My Tree

Deeply Rooted

Draper, Nancy J.

Source 029 – Personal Letter by Helen E. Nelson

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Author: Helen E. Nelson of Springport, Jackson Co., MI
Title: Letter to “Aunt” [Hannah P. Draper]
Date: 21 May 1863
Curator: Christine Fisher
Note:

Miss Hannah P. Draper
21 May 1863

Dear Aunt [Hannah P Draper]
I received your letter in due time and hasten to answer it. It is very warm this afternoon almost uncomfortably and I have the head ache as hard as I want to have it. So you see I am not in any tune for writing and if I make mistakes you will excuse me. It is customary I believe to begin a letter by telling the state of health of each member of the family and I may as well begin now as at any time. Father (Moses Nelson Jr) is or has been middling well for some time and I think if he takes thorroughworst enough he may keep well. I have no encouraging news to tell about Mother (Nancy Jane Draper Nelson). Her ankle is at times very painful and again it is quite easy some times her health is better and again worse. I think probably if she could be some where, where she would not have to work that she would be better and might get well, but as long as we work a farm she will work and that is what keeps her down. Valeria is just now well. She is teaching school here in the chamber. Mrs. Carpenter sends her daughter Esther. They pay a shilling a week and that is all she gets for teaching this summer. I am studying some this summer though I have not made a business of going to school. Mariah and Carrie Dixon, the girls that live here, and also Emma French, attend school, but as they live here they go free. Mrs. French has been giving Emma a whipping for about 1/2 hour and her music has kept time to my writing in no very agreeable manner. We have felt like saying in the midst of squalls and screams from Emily and the scolding of the old woman and girls, “O! for a lodge in some vast wilderness, some boundless contiguity of shade, where rumors of oppression and deceit might never reach me more.” You can see what pleasant times we have living here. The place itself is pretty, but the folks are disagreeable both to themselves and everybody around them unless they chance to be in an uncommon pleasant mood which state occurs but very seldom. I should be very glad if we were able to come and see you when he new arrangements are completed and you were alone. I think the wall paper is very pretty especially the blue and I should like very much to see it on the wall. Well Aunt I have a new dress. The skirt and waist are different. I wanted to get a whole dress like the skirt but there was not enough in the piece only 7 yards so I got another kind for waist and sleeves the colors are more brilliant, but the quality of the cloth is not as good as the skirt. I had to pay $.25 a yard for it. I will send a piece of my waist, but I have used the other all up in my skirt and an apron for Valeria (sister). So I shall not be able to send you any now. I am going to send you a four leaf clover and also the language which is industry, it applies to you I think very well. Charles Dixon of whom I spoke in a previous letter as being in a hospital at Washington happily surprised his folks by making his arrival about three weeks ago having been discharged. Theron E. Carpenter has joined the regiment we shall not probably see him again unless he survives the war and returns. It is sad to think of, so many have taken the parting kiss for the last time to meet no more on Earth but those that have a hope that their loved ones are prepared for eternity will not mourn as those that have no hope, although the loss will be the same. I can sympathize with those that have friends in the army for I have had sad experience myself of having a brother there who suffered and fought and fell for his country. I miss him more and more, the longer the lapse of time, the more I long for a brother’s love and frequently I go away to think and weep and pray for him, if living that he may be protected from the snares of the world and kept free from all temptation and if not that I might be reconciled to the will of God and trust in His love knowing that he chastens in love and merciful kindness and that he dose all things well. You asked if we received a letter dated in February. I cannot tell but I think we did. How do you like your collar. Does it fit you. Mother and Valeria are not able to write to you today so you will excuse them this time. We are all glad to hear from you. Our horses are getting along quite well. The colt is as smart as a whip, but we have to feed him part cows milk. His name is Billy. We have a new milks cow, one he bought for the purpose of raising the colt. I thought I would try and cover this sheet too, but I don’t know as I shall be able. There are five women getting vituals and they jar the house so that I can hardly write. I believe supper is about ready and I shall have to conclude this letter. Our folks are going up to Springport after supper and will start this on the road. I have not been very well for some and on account of poor health I have not been able to make this letter any more interesting. Write soon. With much love I remain as ever your affectionate niece,
Helen E. Nelson (age 17)
Springport, Jackson Co., MI

I will send you a flowering Almond. The language is Hope.

Source 035 – Personal Letter by Nathan C. Draper

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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

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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]