April 1917 - 100 Years Ago "In That Thriving Town"

The Andes Recorder in April 1917 reported more deaths in Bovina, including natives of Germany and Switzerland, and a death by suicide.

April 6, 1917

·         The Center School will be closed next week for the Easter vacation.

·         There will be a sale of the furniture at the M.E. parsonage Saturday.

·         From a warm sugar social held Wednesday evening the Victor Class realize about $11.

·         John A. Irvine, who had an attack of pneumonia the past winter, started Monday for a trip to Florida.

·         Mrs. Ida Burgin has purchased a new Buick automobile and Marshall Thomson has purchased a new Dodge.

·         Lester Irvine, veterinary is examining the cows of patrons of the Bovina Center Co-operative Creamery Company.

·         Wilson Barker, a chauffeur of Delhi has been employed by Commodore Elbrige T. Gerry on his country estates at Lake Delaware.

·         William Armstrong has been re-appointed patrolman on the section of the State road from Thos C. Strangeway’s to Delhi.  The pay this year as been increased from $3 to $3.25 per day.

·         Jane Archibald and sister, Emily, have had an attack of jaundice.

April 13, 1917

·         John A. Irvine has returned from his trip.

·         The patrons of the Bovina Center Creamery are now required to take their milk every day.

·         James R. Honeywell, of Delhi, has bought of W.H. Cavin, the farm occupied by John W. Northrup in Bovina.  The price was $800, subject to the contract of Mr. Northrup.

·         The team of James Hastings took fright at a piece of paper at the creamery and ran to Hilson’s store where they were caught.  Mr. Hastings was thrown out but escaped without serious injury.

·         Frank Miller has sold his farm on the hill above the old cemetery to a Norwegian named Jenson.  He retains 40 acres below the road. The farm was formerly the Andrew Thomson place and by him was called “paradise.”

Death Claims Bovina Woman

            Miss Louise Muller passed away at the Muller home in Bovina Center on Saturday afternoon, April 7, aged 59 years. Death was due to chronic uraemic poisoning, and had been confined to her bed for three years, but was a patient sufferer.  The funeral was held at the U.P. church at 2 p.m. on Monday, Rev. J.A. Mahaffey officiating. Interment was in the Center cemetery.

            She was born in Switzerland in December, 1857 and came to Bovina with her parents 47 years ago. After their arrival she was sent to school for six months to learn the English language so that she could impart it to her parents.  For 21 years she was employed in the family of General Jacobs in Delhi, going from there to New York, where for 16 years she was housekeeper at Hotel Churchill, retiring three years ago on account of her health.  She leaves a brother, Wenner Muller, in Iowa, and four sisters, Mrs. Emma Roper, in Kansas, Mrs. Otis McCumber of Andes, and Kate and Frederika Muller in Bovina.

Bovina Farm Sold

            The Francis Coulter farm located in Coulter Brook, Bovina, was sold at partition, sale at Delhi on Monday and was bid off by James Monroe for $1,500.  Mrs. Elizabeth Adee first bid off the farm for $3,100, but could not pay the cash payment of 10 per cent. The farm was later put up again and Mr. Monroe was the only bidder.  There is some question as to whether the Court will confirm the sale or not.  The farm contains 300 acres.

Lake Mahikan sold

            What is known as the Lake Mahikan premises, formerly the Thos Mabon farm in the town of Bovina, was sold at partition sale at the front door of the court house in Delhi on Monday and was bid off by Ralph S. Ives, of Roxbury, plaintiff in the action, for $1,200 subject to a mortgage of $2,650.  The place was purchased some 9 or 10 years ago by Ralph Ives, Arthur Scott, Andrew Fenton, and James H. Hitt, of Margaretville, and a dam built flooding 22 acres and making a fine body of water.  George McNair, who has been occupying the place, has leased it for another year.

April 20, 1917

·         Wayne Marks is the proud possessor of a new bicycle.

·         W.W. Ayres, son of H.A. Ayres of this place, has enlisted in the regular army.

·         Herman Johnson, in upper Bovina, is having the interior of his residence re-modeled.

·         Douglas Davidson is having a bath room fitted up in his residence at the foot of Russell hill.

·         Frank Miller, who sold his farm last week, has rented rooms in the Kennedy house now owned by George Gladstone.

·         Town Superintendent McPherson was at Lake Delaware Tuesday shoring up the “Hook” bridge for the passage of the Gerry road machinery.

·         Word was received here Tuesday of the death of Charles Mullenex at Ilion N.Y. where he moved last fall. He had an attack of pneumonia a few weeks ago and was supposed to be improving.

Aged Man A Suicide in Bovina

            John Corbin committed suicide early Thursday morning, April 12, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. DeWitt Sharpe, on the Elisha B. Maynard farm in Bovina.

            The family had all been to the barn milking and when Mrs. Sharpe came to the house she missed her father.  A search was made and the body of Mr. Corbin was found hanging from the rafters in the attic over the kitchen.  He had evidently placed the rope around his neck and then stepped off a bed-stead that stood near.  He was cut down but life was extinct.

            He was born in Roxbury in 1838, and besides the daughter is survived by his aged wife.  Burial was at Bloomville on Monday.  The snow drifts had to be shoveled out before the funeral procession could get thru the roads.

Gerry’s Building Stone Road

            Tuesday evening 40 Italians and Russians arrived to work on the stone road on the Gerry estate in southern Bovina.  A large traction engine, stone crusher and other machinery has been brought by job by way of Delhi.

April 27, 1917

·         John H. Benjamin has been on the sick list and his shop has been closed for a few days.

·         The revival meetings which opened April 12, in the R.P. church, closed Monday evening.

·         It is stated that Lake Mahikan on the Thomas Mabon farm, will be drained and the land used for farming purposes.

·         Rev. Thomas E. Graham, pastor of the Church of the Covenanters, received word that a son- Paul Renwick Graham-had been born at Pittsburg, Penn., and left Tuesday for that city.

·         Mrs. H.A. Ayres returned home on Monday from Binghamton, where she has joined the Red Cross Ambulance Corps. She has gone to Columbus, Ohio for training.

·         The auction of the J.W. Coulter property Tuesday drew a large crowd and good prices were received.  The amount received from the sale was $3,250. The house and lot was purchased by Harvey C. Burgin for $1,800.

           

Bovina Man Died Suddenly

John Ruff Expired Thursday While Helping Neighbor Boil Sap

            John Ruff, who for about 22 years had resided on the Jonathon Adee farm in upper Bovina, was stricken with apoplexy about noon on Thursday, April 19, and died immediately.

            Mr. Ruff left home early that morning to assist Arthur Bouton, who lives on an adjoining farm, in the sap bush and worked all the forenoon.  About 12 o’clock while he and the other workers were at the sap house, preparing to go to dinner, Mr. Ruff was stricken and died almost instantly, Dr. Scott, the health officer, was summoned and pronounced the death due to apoplexy and issued a certificate.

            He was born in Germany 68 years ago and the third of the family to die suddenly-two brothers having been taken in a similar way.  His wife died last year, but he continued to live on his farm with his daughter and his son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. McCumber. Burial was in the Bovina Center cemetery Saturday.