During various research projects, I often have need to consult old newspapers. Always on the alert for items about Bovina, I occasionally find unusual little items that cause one to speculate and hunger for more. A few interesting examples:
From the Delaware Republican, June 13, 1886: "There was a great commotion the other day in the Brushland school, when a revolver went off in a boy's hip pocket. The ball lodged in the seat and no harm was done except a hole in the boy's pants." I have not been able to identify who the armed student was. The school likely was the District 4 school located across from the Bovina UP Church (now the home of Joe and Connie Dibble).
From the Delaware Republican, August 21, 1886: "Robt. J. Forrest killed 66 wood chucks out of 72 shots in three days with a shot gun on his farm in Bovina. He is either a 'crack' shot or wood chucks are pretty tame in his neighborhood." Robert Forrest was born in 1824 in Scotland and died in April 1892 in Bovina.
From the Delaware Republican, September 7, 1889: "A horse, belonging to Douglas Davidson, Bovina, backed a buggy, containing Mrs. John R. Hoy and her son, over a steep bank near Mr. Davidson's wagon house, on Monday of last week. The occupants of the buggy were both thrown out, and Mrs. Hoy received several severe cuts about the mouth." Douglass Davidson was the father of Fletcher Davidson and lived in the house now occupied by Ed and Bonnie Dennison. Mrs. John R. Hoy (Isabella Miller Hoy) was Douglass's mother-in-law - actually twice. He was married to Mary Isabella Hoy in 1878. She died in 1883. He married her sister Margaret Jane in 1889, the same year the accident involving his mother-in-law took place. Douglass died in 1923, Margaret in 1930. Mrs. Hoy had three sons living in 1889, David, Milton and Wilson.
From the Catskill Mountain News, January 15, 1904: "The other day Robert Thomson of Bovina finished a comfortable smoke and put his pipe in his pocket. Pretty soon his coattails were afire." Unfortunately, there are five Robert Thomson's buried in Bovina's cemetery, all who were alive in 1904, so which Robert this was cannot be determined.
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Funny! Do you suppose the horse who attempted to off the mother in law had encouragement?
ReplyDeleteEd Davidson has a little more information about the incident with his grandfather's buggy:
ReplyDeleteI believe that the accident occurred where William and Vera Davidson Storie lived, across from the end of "Bob Hall Road". I think you might remember it as where Richard Behrer and his wife Joan lived.
I remember a milk house and a wagon house across the road from and between the house and barn. There is a steep bank there and I think that is where the buggy went over.
There was never a wagon house where I grew up, but there was a small barn and stable which Dad replace with a garage.
Several years ago Richard & I gave Ed & Bonnie Denison a deed record of their property, but failed to retain a copy for myself.
I don't recall that Douglass & Margaret Davidson ever lived there. My Mom & Dad moved there when I was 3 months old.
I recall Dad saying that he was born in Uncle Will Storie's house, which at one time was the home of JR Hoy [Hills Dale Beers 1869]. My grandfather Douglass Davidson gained the property [purchase or inheritance ??]
Wish Dad was still here to answer our many questions.