Friday, July 31, 2015

This Day in Bovina for July

Ninety-seven years ago today, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "The first allotment of boys arrived at the Gerry Camp in southern Bovina Monday afternoon [July 1, 1918]."

Fifty years ago today, on July 2, 1965, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Delaware Republican Express, "Mr. and Mrs. Richard Roberts and two children of Waltham, Mass., came Friday to spend a week's vacation with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. David Roberts."

104 years ago today, on July 3, 1911, Mrs. Walter G. Coulter was taken to the State hospital at Binghamton. As later reported in the Andes Recorder, she had been examined by Drs. Scott and Ormiston a few days earlier "as to her mental condition and found her mind unbalanced." The paper went on to note that "it is hoped by her many friends that the trouble may be only temporary." She did recover and lived in Bovina until her death in June 1953. She was the mother of Ruth Coulter Parsons and Celia Coulter.

127 years ago today, on July 4, 1888, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Stamford Mirror, "The leap year supper…was well attended. The ladies failed to respond to the toasts, as they were expected to do, and were helped out by some of their gentlemen guests. The pleasure of the occasion was somewhat marred by the firecracker fiend, who persisted in throwing crackers around the hall door, and at persons passing along the street."

134 years ago today, on July 5, 1881, as later reported in the Stamford Mirror, "during a heavy storm of wind and rain, just before night, while Duncan Ballantine's team was being driven home from Strangeway's to Andes, a poplar tree was blown over and one of the limbs struck just between the team and the driver, breaking the wagon pole off, but doing no injury to either the man or the team, while the top of the tree struck in front of and around the team."

107 years ago today, at a town board meeting held July 6, 1908, it was reported that the highway fund was expended "and that there was $494.96 still due the workmen for work already performed." A resolution was passed to borrow "on the faith and credit of the town" $500 at six per-cent interest.

135 years ago today, on July 7, 1880, as later reported in the Stamford Mirror, "Rev. J.L. Scott, of Matteawa, delivered his popular lecture on Oliver Cromwell. It was very interesting."

Seventy six years ago today, on July 8, 1939, as later reported in the Delaware Republican, "Mrs. Mary Gordon and daughter, Margaret, motored to Troy on Saturday to call on Mrs. William Gordon, who is recovering from an operation in the Samaritan Hospital." Mrs. Gordon lived until 1976.

Ninety seven years ago today, July 9, 1918, as later reported in the Andes Recorder Bovina column "Will Roney, of Andes, and a representative of the International Harvester company were here … and sold 3-horse power kerosene engines to Al Thomson, Harry McCumber, Mr. Kelsey and Mr. Taft.

Seventy nine years ago, the July 10, 1936 Binghamton Press reported on the plans to flood "eighteen hamlets" as part of New York City's plan to use water from the East Branch of the Delaware. The article noted that "beginning at Little Delaware, establishment of a reservoir would flood out the Hook and Bovina Center."

163 years ago today, on July 11, 1852, "an outraged was committed…in the town of Bovina upon the person of a young girl…" The story was reported in the Delaware Express and in turn was in the Albany Evening Journal. The girl, "between 12 and 13" was Nancy Cunningham. She was the niece of a local tavern keeper, Mr. Davis. The crime that was committee on her "for human baseness, can hardly find a parallel in the annals of crime." She had gone to Mr. Davis's barn to feed a pet calf and was seized from behind, her mouth covered and a cap pulled over her eyes. She was dragged into the woods where she thought she heard more than one man. She lost consciousness, possibly from chlorform and had no further recollection of what happened. Her friends found her early the next morning "entirely insensible." Bovina's Dr. McKenzie visited her and "after an examination, pronounced her person to have been violated…" She was insensible for some time but "has now pretty much regained her reason, and it is thought will recover."  The article concluded that "it is sincerely hoped that the fiends who committed this diabolical outrage will be discovered and punished as they deserve, by being separated for the future from a civilized community."

Fifty years ago today, on July 12, 1965, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Delaware Republican Express, "Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher Davidson left the first of the week for Cooperstown where they will attend the annual historical meeting which will be held this week."

Seventy five years ago today, on July 13, 1940, as later reported in the Delaware Republican, "Miss Caroline Dickson of Long Beach, L.I., Mrs. Mary D. Baldwin of Ossining and Mr. and Mrs. Harold Curran and small son, Roger, of Washinton, D.C., arrived here on Saturday for the summer vacation." Caroline, Mary and Mrs. Curran (Anna) were the daughters of Jane Loughran Dickson.

104 years ago today, the Bovina column of the July 14, 1911 Andes Recorder reported that "For several years the pupils in the D.J. Miller district have been sent to the Center school, but for the coming year the Center district wants $25 per pupil. The Armstrong district will take the pupils but all the Miller district do not approve of this and the matter remains unsettled."

153 years ago today, on July 15, 1862, James Miller swore in a statement that he was unfit for military duty. Specifically, he said "that he is afflicted with a complaint of the lungs…" Miller's was one of several filed in this time period. Born in 1840, he was the son of James Miller and Agnes Coulter. He moved to California around 1870 and died there in 1920.

194 years ago today, on July 16, 1821, Archibald Armstrong was born. The son of John Armstrong and Isabella Coulter, he died in October 1829 when he was eight years old.

135 years ago today, on July 17, 1880, a young couple was serenaded. The Stamford Mirror Bovina column later reported on this serenade. It is the earliest reference I have located to the term 'Pink Street.' "Norman tenders his sincere thanks to the 'Pink Street' band for the serenade which he says was given him and his girl on Saturday evening, July 17th."

113 years ago today, the Bovina column of the Andes Recorder for July 18, 1902, reported that "The well borers at the Centre creamery are now down about sixty feet.  Thus far they have been boring through gravel with an occasional layer of clay. How much further they will have to go to strike rock and good water is a matter of conjecture.  There has been no lack of water so far such as it is." Within the week, they struck water at about 85 feet.

Fifty years ago today, on July 19, 1965, as later reported in the Delaware Republican Express, "Mr. and Mrs. Jack Messina and three daughters left … for their home in Deer Park, L.I., after a two weeks vacation in Bovina with relatives." Mrs. Messina was Kathryn Burns, daughter of William and Emily Burns. She married Jack Messina in 1947 and passed away in 1996.

105 years ago today, on July 20, 1910, as later reported in the Andes Recorder Bovina column, "…a dryer for the Dry Milk plant was hauled from Delhi and installed. It weighs five tons and two teams were used to bring it up." The Dry Milk plant was part of the Bovina Center creamery in the hamlet.

104 years ago today, the July 21, 1911 Bovina column of the Andes Recorder reported that Isaac Hauver from Lexington in Greene County "brought two sacks of wool to Johnson Bros' mill in Bovina to have it carded ready for spinning. He made the trip on foot carrying the wool on his back."

117 years ago today, the July 22, 1898 Bovina column of the Andes Recorder reported that "The weather the past week has been very close and hot. Rain is much needed." The Bovina correspondent also noted that "some have finished haying, and have a big crop. Most of the barns are not large enough and stacking has had to be resorted to."

Seventy six years ago today, on July 23, 1939, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Delaware Republican, "Miss Helen McDivitt had the misfortune to slip off a rock at her home here…and break her leg. She is in the Delhi Hospital."

119 years ago today, the July 24, 1896 issue of the Andes Recorder, in its Bovina column, had several entries concerning the poor hay and oats crop, reporting that "The worms are doing a great deal of damage in the oats and also in some pieces of corn. Some have quit haying and are cutting their oats to save them from the pests." The Bovina columnist also noted that "a good many have finished haying and the majority say they have only about half a crop, as compared with last year. There will be lots of cows to dispose of this fall."

117 years ago today, the Bovina column of the Andes Recorder reported that "this place was visited by a fine rain Monday night (July 25, 1898) and Tuesday morning." This was much welcome after a period of hot and very dry weather.

Eighty-seven years ago today, the Bovina correspondent for the Andes Recorder reported in its July 26, 1928 issue that "William H. Irvine, of Seattle, Washington, son of Mrs. Elizabeth Irvine, of Bovina, recently underwent an operation for tumor on the brain by Mayo brothers, the famous surgeons at Rochester, Minnesota. He had a similar operation more than a year ago. His condition is favorable." Unfortunately, William would succumb to his illness in May 1929. He was one of the brothers of Isabell Russell.

Fifty years ago today, on July 27th, 1965, the Bovina Ski Club held a white elephant sale at the community hall.

104 years ago today, the July 28, 1911 Bovina column of the Andes Recorder reported that “Richard Smith, for many years a shoemaker here, died recently in California." Smith was born in England in 1827 and came to the United States in 1852. He was in Bovina for many years and didn't go to California until late in life, after 1905. He died in Santa Ana, California on July 11, 1911.

Eighty six years ago today, on July 29, 1929, as later reported in the Delaware Express, "Mrs. Ray Thomson had the misfortune Monday to have a horse step on one of her hands, breaking one of her fingers."

Forty nine years ago today, on July 30, 1966, Emily Elliott Burns died. The daughter of John Elliott and Ella Squires, she was born in 1887. In 1915, she married Bill Burns, who would survive her. They had five children, sons Robert, James and Clarence and daughters Eleanor, who married Marvin Archibald, and Kathryn, who married Jack Messina.

Seventy six years ago today, on July 31, 1939, as later reported in the Delaware Republican Bovina column, "Misses Marjorie Russell and Eleanor Burns and nephew and Rev. H.H. McClellan went to New York on Monday afternoon. They expect to attend the World's Fair. Miss Russell will go to Manhasset, L.I. to visit Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Thompson. The others will go on to Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. after which they will attend the New Wilmington Missionary Conference." Eleanor Burns later became Eleanor Archibald when she married Marvin Archibald.

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