April 1914 - 100 Years Ago in "That Thriving Town"

Work continued on the Bovina Center water system in April 100 years ago, with actual construction getting underway.

April 3, 1914
• Miss Jennie Hoy has gone to Oil City, Pennsylvania, to keep house for her brother, Milton Hoy. [Jennie and Milton were the children of John R (1831-1901) and Isabella Miller (1831-1905) Hoy.]
• Saturday was special registration day and the inspectors of election sat all day awaiting the opportunity to enroll the names of voters but despite all their efforts only five names were added to the registry list.  Expensive votes.

April 10, 1914
• Fourteen Italians arrived Tuesday to begin digging the ditch for the Bovina Center Water Works.
• John Elliott has sold his farm at the head of Glenburnie, to a New York Italian, who has taken possession.
• At the special election held Tuesday to determine the question of holding a constitutional convention next year, only 48 votes were cast, and of these 6 were “Yes” and 41 were “No” and 1 was void. [The referendum statewide approved holding the convention.]
• The chapel which has been fitted up at Lake Delaware through the good offices of Miss Mabel Gerry, was formally opened last Sabbath with appropriated services.  Fifty-five were present.  The chapel will seat fifty.

This photo which shows the chapel was taken the day of the laying of the cornerstone for St. James' Church in 1922.  The building does not exist, but I think the house next to it still does. Image courtesy of the Delaware County Historical Association.

April 17, 1914
• James Archibald is doing some carpenter work for Walter Liddle below Andes.
• The Italians are making considerable progress in digging the ditch for the main pipe of the water works.
• Miss Louise Dennis, who spent the winter with her brother in Virginia, arrived home last week and opened her millinery store Saturday.
• Mr. Dibble, of Meridale, has moved into William A. Hoy’s small tenant house.  Fred Young, who has occupied the house, has moved to rooms in the Dickson “big” house.  [The small tenant house likely was on the Tim McIntosh property.  The Dickson big house could be the ‘Two Old Tarts’ building or could be the property now owned by Neil Powell on Pink Street.]

April 24, 1914
• Arthur Bergman has sold his farm, the Alex Liddle place, in upper Bovina to an Italian for $15,000. [This property is on New Road.]