Ernest DRAPER
was born on May 17 1891 in Phillips Wisconsin. He died on Apr 26 1987 in
North Battleford Sask.. He was a Farmer, Carpenter, Night Watchman.
He was married to Lillian Maude Liggins on 4 Apr
1929 in North Battleford, Saskatchewan.
Lillian Maude Liggins was born on 27
Oct 1908 in North Battleford SK. She died on 21 Dec 1987 in North
Battleford.
Ernest's family moved to Oconto, Nebraska in 1892. He then came to Canada to the Battleford area with his parents, Charles
and Harriet Draper, when they moved from Oconto in 1902. He was ten years old at the time but can vividly remember
the trip by covered wagon. He claims to have walked most of the way because the children used to run along the
railway tracks and pick up bits of coal and whatever they could find to use for fuel in the cook stove in the covered
wagon where his mother used to cook the meals and bake bread.
They first lived near Battleford and then moved to a quarter section in the Cleveland School District
about 1911.
The school was built in the early 1900's but Ernest and Edna did not attend, however, their younger brother, Cloyde,
did attend Cleveland School. As he grew older, he was able to assist his father in
farming the land and went on
a trip in search of land in Fort Fraser and Vanderhoof, B.C. area in 1919. He didn't find land so returned to help
his father on the farm.
As time went on and social activities took place at the school, he was able to get a glimpse of a young lady named
Lillian Maud Liggins. Lillian, although very shy, used to play the piano for some of the school activities and
he would always keep an eye on her. He then began to court her and after about a year, they were married on April
4, 1929. They first resided with his wife's parents (Robert Leonard and Martha Annie Liggins)
after which they moved into their own little home not far from Cleveland School.
In 1933, Ernest's father passed away so he and his family moved in with his mother to help with the farm work-.
His mother passed away in 1936.
Ernest and Lillian both died in
1987
The Draper Page
