Friday, February 28, 2014

This Day in Bovina for February

Here are the 28 entries from the Town of Bovina Historian Facebook page for February:

Sixty one years ago today, on February 1, 1953, fire severely damaged Aknusti, the home of Robert L. Gerry at Lake Delaware.  As reported in the Catskill Mountain News, "Damage was estimated at more than one million dollars in Sunday morning’s fire which gutted the Aknusti mansion …. Everything inflamable, including priceless and irreplaceable antiques, furnishings and art objects, was destroyed in the blaze that left the 40-year-old structure a blackened and twisted hulk of concrete and metal."
Here's a postcard view of Aknusti before the fire.
Eighty six years ago on February 2, 1928, an alert Ruth Coulter saw a light in the village school building and discovered that the building was on fire.  As later reported in the Andes Recorder, "The fire department was called out and the fire was put out by the use of chemicals and very little water with only slight damage. It started from the furnace."  The building concerned is now the Bovina Public Library.  Ruth Coulter later married Bill Parsons.

Ninety five years ago on February 3, 1919, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "Mrs. Mary Swart, who has been in poor health for some time, suffered a shock about 5 o’clock Tuesday morning, at the home of her niece, Mrs. William Crosier, and lies in precarious condition." She died a few days later on February 8.

115 years ago, on February 4, 1899, Mrs. Violet Johnson died suddenly at her home in the Mountain Brook area while on the telephone.  As later reported in the Andes Recorder, “John Hewitt was talking to her during the forenoon and all at once he noticed something unusual but supposed something was wrong with the instrument.  When her son, Thomas, went into the house for dinner he found her laying on the floor dead.”  Violet was born in Scotland in 1834, the daughter of Thomas and Helen Hamilton. She married Thomas H. Johnston and had four children. She was survived by two of her sons, “who are proprietors of the Woolen Mills.”

Two farm related items from the Andes Recorder appeared 117 years ago today in its Bovina column for February 5, 1897:
"Cows averaged $22.80 at Thomas Gordon’s auction last week Thursday, in Glenburnie, and everything else sold well.
"Many think that the grasshoppers working on the hay and straw the past season, is the cause of so much sickness among cows and horses here this winter."

111 years ago today, the February 6, 1903 Andes Recorder Bovina correspondent reported a rather horrible incident involving a former Bovina resident and a mad dog: "Last week word was received at this place that James. L. Ormiston and his two daughters, who resides at Wilmington, Delaware, had been bitten by a mad dog.  The dog, which belonged to a neighbor, attacked the youngest daughter, aged about seven years, and an older sister went to her assistance, and both were severely bitten when Mr. Ormiston came to their aid.  He succeeded in chocking the dog to death, but not until it had bitten off one of his fingers.  His brother, Dr. Ormiston of Delhi, who went to treat them, reports that no hydrophobia symptoms have developed and it is thought that they will come out all right."

112 years ago, in its February 7, 1902 edition, the Andes Recorder reported on a letter from a Bovina resident who was in Seattle:  "Writing from Seattle, Miss Jennie J. Campbell, who recently went from this place, likes the place very much and her letter, written about the middle of January, states that the climate is mild and at that time the weather was like our April.  Lawns were green and roses and violets were in bloom."

113 years ago today, the Garnett (Kansas) Eagle, in its February 8, 1901 issue, reported on a call made by the congregation of the U.P. Church in that town. The report, later published in the Andes Recorder under the heading "A Bovina Boy,"  went on to state that "At a congregational meeting of the United Presbyterian Church last Tuesday afternoon, it was unanimously agreed to call the Rev. W.T. Mabon to the pastorate of the church here.  Rev. Mabon has addressed this congregation a few times and the members were delighted with him.  He is a young man just graduated from the seminary at Xenia, Ohio.  His home is in Bovina Delaware County, N.Y.  It is understood that Rev. Mabon will accept the call. He will locate in Garnet in about a month."

108 years ago, on February 9, 1906, Dr. L.L. Van Slyke, of the [New York] State [Agricultural] Experiment Station, Geneva, NY lectured in Strangeway’s Hall.  His topic was the “Utilization of Barnyard Waste.”  The Andes Recorder, in promoting the lecture, reported that “The Doctor is under the Bureau of Farmers’ Institutes of the State Agricultural Department.  He will tell how to enlarge the bank account.  He is an interesting speaker and his address will both please and profit.” Dr. Van Slyke worked for the Geneva station for 38 years, retiring in 1929.

Eighty six years ago, the Andes Recorder of February 10, 1928 reported that "Courtney Currie was kept from his work at the creamery a few days the past week by boils."

149 years ago today on February 11, 1865, these two receipts were issued for payment to Robert Scott and James Elliott for $25 each.  Scott and Elliott incurred these expense by going to New York City to recruit volunteers to help Bovina meet its recruitment quota.

114 years ago, on February 12, 1902, Fort-nightly Club lecture course hosted a lecture by Professor William Elliott Travis of Cornell University at Strangeway’s Hall. His subject was “Facts Fun and Fancy Concerning the Japanese.”

Ninety-two years ago, on February 13, 1922, the Bovina Town Board met "to make arrangements for building a new bridge to take the place of the stone arch bridge at the former Strangeway store in Bovina Center."  As later reported in the Andes Recorder, "The present structure was built about 1858, by James R. Scott, who furnished and hauled the stone and built the bridge for $100.  The highway commissioner was severely criticized for his extravagance, it being alleged that he would bankrupt the town."

Eighty-four years ago, on February 14, 1928, "Bovina experienced a very high water Tuesday night.  Streams were over the banks and large cakes of ice were carried onto the highway below the Center.  Cellars were also filled, water ran through the barn of Lester Hoy on the former John Hastings farm."

102 years ago today, on February 15, 1912, Elmer Gladstone, son of George Gladstone, was operated on for chronic appendicitis. He came through the operation fine. In 1925 he was attacked by a bull on the family farm. He survived that too and died when he was 81 in 1956.

A heavy snowfall ninety four years ago today, February 16, 1920, prevented the delivery of the mail. It did make it through the next day. Another storm about a month later would prevent mail deliver on March 12 and 13.

103 years ago today, on February 17, 1911, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "The infant child of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Foreman, aged three months and four days, died with pneumonia... Rev. Robb officiated at the funeral Monday.  Child was their only daughter, Mary Elizabeth."

Commodore E.T. Gerry died in New York City eighty seven years ago today, February 18, 1927. Grandson of a signer of the Declaration of Independence, he spent many summers at home on Lake Delaware. His son Robert and daughter Angelica each later built their own homes at the lake.

Ninety three years ago today, the installation of radios in Bovina seemed to be the rage. The Andes Recorder of February 19, 1921 reported that "John H. Hilson has had a radio installed."  The same issue also also reported that "John S. Burns in upper Bovina and Gaylie Hafele up Coulter Brook, have had radios installed."

112 years ago this afternoon, on February 20, 1902, "the smoke house of G.D. Miller caught fire, scorching eight hams he had curing there.  It was believed that the building caught fire from some ashes which Mr. Miller had taken from the stove that morning and stored there." [Andes Recorder]

The February 21, 1902 issue of the Andes Recorder (112 years ago today) reported in its Bovina column that "Henry Hogaboom, formerly of this town, is now at the Military Home at Dayton, Ohio." Hogaboom was a Civil War veteran.  Born in Sullivan County, he moved to Bovina as a boy and settled in Lake Delaware after the war until his move to the soldier's home.  He lived there 19 years until his death there in 1921.  His body was brought back to Bovina for burial.

118 years ago today, on February 22, 1896, “An entertainment was held Saturday night in Strangeway’s Hall for the benefit of the Epworth League and it was reported as being a good one. The proceeds amounted to $19.” [Andes Recorder]  The Epworth League was an organization of the Methodist Church.

Seventy-three years ago today on February 23, 1941, as later reported in the Delaware Republican, "Mrs. W.J. Storie gave a ten-cent tea at her home for the benefit of the A.W.V.S…"

118 years ago, on February 24, 1896, a fire that happened during evening church services caused a ruckus. The reported of the fire was in the Andes Recorder: "About 8 o’clock Monday evening [Feb 24] while the people were in the United Presbyterian church attending services, the startling cry of fire ran through the church. In an instant all was excitement and a rush was made for the door and the street was black with people hurrying toward the store of Hilson & Blair where the fire had been discovered.  The fire had started in the rear of the store beneath the floor and within a few feet of the oil tank.  Plenty of help was soon on hand and went to work carrying water in pails, tubs and whatever would hold water.  Boards were torn off and the water poured on the fire and it was soon extinguished without much damage being done.  No cause can be given for the fire as fire has never been kept in that part of the building.  If the fire had gained a little more headway before it was discovered, or had occurred a few hours later nothing could have saved the store, as we have no way to extinguish a fire once fully started."

194 years ago today on February 25, 1820, the New York State legislature passed an act creating the Town of Bovina.

Seventy four years ago today, on February 26, 1940, Mrs. Charles F. McPherson died.  The Delaware Republican had reported in its February 22 issue that "Mrs. Charles F. McPherson was taken to the hospital at Delhi….for treatment by Dr. Brooks."  The newspaper reported her death a week later.

The Andes Recorder from 135 years ago today, February 27, 1879, reported the sad news that "Henry, Son of Wm. D. Thompson, of Brushland, who met with an accident recently, which was supposed to have ruptured one of his kidneys, is not better, and when last heard from he was still failing.  He is about fifteen years of age, and an only child."  Henry, born in 1862, had had three siblings, but they had all died as children, two before his birth.  Happily, Henry did recover from this accident and was married four years later.  He died in 1930, leaving a widow and three children.

Ninety one years ago, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, “The road from Bovina to Delhi was opened up Wednesday [February 28, 1923] for trucks, after having been closed for anything but sleighs for about two weeks.”

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Annual Report for 2013

This is the annual report that I am required to submit each year to the town board and to the New York State Historian's Office.

Overview
I continued to write articles for the Bovina NY History blog.  This year, I began a project to put daily little history bits on the Bovina NY History FB page.  Monthly compilations of these are being put on the blog.
The Bovina History Calendar for 2014 was produced in the late summer, using old postcard views.  Sales of the calendar benefit the Bovina Historical Society.
In the spring, I continued work on seeking out and documenting old farm foundations for the Foundations of Bovina project.
My plans to prepare for publication a History of Bovina book have been delayed.  Progress was made, but a couple more key sections need work before it can be published.
I was interviewed twice on film concerning the Anti-Rent War and specifically, Edward O’Connor.

Research Themes/Topics

Old house and barn foundations
During the early and mid-spring, I visited several sites of old foundations, including the remnants of the uptown creamery off Bovina Road and the Miller homestead foundations on the Ed and Gretchen Rossley property on Miller Avenue.

Plane crash on Bramley Mountain
Four more expeditions on Moon Mountain to find any remains of the plane that crashed in the Bramley Mountain area in April 1945 finally saw some success in October.  Samatha Misa, a Bovina resident and student at SUNY Geneseo joined us with her metal detector.  We found some wires that may be from the airplane, though further research is needed

Andes Recorder
I discovered that the Andes Recorder from the late 1890s to the late 1930s (when the paper ceased publication) had a weekly Bovina column. It’s been a good source for documenting when houses have been built in town. I have been transcribing the columns.

Bovina Cemeteries
The Davidson Brothers continue to work on documenting the cemeteries in town. Last year, they put the entries onto Find-A-Grave. This year, they turned the responsibility of managing the memorials over to me.

Bovina History Blog-http://bovinanyhistory.blogspot.com/
The Blog continues and draws a number of interested readers. I get occasional responses concerning entries.  An entry early this year on the Muller family that lived in Bovina at the end of the 19th century and early 20th century led to a descendant providing further information about some of the family that moved west.  The blog also was what led filmmaker Bruce Kennedy to contact me about the Anti-Rent War.

Interviews on the Anti-Rent War
In July, I was contacted by Bruce Kennedy, who is doing a film on the Anti-Rent War.  He saw my blog entry about Edward O’Connor and wanted to interview me.  The interview took place in August at the Delaware County Historical Association.  Kennedy brought a rough cut of the film in November to DCHA for a screening.  He is hoping to sell the film to PBS.
I was contacted by a different filmmaker in September - Victoria Kupchinetsky. She is a correspondent for the Voice of America and also is doing a film on the Anti-Rent War. She interviewed me in October at the Stub Russell farm, the location of the Edward O’Connor farm, to talk about O’Connor.

Articles
In May I made arrangements with the editor of the Walton Reporter, Bob Cairns, to submit monthly articles on the history of Bovina and have done so since June. Articles have covered such topics as “Was Bovina Butter Served at the White House,” the Bramley Mountain plane crash and Bovina one-room school houses.
I wrote four articles for the community newsletter produced by the Bovina United Presbyterian Church.

Bovina History Calendar
The 2014 Bovina History Calendar featured postcard views of Bovina.  I received these from several sources, including the Delaware County Historical Association and from the collection of Chuck McIntosh.

Collecting and sharing images and records
Flickr is a photo sharing service that has allowed me to share Bovina images and records.  I added images over the course of the year to the Bovina NY History page: http://www.flickr.com/groups/1109140@N20/.

Since starting the Bovina History page on Flickr in 2009, there have been 63,195 views of the 605 images there.  People often respond with more information or questions.  Scott Desimon on Reagan Road was pleased to find a photograph of his farm in the 1980s.

Other activities
Roxbury Arts Group asked me to meet with students at the Stamford Central School District to discuss projects for National History Day on January 11.
Continued contact with Joan Kaye Wishkoff, daughter of one of the owners of the Tunis Lake Camp.

Correspondence and research help
Stephen Comency inquired about photographs of his Fuller ancestors.
Scott Menesini inquired about finding the headwaters of the Little Delaware for an art project.  He came to Bovina in March and with some assistance from Donna Weber, we made a trek to the headwaters.
Lynne Resch inquired about the history of the Carrino property. I also had an inquiry from the Chazen Companies concerning the history for a Phase I Environmental Site Update.
Sisters Sally and Patricia Barlow inquired about the ancestry of their mother and info from Bovina Early Families.  Unfortunately, I had no further information on the relatives they were seeking.  They later inquired about the Elisha B. Maynard home (their mother was a descendant).  I was able to provide more information and put them in contact with the current owner, Chris Ingvordsen.
Brooke Alderson had questions about the area around her property.  I provided her copies of some of the historical maps, including the 1869 Beers Atlas.
Lillian Browne inquired about the Lewis family in Bovina. I also had an inquiry on the family from Ronald Lewis.
Dianne Rabeler Abele had questions about her Thomson ancestors in preparation for a trip she was taking to Scotland.
Helen Leet was visiting in Bovina this summer and stopped by with pictures of the farm on which her father spent some of his childhood – better  known to me as the Briscoe farm.  She had some pictures and wanted to verify it was the farm.  I posted these on Facebook and was directed to a contact from the Briscoe family who confirmed that the buildings were from the Briscoe farm.  The structures have all since been demolished.
Sean Trimbell alerted me to an interesting and somewhat puzzling rock found on what used to be the Warren Farm (property currently owned by the Schuman family).  Former Delaware County Historian Pat Grimes took a group up to the rock in the 1990s.  I posted pictures on Facebook to see if anyone understood what the rock was about.  No definitive ideas have come forward yet.
JoAnn Rockefeller inquired about the location of her ancestor Silas Rockefeller’s farm.  I determined it was on Bramley Mountain off Reagan Road – it was once known as the Ed Dean farm.
Bill Justin inquired about George and Ida Kinch Miller, who are buried in Bovina.
Neil Powell inquired about the history of his house on Pink Street.
A historical landscape architect wanted to know more about Ancrum House and Aknusti on the Gerry estate. I provided some images and gave him a contact from the Gerry family and from Broadlands.
Steven Hall contacted me concerning Edward O’Connor, to whom he is related.

Association of Public Historians of New York State
I’m the Association’s Region 4 coordinator, responsible for organizing a fall regional meeting each year.
I was elected to be a trustee of APHNYS at their spring meeting in Syracuse.
At the spring meeting, I did a well-received presentation on how local government historians can effectively use social media (Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc) to share the history of their communities.
I became a registered historian at the same annual conference.  APHNYS registered historian program is a way to recognize the professionalism of local government historians.  The application process includes sharing presentations, articles, and other activities.

Plans for 2014
History of Bovina book – am hoping to complete this publication
2015 Calendar
Further documentation of Bovina foundations
Research themes will include Bovina Physicians, Johnson’s Woolen Mill, and Bovina place names.
I will continue to utilize social media, such as the Bovina NY History Blog and Facebook to share information on Bovina.  In January, I will be starting a new blog project – the 1868 diary of Walter Coulter (1843-1919).  Coulter spent his childhood and early adulthood in Bovina, though he spent most of his life in Walton.  The Delaware County Historical Association has his 1868 diary, when he was living in Bovina.
Plans are underway to co-lead a trip to Scotland in the fall of 2014 as a fundraiser for the Bovina UP Church. The focus will be on history, with a stay in the Scottish borders, from where many of the early settlers of Bovina came.


Respectfully submitted,

C. Raymond LaFever
Town Historian, Town of Bovina

Saturday, February 15, 2014

February 1914 - 100 Years Ago in "That Thriving Town"

February appears to have been a rather cold month 100 years ago, with temperatures plunging to 30 below zero. Makes us appreciate having temps of only around 15 below.....

February 6, 1914
Charles Russell has gone to Deerfield, Illinois. [Charles was the brother of Cecil Russell and would come back to the area.  Born in 1890, he died in 1980, just shy of his 90th birthday.]
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Emil Schneider on February 2, a son. [This is Edward Schneider, brother of Lil Hilson.  And he still is with us at 100!]
Mrs. George Aldrich was severely burned last week from the explosion of a bottle of gasoline.
Dick and Chauncey McFarland were at Delhi on Monday before the surrogate in the final settlement of the estate of Louise McFarland.
The town board held a meeting on Tuesday and appointed Alex Burns and Lancelot Thomson assessors for a term of four years, to fill the vacancies caused by the failure of John M. Campbell and Robert Doig to qualify.
Mrs. James Gill has sold her farm located near Tunis Lake in the town of Bovina, to James Cole, of Harvard. Mrs. Gill and her brother, William McMurray may move to Bovina center.

Mr. Ayers One of the Speakers
H.A. Ayers, butter maker at the Bovina Center Co-Operative Creamery, is announced as one of the speakers at the annual meeting of the Cornell Dairy Students’ association to be held at Ithaca, February 11, in connection with the Farmers’ week at Cornell. His subject is “Some Experience in Handling Gathered Cream.”

February 13, 1914
Thermometers here Thursday morning ranged from 22 to 30 degrees below zero.
George H. Miller moved Wednesday to the Sandy Kinmuth house which he recently purchased.
Dr. Hubbell, of Hobart, was here this week to see David Liddle, being called in consultation with Dr. Whitcomb the family physician.
H.A. Ayers, butter maker at the Center creamery, is taking a vacation of one week, and is spending it with his sister in Schoharie county and at Ithaca.

Lake Delaware Changes
Dick Avery, who has occupied the John Oliver house on the Gerry estate, has purchased a farm near Mapledale, Ulster county. A.B. Jardine is moving into the house vacated by Avery.

Would Exempt Creamery Employees
Assemblyman Green, of Lewis, has introduced a bill exempting employees in butter or cheese factories and in milk condensaries from the section of the labor law, which requires that employees in factories shall have 24 hours consecutive rest in every seven days.

February 20, 1914
The condition of the venerable clergyman, Rev. James B. Lee, D.D. remains about the same. [Lee would survive until July 1914.]
Two more car loads of pipe for the water works arrived at Delhi this week and is being hauled here.
The past week has been one of deep snow and extreme cold, some thermometers going as low as 28 below zero.
Mrs. James Gill and brother, William McMurray have been here looking for rooms, but did not find any.  They prefer rooms so located that they can take their meals with someone in the same house.

February 27, 1914
Howard McPherson, town superintendent of highways, attended the good roads meeting at Delhi on Thursday.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Bovina Place Names - Bovina Center/Brushland/Bovina Centre/Bovina Center

I am often asked when did Bovina Center become Brushland and then become Bovina Center again?

First, a clarification.  The Town of Bovina has always been known as the Town of Bovina.  Brushland is the name applied to what is now the hamlet of Bovina Center.  Sometimes referred to as a village, it never was a village in the legal sense (with a mayor, etc).

When the town was created in 1820, the Bovina Center area was often referred to as “The Huddle.”  When the post office was established, it was called "Bovina Centre," but written references to the term in any records is hard to find. In November 1849, the post office was changed to Brushland.

Brushland was named for Alexander Brush, the first settler in what is now Bovina Center.  He owned quite a bit of the land in the area and sold off parcels to people in the center.  Brush lived in the house now owned by Tim and Tamara McIntosh. He died in 1840 at the age of 81.

The use of the name Brushland is not consistent in records, however. The earliest published reference that I could find to Brushland shows up in the 1851 Bloomville Mirror.  It does not show up in the Bovina UP Church minutes until 1857 and not in the town board minutes until 1862.   It appears that Bovina Center/Centre and Brushland were used interchangeably.  The 1856 Gould Map, in its map of the whole town of Bovina, refers to the Huddle as Brushland, but in the inset map, it is called Bovina Center.  The 1869 Beers Atlas is more consistent, but also somewhat confusing.  In both the main map of the town and the map of Brushland, it calls it “Bovina or Brushland P.O.”

Into the 1870s and 80s, use of the term Brushland began to fade.  The last reference in the Bovina Town Board minutes was around 1884.  The UP Church session stopped using the term in their minutes in 1875.  The last published reference I could find to Brushland was in 1886 in the Andes Recorder.  The post office name was officially changed from Brushland back to Bovina Centre on October 1, 1886.

In the town clerk files, there is a claim submitted for a sheep killed by dogs in November 1886 where it appears that the person making the claim wrote Brushland, then crossed it out in favor of Bovina.

A few days later Thomas Gordon, submitting his expenses as Town Supervisor, uses the term Bovina Centre.

Billhead references to Brushland continue for a few years, however. These merchants were not going to throw away perfectly good invoices just because of the name change – they were Scottish, after all.

The post office saw its final change to Bovina Center in December 1893. An 1895 map of Delaware County uses “Bovina Center” with “Brushland” in smaller letters underneath.

The confusion between ‘er’ and ‘re’ in Center continued into the 20th century, despite the official post office name change.

A 1903 bill from J. Dennis clearly calls it Bovina Center Steam Mills – and it has a pre-printed date of 189_.

But a pre-printed postcard sent to all road commissioners in Bovina in 1903 clearly has Centre. By around 1910, the use of Bovina Center as opposed to Bovina Centre appears to predominate.

The unofficial use of Bovina Centre continued for some time, however, appearing as late as May 1945 in the Delaware Republican-Express’s heading for the weekly Bovina column.




Sunday, February 2, 2014

One of Bovina's Last Teachers - Ed Schneider

It has been over fifty years since the era of the one room school house ended in Bovina.  The Bovina Center school (District 4) closed in June 1961, with Mary Jardine as its last teacher.  This was the last operating school in Bovina, but it wasn't too long before that that Bovina had two schools.  The District 1 school district, the Maynard District, closed in June 1959.

Recently, Jim Hilson allowed me to borrow some photographs taken by his uncle Ed Schneider.  Ed was the last teacher at the Maynard school. He taught there for about the last three years the school was open. He was a very dedicated teacher - because of his concern for the money available to the district he did not cash his paychecks.

Here are some of the pictures. Thanks to Mary Parsons Scorzafava and Linn Trimbell for help in identifying the students.

Bottom to top: John Weber, Mary Weber, Byron Trimbell, Linnell Trimbell, Dawn Hobbie, Glenn Hobbie, Bob Krisel, Richard Parsons, Mary Parsons.

This photo has 1958 stamped on it

This photo has 1958 stamped on it. This is one of the few photos in Ed's collection showing Ed.

Easter - Richard Parsons, Mary Parsons, Glenn Hobbie, Bob Krisel, Dawn Hobbie, Linnell Trimbell, Mary Weber, Byron Trimbell, John Weber
Visit to the Delaware Republican offices, probably Spring 1959 - Linnell Trimbell, Carl Waterman, Jim Bathen, Byron Trimbell, XX, XX, Artie Bathen, XX
And if anyone else knows the still unidentified students in the pictures let me know at bovinahistorian@gmail.com.

Here's Ed's high school graduation portrait.  
This entry is being posted today because it is the 100th anniversary of Ed's birth.  Born in Bovina on the family farm on Coulter Brook on February 2, 1914, he was the son of Emil and Marguerite (Butler) Schneider (and the brother of Lillian Hilson).  He taught in a number of schools before and after teaching in Bovina. 

And Mr. Schneider still is with us, only recently having moved to a nursing home.  So Happy 100th Birthday to Ed. Here's a picture celebrating his day.
This picture was on Peg Hilson's Facebook page, so I quietly 'stole' it.  Here's Ed with his nephews Tom and Jim Hilson. I envy his beautiful white hair.