Saturday, January 31, 2015

This Day in Bovina for January 2015

119 years ago today, on January 1, 1896, George Archibald had all his children home for a New Year’s dinner.  As later reported in the Andes Recorder Bovina column, "These family reunions are a source of joy to some and to others of sorrow, as they bring to mind the departed ones who used to meet with them."

The January 2, 1920 Bovina column of the Andes Recorder reported ninety five years ago today that "Wallace Hyatt, who has completed a four year enlistment in the United States Navy, has received his discharge and is at his home here."

Ninety three years ago today, January 3, 1922, several Bovina people headed to New York City. As later reported in the Andes Recorder, "Mrs. George Baldwin, Miss Caroline Dickson, C.L. Dickson and Miss Jane Hilson left via Delhi, Tuesday morning for New York City, to resume their different labors." Mrs. Baldwin was the former Mary Dickson. She was the sister of her fellow travelers Caroline and C. Loughran Dickson.

111 years ago today, January 4, 1904, Civil War veteran Berry Shaw Miller attended the installation of officers of England Post of the Grand Army of the Republic in Delhi.  The GAR was the Civil War veterans group.

Ninety four years ago today, on January 5, 1921, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Andes Recorder, "about a dozen relatives of Sloan Archibald gathered at his home….to help him celebrate his 76th birthday." From all available records, this actually would have been his 73rd birthday. The party likely took place in the house that I now own. A month after this party, Sloan and his wife sold the house. Sloan would live another seven years, dying in 1928 at the age of 80.

Ninety one years ago today, on January 6, 1924, Mrs. Gilbert D. Miller celebrated her 80th birthday. As later reported in the Andes Recorder, "she wishes to thank the donors." Born Mary Jane Banker in 1844, she married Gilbert D. Miller, a Civil War veteran. This would be the last birthday she celebrated. Mrs. Miller died in December 1924. Her husband survived her, dying in 1931.

107 years ago today, on January 7, 1908, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "F.C. Armstrong celebrated his 70th birthday Tuesday.  His children presented him with a fine swing chair." He would live another 17 years, passing away in 1925 when he was 87.

137 years ago today, on January 8, 1878, a committee posted the following notice in the Andes Recorder: "The friends of Rev. J.B. Lee will pay him a donation visit at his residence in Brushland, on Tuesday evening, January 22nd 1878." Such visits were a common way for ministers to raise funds.

Ninety four years ago today, on January 9, 1921, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "Mrs. Earl Shaw died at Southern Pines, North Carolina, Sabbath night, January 9, from tuberculosis. She went south a few weeks ago in the hope of benefiting her health and for a time seemed to be improving.  She was in the Oneonta hospital 40 weeks for diseased arm, before going south.  She was born in Bovina and was the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Thomson, who now reside at South Kortright. The remains arrived at the home of her parents Wednesday night." Mrs. Shaw was born Helen Thomson and was married to Earl Shaw in 1914. She was survived by her husband and her daughter Barbara, who was not quite two when her mother died. Helen Thomson Shaw was buried in Bovina.

124 years ago today, as later reported in the Stamford Mirror, "Charles Bramley Jr, formerly of this town, but for the past 11 years a resident of Jetmore, Kansas, was in town on Saturday, Jan 10, [1891], calling on friends." By 1900, Charles was back in Bovina, widowed and living with his nephew Fred Bramley. He died at his sister's home in Davenport in 1912 and is buried in Bloomville.

Ninety seven years ago today, the January 11, 1918 Bovina correspondent for the Andes Recorder reported that "The street lamps have not been lighted, thus carrying out the wishes of the state, to save gasoline."

One hundred and seventy-seven years ago today, on January 12, 1838, Davina Laidlaw was born in Scotland, the daughter of David Laidlaw and Helen Knox Hart. She came to Bovina with her parents as a child and married Archibald Foreman, Sr. in 1861. Widowed in 1908, she died 10 years later in 1918 and is buried in Bovina.

103 years ago this morning, on January 13, 1912, as later recorded in the Bovina column of the Andes Recorder, "The thermometer...registered from 24 to 32 ½ below zero."

Ninety six years ago today, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, “Harry Barlow, age 10 years, died on his birthday, January 14, [1919], at the home of his aunt, Mrs. Wm. B. Smith, from Bright’s disease and heart trouble, which dated from an operation for appendicitis last February. He was born in Colorado and after the death of his mother came to live with his aunt.”  His father was Frank Barlow, a Delaware County native who had moved to Colorado and married Colorado native Edna May Burdick.  Harry was buried in Hobart.

One hundred eighty three years ago today, on January 15, 1832, Mrs. McFarland died. What Mrs. McFarland I have not been able to determine. The paper noted that she was "a native of Ireland." This possibly was Mrs. James McFarland, born Elizabeth Cooke. James was a native of Ireland and was married around 1751 in Ireland (he died in 1812). The most remarkable information about this woman, if the news report can be believed, was that she was "aged one hundred and ten years."

Eighty seven years ago today, on January 16, 1928, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "A sleet storm Monday night made traveling difficult and dangerous."

Ninety years ago today, on January 17, 1925, J. Douglas Burns and his son, William C (Bill) Burns went to Delhi. As later reported in the Bovina column of the Andes Recorder, they went to the County Seat "to see their wives, who are both in the hospital, the wife of the first named for treatment and Mrs. W.C. Burns is recovering from an operation." J. Douglas's wife, the former Margaret S. Doig, died five months later in June. Bill's wife, the former Emily Elliott, was recovering from a hernia operation and returned home in early February.

Ninety six years ago today, on January 18, 1919, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "Sloan Archibald lost a valuable cow …... It bled to death after being dehorned."

123 years ago today, the January 19, 1892 Stamford Mirror carried the following report from the Andes Recorder: "It is said that scarlet fever rages to such an extent in Bovina that scholars away from home at school have been cautioned to remain out of town until the disease disappears."

103 years ago today, the January 20, 1911 Bovina column of the Andes Recorder reported that "the young ladies of the town are collecting material for a cook book, which they will soon publish." This likely became "The Bovina Cook Book," collected by the "women of the United Presbyterian Church, Bovina Center, New York."

113 years ago today, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Andes Recorder, "Although rather late in the month the January thaw arrived Tuesday [January 21, 1902], also continuing Wednesday but caught cold Wednesday night.  An ice jam at the Centre forced the water out onto the flats."

Private John L. Myers, after 30 days of furlough at home, returned to duty ninety six years ago today on January 22, 1919. He served in naval aviation and was honorably discharged a week later. Myers was the son of Alexander and Isabelle Myers. Born in 1891, he was married to Adelaide Graig around the same time as his discharge. John died in 1962.

Eighty years ago today, January 23, 1935, Isabella Laidlaw McPherson died. Born in Andes in 1844, she was the daughter of William Laidlaw and Isabella Liddle. She married Ferris McPherson and they settled in Bovina, where they raised their three sons. She was widowed in 1906.

Mrs. Charlotte Miller died 103 years ago today on January 24, 1911 at the age of 50. She had been ill for several months from anemia. Born Charlotte Gow, she spent most of her life in Bovina. She married David W. Miller, who died in 1892 at the age of 37. Charlotte was survived by one son, who, unlike his parents, lived into old age, dying at the age of 96 in 1986.

Kate Birdsall was operated on "for chronic appendicitis…at the Delhi Hospital" seventy five years ago today, January 25, 1940.  The Delaware Republican reported that "she is doing nicely." Kate spent much of her childhood in my house. A cousin of Grace Roberts, Kate passed away in 2010 at the age of 87.

114 years ago today, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "Robert Gowanlock died Saturday forenoon [January 26, 1901] at the home of his nephew, Frank Gowanlock, aged 80 years.  He was born in Scotland and came to this country in 1840 and has since been a citizen of Bovina, following his trade – a carpenter.  The funeral was held Monday in the United Presbyterian church, conducted by Rev. Samson." He was buried in the Bovina Cemetery.

113 years ago today, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "Mrs. Stephen Russell died at her home near this village Monday morning, January 27, [1902] after a long illness, aged 74 years.  Mrs. Russell was the daughter of the late John Armstrong and was born in the town of Bovina, November, 1827, on the farm now occupied by F.C. Armstrong.  She was one of twelve children, ten of whom grew to manhood and womanhood. Of these five are now living – three daughters and two sons.  In 1850 she was married to Stephen Russell. She is survived by a husband, six sons and one daughter. The funeral was held Wednesday at 12 o’clock in the Reformed Presbyterian church, Rev. T.M. Slater officiating. The interment was in the Bovina Centre cemetery."

Ninety six years ago today, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "A party Tuesday evening [January 28, 1919] at Mrs. Ida Burgin’s, in honor of her son, Homer, whose furlough will soon expire, was largely attended, a number from Andes being present." Homer was the son of Edwin C. Burgin and Ida Liddle, and the brother of Edwin 'Ted' Burgin, making him the uncle of Cliff Burgin. Homer married Helen Knox in 1923 and later lived in Sidney, NY. He died in 1987.

Seventy one years ago today, on January 29, 1944, John W. Storie wrote the last entry in his diary that he had kept off and on since 1890: "Cloudy & cool snow last night. I some better not outdoors yet. Geo started milker. Called to John Thomas chimney fire." After this entry there is a note in another handwriting: "This is last entry by John Storie who died Feb. 4, 1944." The Catskill Mountain News later reported that Storie had died in the Delhi hospital from pneumonia, having been admitted the day before. He was 80 years old. Born on the Storie homestead on Pink Street, he was the son of Alexander and Esther Storie. He married Jane Laidlaw and they had two sons. William J. and George.

131 years ago today, as reported in the Stamford Mirror, "Wm. Thomson who had his hand taken off by a threshing machine some time ago, died at the residence of his son, Andrew, on Wednesday, January 30, [1884]." William was 75 at his death and was buried in Bovina. His widow, the former Amelia Lyle, died a few months after her husband in August 1884.

119 years ago today, the January 31, 1896 Bovina column of the Andes Recorder reported that "Charles D. Sanford has made what appears to us to be a very liberal offer.  He says that he will extend the telephone line to the top of the mountain, if New Kingston people will complete it to the latter place."

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Stories from Bovina Cemeteries - "A Very Strange Circumstance"

Stamford Mirror reported in its February 19, 1889 issue that “a very strange circumstance took place in Bovina recently.” The circumstance concerned the funerals of two elderly women, both from New Kingston. On January 24, Eleanor Wight Elliott passed away in New Kingston, likely on the farm still in the Elliott family that straddles the Bovina/Middletown town line. Born in 1817, she had just been widowed the previous October when her husband, William, died at the age of 79. In November 1864, Eleanor had the misfortune to lose two sons in the Civil War - Thomas and James. At her death, she did have one surviving son, John, who carried on the Elliott name. The day after her death came that of her neighbor, Sally Dumond Winter, the widow of Robert Winter, a native of England. Robert had died in 1878. Sally had five children, of whom at least four survived her. Within 20 years, however, they too had all passed away. Eleanor and Sally very likely knew each other - their farms were adjacent to each other.

The strangeness of the circumstance was the fact that the two burials took place at the same exact time in the Bovina cemetery. And it seems suitable that since they were neighbors in life that their graves were “within a rod of each other.”
The two graves are marked with arrows - on the left is Sally Winter, on the right is Eleanor Elliott.
Here are two images of the tombstones. Photos courtesy of Ed and Dick Davidson.





Thursday, January 15, 2015

January 1915 - 100 Years Ago in "That Thriving Town"

From the Andes Recorder
The Bovina Center Co-op Creamery gave its annual report, Cecil Russell’s parents celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary and a woman from Margaretville died at the Seacord home where she had been attending a wedding.

January 1, 1915
The town Board met Monday to settle with the supervisor and overseer of the poor for the year.
Gaylord Hafele, who has been with his brother, Jardine Hafele, a veterinarian in Canada for some time, has returned home. [Gaylord (1889-1947) and Jardine (1888-1974) were the sons of Charles and Lillian Hafele. Gaylord lived much of his life in Bovina and is buried there. Jardine stayed in Canada and is buried in Elgin County, Ontario, Canada]
The Bovina Center Co—Op Creamery company filled their ice house this week with ice from Lake Mahiken on Thos Mabon place. [Lake Mahiken is now Silver Lake or Coles Lake, which is on Route 28, on the left as you head towards Andes from Bovina.]
Thursday [Dec 24] while drawing ice from the Lake Mahiken for Ken Russell, Arthur Decker upset his load in coming down the Burgin pitch.  The accident was caused by the slewing of the bobs. [Slewing in this context means a twisting.]
Herman Coulter died on Christmas Day at his home on the homestead farm midway between Bovina Center and Bovina from pneumonia, at the age of 35 years.  He is survived by his wife, who was Julia Zeh of Stamford, and two children; also by his mother, a brother and two sisters.  The funeral was held Monday. [Herman was the son of James Coulter and Mary Rotermund. His wife was pregnant at the time of his death, giving birth to a daughter Gladys in May 1915. Julia was widowed just over 50 years, dying in January 1965.]

January 8, 1915
At the masquerade ball held here on New Year’s night there were 106 numbers.
Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Russell celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of their marriage at their home in upper Bovina on January 7, by a gathering of their neighbors and friends. [These are the parents of Cecil Russell.]
Mrs. George Hewitt, of Margaretville, died, January 4, at the home of S.R. Seacord in southern Bovina, where she had been to attend the Sweet Seacord wedding.  Saturday she was stricken with paralysis and gradually failed. Her age was 64 years, 10 months and 14 days. Her maiden name was Cornelia Adee and she was born in Bovina. The Funeral was held in the M.E. church Wednesday and interment was made in the Center cemetery. [The wedding was that of John A. Sweet and Rosanna M. Seacord, which took place New Year’s Day. Mrs. Hewitt was not stricken until the day after the wedding. The Catskill Mountain News, in its obituary of Mrs. Hewitt in its January 15, 1915 newspaper, noted that she had come to the wedding of her cousin’s daughter to help with preparations. “She was in her usual health and joyous spirits until she was suddenly stricken with apoplexy...” The paper went on to report that Mrs. Hewitt, given her poor health, was ready for death, borne out by the fact “that she had taken her burial clothes with her on the trip to South Bovina and they were found among her effects there.”]

January 15, 1915
• W.T. Miller and wife and Miss Jennie E. Hoy spent Friday at Andes.
• Dr. and Mrs. N.B. Whitcomb visited his parents at Walton a few days the past week.
 The remains of William B. Tuttle, of New Kingston, were interred in the Center cemetery last Saturday.
Recently while cutting wood for J.W.Russell, Chas Mullenex and Harvey Burgin found 35 pounds of honey in a tree which they sawed down.
• Frank Kaufman, brother of Mrs. William Armstrong and Mrs. Robert A. Thomson of this town, has been appointed a member of the board of health of the city of Kingston, as a representative of the milk dealers. He is superintendent of the Kingston Dairy and Ice Cream Company.
Dr. N.B. Whitcomb had a runaway Tuesday.  When returning from making a call up-town his horse took fright at W.H. Maynard’s auto truck, at Fred Henderson’s above the village and went up onto the bank and upset the cutter, tearing the box from the runners.  The horse was caught at W.C. Russell’s, where the doctor borrowed another cutter.

January 22, 1915
• Walter G. Coulter and Russell Boggs were at Delhi on Monday.
• Anthony Banuat, who recently purchased the David Oliver farm, moved onto it this week. [This farm is on East Bramley Mountain Road and was in the Banuat family until the death of Anthony’s son, Craig. It is now owned by Ria Arons.]
• The will of Herman J. Coulter was admitted to probate Monday with Julia S. Coulter as executrix.
• A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Tony Gabriel, who reside on the Thos Mabon farm, January 16.
• Mrs. Roscoe Gallup died at their rooms in part of the old hotel at Lake Delaware, about 9 o’clock Wednesday evening, January 20, from Bright’s disease. She was a woman of about 50 years and they came to this town from Delhi, the husband being employed on the Gerry estate.

January 29, 1915
The V.I.S. gave a home talent entertainment Tuesday night to a crowded house. The entertainment consisted of singing, speaking, acting, slight of hand, etc.
Intelligence has been received here of the death of Robert Scott at Kansas City, Missouri, January 20. He was born in Bovina 75 years ago and went west soon after the war.  He sustained a shock six weeks ago.  He leaves a wife and three children, and a sister and two brothers.  Adam Scott, who died in Delhi on January 17, was a brother. [This is Robert Trumbell Scott. Born in Bovina in 1840, he was the son of Robert Scott and Martha Loughran. He married Jennette Hoy Ormiston in Bovina in 1866 and went west around 1868.]

Bovina Center Co-Op Creamery
Annual Meeting Held on Tuesday and Directors Elected
Special to the recorder
     At the annual meeting of the Bovina Center Co-Operative Creamery company held Tuesday afternoon the old directors were all re-elected, viz: Frank T. Miller, William J. Archibald, Chas A. McPherson, J.T. Barnhart and John A. Irvine. At the meeting of the directors F.T. Miller was chose president and manager, and W.J. Archibald, secretary and treasurer.
     The report showed that during the year there was received 5,784,752 pounds of milk and 157,044 pounds of cream, and from this milk and cream 362,746 pounds of butter was made.  The average price paid to the patrons during the year for butter fat was 39 1/12 cents per pound.


Sunday, January 4, 2015

Remembering Those Who Left Us in 2014

Several people with connections to Bovina passed away in 2014.

Hugh and Pat in September 2013
Pat and Hugh Lee died in the spring of 2014, barely a month apart. Given that their birthdays were one day apart, this somehow seems appropriate. The Lees came to Bovina in the early 1970s. Hugh taught at SUNY Delhi while Pat taught ceramics at home. I still have some of the items I made in Pat’s ceramic classes. Hugh was born in Ashland, NY in 1925, Pat in Queens almost exactly a year later in 1926. Hugh was a World War II veteran, entering the army in 1944. Hugh and Pat were married in Queens in 1952. Upon coming to Bovina in 1971 they became active in the community, including the church, library and historical society. Hugh was the first President of the Bovina Historical Society and was one of my predecessors as Town Historian. Pat died on April 3, Hugh on May 9. The Bovina Historical Society’s calendar for 2015 features studies by Hugh Lee – studies he helped to choose before his final illness. Hugh and Pat were survived by three children and four grandchildren.

Helen with her two older children
Bob Wyer photo, 1945
Courtesy Delaware County
Historical Association
Though born in the south, Helen Bowen Burns lived most of her life in New York, and the bulk of that in Bovina (but she kept a bit of the south in her voice). Born in Petal, Mississippi in 1918, she spent some of her childhood in the Hadley-Luzerne area of New York, where she was an avid basketball player. She graduated from Curtis High School in New York City in 1937. A year later, she married James L. Burns. They owned and operated a farm on Pink Street for many years. While working alongside her husband, she also ran her own egg business. She was a member of the Bovina United Presbyterian Church and served as an elder. She and Jim had three children, daughter Elizabeth and sons Thomas and James E. At her passing on April 20 at the age of 95, she was survived by two of her children, 10 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

William Barnhart was born in 1985, the son of Richard and Linda Barnhart. He enjoyed long walks, riding horseback and playing childhood games with nieces and nephews. He loved animals, “The New Kids on the Block,” and unexpected loud noises. Willie was 28 when he died on May 3. He was survived by his parents, two brothers and four sisters, along with many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Mary Parsons Scorzafava was born in 1943, the daughter of Bill and Ruth Parsons. She was married to Ron Scorzafava in 1964 and lived in Geneva, NY where they raised their four children. After retirement, Ron and Mary settled in Florida. Though Mary left Bovina, it never totally left her. She was a good source of information about Bovina during her childhood, especially her school years. Mary was widowed in August 2013 and she passed a little over a year later on August 16. Until a few days before her death, she still was visiting the Town of Bovina Historian Facebook page, contributing comments and information.
Mary and her brother Richard at
the Maynard School, Photo by Ed Schneider














Though he never lived in Bovina, Michael Herbert Worden had deep Bovina roots – both sets of grandparents were from Bovina (and are buried in the Bovina cemetery). Born New Year’s Eve 1947, he grew up in Franklin, attended the United States Naval Academy, was a State Trooper and later a corporate pilot. He became involved with the Bovina United Presbyterian Church, where he became an elder and facilitated weekly AA meetings at the church. Mike passed away on October 12, 2014 and was buried next to his maternal grandparents in the Bovina Cemetery.

Millie in 2009
Mildred Kittle Reinertsen was born in Pine Hill in 1920, the daughter of Cedric and Anna Kittle. She married Leif Reinertsen in 1938 in Bovina and spent the bulk of her life there. Millie worked with her husband on the Reinertsen family farm while raising three children. Later, she also worked in food services. Millie was involved with the Bovina Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary and the Bovina United Presbyterian Church, having been a member there for over 70 years. Widowed in 1964, she passed away on October 25, 2014, a month shy of fifty years after Leif’s death. She was survived by three daughters, five grandchildren and eight great grandchildren, as well as by her sister Gert Hall.
Millie and Leif's passport picture
1961, photo by Bob Wyer
Courtesy Delaware County
Historical Association














Noah Olenych passed away unexpectedly in Florida on December 1 at the age of 40. He grew up in Bovina, the son of Brian and Marcia Olenych. Noah graduated from Delaware Academy and received his BS in Environmental Science from the University of Dubuque in Iowa. While proud of his work as the “Dam” inspector for Southwest Florida Water Management District, where he was employed for more than eight years his main interest in his life were his two sons.

Harmon (Harmony) Hathaway passed December 14 at 78. He was co-founder with the late Monica Lind Hathaway and president of the Foundation for the Study of American Yoga. The Foundation was established 45 years ago in Bovina, New York of the Catskill Mountains. A center was built on 132 acres in upper NY State with the help of Augustus Lightheart, Bruce Lano and other friends. The Center is for the continued development of American Yoga and for Meditation.

Harmony and Monica, photo from the Foundation for the Study of American Yoga website