This story actually involves many of the families that comprise our ancestors in addition to the Drapers. I will deal with the main families in order, hopefully, to reduce confusion and create some understanding of our family lines, which is the purpose of this short narrative.

Our branch of the Draper family, according to researchers, originally came from the “lowlands” of western Europe near the Netherlands. Three brothers moved to West Yorkshire, England in about 1415. They used the name “le Drapour” at the time. Eventually over succeeding generations it evolved to the current spelling “Draper”. The brothers were in the clothing / textile business.

Early in the 17^th century a member of the family moved to the New England Colonies. James "the Puritan" Draper was the head of this household. Near the end of the century or early in the 18^th century Samuel Draper ran away from his home in Heptonstall, Halifax, West Yorkshire, England to become a Pirate. He eventually settled in Massachusetts before his son Boston was born in 1719.

Samuel and James are believed to be related but to date the link has not been proven. Reference is made to a great uncle of Samuels.

Although Samuel had four sons, the only one known to have descendants to date is Boston(1719-1784), our ancestor.

Boston married Tryphena Brown, the daughter of Boaz Brown (1705-1772). Tryphena was a descendant of Thomas and Bridget Brown who arrived in New England from “Bury St. Edmund” England in 1638. Their descendants lived in and around Concord and Stow Massachusetts.

Boston and Tryphena settled just a few miles from Stow in Boxborough, MA. Their tombstone still stands in the Old North cemetery in Boxborough.

A son was born to Boston and Tryphena in 1775 and they named him after Tryphena’s father. He was called “Boaz Brown” Draper. Boaz moved his family to Herkimer, New York settling in the German Flats area between 1810 and 1815. He is known to have had three wives. They were  Sarah White, Sally Lowell, and Alice Olive Meyers. We believe that Sally Lowell was the mother of our ancestor, Ari Draper, who was born in Herkimer in 1815. There is presently no information about Alice although She is believed to be the mother of Franklin born in 1822 and children born later.

Ari married Cynthia Bender in 1840. His older half sister, Olive (born:1809) had previously married Daniel Bender in 1830. To date we have been unable to establish a connection between Daniel and Cynthia, they are not believed to be siblings. Cynthia was the daughter of George and Christina Bender. Her ancestors were part of the Palentine immigration, which started in about 1720. Some of them settled in the Herkimer, New York area.

Ari’s brother, Franklin (born:1822) married Catherine Eliza Weber and moved to Iowa. Daniel and Olive settled in the Town of Sullivan, Madison County, NY.

Ari and Cynthia settled in Chittenango, Town of Sullivan, Madison County, New York. Their children were: William (b:1842); David (b:1844); Hortence (b:1848); Charles (b:1849); Mary Elizabeth (b:1852); Lillian Josephine (b:1857); Ida Mae (b: 1861); and twins, Francis Elgin and Franklin (b:1864).

After serving in the civil war, William Draper moved west and eventually wound up in Oconto, Nebraska. It is possible he was the first of the Draper family to head west. He was living in Iowa in 1869. At this time there is no record of his date of arrival in Oconto. His wife Nettie died there Mar 11, 1886. He had moved to Ohio by 1898.

David married Harriet (Hattie) Francelia Carpenter, the daughter of Reuben and Hannah (Pennock) Carpenter about 1865. They had three children, Elwin, Flora, and Cynthia. Charles married Mary Trumble. Their children were, Lydia Mae, Albert Clinton, Charles, and Edwin Ward.

Harriet’s father, Reuben Carpenter, the son of Robert N. Carpenter, is the descendant of Capt William Carpenter who came to Massachusetts in 1638 on the ship “Bevis” and founded the town of Rehoboth. Reuben's grandmother Hannah (Thayer) Carpenter is the descendant of Ferdinando Thayer, one of the founders of Mendon MA. Reuben’s wife Hannah Pennock, was born in Hebron, Washington County, New York. Her parents came from Connecticut. Hannah’s brother, Ebenezer, became one of the largest landholders in New York around 1865. He moved into a new mansion in Chittenango in 1865. The house still stands at 120 Madison, Chittenango NY.

David and Charles and their families moved to New Haven, Oswego County, New York, about 1870. New Haven is north of Syracuse on Lake Ontario, less than 50 miles from Chittenango.

At some point around 1878, Charles and Harriet decided to leave their respective spouses and children. They headed north to Canada where their oldest son Bert was born on July 2, 1879. They then headed west in 1882 eventually arriving in Toledo Ohio where their second son Elmer was born. They next moved to Phillips, Wisconsin and about 1892 moved to Oconto, Nebraska. In 1902 they traveled by wagon train to Battleford Saskatchewan.

In the meanwhile their families in New York lost track of Charles and Harriet. David and Harriet’s children were raised in New York as were Charles and Mary’s.  In 1910 David Draper married Charlotte Fellows. They lived in Rome, New York.

Mary Elizabeth married James Jackson and they lived in Oconto until moving to Battleford in 1902. Francis married Jesse Estelle Ingram and joined the trek to Battleford. Franklin who also lived in Oconto stayed in Nebraska. James and Mary returned to the US in 1914 when James became ill. Their oldest son, Walter had not joined the trek north and took care of his father until his death in 1914. Their two daughters Mabel and Agnes stayed in Battleford and married the Hennessy brothers.

Ida Mae married Henry Camp and continued living in the Chittenango area. Their daughter, Mabel married Norris Jacquay and moved to Phoenix, Arizona.

Francis Elgin Draper stayed in the Battleford area for a while. He separated from his wife and eventually both returned to the US. Francis eventually went to live near his son Alphonse in Oregon. Part of his family remained in Canada. Others went to the US.

Charles and Harriet’s children were Bert (b:1879); Elmer (b:1882 died as infant); Edna (b:1887); Ernest (b:1891); Cloyde (b:1895). Bert married Laura Wood and they remained in the US and eventually moving to southern California. Edna married Andy Delong who she met on the trek to Battleford. Ernest married Lillian Maude Liggins. Cloyde married Rose Choque.

In 1999 with the assistance of James Draper descendant, Dan Draper jr, the Grandchildren of Charles and his first wife Mary, in New York, were connected with their cousins the grandchildren of Charles and Harriet.

In 2000 through the internet and this website the grandchildren of David and Harriet contacted the descendants of Charles and Harriet and a family secret was revealed for the first time in over one hundred years.