The Puritan Drapers in America by Delbert M. Draper

The Puritan Drapers in America

In his book, The Drapers in America, Thomas Man-Morgan Draper states that the Mormon Drapers interviewed by him in Utah about 1891 claimed to be of Puritan descent (page 239).

It may be added here that they claim that an English yeoman, named Thomas Draper, was their first known ancestor in England. The only evidence brought to Utah with them to support this claim was an ancient dress suit brought with them from Canada. In the sleeve lining of the coat, marked in indelible ink, appeared the following inscription: "T D Y 1603." With this marking goes a well established legend that the TDY stands for "Thomas Draper, yeoman," and "1603" is the year in which said outfit was made for him. Further legend says the suit was handed down--from father to son-and brought to America by a Puritan descendant about one hundred years before Thomas and Lydia Rogers Draper were born. Delbert M. Draper, author of The Mormon Drapers, saw and handled this suit many times between 1907 and 1955, when it was accidentally destroyed.

Thomas Draper I and his English Descendents

Thomas Draper I and his English Descendants

-Delbert M. Draper, The Mormon Drapers pp.9-11

Thomas Draper I was born at Heptonstall, England, about 1554. His will was presented there for probate October 6, 1603, so he must have wed shortly before that. He married Grace Newhall (date of birth and marriage not known). She was buried at Heptonstall on June 21, 1600.

Heptonstall and its environs were visited and explored by Thomas Wain-Morgan Draper, author of The Drapers in America, about 1890. He described what he saw--and stated what he learned, as follows:

The native place of the Drapers and Stansfields is a village and Parochial Chapelry in Halifax Parish, West Riding, Yorkshire, England. The village stands on a bleak eminence, adjacent to River Hebden ... and eight miles west by north of Halifax, and has a post-office under Manchester ... The Chapelry includes also the hamlets of Erringden, Langfield, Stansfield, and Wadsworth. ... A decrease in population has been caused by depression in hand-loom weaving. ... Much of the land is moor and common. There are silk, cotton, and cotton-spinning manufactories. The living is a perpetual Curacy in the Diocese of Ripon. ... Patron, the Vicar of Halifax .... There are Chapels for Baptists and Wesleyans, a grammar school and several small charities.