Bovina Memories Program

I'm sharing with everyone the images that we used at the May 11, 2024 program held at the community hall. Several long-time residents of Bovina shared their memories of growing up in Bovina, spurred on by these images. Participants were Marian Jardine, Patricia Thomas Parsons Miele, Marie Reinertsen Burns, Jack Burns, Jim Hilson, Chuck McIntosh and Lauren Monroe.

For the zoom presentation, the images should have been included but for some reason they do not appear. So I've created this blog entry so people who watched via zoom or want to watch the recording posted on You Tube [https://youtu.be/xJfxmsua72A] can see the images being discussed. 

The images are here in order by their presentation in the program. We started with images of each of the participants from their childhood. 

Jack Burns, photo by Bob Wyer

Jim Hilson, photo by Bob Wyer

Marian Jardine, with her brother Richard and sister Martha, photo by Bob Wyer

Chuck McIntosh, with his sister Carol, photo by Bob Wyer

Pat Thomas Parsons Miele (right) with her sister Marge Thomas Rockefeller, photo by Bob Wyer

Lauren Monroe (on the right) with his sisters and parents, photo by Bob Wyer

Marie Reinertsen Burns (left) with her father, mother and sister June Burns, photo by Bob Wyer.

The group recalled their memories of the August 1953 flood in Bovina Center, triggered by these images, all taken by Bob Wyer.

That's Chuck McIntosh inside this tipped over playhouse, talking to Bill Aitkens.

These two images show the damage to Clayton Thomas's garage after the flood. 

And this image shows the Scott Bridge at the lower end of the Bovina Center hamlet. 

The program participants noted that they never referred to it as the Scott Bridge but as the Crooked Bridge. More about this bridge is at Bovina (NY) History: Bridging Bovina (bovinanyhistory.blogspot.com)

Image of the bridge from the 1940s taken by Bob Wyer.

These next two images both feature Pat Miele. 

This was some performance done by the Bovina Happy Hearts 4H Club. That's Pat in the front left. Going clockwise, the next girl has not been id'ed. The girl with the pigtails is Lois Miller, daughter of the Bovina minister. Then we see Norma Burns, Edna Reinertsen and the blond girl in the front right is Patty Boggs.

This image was taken by Jim Hilson, showing Pat, Tommy Schall, Bobby Boggs and Marge Thomas (Pat's sister). In the background standing next to the house on the left is Bobby's sister Barbara. 

This next image is also from the 4H. The club did a play recreating an incident in the early days of the Bovina church. The story was that when the church was one day holding services in a barn, a chicken wouldn't stop clucking until a gentleman sat on it, solving the problem. They recreated it for a 4-H festival in Walton in May 1949.

Front row: George Hall, Marie Reinertsen Burns, Marian Jardine, Sandra McPherson Cole, Jack Burns, Bobbie Boggs, Bill Aitkens, XXX Lyons, Marg Hilson Olsner, Marcelle Vogel. Back row: Ron Russell, Wayne Spear, George LaFever, Bob Burns, Wendell Spear, Dick Roberts. The chicken is Jim Hoy. Photo by Bob Wyer.

These two images come from the same event held in May 1957.

Easter Parade: Marie Renner, Carolyn Keefer, Helen Thomson, Emily Archibald, Jen Thomson, Ina Thomson, Ruth Monroe, Eva McIntosh, xxx Olsener, Betty Hall

Tom Thumb Wedding: left to right - Linda Graham, Mary Ann LaFever, Ruth Ann McPherson, Jack Robson, John LaFever, June Burns, Richard Damgaard, Richard McIntosh, Jamie McKeefer, John Hilson, Tom Hilson, Marg Hilson, Roger McIntosh, Christine Hilson, Marianne Hilson, Joan Damgaard, Nancy Hilson, Tanya Lay, Judy Hammond, Janice Vandenbord, Shirley Hammond, Marie Burns, Tom Hoy, Norma Reinertsen.

This image was a party given for Vera Storie by her Beacon Lights Sunday school class in honor of her 25 years of teaching the class. [I would love to find a better version of this image!] 

I then shared a few images of people known by and/or related to our program participants.

Charles N. McIntosh, 1943, photo by Bob Wyer.

Raymond Jardine, 1943, photo by Bob Wyer.

Andrew and Sophie Reinertsen, 1946, photo by Bob Wyer.

Floyd "Steve" Aitken, 1947, photo by Bob Wyer.

Therese "Que" Aitken, 1947, photo by Bob Wyer.

This image is from the 1956 Bovina Old Home Day. I've been told that this is Bobby Boggs. 

This final image is a Bovina Center baseball player. We have not been able to identify him. We're hoping someone recognizes him. 

May 1924 - 100 Years Ago in "That Thriving Town"

May 2, 1924

• C.S. Gladstone is driving a new Buick car.

• James Ackerley is moving into his new house this week.

• Albert Seaber left for Hackensack, N.J., the first of the week.

• Lester Henderson, son of Fred Henderson, is ill with the measles. [Lester would survive his attack, dying in 1970. He was the father of Laverne Henderson, long time biology teacher at Delaware Academy.]

• The Delhi students started again Tuesday morning for their school duties.

• The sale of J.K. Russell at Lake Delaware on Tuesday was largely attended.

• A son was born April 23, to Mr. and Mrs. John Hewitt, of Margaretville, formerly of Bovina. [This was Stanley 'Stub' Hewitt, who died in 2017.]

• Mrs. George Decker and Mrs. Arthur Decker and daughter, Virginia, were at Delhi on Monday. 

• Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy Warren, of Delhi, were visitors at Lancelot Thomson’s on Sabbath.

• Harold Aitkens entertained 32 of his young friends last Friday evening on his sixteenth birthday.

• Miss Mary Flansburg, of East Orange, N.J., who had been at Mrs. Alex Hilson’s, returned home Friday.

• Mrs. Everett Joslin, who has been in New York with her daughter, Mrs. Charles Hyatt, is expected home this week.

• Mr. and Mrs. Galie Hafele were called to Walton the first of the week by the illness of her brother, Archibald Thomson.

• Edith, the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Claude Erkson, who has been very ill with pneumonia, is reported to be improving.

• Miss Angelica L. Gerry has returned to her home in New York City. Miss Mabel Gerry is expected at the Gerry summer home this week.

• Mr. and Mrs. Otis McCumber and two grandchildren, of Andes, called on her sisters, the Misses Kate and Freda Muller, on Monday evening. 

May 9, 1924

• It is reported that Pat Fay has gone to Wisconsin.

• Linn Bruce jr., of Andes, was in town Tuesday.

• Mr. and Mrs. Frank Myers were with his parents here several days last week.

• Miss Marjorie Forman, of Delhi, spent over the week end with relatives in town.

• Edith Erkson, daughter of Claude Erkson, is still very ill and two nurses are in attendance. [Edith would recover from this illness. She was married in 1928 and passed away in 1974, survived by a son and five grandchildren, and is buried in Vestal in Broome County.]

• Mrs. Thomas Ormiston has spent the past week with her son, Wendel Ormiston at Goshen.

• Mrs. John M. Miller and two daughters, of Walton, renewed acquaintances in town the past week. [Mrs. Miller was the former Bertha Anderson. She and her late husband John owned what later became Suits-Us Farm. The two daughters were Shirley and Leila Miller.]

• Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Decker were at Walton on Sabbath afternoon to see Mrs. Frank C. Armstrong, who is ill. [Mrs. Frank Armstrong was the former Mary E. Neisch. She was Frank’s third and last wife. She would pass away in July. Frank also was Mrs. Decker’s, the former Beulah Armstrong, grandfather.]

• Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Thomson have gone to Manhasset, Long Island, where he was a superintendency of a farm. 

• At school meeting Tuesday evening, Howard McPherson was elected trustee in the village district to succeed John Hilson.

• Mrs. Hull, housekeeper for F.W. Hyatt, returned Saturday from spending a few weeks with relatives in New York City.

• Mr. and Mrs. Lancelot Thomson and Mr. and Mrs. Dixon Thomson were at Bloomville on Saturday to attend the funeral of their niece, Mrs. Arthur Dibble. [Mrs. Dibble was Barbara Jane Thomson, daughter of Thomas Thompson and Elizabeth Grant.] 

• Mr. and Mrs. Chas F. McPherson, Mrs. Thos Ormiston and Mrs. Alex Myers were at Oneonta on Monday to see Mrs. James Ormiston, who is very ill. She is a sister of the last named. [Mrs. Myers was formerly Isabelle Laing, Mrs. Ormiston was Margaret Laing. They were the daughters of John B. Laing and Margaret Gladstone. Mrs. Ormiston would pass away in June.]

Enlisted in Signal Corps

Joseph Arnold jr. has enlisted in the Signal corps of the United States army. He will be stationed in Panama and will sail on May 15, on the army transport Argonne. Stops enroute will be made at southern ports and at Porto Rico. The Arnolds have lived for the past three or four years on the S.G. Bramley farm in Bovina. 

Mrs. James Liddle Passed way in Upper Bovina on May 3

Mrs. James A. Liddle died at her home at Bovina at 2 o’clock Saturday morning, May 3, after a long illness from heart trouble. She was born in New Kingston 68 years age, her maiden name being Thomson. The greater part of her life had been spent in the town of Bovina. The funeral was held Tuesday. 

Deceased is survived by her husband and two sons and two daughters, viz: Frank Liddle in Bovina; Harry Liddle in Pennsylvania; Mrs. Olmstead of Illion, and Mrs. Titsworth at Lake Delaware. Also two sisters, viz: Miss Mary Thomson at Hobart, and Mrs. Ann Whitlock in Davenport, and two brothers, Elliott Thomson, of Bovina Center, and John Thomson, of Downsville. [Mrs. Liddle was Margaret E. Thomson, the daughter of Walter E. Thomson and Jane Murray.]

May 16, 1924

• Robert Boggs is ill with the measles.

• The Home Bureau met Tuesday with Mrs. George H. Miller.

• Mrs. Alex Hilson is having her new house wired for electric lights. [This is the home of Mike and Christine Batey.]

• Rev. F.N. Crawford has been absent the past week at Pittsburg.

• George Stanton spent a few days the past week with his son, Robert Stanton at Bloomville.

• Arnold H. Bellows, who is teaching at Lake Delaware, will teach next year at the Butt End.

• Mr. Thomson, the buttermaker on the Gerry estate at Lake Delaware, has completed his work.

• Mr. and Mrs. William Irvine, of Seattle, Washington, arrived this week to visit his mother, Mrs. John Irvine.

• W.C. Russell has the cellar completed for his new house and James T. Aitken and son, of Andes, commenced the carpenter work this week.

• Born to Mr. and Mrs. Homer Burgin on Wednesday, May 14, at the home of his mother, Mrs. Ida Burgin, a son. 

• Frank McPherson, the youngest son of Charles McPherson, fell Monday while on his way to school and broke his arm.

• Albert Seaber returned on Sabbath from Hackensack, N.J., and is working on the State road for Patrolman Howard McPherson.

• At the annual school meeting at Lake Delaware, William Mabon was elected trustee; Mrs. Earl Fisk, clerk, and Alex B. Jardine, collector. 

• Rev. W.R. Sawhill, of Seattle, Washington, who is Moderator of the United Presbyterian General Assembly preached in the U.P. church last Sabbath.  

Caught Under Auto

While Mr. and Mrs. Rema Hobbie, of upper Bovina, were returning home from Delhi one day last week the radius rod of his Ford broke, when they were near the Delhi village limits and the car landed bottom up in the ditch. Mr. Hobbie sustained two cracked ribs and his wife had a sprained ankle. Two others in the car were severely bruised. 

May 23, 1924

• Frank Miller is driving a new Ford coupe.

• Donald and Norris Boggs, sons of Russell Boggs, are ill with the measles.

• Mrs. Eli Felton, whose husband died a few weeks ago, moved her household goods to Walton this week.

• Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Ackerley, of South Gilboa, called on Nelson Tompkins at George Decker’s on Sabbath.

• Captain Billings, who for several years has been superintendent of the Gerry farms at Lake Delaware, has resigned and will return to the state of Maine.

• Mr. and Mrs. William Armstrong, and Mr. and Mrs. John Armstrong and family spent Sabbath with F.C. Armstrong, father of the first named, at Walton. 

• The teachers in the town of Bovina for the next school year are: Arnold Bellows, Butt End; Lillian McNair, Maynard district; Beatrice Hoy, Coulter Brook; Ruth Coulter, Coulter district; Helen Davis, Pink Street; Mariona McPherson, Armstrong district; Elizabeth Strangeway, Miller avenue; Christina Dean, Lake Delaware; Gladys Worden, principal and Edith Liddle, primary, Bovina Center School

Married at Lake Delaware

Miss Marjorie Lee, daughter of John B. Lee, of Lake Delaware, was married Saturday, May 17, at the St. James Episcopal church at Lake Delaware, to Merrill Meighan, an electrical engineer of Chicago, in which city they will reside. The ceremony was performed by the rector Rev. O. Edgelow.

May 30, 1924

• Beatrice Hoy is driving a new Chevrolet car.

• Mrs. John Close visited her parents at Arena recently.

• Frank Miller, of Union Grove, was a caller in town Monday.

• Chas. E. Hulbert, of Downsville, was in town on Tuesday.

• Elmer Doig in grading about the residence of Fred Thomson.

• Carpenters have commenced work on remodelling the barn of J.D. Burns.

• Robert Low, of Brooklyn, was a recent guest of his cousin, Mrs. Lancelot Thomson.

• Mrs. and Mrs. James Ackerley, and Mrs. G.J. Dickson attended services at Delhi on Sabbath.

• Mrs. and Mrs. Homer Burgin will commence housekeeping in part of G.D. Miller’s house. 

• E.J. Thomson, of Walton, has been spending a few days with his sister, Mrs. A.T. Doig.

• Mrs. Mary A. Russell underwent an operation last week at the hospital in Oneonta for the removal of a cataract from her eye.

• Mrs. George Shaver, who has been at the home of her son, Freeman Shaver in Terry Clove, for sometime helping care for measle cases, returned on Sabbath. 

BOVINA HAS RUNAWAY

Team of John Storie Furnish Excitement Monday  

The team of John Storie, attached to a lumber wagon, ran away Monday from the creamery. As they came out onto the street they swung down and caught the rear of the milk wagon of F.W. Hyatt, standing in front of Hilson Bros. Store, and turned it bottom up. The tongue of the Storie wagon was broken but they continued to run and just below the big Dickson house they got free from it by the double whiffletree breaking and the wagon swung and went head-on down the steep bank into the river below. The team stopped at W.J. Archibald’s at the stone bridge and went to eating grass. One horse had its leg injured by a sharp point of the wagon tongue running into it. 

This Day in Bovina for April 2024

Here's the monthly compilation of the daily entries on the Town of Bovina Historian Facebook page for April:

117 years ago, on April 1, 1907, Howard McPherson moved to Utica.  The Andes Recorder announced this move in its March 29th issue "Howard McPherson, who has been employed in Elliott Thomson’s blacksmith shop, has secured a position in a carriage factory at Utica and will go there April 1."

 

135 years ago today, on April 2, 1889, a notice appeared the Delaware Republican addressed "To Builders." The notice went on to say "Sealed proposals will be received at Bovina Centre until 2 o'clock P.M., on the 16th day of April 1889, for the labor and materials required in the repairs of the Bovina U.P. Church, including mason and carpenter work. Plans and specifications may be seen at the house of James L. Coulter." The contract was awarded later in April to Henry M. Coulter for $2,950. The work took place that summer and fall and the renovated church was dedicated in November 1889.

 

204 years ago today, on April 3, 1820, Thomas Landon, jr, John Humes and John Hastings were appointed town justices in Bovina, the first in the town’s history. This was later reported in the New York Gazette.

 

Eighty-four years ago today, the Bovina column of the April 4, 1940 Delaware Republican reported that "Mrs. Elizabeth Irvine is able to be out on the porch a little of late. She is recovering nicely from her long illness." Mrs. Irvine, who was the mother of Isabell Russell, would die three months later in July 1940.

 

114 years ago today, on April 5, 1910, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Andes Recorder, "Mr. and Mrs. George McMullen, of the Little Delaware, were here Tuesday in an automobile."

 

140 years ago today, the Brushland column of the Stamford Mirror for April 6, 1880 reported "The 'Study-Talk' society, which meets once a week at the M.E. [Methodist] Parsonage, is quite an interesting and profitable affair. They have essays, dialogues, debates etc., and a monthly paper which is generally very entertaining, edited by a different member each month. They also study the Bible lesson each week for the ensuing Sabbath. Mr. Quick is an able, as well as earnest pastor, and is very much interested in the wellfare(sic) of his flock. They held Easter Services in their church on Sunday evening last." The Methodist church stood across from the community hall. This image shows the church and a bit of what was the parsonage.

 

206 years ago today, on April 7, 1818, voters in the Town of Stamford voted down an attempt to form a new town from parts of Stamford. It was determined that it was "so vague and unexplained that the town cannot act on said notice. Put to vote and carried in favor of said motion." This was the first attempt to create what is now the Town of Bovina. The following year, the voters in Stamford narrowly approved the taking of part of Stamford for the new town, which was created in February 1820.

 

Ninety-nine years ago today, the April 8, 1925 Stamford Mirror-Recorder reported that George Decker commenced work on the state road as patrolman, from Chas. McPherson's to Margaretville. His assistants are John Aitken and George Shaver. The state road referred to here now is County Route 6.

 

107 years ago, as later reported in the Del Rep, "the team of James E. Hastings became frightened while standing at the creamery Monday morning [April 9, 1917], and made a dash for Main Street. Mr. Hastings was thrown out, but escaped injury. The horses were stopped at Hilson's store. The only damage done was to the milk cans, which were scattered all the way from the creamery to the store."

 

Fifty-nine years ago today, on April 10, 1965, as later reported in the Delaware Republican-Express's Bovina column, "Mr. and Mrs. H.F. Davidson, Mrs. W.J. Storie and Mrs. Edna Carter attended the meeting of the Delaware County Historical Association at Masonville…"

 

Eighty-four years ago today, the Bovina column of the April 11, 1940 Delaware Republican reported that "W.J. Storie is going in for raising chickens; he recently purchased four hundred." The same column also reported that "A part of Marshall McNaught's barn roof gave way under the weight of a recent snow. Fred Thomson is repairing it."

 

105 years ago today, the Bovina column of the April 12, 1919 Delaware Republican reported that "Dr. and Mrs. Whitcomb and daughter visited Walton friends Thursday and Friday." A few months later, Whitcomb and his family would leave Bovina and move to Egypt, where he died in 1935.

 

144 years ago today, the Brushland column of the April 13, 1880 Stamford Mirror reported that "Mr. Samuel Campbell has returned home from the West, bringing the measles with him. Quite a number have been exposed."

 

107 years ago today, the Bovina column of the April 14, 1917 Delaware Republican reported that "Patrons of the Bovina Center creamery are required to deliver milk every day in the week now."

 

134 years ago, the April 15, 1890 issue of the Stamford Mirror reported in its Bovina column that Robert F. Thomson lost quite a valuable horse a few days ago. Rob F. seems to be very unfortunate this spring, as he lost a good cow a few weeks ago."

 

128 years ago today, on April 16, 1896, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Andes Recorder, "John Burns, who lived with his son, Alexander, in the upper part of the town, died last week at the advanced age of eighty-eight years.  He had been in feeble health for sometime, and the end was not unexpected.  He was the oldest man in town.  The funeral was held on Saturday.  James Coulter is now the oldest surviving citizen in town, the old settlers have all departed." Coulter was also 88 and died at the age of 90 in 1898. This image of John Burns shows him in old age with his grandson and namesake John. John Junior was the father of Agnes Burns.

 

141 years ago, the Bovina column of the April 17, 1883 Stamford Mirror reported that "There have been three funerals in town this week: on Monday, David Black's; on Tuesday, Mrs. Robert J. Forrest's, who died with measles; and on Wednesday, William Archibald." David Black was 59. Mrs. Forrest was born Elizabeth Biggar and was 64 at her death. William Archibald was 60. Black died on April 7. Mrs. Forrest and Mr. Archibald both died on April 8.

 

Fifty-nine years ago today, on April 18, 1965, as later reported in the Delaware Republican Express Bovina column, "The following out of town families of Mrs. Sophia Reinertsen attended church services…and were Easter guest of their mother: Mr. and Mrs. Linden Kelly and family of Norwich, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Reinertsen of New York, [and] Mr. and Mrs. Edwin LaFever and daughter Christine, of Unadilla."

 

136 years ago today, the April 19, 1888 Hobart Independent reported: "The population of Bovina is increasing very rapidly. There has not been a death in two months, and there have been nearly a score of births in that time."

 

Forty years ago today, on April 20, 1984, James Archibald Hilson died at the age of 89. He was the son of Alexander Hilson and Isabella Archibald. Jim was one of the six children born to Alex and Isabella. Only three of those children survived to adulthood - John (1888-1956), Jane (1891-1967) and Jim. "Uncle Jim" was the last of their family to pass away. He was the uncle of Alex, Louise (Mole), Jack and Jane (Hoy) Hilson, the children of his brother John.

 

150 years ago today, the Stamford and Bloomville Mirror for April 21, 1874 reported that "Jas. H. Bramley and family, of Bovina, have gone to California." I haven't determined what James Bramley this was.

 

Sixty-nine years ago today, the April 22, 1955 Catskill Mountain News carried this item about three bridge projects in Bovina, including the replacement of the Scott Bridge at the lower end of Bovina Center. 

 

Sixty-three years ago today, on April 23, 1961, Bovina native Fannie Thompson Snyder passed away at the age of 101 years. She died at the home of her daughter in Masonville. Born in Bovina in 1860, she was the daughter of John and Betsy Thompson and was married twice, first to Ambrose Young and later to Eugene Snyder. She had lived in Masonville since 1942. She was survived by two daughters, three sons, 20 grandchildren, 48 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren.

 

123 years ago today, on April 24, 1901, Wilford White Barnhart was born, the youngest child of Jeremy Barnhart and Kate Miller. He would take over the family farm on Pink Street, now owned by Mike and Lori Glavin. Married to Viola Russell, they would have six children. Wilford died in March 1979.  This image from around 1917 shows Wilford with his siblings. Left to right, Ralph, Wilford, Edith and Anna Bell.

 

116 years ago today, the April 25, 1908 Hobart Independent carried this advertisement for Dairy Butter, being sold by Dixon Thompson: 

 

134 years ago today, the Bovina column of the April 26, 1890 Delaware Republican reported that "J.D. Mitchell started for New York…to attend a sale of thoroughbred Alderneys."

 

Fifty-one years ago today, on April 27, 1973, the Bovina Happy Hearts 4-H club held a roller skating party at the community hall from 7 to 9 pm. In my diary, I noted that I helped. The reference to my dad's new tractor is the John Deere that Tony Gabrielle included in the Bicentennial parade in 2022. 

 

Forty-six years ago today, on April 28, 1978, Gladys Doig died. Born in 1909, the daughter of Adam Biggar and Sarah Johnson, She was married to Ed Doig, who survived her. She was buried in Bovina. This photo by Bob Wyer, courtesy of the Delaware County Historical Association, shows Gladys in January 1943 with her husband and two of her children, Marilyn and Raymond.  

 

142 years ago today, the April 29, 1882 Bovina column in the Delaware Republican reported that "The telegraph line from the Valley to Brushland has been staked out and part of the poles delivered. The office will be in Rev. J.B. Lee's house and Duncan C. Lee operator." J.B. Lee's house is next to the church, the home of Tom Lamport and Amy Burns.

 

Forty-nine years ago today, the April 30, 1975 Stamford Mirror Recorder reported on the formation of the Bovina Rescue Squad: 

 

 

A Week with Bovina People - April 1899 - 125 Years ago from the Andes Recorder

Here’s what was happening in Bovina 125 years ago, April 1899, from the pages of the Andes Recorder.

April 7, 1899

• Albert Butts was over at Bloomville Saturday.

• Rev. H.F. Brown started for conference Monday.

• John S. Hobbie was at the County Seat Thursday.

• David A. Oliver, of Delancey, was in town Monday.

• Rev. Slater expects to be absent two or three months.

• Mr. and Mrs. Elmer E. Hastings visited Delhi Friday.

• Arthur Hoy smiles all over these days. It is a boy. [The boy was Clarence Hoy, born March 22. His mother was Janet Currie. Clarence died in 1981.]

• Last Thursday John Roney was in town from Andes.

• J.K. McDivitt, of Andes, was in this place Tuesday evening.

• Henry Thomson and daughter were up from Delhi Monday.

• Earley Eckart has hired to William L. White for the season.

• Misses Jennie and Emma Campbell were home over Sabbath.

• Dr. Huyck, of Treadwell, passed through this place on Sabbath.

• J. Barker, the new mail carrier, commenced to carry the mail Saturday.

• Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Miller were at G.D. Miller’s last week from Oneonta.

• Rev. W.L.C. Samson attended the meeting of Presbytery at Rock Rift on Tuesday.

• Rev. and Mrs. J.B. Pollock, of New Kingston, were visitors here the fore part of the week.

• A Missionary sociable was held on Wednesday evening in the United Presbyterian church parlors. The features of the sociable were addresses, recitations, singing, etc., and an enjoyable evening was spent. A collection was taken and the receipts amounted about $37.

• The United Presbyterian church in this place probably stands at the head in the amount of money given for missions. From the envelopes sent out to the members in which to return their offerings, $679 was received. Besides this some was raised last fall and the Sabbath School raised far more than do many churches.

April 14, 1899

• David Oliver was at Delancey Friday.

• John Ferguson, of Delhi, was in this place Monday.

• Alfred Strong and wife were in town Friday from Delhi.

• Mr. [Charles] Archer, the ex mail carrier is going to move into the village.

• Alex. Hilson has sold his cream separator and engine to Frank Graham.

• Henry Irvine is seriously ill at the home of his son in law, W.T. Black.

• Thomas C. Strangeway was a guest at Malcolm McNaught’s at Delancey last week.

• D.L. Thompson fell on the sidewalk Friday night and put his shoulder out of joint.

• Mrs. John G. Russell, Mrs. Duncan Campbell and Mrs. Richard Smith have been visiting at Walton.

• William A. Liddle, wife and daughter, of Andes, renewed old acquaintances in town last Friday.

• During this season John B. Lee will draw the milk from the Ludington hollow and vicinity to Delhi.

• Andrew Doig moved his family and household goods back to this place last week from Bellefontaine, Ohio.

• We are informed that the Reformed Presbyterian church is to undergo repairs during the next two months.

• Miss Louise Dennis and Mrs. G.D. Miller went to New York city Monday on the Ontario & Western excursion.

• Mrs. David Ferguson was buried in Bovina cemetery Wednesday.  She formerly lived at Livingston’s Lake, where her husband ran a grist mill. 

• Mrs. Rachael Rutherford, widow of the late William Rutherford, who lived in the upper part of this town, died last week at the home of her brother, Jonathan White, in Bettys Brook.

• The selection of Frank McPherson, of this town, as bookkeeper in the bank at Delhi is a deserved compliment and shows the wisdom of those in charge.

April 21, 1899

• Thomas Dennis was at Delhi on Friday.

• Monday, William L. Ruff was down at Delhi.

• Everett McPherson visited Delhi on Tuesday.

• Robert Biggar was over at Andes on Thursday.

• Thomas Gordon was at the County Seat on Saturday.

• Rev. Brown arrived home the latter part of last week.

• The school in the Centre re-opened again on Monday.

• Mrs. Richard Smith arrived home on Saturday from Walton.

• There will be preaching at Lake Delaware Sabbath evening.

• Miss Jennie E. Miller has returned from a visit to Oil City, Pa.

• School Commissioner Hugh Adair was in this place last Wednesday.

• Francis Graham was guest of Captain Hymers at Delancey recently.

• George Elliott and Clifford Benjamin were in town Saturday from Andes.

• Miss Louisa Dennis and Mrs. G.D. Miller returned from New York City Friday.

• David Sloan, who went West about eight years ago, arrived home again on Saturday.

• William C. Russell arrived home last Friday from court. He was the one of the jurors on the Meredith suit.

• M.V. Teller, who instructed the Bovina Band when it was organized, has been taken to the Binghamton asylum. [Martin V. Teller was active organizing the band in the early 1890s, but started having mental issues later in the decade. He first went to the asylum in 1897. It seems the problem was related, in part, to alcohol. He likely stayed in the asylum the rest of his life – he died in Binghamton in 1904.]

• By the will of the late Mrs. William Rutherford, Mrs. William Ruff receives $1,000 and the two children, Minnie and Lula Ruff, $500 each. [Mrs. Rutherford was the former Rachel White. Mrs. Ruff was the former Anna M. White. If the two women were related, I haven’t yet worked out how.]

• William Mason has been appointed [sentence missing] E.T. Gerry will pay him $50 extra, or that much more than the office yields, out of his own pocket. 

April 28, 1899

• James Monroe was at Delhi on Monday.

• William L. White was at Walton on Friday.

• John Dennis was down at Delhi on Friday.

• Thomas Rich was in this vicinity last Thursday.

• David Ballantine, of Andes was in town on Friday.

• Walter McDivitt and Charles Thomson visited Andes on Sabbath.

• Bert Armstrong and sister were in this place last Thursday from Andes.

• David Oliver, Albert Butts and William J. Doig were all at Andes Tuesday.

• William T. Black and Dr. Andrew C. Seacord were over at Andes the first of the week.

• Among those over at Andes on Saturday were, James Russell, James A. Liddle and William Palmer.

• John Lunn, of Margaretville, arrived in town Friday to visit his daughters, Mrs. Forrest and Mrs. Storie. 

• The carpenters are pushing the work right along on John McCune’s new house and will soon have it completed.

• The Misses Chisholm are having some alterations made to their house.  E. George Gladstone and Thomas Miller are doing the job. [This is now the home of Roger Robson in the hamlet, next to Brushland Eating House.]

• Archie Maynard has been staking out the ground for his new carriage house, which is be built next fall and James. L. Coulter will be the boss carpenter.

• David Finkle, of Lake Delaware, has been suffering for several months with sciatic rheumatism and through the kindness of Mr. Gerry he will receive treatment in a New York hospital.

• The annual convention of the W.C.T.U. [Woman’s Christian Temperance Union] of Delaware county will be held at Bovina Centre, May 8 and 9. Mrs. Ella Boole, state president, will be the speaker of the convention. Mrs. Thos. Miller is chairman of the entertainment committee. [Mrs. Boole was a major player in the temperance movement. She later became head of the National W.C.T.U., serving from 1931 until 1947. She also ran on the Prohibition Party line for the U.S. Senate seat from New York in 1920, getting 7% of the vote. She died at the age of 93 in 1952. Mrs. Miller likely was Jane Elliott, the third wife of Thomas Miller (1826-1911).]

Eclipses in Bovina

    The recent eclipse in the U.S. got me curious about past eclipses in Bovina. I remember a partial one on March 7, 1970. And we had a partial in 2017, as well as the one on April 8, 2024. And there have been other partials, I'm sure. Since, we didn’t get a total eclipse in Bovina on the 8^th, I traveled to the Thousand Islands to see my first ever total eclipse. [This photo was taken by a friend of the friends I visited to see the eclipse.]

    So, did Bovina ever have a total eclipse? Yes it did - a little over 99 years ago. It took place on a bitterly cold but clear morning on January 24, 1925. There were no newspaper reports directly from Bovina about it, but here's an article from the Andes Recorder for January 30, 1925 about the event in Andes.

    Several Bovina diarists reported the phenomenon (and several for some reason left the last letter off the word eclipse).

    Isabell Russell’s mother, Elizabeth Irvine, reported in her diary: “Cold. See the eclips on Sun this morning (beautiful) total right in path of eclips.”

    Thanks to Dianne Rabeler Abele’s work to transcribe some ancestral diaries, we have two firsthand reports from her family. A. Dixon Thomson, her paternal great grandfather, lived in Bovina Center next to what is now the Brushland Eating House. He reported: “I was home the Eclips was on the sun I finished the chair it was cold in the morning 10 below zero.”

    Her maternal great grandparents, John and Ida Nichols, were living with their daughter and son-in-law, Ina and John Thomson on their Pink Street farm (still owned by Dianne’s family). John reported in his diary: “pleasent but cold 6 below zero John went over to Campbells to draw got two loads at night Frank [Schbloski] drew one load for him I done Chores Saw the Total Eclips of the Sun this morning...”

    Another diarist on Pink Street was John Storie, living at the old Jim Burns farm. After reporting on his chores, he finished with “Eclipse of the sun this morning. Total. A fine view of it here.”

    By the way, the next total eclipse in Bovina will be May 1, 2079. Since I likely will not be around for it, I do hope the younger readers of this blog will remember who it was that reminded them of it! Get it on your calendars. 

April 1924 - 100 Years Ago in "That Thriving Town"

 

Here's what the Andes Recorder was reporting from the Town of Bovina 100 years ago this month. 

April 4, 1924

• Mrs. William Storie was a visitor at the County Seat last Thursday.

• Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert D. Miller spent Saturday with relatives at Andes.

• Pat Fay has finished his work as a fireman at the Bovina Center creamery.

• Mrs. Anna Heyart left Saturday for Hackensack, N.J., with her three children.

• Bovina real estate transfers recorded are Joshua Kennedy Russell and wife to Edward C. Dean, $1.

• Mrs. Fred Thomson entertained the King’s Daughters Sabbath School class at her home Tuesday evening.

• Miss Elizabeth Saxoure, of Andes, a former teacher in the village school, spent over the weekend at Fred Thomson’s. 

• George Shaver moved into the Hilson house, adjoining the store, this week, and will work for Hilson Bros. on their farm.

• Miss Jane Hilson, who teaches at South Orange, N.J., has been with her mother, Mrs. Alex Hilson, during the past week.

• Clarence Becker, of Delhi, has rented the blacksmith shop at the Pink Street brook bridge and has taken possession.  He is boarding with Mrs. Everett Joslin

Settlement Reached

A settlement was reached Thursday in the mortgage foreclosure case of Charles A. McPherson, of Bovina, agst Jean Muller and Joseph Arnold. By its terms the Arnolds give up possession of the farm (S.G. Bramley place) on which they have paid down some $1,600 and Muller undertakes to pay to McPherson all defaults and costs down to $8,000 and McPherson is to give a deed and take a mortgage for that amount. If the agreement is not fulfilled by April 28, foreclosure proceedings will be started. 

April 11, 1924

• Wilbur Archibald spent the past week in town.

• The Bovina Center skating rink is closed for repairs. [I don't know where this was located.]

• Kenneth Kaufman has been with relatives in town.

• Mrs. Ella Telford was up from Delhi on Saturday.

• The Bovina Center school is closed for Easter vacation.

• Mrs. Lancelot Thomson is ill with an attack of the grip.

• Frank VanDuesen has moved to the Dickson property up Pink Street. 

• Miss Anna Dickson returned Wednesday to Cornell University at Ithaca.

• Miss Calena Stewart has gone to Binghamton to spend the summer with her aunt.

• Attorney and Mrs. Ernest Bergman, of New York, spent the past week with relatives in town.

• Mr. Berger of Hackensack, N.J., who owns the Armstrong farm, was in town a few days the past week.

• Communion services were held last Sabbath at the U.P. church and there was an accession of two to the membership. 

• Rev. F.N. Crawford and Elder Frank Coulter attended the meeting of Delaware Presbytery Tuesday at Gilchrist Memorial church.

• Miss Jane Hilson returned to her school at South Orange, N.J. on Monday. She was accompanied by her niece, Miss Louise Hilson.

• Mrs. Lucy Coulter was at Colchester Station last Saturday to see her brother, John Ward, who is ill with pneumonia at the home of Will Ward. 

• W.J. Howland, of Andes, was here Saturday surveying the lot of Mrs. Alex Hilson, preparatory to building a new house.  The carpenters in charge of Howard Currie, of Delhi, commenced moving the old house Tuesday. [This is now the home of Mike and Christine Batey.]

• John Blair had the misfortune to have one of his big horses die Friday morning. The animal had gotten one leg fast in the partition of the stall during the night and in its struggles had evidently ruptured a blood vessel. It only lived a short time after it was released. 

Dart-Todd

Edna Todd, daughter of Mrs. and Mrs. Urion Todd, of Bovina, was united in marriage with Charles Dart, of Roxbury, April 2, by Rev. VanWoert, pastor of the Gould Reformed Church. They will reside on the Morse farm in West Settlement, Roxbury. 

Bovina Man Dead

Eli D. Felton, who since 1916 had lived in upper Bovina, died April 1, at the home of B.L. Robinson is Walton, from heart and kidney trouble aged 56 years. His early life was spent at Downsville and for a number of years he lived at Walton. He leaves a wife and one son. Rev. F.N. Crawford officiated at the funeral on Friday and burial was in Walton. 

April 18, 1924

• Mrs. Patrick Doig, of Walton, was a recent guest of her brother, George Gladstone.

• Mr. and Mrs. Millard Gow, of New York, spent the past week with his parents here.

• Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Gerry have spent the past week at their summer home in southern Bovina.

• The town board has appointed Thos C. Strangeway justice of the peace in place of Andrew T. Doig, deceased.

• William C. Russell commenced the cellar for his new house adjoining the residence of Thos. C. Strangeway on Tuesday. 

• Mr. and Mrs. William MacPherson, of Syracuse, were recent guests of his mother, Mrs. I.C. MacPherson, in upper Bovina. 

• James A. Boggs has rented the Maynard farm and moves from his father’s farm to the big house.  Benson LaFever and wife will live in the tenant house and work for them.

• The death of Frieland Morehouse occurred at his home in the upper end of Bovina township Friday, April 11, at the age of 71 years. He is survived by his wife and three daughters. 

April 25, 1924

• Hugh Galland has purchased a new Ford coupe.

• Mrs. Lancelot Thomson, who has been on the doctor’s care, is now improving.

• Mr. and Mrs. W.T. Miller, Miss Bell Miller and Mrs. Benson LaFever were Delhi visitors Friday.  [W.T. Miller and Bell Miller were uncle and aunt of Mrs. LaFever, the former Anna Bell Barnhart.]

• Born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilford Barnhart, up Pink Street, April 9, a daughter – Dorothy Marguerite. [Dot was later married to John Hinckley and passed away in 2020 at the age of 96.]

• Mr. and Mrs. Fred Smith and Miss Evelyn Cameron were recent guests of their aunt, Mrs. George H. Miller. 

• Mrs. Gideon Miller and son, Reginald, and Lulu Miller, of Hamden, were guests of Mrs. Andrew Doig on Saturday.

• Donald Lee, son of John B. Lee in Tuttle Hollow, who recently completed an agricultural course at Ithaca, has taken a position at Utica.

• Mr. Hitchcock, who has been at the uptown creamery, will have charge of the Dry Milk plant at the Bovina Center creamery.  Mr. Bright succeeds him at the Bovina creamery.

• Mr. and Mrs. Thomas R. Boggs in upper Bovina, were taken suddenly ill last Wednesday and their daughter, Miss Calla Boggs, had to be called from Walton, where she had been helping care for measles in the family of her sister, Mrs. Robert Forman.

Remembered on Birthday

The neighbors of Mrs. Samuel A. Bouton at Lake Delaware, made her a surprise visit recently on her 78th birthday, April 10. She was presented with a handsome rug and other tokens. [Mrs. Bouton was the former Mary Ann Gillie. Born in 1846, she would live to celebrate her 91st birthday before her death in 1937.]

Altar 600 Years Old

An altar, the gift of Miss Angelica Gerry, has been installed in the chancel of the St. James Church at Lake Delaware. This altar is of especial interest and is among the oldest in America. It was painted in the year 1320 – 172 years before the discovery of America.