidst the cares of earth you hope I will not neglect the one most needful. Also if I have not sought an interest in Jesus let it be my first care. What can I do with out the help of the God that rules all things. I know I am a sinner but can I ask to be forgiven until there is an impression made on my mind. If I am among the number that the Lord has chosen there will be a time when it will be manifested to me.

Sister, when you write to me again tell me if I am right or wrong in my opinion of the doctoring of the old School Baptist. There is one meeting house here and we have preaching every Sunday nearly. The Elders name is Purington from Maine. I take the Sines of the Times, so I have letters written by some of our old acquaintance and I do not recollect of hearing any one of them say do this or do that or you will be doomed. I do not think you mean so but you know the Methodist say so. Sister, I just write this to get your opinion what I can do to seek an interest in Jesus.

Is not that a work of God? Sister, I will drop the subject for I cannot express myself here on paper (I will number the pages for I commenced wrong on the second page). Sister, I wish it was so we could see each other once more. I should like to see your children very much, but unless they come here I shall probably never see them. I am very sorry to hear of your bad health. Also of Moses [Nancy’s husband] poor health for I do think good health is the greatest blessing that ever was bestowed on a person.

Remember me to all, Moses in particular. This from your Brother NC Draper

Please write as soon as convenient

Source 034 – Personal Letter by Nathan C. Draper

by

Author: Nathan C. Draper of Washington DC
Title: Letter to “Brother and Sister” [Moses Nelson Jr and Nancy J. (Draper) Nelson]
Date: 21 November 1852
Curator: Christine Fisher
Note:

Washington City DC
November 21, 1852

Good evening, Brother and Sister. [Moses Nelson Jr & Nancy J. Draper Nelson]
After so long a time I will try to write a few lines to you to let you know that I am well at present and hope those few lines will find you all the same. Sister [Nancy] I received your letter and was much pleased to hear from you again. I was glad to hear that you had been at Westmoreland and seen all of our folks. If I was not there I presume you see all that you had time to see so it was just as well as if I had been there for if I had been there I should wanted you to start a week expressly for me to talk to but I do not expect some times to ever see you for a week for I do not know where I shall be this time next year. I may be here and I may be in some far distant land where I have never dreamed of, there is no knowing where I shall be for I am not yet settled and I never shall be till I get some where where I can make enough to pay my share of our fathers and sisters support and board and clothe me and the same for a wife if I should ever have the fortune to get one. But sister there is more prospect of that than there was at the time I was out to see you.

I am doing very well here where I am but no better than I was when I worked at my trade in Westmoreland. To be sure I get more a day but I have to pay such a high price for everything that I have Board Close of all kinds I will just tell you what my boots has cost me since I have been in Washington then you can judge from that what my Close has cost. I am all most a shamed to tell you but it is the fact they have cost me $21.25. This is from the first of December 1851 to December 1852 for I calculate I have got enough to last until then if no longer and every thing that I have had has cost me in proportion to that Board and Close. But I guess I can stand it till next spring if I have my health. Then I will see what I can do but I tell you that if I make a living it is little than I have done for the last 2 years for I worked as hard as ever a fellow ever did and got all of nothing for it and I expect the same for interest and that is mighty poor encouragement don’t you think and while I am here I have some enjoyment if nothing els but I do have some money and all the close I want to ware and I will as long as I work for them. I have sent home some money but it is a small some.

I guess you will think I am in a hurry by my writing but I guess you can guess at it and that is all you will want to know of such a subject.

Now I will tell you now about the price of edibles. Butter good is worth 50 cents, pork from 12 to 15 cents a pound. Apples is from $2 to $2.50 per bushel that is the best fruit. Flour is worth $6 to $6.50 and all kinds of vegetables in the same proportion. So you can see that a person cannot Board very cheap here. Now I have told you of all the bad things but I have not said any thing about the weather. It is very fine but rather cool. It has been very wet this summer and rather cool to what they usually have it here. Though I think I have seen some warm days and as warm as I want to see for comfort.

Nancy I am very glad that you have got that picture of mine if you consider it looks enough like me to call it Brother. But I will assure you that it is a perfect likeness as far as the features is concerned though it is rather dark I will admit. Rather darker than the original if I have lived where the Dorkeys are. It is getting quite late and I will have to close by saying good by. Write as often as you can.

Yours as ever,
Nathan C Draper [age 34, unmarried until 1854]

Source 153 – Land Grant Certificate for James Morrill by President Fillmore

by

01 November 1852

The United States of America.
To All To Whom These Presents Shall Come, Greeting,
Whereas, James Morrill of Sandusky County Ohio has deposited in the General Land Office of the United States, a Certificate of the Register of the Land Office, at Ionia, whereby it appears that full payment has been made by the said James Morrill according to the provisions of the Act of Congress of the 24th of April, 1820, entitled “An Act Making Further Provision For The Sale Of The Public Lands,” for the north east fractional quarter of Section five in Township four North of Range twelve West. in the district of lands subject to sale at Ionia, Michigan, containing one hundred and forty seven acres and seventy four hundredth of an acre, according to the Official Plat of the Survey of the said Lands, returned to the General Land Office, by the Surveyor General, which said Tract has been purchased by the said James Morrill. Now, know ye, that the United States of America, in consideration of the premises, and in conformity with the several Acts of Congress, in such case made and provided, have given and granted, and by these presents do give and grant, unto the said James Morrill, and to his heirs, the said Tract above described; to have and to hold the same, together with all the rights, privileges, immunities and appurtenances of whatsoever nature thereunto belonging, unto the said James Morrill and to his heirs and assigns forever. In testimony whereof, I, Millard Fillmore, President of the United States of America, have caused these letters to be made Patent, and the Seal of the General Land Office to be hereunto affixed. Given under my hand, at the City of Washington, the first day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty two and of the Independence of the United States the seventy-seventh. By the President: Millard Fillmore.
By Alex. McCormick, Secy.

Recorded, Vol. 1, Page 128, Certificate #8261

Source 005 – Personal Letter by Sarah Draper

by

Author: Sarah Draper
Title: Letter to Unknown in Butternuts
Date: 29 October 1821
Curator: Christine Fisher
Note:

Butternuts
October 29, 1821

[this letter is missing some pieces]

Affe…I am permited one more opportunity to…to you to let you know that…mercy of God our unprofitable liv… now and I hope that these lines will…your family all well. Last night we had a verry hard thunder shower and Ebenezer was ought in it he was a walking a long the road and a flash of lightning blinded him so that he got ought of the road and fell on to a sharpe stump and cut his under lip clear thru and it is a great wonder to me that it had not a kild him but I am in hopse that it will soon git well a gain. October the 7 we had a daughter born and it was as poor a child as ever I see and it apeard to be…we had not mutch idea of it living but…well now and grose as fast as enny ….not what a day may bring forth …ought to be willilng to trust my…in the hands of God for I believe he…for I never found him to be a baron …to my sole when I put my trust in him. I received your letter on Friday 21 of September. Uncle Edward and Olive got hear the 30 …you do not know how glad I was to see them and to from you all and to hear that you was all in the land living..to see you more then I can express but…the Lord only knows but I hope by …we shall all be permited to…of time I believe if we do it…meeting dear Sister if you ever pray …that I might be willing that the will of the Lord should be done. I have not heard one word from farthers folks sens uncle Edward went from hear. It is 3 [unclear] weaks to day sens my babe was born and I think I have not enjoyd my health so well in a year as I do now. O what a blessing health is. I do not know of enny thing more of importance to wright. Pleas to remember me to your husband and to all inquiring frends. We call our babe Hannah Parmer.

Sarah Draper

Source 172 – [???] Web File for Battle of Cherry Valley, NY

by

The Battle of Cherry Valley, NY (Massacre) – November 10, 1778

NOTE: see separate document titled S171 for the complete document

Americans Commanded by Col. Ichabod Alden
Forces – 250; Killed – 70*; Wounded – ; Captured 33
British Commanded by Walter Butler & Chief Joseph Brant
Forces 700; Killed – ; Wounded – ; Captured –
Conclusion: British Victory

[this record doesn’t speak specifically of Moses Nelson, his family, his mother’s slaughter, or his capture. It does provide detailed record of others, though]