Saturday, December 31, 2016

On This Day in Bovina for December 2016

Sixty one years ago today, on December 1, 1955, the Bovina Town Board met and approved these claims submitted by the town supervisor, Henry Monroe.

Nine years ago today, the December 2, 2007 issues of the New York Times carried a review of "The Toy Farmer," a children's book written by Bovina native Andrew T. Pelletier.

156 years ago today, on December 3, 1860, John Dean died. Born in County Down, Ireland, he came to Bovina before the 1830s. He married Elizabeth Johnson in 1832 and they would have eight children. They lived in the area of present day Regan Road.

128 years ago today, the Bovina column of the December 4, 1888 Stamford Mirror reported that "J.A. Whittaker, the optician, has been in town for the past week, looking after defective eyes."

135 years ago today, on December 5, 1881, Andrew Chisholm died of heart and kidney disease. A native of Scotland, he was about 80 years old at his death. He had been widowed in 1843. Two of his daughters, Jane and Maggie, were living with him at the time of his passing.

135 years ago today, the December 6, 1881 Stamford Mirror reported in its Bovina column that "James Hoy, of Kansas, formerly of Bovina, is making his friends in this vicinity a visit." This likely is the James Hoy born in 1822. He married Helen Miller in 1847. She died in 1858 after having three children. James went to Iowa after his wife's death and remarried in 1862 to Martha Jones Smith. They had three children in Iowa. James died in Kansas in 1897.

134 years ago today, on December 7, 1882, Thomas Hamilton signed this document as part of his claim concerning an error on the 1880 tax roll which led to an overpayment of $15.39 in taxes.

Eighty-eight years ago, on December 8, 1928, Sloan Archibald died at the age of 80. He was the son of James Archibald and Margaret Sloan. His first wife was Elizabeth E. Russell, by whom he had a son and a daughter. Elizabeth died in 1911. In 1915, he took as his second wife Jennette Ellen Hoy. Sloan lived in my house in Bovina for about a decade and is the one who added the full second story to it. Sloan's widow survived him by 14 years, dying in 1942.

Sixty-four years ago today, on December 9, 1952, a benefit dance was held by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Bovina Fire Department "for Billy Aitkens, who was recently wounded by a shotgun…" The music was furnished by Ernie Russ.

The thermometer registered from 2 to 5 degrees below zero 116 years ago today on December 10, 1900.

133 years ago today, the December 11, 1883 issue of the Stamford Mirror reported on several illnesses in Bovina. They noted that "Mrs. John Hastings is quite sick with pneumonia." They noted that Dr. Telford's daughter Gracie also was sick with pneumonia and that the doctor himself was ill. And Rev. Lee's wife was reported as suffering from inflammation of the lungs. Mrs. Hastings, Grace Telford and Mrs. Lee would all recover, though Mrs. Hastings would die of pneumonia in 1889. Grace Telford, who was less than a year old when she became ill, would live until 1953. Mrs. Lee died in 1897. Dr. Telford, however, would not recover and died January 11, 1884.

Ninety nine years ago, the Bovina column of the December 12, 1917 Andes Recorder reported that "Miss Leila Miller, who has spent the past three months with her brother, Earl, in St. Paul and other relatives in Wisconsin and Minnesota, returned to her home…" She was the daughter of John and Bertha Miller. They lived on Pink Street on what later became Suits Us Farm.

134 years ago, on December 13th, 1882, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Stamford Mirror, "James Hastings arrived home from Hamilton College…." This likely is James Blair Hastings, born in 1860, the son of Thomas E. Hastings and Jane Blair.

Eighty-nine years ago today, the December 14, 1927 Stamford Mirror reported that "Bovina Center Has Two Fires." Both fires involved barns owned by the Hilson Brothers in Bovina Center in the area of the creamery. The first fire was big enough to require bringing in a second department from Delhi. It was noted that the lack of wind was fortunately, thus preventing the creamery and feedstore from going up in flames. Here's the full article.

105 years ago today, on December 15, 1911, as announced in the Andes Recorder, "the ladies of the United Presbyterian church" held a masquerade social at the home of Mrs. Estella Oliver…" The paper went on to note that "All unmasked are expected to pay a fine of not more than $5 or less than 25 cents. All are cordially invited."

Eighty-nine years ago today, the December 16, 1927 Catskill Mountain News reported that "Two sites have been offered for the proposed Bovina Community house." One lot was reported as being "opposite the garage…" This likely meant across from what later became Clayt Thomas's garage and is land now owned by Mark Foster. The other option was "land opposite William Archibald's new house…" This is the spot that was chosen. The paper noted that "it is planned to erect a building 36 x 80 of one story construction with basement."

The following noticed appeared in the Andes Recorder, dated 139 years ago today, December 17, 1877:  “All persons are hereby notified not to sell or give any intoxicating liquors to Hiram Scutt.  Mrs. Hiram Scutt" Scutt lived in Andes so his Bovina connection is not strong. And we can’t be sure whether this is the father or son. Hiram Sr was born in Bovina in 1815. The son was born in Andes in 1842. The father died in 1886, the son three years later in 1889.

118 years ago on December 18, 1898, Mrs. Charles F. Smith died at the age of 90.  The Andes Recorder, when reporting her death, noted that "Her maiden name was Christina Lamont and she came to this town over 40 years ago.  She was an excellent woman, a good neighbor; always cheerful and she will be missed in this community as well as in her home.  On Tuesday the funeral was held, the sermon being preached by Rev. Samson, and the interment was in the Bovina cemetery." Christina was the second wife of Charles Smith, marrying him in 1856, a few months after the death of his first wife. Charles survived his wife by 10 years, dying in 1908.

Ninety years ago today, on December 19, 1926, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "Attorney Lauren Dickson, who came home from Binghamton to spend the holidays was taken to the Delhi hospital and operated upon for appendicitis...  It was a serious case." He would stay in Bovina about three months before returning to his duties in Binghamton. In October 1927 he died suddenly in Binghamton.

125 years ago today, on December 20, 1891, as later reported in the Delaware Gazette under the headline "Another Accident," "Dickson Thomson, of Bovina, was driving last Sunday when the team of Mr. Hamilton Russell collided with his and Mr. Thomson was thrown from his wagon. He sustained a broken shoulder and other serious injuries."

Ninety-five years ago today, on December 21, 1921, Violet Hewitt, the little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Hewitt, of Margaretville, died in Kingston following an operation for appendicitis. Her remains were brought to Bovina for burial.

202 years ago today, on December 22, 1814, James Gladstone was born, the son of Robert Gladstone and Ann Ray. He was born in Scotland and likely came to Bovina with his parents. He appears to have lived most of his adult life in Andes, but at his death in 1885, he was buried in Bovina in the Associate Presbyterian Church cemetery.

105 years ago today, on December 23, 1911, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "William B. Smith was injured in a runaway accident...while going down the mountain to South Kortright." A breaking of his wagon's brace frightened the horses. Smith and his wife were thrown from the wagon. Mrs. Smith was unscathed but Mr. Smith broke his leg at the knee joint. The paper noted that "Dixon Thomson, who was returning from South Kortright, fortunately came along soon after the accident and took the unfortunate man home." Smith lived in the area of Pink Street.

Seventy-five years ago today, a letter dated December 24, 1941 was sent to Bovina Town Clerk David Currie reporting on monies paid to the Town Supervisor for the year from various county accounts.

105 years ago today, on December 25, 1911, two elders of the Bovina United Presbyterian Church were buried. Elders Joshua Blish and Thomas Miller were 77 and 85 respectively at their deaths. Blish had been an elder for 25 years, Miller for a record breaking 54 years.

134 years ago today, the December 26, 1882 Stamford Mirror reported in its Bovina column that "Dr. Dickson is moving his stock of drugs and medicines from the basement to the main floor of his store." His store is now the Brushland Eating House.

135 years ago today, the Bovina column in the December 27, 1881 Stamford Mirror reported that "Wm. Richardson has sold his premises (the Henry McDonald place) to Alexander Hoy." This property would later become my house. The same paper also reported that "Dr. Dickson has moved his drugs and medicines to the basement of his new building." This is now the Brushland Eating House.

Ninety-eight years ago today, on December 28, 1918, as later reported in the Andes Recorder's Bovina column, "the team of Mrs. Rockafeller, driven by her son Floyd, ran away Saturday.  The lad had them hitched to a bob when they started and he was dragged some distance behind the bob before he could disengage his hands from the lines.  The team then ran to James Bramley’s and after circling around among Bramley’s cows, which were being watered, ran on a knoll and were caught.  No damage was done."

152 years ago today, on December 29, 1864, several voters in the Town of Bovina submitted this petition requesting a special town meeting "for the purpose of determining by vote to pay a Bounty not [to] exceed Eight hundred dollars to each volunteer that shall be credited to the said town o the last call of the President for 300,000 men."

116 years ago today, the December 30, 1910 Bovina column in the Andes Recorder reported that "Mrs. Charlotte Miller continues in very poor health." Charlotte was the wife of David William Miller. Born in 1860, she was the daughter of Robert Gow and Beatrice Graham. She married David Miller in 1887 and was widowed in 1892, left with a two year old son. Charlotte died about a month after this item appeared in the paper on January 24, 1911.


125 years ago today, on December 31, 1891, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "a large party of young people had a dance in Strangeway's Hall on New Year's eve, Music by Sutherland Bros. and Jas. Amos."

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