June 1913 - 100 Years Ago in "That Thriving Town"

In June 1913, the correspondent for the Andes Recorder continued to report in the weekly Bovina column issues related the state road that went through Bovina.  The Scott Bridge, the old stone bridge near the present day McPherson farm had improvements made to it and several people were moving or improving their homes.  And several of Bovina's Civil War veterans - 'Old Soldiers' - were making plans to travel to Gettysburg for the 50th anniversary of the famous Civil War battle.

The spelling you will see of 'daughter' as 'dauter' was not a random typo but a way that the paper for sometime consistently spelled it.


June 6, 1913

Charles Tuttle found one of his best yearlings dead in the pasture Tuesday morning, with blackleg (the Tuttle farm appears to have been in the Tunis Lake area).

The state road contractor was compelled to bring back the steam roller and tar wagon from Bloomville to do some more work.

William J. Archibald, on the Robert C. Scott farm, is enlarging the cellar under his residence by putting it under the wing of the house. [This is the present day McPherson farm at the lower end of the hamlet.]

Daniel McMullen has moved from what is known as the D.Lyle Thomson farm on Pink street to William A. Hoy’s house in the Center (Hoy's is the Tim McIntosh house).

Thomas Fuller died at his home in Bovina Center on Friday, May 30, after a long illness from acute myocarditis.  Mr. Fuller was born and always resided in the town of Bovina.  He is survived by his wife who was Miss Abdigal Seacord, of southern Bovina, and one son, Charles Fuller.  The funeral was held Sabbath afternoon with interment in the Center Cemetery.

Moving to Delhi

Russell Archibald, formerly of Bovina, who has been in charge of the New York office of the F.S. Royster Guano company, as district sales manager while the company was organizing its Northern territory, will come to Delhi to reside, and will travel for the firm part of the year.  [F.S. Royster Guano was a fertilizer company, based in North Carolina.]

June 13, 1913

Concrete sides are being put on the stone arch bridge at the R.C. Scott place on the State road.

A.E.T. Coulter, on the Turnpike, has installed a telephone on Downsville company’s system. [Andrew Coulter lived on what is now Route 28.]

The Bovina State road was accepted Tuesday by the authorities and has been taken off the hands of the contractor.

Among those who expect to attend the re-union at Gettysburg on the 50th anniversary are Frank Gowanlock, G.D. Miller, Thomas Gordon, William Richardson and Jas. G. Seath.

The town traction engine was broken last week while working in Biggar Hollow and it was necessary to send to Harrisburg for a new part, and in the meantime the engine is standing in the road.

June 20, 1913

J.T. Barnhart and dauter were at Andes on Monday. [This would be Jeremy Barnhart and the daughter was either my grandmother, Anna Bell, or her sister, Edith, who later married James Boggs.]

James E. Hastings is about to purchase an automobile for his dauter, Miss Dora. [Dora later married James Barnhart and was the mother of Eleanor Damgaard.]

Congressman and Mrs. Peter Gerry arrived at their summer home at Lake Delaware, Tuesday evening.

Master William Gordon, son of Thos Gordon, has been critically ill the past week with typhoid fever, but is now reported to be recovering.  A son of Dan McMullin also has the disease in a light form.  [See this blog for January 12, 2012 for more information on William Gordon.]

Professor Ayers, wife and child, of Ithaca, spent a few days last week with his brother, who is butter maker at the Center creamery.  Professor Ayers is an instructor in the dairy school at Cornell University.

If arrangements can be made to have second year academic subjects taught as well as first year subjects it is expected that private school in the Center will be continued the coming year in charge of Miss Jane Hastings. [There is little information about this private school - I will be checking into this further.]

June 27, 1913

Alex Hilson attended the meeting of feed dealers at Delhi on Thursday.

For the month of May patrons of the Bovina Center Co-Operative Creamery company received 37 cents a pound for butter fat.

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Strangeway have issued invitations for the marriage of their youngest daughter, Helena, to John Hilson on Wednesday July 2. [These are the parents of Alex and Jack Hilson and Louise Hilson Mole and Jane Hilson Hoy.]

Miss Marjorie Bailey dauter of the late Jacob Bailey of this town, who for the past year has been teaching in Salt Lake City, Utah, arrived home Friday evening to spend the summer with her mother in Bloomville.