Remembering Leonard Cairns

I was saddened to learn of the passing of Leonard Cairns, who had been my neighbor pretty much my whole life. Here's his obituary: Obituary of Leonard J. Cairns | Welcome to MacArthur Funeral Home &... (hallandpeet.com)

Leonard was 93 at his death, the oldest man currently living in the Town of Bovina. He had lived in Bovina since he was 13. This Bob Wyer photo was taken in June 1944 at the Andes Central School, from where he graduated in 1947. Leonard is second from the left in the back row. 

I found this Bob Wyer photo of Leonard from May 1948. It was for the license he needed to drive trucks.

Leonard enlisted in the Marines in 1950. This image comes from the Bovina Historical Society 2006 calendar which featured Bovina veterans. Leonard served in the Korean War, receiving the Purple Heart. The image was provided by his family. 

Leonard was active in the Bovina community. He was the last surviving charter member of the Bovina Fire Department at its creation in 1949. Here's the first page of the new department's minute book with signatures of the charter members. Leonard's is on the first line of names at the right. 

Leonard was on the Bovina Public Library's board and was its President from 1970-1973. During his tenure, the library received an O'Connor grant to convert the old Bovina District 4 school building into the library.

 

Leonard and Ann celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2004.

Leonard celebrated his 90th birthday in 2018.

Leonard and Ann were good neighbors, even as they went into their golden years. They brought food over to my mom after my dad's passing in 2004. In 2011, I had hernia surgery and Leonard came by with a chicken dinner for me during my recovery. 

Leonard's lawn usually was the first one mowed in our little neighborhood - and he still was mowing into his 90s. It took some convincing to get him to let others do his lawn. 

I close with this photo I took in July 2009 of Leonard and Ann with their neighbors the late Mary Haran and her daughter Regina. They were watching the parade held to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Bovina Fire Department.

RIP Leonard. 

This Day in Bovina for June 2021

Twenty-eight years ago today, the June 1, 1993 issue of the Delaware County Times carried this picture of former Bovina resident, Theresa Conklin. Theresa was born Theresa Hobbie in Walton in 1923, the daughter of William Hobbie and Elizabeth Mills. She came to Bovina when she was 9 years old and married to Howard Conklin in 1945. They farmed on Reinertsen Hill Road for over 30 years, retiring in 1978. Theresa died in August 1998 at the age of 75.   

 

190 years ago today, June 2, 1831, an arrest warrant was issued for John Rutherford and John Renwick: "Whereas complaint hath been made before me, John M. Landon, one of the Justices of the peace for [Delaware] county upon the oath of David W. Thomson of Bovina ... that John Rutherford and John Renwick did on the 11th day of May last violently assault and beat him the said David W. Thomson at Bovina … therefore in the name of the people of the State of New York to command you forthwith to apprehend the said John Rutherford & John Renwick of Bovina & bring them before me, to answer unto the said complaint, & further, to be dealt with according to law…" The October 12, 1831 Delaware Gazette reported that "John Rutherford, was tried on an indictment found at the last [Court of] Oyer and Terminer for an assault and battery on David Thompson, and found guilty. He afterwards presented to the court an affidavit in mitigation, shewing that he was not angry at the time of the commission of the offence, and was permitted to escape with the moderate fine of ten dollars." What happened with John Renwick I have yet to determine.

Fifty-one years ago today, the June 3, 1965 Delaware Republican-Express reported in its Bovina column that "Enid Carter of Schenectady spent the week-end with her mother in Bovina. Her mother [Edna Carter] had just recently returned from the hospital." The same column also reported that "Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Parsons and family enjoyed a picnic dinner at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Vitgo Skovsende at Andes."

 

162 years ago today, on June 4, 1859, Alexander Sylvanius Bramley, son of John W. Bramley and Margaret McCune was born. He would die only 21 days later on June 25. John and Margaret had a total of eight children, five of whom made it to adulthood. Alexander was their fifth child. This is his headstone, courtesy of Ed and Dick Davidson. 

 

143 years ago today, the June 5, 1878 Delaware Gazette, reported on Bovina's ranking concerning a number of aspects related to farming, noting that Bovina was 17th in the county in acres, in gross sales the thirteenth, in bushels of corn the 14th, in number of cows 14th, etc. The article also noted that Bovina was 10th in the pounds of butter produced and first in the butter produced per acre - 14 1/10 pounds. Here's the full article: 

 

192 years ago today, on June 6, 1827, the following advertisement appeared in the Commercial Advertiser: 

 

Fifty-four years ago, the June 7, 1967 Oneonta Daily Star carried this article about the fate of the school building in the Bovina Center hamlet. The building is now the Bovina Public Library.

 

117 years ago today, the June 8, 1904 Delaware Gazette reported: "Hon. E.T. Gerry expects to leave New York on Wednesday next, in his coach and four and drive to his Lake Delaware summer home. In making the trip sixteen relays of horses will be used, the distances of each section being from twelve to fifteen miles. He expects to arrive at Lake Delaware Thursday evening. Elmer E. Hastings of Bovina Center, went over the route and arranged the horses. The party will come up the east side of the Hudson River and cross at Kingston.”

 

172 years ago today, the June 9, 1849 issue of the New-York Daily Tribune reported on continuing Anti-Rent activity in Delaware County, four years after the infamous shooting of Osman Steele in Andes. "Two very spirted Anti-Rent meetings have been recently held in Delaware Co. Robert Scott, Esq. presided at the Equal Rights demonstration, held in Bovina on the 1st inst. The Delhi Freeman's Advocate says the meeting was held for the, purpose 'of reorganizing the town with the view of cooperating with the other towns in this county, that are laboring under the blighting curse of patroonery.'"

 

134 years ago today, the June 10, 1885 Lancaster Intelligencer reported that "President Cleveland has appointed Isaac H. Maynard of New York to be second comptroller of the treasurer…The office is worth five thousand dollars a year. General satisfaction is expressed with the appointment." Maynard grew up in Bovina, born there in 1838. Maynard became a lawyer and served a term in the New York State Assembly. 

 

132 years ago today, the Bovina column in the June 11, 1889 Stamford Mirror reported the following: "Coulter Bros. are making post office boxes for Alex Hilson, the newly appointed postmaster. It is expected that the business of our post office will now be increased, at least to the extent of the patronage of the new postmaster, while the Lake Delaware office will lose its patronage, which it has enjoyed for many years."

 

193 years ago today, on June 12, 1828, Alexander Hoy was born, the son of Robert Hoy and Nancy Bailey. He married Elizabeth Hilson in 1863 and was widowed in 1887. Alexander died in 1906 and is buried next to his wife in the Bovina Cemetery.

 

Eighty-one years ago today, the Lake Delaware column of the June 13, 1940 Delaware Republican reported that "Miss Angelica Gerry has opened Ancrum House for the summer and has as her guest Saxham Deury of Newport, R.I." This may be a gentleman named Francis Saxham Elwes Drury (1859-1942).

 

102 years ago today, on June 14, 1919, as reported by the Andes Recorder, "Sergeant Donald Lee, a member of the Lightning division, who served over a year in France, arrived home ….having received his discharge."  Lee was born in Bovina in 1896, the son of John Bruce Lee and Lucy A. Hall.  The Lee family lived on Lee Hollow.  Donald was a US Army Sargent during World War I, receiving the Purple Heart.  Donald lived to see his 99th birthday, dying in Florida in May 1995, the last Bovina World War One vet to pass away. He is buried in Bovina.

 

185 years ago today, on June 15, 1836, the session of the Bovina Associate Presbyterian Church met and went through several items related the conduct of members of the church. "Christina Elliott appeared before session to answer do the sin of fornication and also her imprudent conduct in other reports for which she declared her sorrow…" She was willing to submit to a public rebuke and to be suspended for a time. Elders reported on several other issues, including discussions with Temperance Wooden and Elizabeth Coulter about dancing, with John Miller concerning his attendance at a Methodist service and Hellen Elliott for not coming to church.

 

121 years ago today, the Delaware Republican for June 16, 1900 reported  that Woodburn & Smyth, the monument dealers in Delhi, had sold several "fine monuments," including to "W.H. Bramley a Dark Barre Granite Sarcophagus of modern design, to be erected in Bovina Center, NY, to the memory of his father and mother who died suddenly last winter. This monument consists of cap, neatly carved and polished on four sides, die polished on four sides with Grecian border traced around the top; second base moulded and polished on four sides, bottom base rock finished and corners margined." [need to get photo of monument - row 3 plot 18

 

111 years ago today, the Bovina column of the June 17, 1910 Andes Recorder reported that "Dr. Ward Young and family expect to leave next Monday to spend two weeks at his old home in Canada."

 

Two hundred and forty-five years ago today, June 18, 1776, Thomas Elliott was born in Roxburghshire, Scotland. He married Magdaline Thomson and had six children. He died in Bovina in 1838 and is buried in the Old Associate Presbyterian Church cemetery in Bovina.

 

141 years ago today, a letter to the editor of the Stamford Mirror dated June 19, 1880 was received and published in the paper's next issue. It was written in response to this item in the June 15, 1880 Stamford Mirror: “Norman sometimes gets the neighbors dogs set on him, when he is going to see his girl.” The letter in response to this read as follows: “Brushland, June 19th, 1880. Mr. Mirror:- The author of Bovina items is mistaken about the 'neighbor's dogs.' The only shadow of reality lies in the attack of that barking one who calls himself your correspondent. Truly, N.B.A.”

 

120 years ago, on June 20, 1901, the Bovina 'uptown' cooperative creamery was organized.  As reported in the Andes Recorder, the "creamery will be built on the Andrew T. McFarlane [McFarland] farm," now the Schumann property.  Thirty farmers were to participate.  The trustees elected were Andrew McFarland, George T. Russell and Alexander Burns. The Recorder went on to report that "[t]he contract for the building and apparatus has been let to F.B. Floyd for $4,350 and it is to be ready for business by September 1."  This creamery was organized a couple of months before the Bovina Center Cooperative Creamery was organized.  The uptown creamery building is no more, though the foundation is still identifiable. Here's a recently identified photo of the creamery:

 

140 years ago today, the June 21, 1881 Stamford Mirror carried this somewhat cryptic item: "The Bovina 'Gossip' misquotes part of an item from the Mirror, and then makes an assertion concerning a 'schoolmarm' which the pupils attending the school taught by her say is a lie."

 

157 years ago today, on June 22, 1864, a vote was held in Bovina to pay a bounty of $500 to any man enlisting in the Civil War, to be credited to Bovina.  There were several such votes during the war, each time for a larger amount.  By the end of the war, it was up to $800.  This vote was the closest of the war, passing by only one vote, with 68 for and 67 against.

 

Fifty-seven years ago today, the June 23, 1964 Oneonta Daily Star carried this item about the Bovina Center Co-op Creamery:

 

Sixty-seven years ago today, the Stamford Mirror for June 24, 1954 reported that "Teacher Awards Prizes to Grade Students." The article: Prizes awarded to children in the Bovina Center grade school by their teacher, Mrs. Ray Jardine, were as follows: perfect attendance, Mary Anne LaFever, Jim Hilson, Jeanetta Erway, Norman Hall, Jean Damgaard, and Janet Hoy; most improvement during the year, Betty Conklin and Janet Hoy; and highest average in class, Stewart Rosa, fourth grade; Jean Damgaard, third grade; Steve Rosa, second grade and Linda Graham, first grade.

 

Eighty-five years ago today, June 25, 1936, Marjorie Russell received her high school diploma from Delaware Academy. 

 

Seventy-nine years ago today, on June 26, 1942, the Bovina town board passed a resolution choosing the Bovina Community Hall as "an Airplane Observatory for the duration [of the Second World War]." The town agreed to furnish a "telephone and all needed appliances" unless the County agrees cover these expenses.

 

Eighty-two years ago today, on June 27, 1939, the Delhi Grange met. As later reported in the Delaware Republican, Master Herbert Jensen "announced that all members from Bovina Grange, which surrendered its charter this week, are very welcome to join Delhi Grange; twelve names have already been received from Bovina." I know that my grandparents, Ben and Anna Bell LaFever, joined the Delhi Grange and were active in it their entire lives.

 

Ninety-two years ago today, in the Bovina column of the June 28, 1929 Delaware Express, it was reported that "Bovina was thoroughly watered Sabbath (June 23) night by the very hard rain which lasted several hours. The small flat back of Frank Miller's house [now Roger McIntosh’s house] was nearly covered with water."

 

126 years ago today, on June 29, 1895 (as later reported by the Andes Recorder) "Dr. Barnard was in town Saturday extracting teeth without pain." This likely is a gentleman named Homer H. Barnard from Milford in Otsego County. He shows up in several census records as a dentist.

 

Eighty-three years ago, on June 30, 1938 (as later reported in the Andes Recorder), "Rev. and Mrs. Peter McKenzie traveled to Newark to see their two daughters sail on a six-week trip to Finland." The McKenzies had three daughters, Janet, Elizabeth and Margaret. Which two daughters was not stated in the newspaper, though it probably was Janet and Elizabeth.

 

 

Some New Old Pictures of Bovina

I've been reviewing some recently acquired images and want to share some of them with you.

Tom Davidson recently sent me an envelop of pictures from his late father, Ed Davidson. Included were two images of Bovina Center that I have not seen before. Unfortunately, they are not dated, but likely come from the early 20th century. 

Looking east on Main Street. The house to the left is the historic Alexander Brush home, now the home of Tim and Tamara McIntosh. You can see Russell's Store in the background (at the time probably A.T. Doig's store). 

Looking west on Main Street. That's the current Russell's Store on the right. The angle of the shot interests me. Likely taken from the lawn of what is now Joe and Connie Dibble's home. 

Two more interesting pictures hail from Lake Delaware. The Delaware County Historical Association, where I'm the archivist, has a collection of glass plate negatives taken by Edna Georgia Benedict of East Meredith in the early 20th century. It was a bit of a surprise to find two images of the construction of Aknusti, the home built by Robert Gerry. The photos are dated 1913. 

The house was a summer home for Robert and his family until February 1953 when a fire badly damaged it. Here are two postcard views of the house in its heyday. 

The final image I recently uncovered came from images from the Monroe Family. Henry Monroe's sister was Martena Monroe Kellam. Her daughter gave images to former County Historian Pat Grimes. The current county historian turned them over to me. This image was labeled on the back "Raising barn upper Coulter Brook, Bovina NY....Next to my grandfather Coulter's farm." I figured out that this barn likely was built by Charles Tuttle in May 1894. The farm went through several owners, including William Doig, Fernando Hunt, Frank Eraczek, Walfred (Wally) Hansen, James Henderson and Eric Saubart. The barn is now gone but I think it was still standing in the 1980s. 

Non-Bovina Bovina Postcards

Every once in a while, someone will alert me to a Bovina postcard. Often they end up being ones I have seen (though please never assume that - keep alerting me to cards). 

But occasionally, I get an alert to a card I've never seen before. Recently, Joan Burns gave me a postcard of Bovina and wanted to know where the view on the card was located. I quickly realized that it was a generic postcard view. I have scanned 3 of these in the past decade. One of the big clues is the text that says "Greetings from Bovina Center, N.Y." or "Greetings from Bovina, N.Y." It is clear that it was simply stamped on the generic card. The text showing a genuine view of Bovina is printed on the card, not stamped. 

Here's the postcard (it has a 1933 postmark) that Joan Burns gave me:

This undated postcard came from Chuck McIntosh. 

I briefly wondered if it was Bovina because it had a very slight resemblance to this view (this is County Route 6 just outside of the Bovina Center hamlet and just before you get to Russell Hill Road):

But I highly doubt the color image is from Bovina, though the merchant selling this card may have chosen the design for that reason. 

And from 1929 is this view of a child with sheep, also from Chuck McIntosh. In the 19th century, Bovina had a lot of sheep but that population dropped significantly and in the 20th century there were few sheep. 

I'm always on the lookout for new postcard views of Bovina, so keep them coming!

Bovina's Sesquicentennial - 1970

Fifty years ago today, the Town of Bovina celebrated it's Sesquicentennial. From all information I can find, this was the first time the Town of Bovina had celebrated a milestone anniversary. There is no evidence of a town centennial celebration in 1920. Interestingly, the Bovina UP Church did celebrate such anniversaries since its centennial in 1909, including 125th, 150th, 175th and its Bicentennial in 2009.

Here's a newspaper ad for the day's celebration.

And some of the pictures I have collected from this celebration are on the Bovina NY History Flickr page at:  https://flic.kr/s/aHsmNL4BpF

If you have pictures from this celebration I'd love to get scans or copies of them. 

Bovina Ex-pats: The Hoy Brothers

David Fletcher Hoy, Milton Robertson Hoy and William Wilson Hoy were the sons of John Robertson Hoy and Isabella Wilson Miller. They all grew up in Bovina, along with an older brother, James, who died when he was 21 in 1883, and three sisters, Mary (1857-1883), Jennette (1859-1942) and Margaret (1866-1936). David, Milton and William all left Bovina and made some name for themselves elsewhere.

David, Milton, William and Jennie Hoy with Silence Howard (David's wife)

I have already written about David Hoy, born in 1863. It was his efforts to preserve the history of Bovina that provide a critical foundation to the work I do today, but David made his fame as the registrar of Cornell University for many years, known there as Davey Hoy. Writer E.B. White recalled his very first day at Cornell, when he picked up the wrong form and found himself being yelled at by the Registrar Mr. Hoy. White was mortified and thought about leaving college then and there but decided instead to write a letter of apology to Hoy. He got a reassuring reply and continued at Cornell. More about Davy can be seen on this blog for October 6, 2014 at: http://bovinanyhistory.blogspot.com/2014/10/david-fletcher-hoy-give-my-regards-to.html

Milton R. Hoy in Spanish American War uniform, photo supplied by David W. Hoy III

His brother Milton was born in 1870. Like his brothers, he attended local Bovina schools then high school in Franklin, NY. He graduated from college in Albany. In 1897, he took a job as clerk for the National Transit Company in Oil City, Pennsylvania. About a year later, he joined the first infantry of the New York Volunteers in the Spanish-American War, spending the duration in Honolulu. He returned to Oil City and the National Transit Company after the war. In 1913, he started working for the United Natural Gas Company and was in their civil engineering department until he retired in 1941.

Milton was married first to Myrtie Hays in Oil City in 1901. They had three children, a daughter and two sons. He was widowed in 1913 and in 1928 married Elsie Hollabaugh, also in Oil City (she died in 1986 at the age of 97). Milton was heavily involved in the Oil City community, including the Masons and Spanish-American War veterans. Milton died in January 1959 in Oil City.

William W. Hoy in 1895. Photo from David W. Hoy III

William Wilson Hoy was the last child of John and Isabella Hoy, born in 1872. He, too, attended local schools. Like his brother David, he attended Cornell University, graduating in 1895. He married Elizabeth McFadden in Walton in 1897 and settled in Oil City, Pennsyvania, like his brother Milton. In 1902 he sailed to London as chief engineer of the Burma Oil Company of London. He then sailed for India for a spell and was back in the United States in late 1904. Sometime before 1913, he and his wife and four children moved to Santa Ana, California. They would have two more children in California and spent the rest of their lives there. His wife died in 1948. In 1950, he came back to Delaware County to marry Clara M. Scutt. He was her fourth and last husband. She died in 1965 in California. William died at the age of 94 in 1967, also in California.

This Day in Bovina for March 2020

Here are the entries on the Town of Bovina Historian Facebook page for March 2020:

167 years ago today, the March 1, 1853 carried this ad for a "Farm for Sale" by John Dean. The property was in the Bramley Mountain area.  

196 years ago today, on March 2, 1824, the Town of Bovina held its annual meeting. Among other actions, it was "resolved that a fence 4 1/2 feet in height shall be considered a lawful fence." It also was resolved "that sheep shall not be permitted to run at large…" Three weeks later, on March 24, a resolution was passed that rescinded this latter resolution, instead resolving "that sheep shall be free commoners."

191 years ago today, on March 3, 1829, a resolution was passed at the annual meeting of the Town of Bovina that "Horses over the age of one year shall not be permitted to run at large under the penalty of 12 ½ dollars to be collected by the Commissioners of Common Schools and applied to support the Schools in said town."

149 years ago today, on March 4, 1871, David L. Forman, the son of Archibald and Davina Foreman, died of diphtheria at the age of 3 years, 9 months and 4 days. Three days later, Bovina saw another child lost to diphtheria when Lizzie Currie, the only child of George and Margaret Currie died at the age of 3 years, 7 months and 16 days.

Seventy-eight years ago today, the Delaware Republican for March 5, 1942 carried this Bovina column: 

113 years ago today, the March 6, 1907 Delaware Gazette reported that "W.T. Hine who has finished putting in a steel ceiling in the R.P. church in Bovina, is now placing steel ceilings in Commodore Gerry's home, Lake Delaware."

200 years ago today, March 7, 1820, Thomas Landon signed his oath of office as the first supervisor of the Town of Bovina. He likely signed this at the first meeting of the town, which took place this same day.

Sixty-nine years ago today, the March 8, 1951 Delaware Republican Express reported in its Bovina column that "Robert Boggs is helping in the creamery while Dave Roberts is home nursing the mumps."

200 years ago today, the March 9, 1820 Delaware Gazette reported the creation of "a new town by the name of Bovina…" 

Fifty-five years ago today, on March 10, 1965, as later reported in the Delaware Republican Express, a number of folks from Bovina attended the Flower Show in New York City. These included "Mrs. Francis Schabloski, Mrs. Henry Wilkens, Mrs. Clarence Burns, Mrs. Millard Russell, Mrs. Clifford Burgin, Mrs. James Boggs, Mrs. Siegfried Bathen, Mrs. Jack Damgaard, Mrs. Leif Reinertsen, Mrs. Lauren Monroe, Mrs. Milton Graham, [and] Mrs. John Barlow." This was the International Flower Show, held at the New York Coliseum from March 7 to March 14. The admission was $2.50. The coliseum, now demolished, stood on Columbus Circle in New York City. 

Seventy-seven years ago today, the Bovina column in the March 11, 1943 Delaware Republican Express reported that "A Red Cross room in which bandages and dressings are to be made has been opened in the Fire House. This room will be open this week on Thursday morning, afternoon and evening, and on Friday morning and evening. It will be closed in the afternoon because of the services in the church."

200 years ago today, March 12, 1820, James Palmer signed this bond as constable for Town of Bovina.

Walter Doig signed this oath of office as Overseer of Highways for the Town of Bovina 200 years ago today, March 13, 1820.

149 years ago today, on March 14, 1871, fence viewers for the town of Bovina, namely W.A. Doig, Michael Miller and F.C. Armstrong,  reached a determination concerning  the building of a stone wall (fence) between the properties of John Hilson and Joshua Kennedy, ordering which part was to be built by Hilson and which one by Kennedy. The property was located adjacent to what was the Methodist Church lot (and later was the home of the late Gert Hall).

Robert Hamilton signed his oath of office as assessor for the Town of Bovina 200 years ago today, March 15, 1820.

194 years ago today, on March 16, 1826, Helen Miller was born, the daughter of David Miller and Agnes Thompson. She was only three when her mother died. She married James Hoy in 1847 and would have three sons before her own early death in 1858 at the age of 32. She is buried in the Bovina cemetery.

145 years ago today, the March 17, 1875 Delaware Gazette reported that "J.P. Flower begs to be excused from the duties of the Bovina Valley Post-mastership, and Andrew Strangeway has been appointed. The office isn't worth $1,000 per year." Bovina Valley is the Lake Delaware area.

John Armstrong signed this oath of office as Overseer of Highways for the Town of Bovina on March 18, 1820.

131 years ago today, on the evening of March 19, 1889, as later reported in the Stamford Mirror, "Will Ormiston returned from New York …., a full-fledged M.D."

113 years ago today, the March 20, 1907 Delaware Gazette reported that "A sugar of milk plant is to be built at Bovina Centre. The Co-operative Creamery company has entered into a contract with the American Casene (sic) Col. by which they will furnish them eighty per cent of their skim milk for a period of five years. The price they will receive for milk is 10 cents per hundred pounds for the first two years and then twelve cents. The Casene company will erect a building of concrete 40 x 70 feet, that will make the building absolutely fire proof."

Fifty-five years ago today, on March 21, 1965, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Delaware Republican Express, "Mrs. Charles LaFever received word Sunday of the death of her mother at Delhi. She was Mrs. Dulcy Edwards, age 77, and a former resident of Lew Beach."

200 years ago today, on March 22, 1820, Robert Grierson signed this oath of office as Commissioner of Common Schools before Town Justice Elisha Maynard. 

140 years ago today, the Brushland column of the March 23, 1880 Stamford Mirror reported that "Business is dull, except with the doctors. It has, until recently, been very healthy in town. Thomas Hoy's family are nearly all sick with inflammation of the lungs and throat trouble. Mr. James Hastings, one of the oldest inhabitants of Bovina, was threatened with paralysis yesterday, but is better today." This likely was James M. Hastings. Amazingly, he lived on for another 14 years, dying in 1894 at the age of 96 years old.

200 years ago today, on March 24, 1820, this application for a public highway was filed by James Miller and William Telford.

Fifty-five years ago today, the Bovina column of the March 25, 1965 Delaware Republican Express reported that "Marian Jardine of Michigan is home on vacation from a college where she is a student."

Ninety years ago today, on March 26, 1930, the Bovina column of the Delaware Republican reported that "A telegram was received announcing that Brice Russell was just alive." The paper went on to note that he "is the brother of Wm. C. and Eliza Russell and has been west a number of years." Brice is James Bryce Russell, born about 1849. Bryce died the day after this item appeared on March 27, 1930 in Colfax, Wisconsin.

111 years ago today, on March 27, 1909, Dorothy Drew was born in Arena, the daughter of Freeman and Ada Drew. In 1933 she would marry Ernest Russell and they would settle in Bovina to raise their two sons, Ron and Dave. Dorothy was the Bovina librarian for many years and passed away in 2006 at the age of 97. This 1987 photo of Dot is by Hugh Lee.

200 years ago today, on March 28, 1820, Elisha B. Maynard signed this oath of office as overseer of highways for Bovina highway district number 24. It was the job of the overseer to make sure that everyone carried out their assessed maintenance of their roads. Everyone was assigned a certain number of days to carry out this work. If unable to do the work, they were expected to pay someone to do it for them. This was the system of road maintenance throughout New York State until the early 20th century.

120 years ago today, on March 29, 1900, Minnie Coulter died. Born in 1872, she married James H. Coulter in 1895. James died nine days before his wife. Minnie's death at the age of 27 was the second of three in the Coulter family in a ten-day span. Two days after her death saw the death of her brother in law Walter A. Coulter on March 31. All three died from pneumonia.

140 years ago today, the Bovina column in the March 30, 1880 Stamford Mirror reported that "N. Smith, the well-known commission merchant of New York, is making an effort to start a creamery in the upper end of the town. The present indications are that he will succeed." With the value of historic hindsight, we now know that his efforts failed. It would be over 20 years before a creamery was established anywhere in Bovina.

Ninety-nine years ago today, on March 31, 1921, Robert Hamilton Russell, died at the age of 71. Born in Bovina in 1850, he was married twice, first to Josephine Baker, who died in 1881 not long after giving birth to her son Elmer, and later to Margaret A. Doig, who would have four sons, including Cecil H. Russell. 

Bovina Ex-Pats - James Hastings, Mayor of West Cape May, NJ

James Blair Hastings was born in Bovina in 1860, the son of Thomas Elliott Hastings and Jane S. Blair. Thomas ran a store for years in what is now Russell’s Store. In 1914, James wrote a form of his autobiography in a letter to for a history of Hamilton College’s class of 1884, so we’ll let him tell his story.

James B. Hastings in his younger days. Portrait from Hamilton College history of Class of 1884.

My Dear Maynard [This likely is a reference to Reuben Leslie Maynard, a member of the class of 1884.]: James Blair Hastings was born at Bovina Center, Delaware County, New York, October 29, 1860. Of my infancy I recall but little, but take it for granted that it was a howling success, with the stress on the howling. To a village lad the period of 'green apples and chilblains' in those days was but a monotonous round of 'going to school,' not hallowed by the memory of having to get up before daylight, taking care of the cows and horses, cutting a cord of wood and then walking 'steen miles in order to attend school.

In 1876 history records, or at least should record, two important events, the Centennial Exposition and my entrance to an Academy, as the preparatory schools were called. Owing to a congenital dislocation of the hip, it was thought that I was illy fitted to engage in work requiring hard, physical labor, and so I was sent to the old academy at Andes, N. Y., for a year as a sort of 'try out.' During this year a new world was opened up to my mental vision through that scholarly man, Dr. Stevenson, the head of the school. At the end of the year I returned to my home filled with the idea of going to college. This resolution, coming as it did from me as the result of my own cogitations on the matter, met with the approval of my parents, and so I was returned to Andes to prepare for a higher course.

… At the beginning of our third year at school, Dr. Stevenson was suddenly stricken by death and school was broken up. In company with Black and Miller, I went to Delaware Literary Institute at Franklin. N. Y., to finish my preparatory course. At this time I had settled upon no college definitely. At Franklin we had as teachers graduates from Hamilton, and at Hamilton we matriculated in September, 1880.

You boys of '84 know as much as I can tell you of my four years at Hamilton. I might remind you that in some way I managed to persuade the faculty that I knew enough Greek and Latin to entitle me to a Hawley Medal Junior year. But the same faculty certainly got back at me Senior year, when they deprived me, as they did you, of at least five, if not ten or more prizes, on which we had a ' lead pipe cinch.' You will recall that seventeen of the boys, as a reward for taking a ' key' had to hand in commencement orations and deliver the same on the commencement platform. I was numbered among the transgressors, and three years later received my A.M.

After leaving college I was with my father in business at Bovina Center until the fall of '85, when I took charge of the academy at Southampton, L. I. I was connected with this institution until '87, when I became teacher of mathematics and science at Delaware Literary Institute, Franklin, N. Y. At this institution I assisted in smoothing the path to college entrance for a number of boys, many of whom entered Hamilton.

August 7, 1889, I married Jessie A. Sherman of Davenport, N. Y., whom I had met as a pupil during my first year as teacher at Franklin, N. Y. I remained at Franklin the first year of my married life. In 1890 I was elected Principal of the Wellsboro, Pa., Public Schools, where we remained two years. During my second year at this place Mrs. Hastings was severely afflicted with articular rheumatism. Upon the advice of physicians, I gave up the position and went back to the mountains of my native county, engaging as Principal of Samford Seminary. The winter of V3 found Mrs. Hastings prostrated with hemorrhage of the bronchial tubes. Then for a year we lived among the firs of Minnesota and the Northwest. On our return to the east I taught for two years at Hobart, N. Y., and for four years at Davenport, N. Y. In the fall of 1901 we went to High Falls, N. Y. The autumn of 1903 brought me to my present work. On April 8, 1908, Mrs. Hastings passed through ' the gates that never outward swing.'

Living as I have the quarter of a century past, in a world apart from the whirl of politics, the wrangle of the law, the clash of schools in medicine and theology, I have neither sought nor attained public honors nor preferments. The teacher's greatest honors and successes lie in the success of the men and women to whom he may have given an inspiration that started them upon their upward careers. Of these I have had my share and count their honors mine. The future of the teacher is always bright and hopeful, as there is always an increasing demand for his labor.

In a supplemental sketch received December 5, 1913, Mr. Hastings says that he has "nothing to add to the foregoing, except that the people of West Cape May, N. J., had elected him Mayor." He closes with the following important statement: " I shall try to answer present at the '84 Class Stone, when the Roll is called at our Thirtieth Annual Reunion in June, 1914, though I find that the shadows are growing longer, and that my face is turned now toward the sunset."

[There was at least one other Bovina native who was a member of the Hamilton College Class of 1884 – William Portus Miller. He became a Presbyterian minister, dying at the age of 45 in 1905.]

James Hastings has appeared in this blog before. In July 2012, I reported on a lightning strike in front of his father’s store in 1892. While James wasn’t injured, his wife of less than two years was, though at the time, it was not considered serious. The strike tore off one shoe and stocking. The team of horses near-by were knocked down.

She was having health issues even before the lightning strike. James had moved back to Bovina where it was thought the Catskill Mountain air would be good for her rheumatism. Her health did not improve. Whether the lightning was a factor is hard to determine, but she appears to have developed tuberculosis. For the next decade, James moved around trying to find a place conducive to her health, including Minnesota for a spell then back to the Catskills. In 1903, they moved to Cape May, NJ, but nothing helped, and she died in 1908 at the age of 42.

Later portrait of James B. Hastings, also from Hamilton College History of Class of 1884.

Two years after her death, Hastings was elected Mayor of the Borough of West Cape May, serving until 1914. He also was the principal of the West Cape May Public School. Late in life, it appears that James came back to Bovina for a time. He was living with his brother, Milton Hastings, in Bovina in the 1920 census and was teaching in the local school. He returned to Cape May and died there, rather unexpectedly, on September 24, 1920. The report from the Andes Recorder on his death noted that he had written home only a few days before and noted his health was fine. He was buried in Franklin, NY next to his wife Jessie.  

This Day in Bovina for February 2020

Here are the entries on the Town of Bovina Historian Facebook page for February 2020:

130 years ago, the February 1, 1890 Delaware Republican had a couple of items in its Bovina column on Bovina butter: Some of our farmers who were dreaming of 25c for their butter last September, are now selling for 15c. ''Tis true, 'tis pity; pity 'tis, 'tis true.'"  The column went on to note later "The way some of our farmers hang on to their butter is rather suggestive of the grippe."

Ninety-five years ago today, on February 2, 1925, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "….Sloan Archibald received a box of oranges from his son, Russell Archibald, who is spending the winter in Florida."

Sixty-eight years ago today, on February 3, 1952, as later reported in the Delaware Republican-Express, "Clayton Thomas and George Storie motored to Forest City, Pa."

199 years ago today, on February 4, 1821, John Fuller died. The death notice in the Delaware Gazette: "In Bovina…after a short illness, which he bore with Christian fortitude and resignation, Mr. John Fuller, aged 20 years, son of Mr. Elihu Fuller."

200 years ago today, on February 5, 1820, bills were reported on petitions in the New York State Legislature. One bill, reported by Mr. Storrs, was "An act to erect a new town by the name Bovina…in the county of Delaware."

Eighty-six years ago today, on February 6, 1934, Archibald Phyfe died. Born in 1848, he spent his whole life in Bovina, most of it on the family farm. He married Mary Ormiston in 1875 and was widowed 10 years later. His sister Sarah moved in with him to help raise his two daughters. On February 4, 1928, Archie and his sister were overcome by coal gas. He survived but Sarah died. More about the tragedy involving Sarah can be found in the Bovina NY History Blog at http://bovinanyhistory.blogspot.com/2011/02/dangers-of-coal-gas.html

152 years ago today, on February 7, 1868, the town auditors of Bovina passes a resolution to pay to Peter Clark $12 from the dog fund to cover "damages sustained by him in June 1860 for sheep killed by unknown dogs."

Ninety-nine years ago today, on February 8, 1921, David Sloan of Crested Butte, Colorado passed away. The Andes Recorder reported his death under the headline "Former Bovina Man is Dead." The paper noted that Sloan was the "assistant sergeant at arms of the state senate…" He died "at the home of his daughter, Mrs. James M. Gladstone, with who he resided during the session of the legislature." He died of pneumonia and was buried in Gunnison, Colorado. Born in Ireland 77 years earlier, he settled in Bovina where he was a shoemaker for a number of years. His shop was at the entrance to the Bovina creamery on what is now the home of Dick and Carol Brannen. He went to Colorado in the 1890s where "for a long period was employed as watchman for the Colorado Fuel and Iron Col at its Crested Butte mines." He was a widower, survived by a son in Iowa and three daughters all in Colorado.

152 years ago today, on February 9, 1864, Michael Miller signed this oath of office as town clerk for the Town of Bovina. He would serve for one term. 

122 years ago today, Maggie Coulter recorded the following in her diary for February 10, 1898: "Cloudy this morning rained a little this forenoon. Fogy this afternoon & evening. Liddle's stayed all night here. Went over to Steven Russell's for dinner. Had potatoes, scalloped oysters, pressed chicken & Bread first course. Second course biscuits, 4 kinds of cake, peach cauce and oranges. Present at Russell's were Rev. Samson, Rev. Slater, Mrs. Samson, Frank & Addie Russell, Mary Coulter, Mrs. David Oliver Sen., John A. Russell wife and sons, Frank Armstrong, Mary Armstrong, Walter Coutler, Herman Coulter, Edwin Russell, Lena Russell, Mary Anne Russell, Mrs. John G. Russell, Will Russell, George Russell, Steven Russell, Mary Russell, Joe McNally, Maggie Russell." Maggie later married J. Russell Boggs and died in 1951. Thank you to her granddaughter, Barbara Boggs Ide for donating her grandmother's diaries, now housed at the Delaware County Historical Association.

Seventy-one years ago today, the February 11, 1949 Bovina column in the Catskill Mountain News reported that "William Parsons was in the Margaretville hospital two days last week for a checkup. He has not been in his usual health all winter." Bill recovered, surviving until 1962.

Eighty-three years ago today, the February 12, 1937 Otsego Farmer reported that "A Delaware County jury in Supreme Court at Delhi on Wednesday night, valued a human life at $2,250 when it returned a verdict after six hours' deliberation in favor of Mrs. Minnie Hansen of Bovina for the death of her son, Claude Hansen, fatally injured in an accident near Shavertown more than a year ago." The paper went on to report that her son Walford received $1,282 for injuries received in the same accident. He was incapacitated for over nine months. Claude had died in December 1935 and was buried in the Bovina cemetery. His mother passed away in 1960. The Hansens had come to Bovina from Colorado in the 1920s.

138 years ago today, Alexander Storie wrote in his diary for Monday, February 13, 1882 the following: "Thawed all last night. The fields are partly bare. Rained heavy most of the day. High water in PM. Wind S."

132 years ago today, the February 14, 1888 Stamford Mirror reported in its Bovina column: "Rev. J.B. Lee has sold his place, it is reported, to someone in Delhi, but as the name of the purchaser has not been disclosed, it is exciting a great deal of curiosity and guessing as to who the party is." This is the house to the right of the Bovina UP Church, now owned by Amy Burns.

Sixty-nine years ago today, the February 15, 1951 Bovina column in the Delaware Republican-Express reported that "Last week the Bovina Center Co-Operative Dairy, Inc. again paid a thirteenth check to its patrons for milk delivered. A total of $19,410.00 or $.02 1/2 per dollar value of all milk delivered at the plant during the year 1950 was paid." The paper went on to note that "Over the period of the past eight years the Bovina Center Co-Operative Dairy, Inc. has paid its patrons  total of $290,000.00 in thirteenth checks and special premiums or an average of $.234 per cwt. for all milk delivered at the plant during that time."

200 years ago on February 16, 1820, Samuel Adee was born in what became Bovina only nine days after his birth. He was the son of Darius Adee and Harriet Jewell. He later married Anna Barker. Samuel died April 2, 1896 and is buried in Bovina.

195 years ago today, on February 17, 1825, Margaret McCune was born in Bovina, the daughter of John McCune (1794-1850) and Catherine McNaught (1796-1874). She married John Bramley in 1847 and had nine children. She died a little over two weeks after her husband in the fall of 1899, survived by four of her nine children.

Ninety-four years ago today, on February 18, 1926, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Andes Recorder, "Mrs. Isaac Mitchell underwent an operation for appendicitis at the Delhi hospital…"

Sixty-six years ago today, on February 19, 1954, the Bovina Fire Department held its annual pancake supper in the church parlors, with serving starting at 6:30 p.m.

200 years ago today, on February 20, 1820, Jennette Black was born, the daughter of William Black and Margaret Halliday. She was married twice, first to James R. Thomson and later to Matt Russell. She died December 17, 1893 and is buried in Bovina.

177 years ago today, on February 21, 1843, Walter Stott, Jr, the Commissioner of Common Schools in Bovina certified an alteration in school district 10, transferring James Aitkins from district 10 to district 2 (which was located in the area of Pink Street). 

175 years ago today, on February 22, 1845, James Coulter signed this oath of office as town supervisor. It was notarized by Edward McKenzie, the Town Clerk. Both men later in the year would get involved with the Anti-Rent War and would be present at the shooting of Undersheriff Osman Steele. Coulter was arrested and McKenzie was brought in to testify at the subsequent trial.

190 years ago today, on February 23, 1830, Isaiah Laing, the 19 year old son of Rev. Robert Laing, passed away. He is buried in the churchyard that was next to the church where his father served as the church's first pastor.

Sixty-nine years ago today, on February 24, 1951, as later reported in the Bovina Column of the Delaware Republican-Express: "Boyce Rosmann moved his family…to Mable Thomson's house. Charles LaFever is now living in the home of his brother, Howard LaFever." The house that my dad moved into was my childhood home. Mom and Dad would live there the rest of their lives.

200 years ago today on February 25, 1820, the New York State legislature passed an act creating the Town of Bovina. Happy Bicentennial Birthday to Bovina!

175 years ago today, the February 26, 1845 Delaware Gazette reported "More Outrages" in the Anti-Rent War, including this item: "We…understand that constable Edgerton [of Delhi] was molested and his business demanded by men in disguise, while staying Friday night at a house in Bovina. He refused to tell his business, and was not further molested; in neither case had the officers any business connected with the rent matters."

Seventy-two years ago today, the Bovina Center column of the Catskill Mountain News for February 27, 1948, reported "William J. Storie has resigned his position as secretary of the Bovina Center creamery. Miss Beatrice Thomson will take over the work on March 1."

Thirty-one years ago today, on February 28, 1989, the Delaware County Times carried this article about Ed and Donna Weber's farm and an award they received. 

156 years ago today, on February 29, 1864, William B. Laidlaw and David A. Elliott signed these statements requesting to have the $350 owed to them by the town of Bovina as a bounty for enlisting paid to relatives. William's was to his uncle Ebenezer. David's payment was to his brother John A., himself a Civil War veteran who was discharged for disability the month before. David was captured in June 1864 and died in Andersonville prison in three months later.