Friday, May 22, 2015

Stole Girl at Midnight

Front page news in the May 19, 1905 issue of the Catskill Mountain News included an elopement in Bovina:

STOLE GIRL AT MIDNIGHT

HARRY MCCUMBER ELOPES WITH JESSIE MAY RUFF OF BOVINA

McCumber Hired Rig at Margaretville. Got Girl and Was Married at Pine Hill - Threatened Arrest

       An elopement under unusually romantic circumstances occurred in Bovina early Wednesday morning when Harry McCumber stole from her home at midnight the pretty Jessie May Ruff, the only child of Mr. and Mrs. John Ruff and driving his horse at break-neck speed to Pine Hill was united to his Jessica in the holy bonds of matrimony by the Rev. A.A. Walker, pastor of the Pine Hill Methodist church.
       In cold type and shorn of the mystery of the midnight hour, the story runs about as follows.
       McCumber has worked at the Ruff home and, as ofttimes happens, wove a bit of wooing in the cloth of his daily toil. He became infatuated with the pretty young girl. (They are both about 18 years of age) and decided that she should be his. And why not, he had lots of grit and some money saved.
       He came to Margaretville Tuesday afternoon and hired a horse of William Anderson to drive to Bovina. This was about six o'clock. He drove to the school house in the vicinity of the Ruff home secured his Jessie, who took a few clothes with her, and started for Pine Hill as fast as he could drive. The couple passed through Margaretville at 3 a.m. Wednesday morning and going on to Pin Hill were married by Rev. Walker.
       The young man then took his bride to the home of his parents at Shandaken and brought the exhausted horse back to Margaretville. The animal was about used up and the wagon from tire to top was covered with mud. The horse cannot be used for some time. Settling his livery bill our Lorenzo got astride his wheel and rode to join his bride.
       When Mr. Ruff discovered the absence of his daughter he telephoned all over the county but it was too late, for they were already man and wife. He threatened arrest but at this writing no arrest has been made. Both the youngsters are young people of good character and it is probable that they will receive parental forgiveness and live all the sweeter lives in remembrance of their romantic marriage.

Harry and Jessie moved in with his parents, Jason and Mary McCumber in Bovina soon after the elopement, as seen in the 1905 census, which was conducted June 1. They moved around some in Bovina, living next to Jessie's parents in 1910 and apparently with her parents in 1915 census. By then they had three children, Hannah, John and Lawrence.  In the 1920 census, Harry was now head of the household with his wife and their six children living on the McCumber family farm on Cape Horn. Harry's parents and his brother Beacon also lived with them. They lived in Bovina for many years in the Cape Horn area. Harry died in  June 1944 in Bovina. Jessie survived him until 1972. They are both buried in Margaretville. 

No comments:

Post a Comment