August 1915 - 100 Years Ago in "That Thriving Town"

From the Andes Recorder

A lightning strike, car crash and a transition in a local business were just some of the items reported in the Andes Recorder in August 1915. The death of an infant and a retired New York State Assemblyman also made the news that month.

August 6, 1915

•The new gasoline street lamps have arrived and will be set up about the village. There are eight lamps.

•Patrolman George Elliott and assistants are resurfacing the State road thru the village with trap rock and asphalt.

•A son born to Mr. and Mrs. James Boggs in upper Bovina, May 7, died August 2. The cause of death was what is known as wavey stomach – a bunch raising up on the left and with a rolling motion passing to the right across the stomach, and this followed by others in succession. [This was Lauren James Boggs, who was born June 7, not May 7 as reported by the paper.]

Bovina Center Merchant Retires

Alex Hilson Turns Over Business to Sons, John and James Hilson

Alex Hilson, the well known merchant of Bovina Center, who for about forty years has dispensed goods to the public, first as clerk for his father and then under the firm of Hilson & Blair for three or four years and since the nineties as sole proprietor, has retired form active business and was succeeded this week by his two sons, John and James Hilson, under the firm name of Hilson Brothers.  

The business was established by John Hilson in 1869, and has come down to his son and grandsons.

August 13, 1915

•Thomas Downie and daughter, who have been visiting here, left Wednesday for their home in Cleveland. 

•Andrew Coulter, of New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, has been visiting with relatives. He will enter the theological seminary this fall.

•Dixon Thomson will turn over the management of his farm up Pink street to his son and in the near future occupy his house in the village.

•Edwin Scott has made an application for a new road on the opposite side of the stream from the one wanted by Bergerman, Campbell and Nichols.

•George Wiltsie has rented the house known as the Dick Smith place adjoining the Thomson blacksmith shop and September 1, will move from the William Hoy tenant house.

•Dr. Norris B. Whitcomb has purchased what is known as the James B. Thomson house on Maple avenue.  It is stated that the price is about $2,350.  Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Thomson who occupy the house will store their furniture and board for the present.

•The Bovina V.I.S. held their annual meeting last Thursday evening and elected the following officers:  Jane Hilson, president; Mabel Feiro, vice-president; Mrs. John W. McCune, secretary, and Mrs. Thomas Gordon, treasurer. From the sale of old papers the society received a goodly sum.

Blossoms and Apples on One Tree

A freak of nature was seen recently at Oscar Felton’s in Bovina, where a pound sweet apple tree on which were good sized apples, also contained a large cluster of blossoms.

Enjoyable Picnic

Miss Gerry gave a picnic Saturday for those who attend the Episcopal church at Lake Delaware and to many invited from outside.  The affair was held on the Gerry flat and about 200 attended, enjoying to the full the hospitality of the hostess. Music for the occasion was furnished by the Delhi band.

August 20, 1915

•Slight frost Wednesday morning.

•The new gasoline street lamps were set up this week.

•Rev. John L. Scott, of Philadelphia, is spending his vacation among Bovina relatives.

•Walter G. Coulter is grading the lawn and sloping the embankment in front of his residence. [This is the house on the ‘uptown’ side of the UP Church, now owned by Pat Parsons Miele.]

•Harry Robson and bride will commence housekeeping in W.A. Hoy’s tenant house about September first.

•Elliott Thomson and family and William A. Hoy and family attended the Graham family reunion near Delhi on Wednesday.

•Frank VanDusen, who lives at the Butt End, will carry the mail between Bovina and Bloomville, for the contractor, William Thomson. Six Miles of travel will thus be saved daily.

•Lizzie Hafele of this place, who several weeks ago fell and broke one of the bones in her forearm, fell again last week and striking the same arm on a chair, broke the other bone just above the first fracture.

Native of Bovina Dead

From our Bovina Correspondent

Alex Freemont Storie died at his home at Newburgh, N.Y. August 15, having been in poor health for some time. He was born in Bovina on November 28 1856, and was the son of Alex Storie and Esther Cowan. He served as Supervisor of Bovina for several terms and for a number of years has resided near Newburg. His first wife was Gussie Hastings of Bovina. The interment was made in the Bovina Center cemetery on Thursday.

Collision at Lake Delaware

Autos of Rev. Thos Graham, of Bovina and Harvey Reynolds, of Andes, Collide

Saturday night about 10 o’clock the automobiles of Rev. Thomas Graham of Bovina Center, and Harvey Reynolds, of Andes, were in collision near the Lake Delaware bridge and while no one was injured both cars were considerably damaged.

Mr. Reynolds had been to Delhi to meet the Flyer and was returning home, keeping close behind the car of George Miller, of Andes. Rev. Graham, who was going in the opposite direction, did not see the second car and as soon as he passed Miller’s car swung back into the road and the two cars came together.  The Graham car escaped with little injury aside from smashing the mud guards, but the car of Reynolds had one wheel torn off and the front axle bent.

August 27, 1915

•Eight fresh air children are in town for two weeks.

•William Thomson has traded his old auto for a new Ford car.

•The village school building is receiving a new dress of paint both inside and out.

•From a shadow social held Friday evening at the home of Gustave Leifgren up Pink street, the Methodist congregation realized $35.

•The brush and weeds have been cut in the old cemetery at the corner of Main street and Maple avenue.  This plot of land was deeded by Alex Brush to the Methodist society.  The first burial therein was in 1803 and the last, we believe, in 1864.

Bovina Woman Shocked by Lightning

During the severe storm that swept over Bovina last Sabbath morning a bolt of lightning entered the residence of Elliott Thomson, and Mrs. Thomason who was standing with one hand on the kitchen sink was knocked down by the shock.  The arm and one side were affected for a time.  A maple tree in front of the residence of Thos Gordon was also struck and both telephone wires entering the Hilson store were burned off. Four trees on Maple avenue were blown down.

Former Del Co Assemblyman Dead

David Low Thompson Passed Away at Oneonta on August 20

David L. Thompson died at his home in Oneonta on Friday, August 20, after an illness of six weeks at the age of 84 years.

He was born in Bovina August 1, 1831, and the greater part of his life was spent in the town of his nativity. In 1865 he was elected an elder in the United Presbyterian church and for half a century served as an elder in Oneonta.

Mr. Thompson was educated at the Andes Academy and after teaching for a number of terms held for sometime the position of school commissioner, after which he entered the hardware business at Bovina Center and for several years was postmaster at that place. He served as supervisor of Bovina, and in 1887 he served a term as assemblyman from Delaware county.

He was twice married, his first wife being Eliza Murray, who died twenty-two years ago. In 1898 he was married to Jeanette Russell who survives him. He leaves also one son and two daughters, Mrs. Jeanette Donnelly and William D. Thompson of Syracuse, and Mrs. James Burnett of Delhi; and one brother, Robert G. Thompson of Bovina.

The funeral service was held at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, and the interment was at Bovina Center on Monday.

Raising Pheasants

About 500 pheasants were reared in 1914 from eggs imported from Scotland and hatched under hens at Gerry estate at Lake Delaware, says the conservation commission. This year about 1,200 pheasants were hatched from eggs of last year’s young birds. Many of then have been turned loose, and the older birds have reared broods in the open, so that it is estimated that there are now approximately 2,000 birds in the neighborhood. They are gradually spreading into the surrounding country.

A number of grouse have also been hatched and reared, though on a much smaller scale than the ducks and pheasants.