Madison County, NY, Times -  Feb 8, 1884

Chittenango Station - The subject of this memorial, Ari Draper was born in the village of Herkimer on the 4th day of June 1815, died January 27, 1884. Of his early life and advantages his biography is limited. He moved to Sullivan, Madison County about the year 1838 and was married to Cynthia Bender the 31st day of December 1840 the ceremony being performed by the Hon Esq. Beebe of Canasaraga. He first located to East Boston and for years worked at the carpenter trade and mason work. From East Boston he moved to Syracuse and from thence to Lysander and thence to Ridgeville and in 1851 permanently located in  Sullivan where he died as above stated.

He became seriously impressed in early life and formally united with the Weslyan Methodist, living an exemplary life for many years. He was so zealous and energetic in the cause of religion that conference granted him license to exhort. In 1866 he felt impressed to probe and thoroughly investigate spiritualism, which proved a more difficult task and strain on his mind than he anticipated. Ultimately he settled down as a consistent liberalist, claiming there was one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and in us all.

It can be truthfully said of him that he can be numbered among God's nobility.-- the honest men. He earned his bread by the sweat of his brow, and is in happy communion with all the great and good that have preceded him.

His wife improves this opportunity to express her sincere thanks to all of her many friends for their great kindness during her husbands quite protracted illness and feels very grateful for their manifestations of great respect shown deceased at the funeral.