This Day in Bovina for December

104 years ago today, the December 1, 1911 Andes Recorder reported in its Bovina column that "180 barrels of dry milk were shipped from the Dry Milk plant here, to Vienna, Austria."

105 years ago today, on December 2, 1910, the Delaware County tuberculosis crusade held "two sessions at Bovina Center…, one for the benefit of the school children in the afternoon, the other in the hall at 7:45 in the evening."

109 years ago today, on the evening of December 3, 1906, Mrs. Agnes J. Scott Thomson died. As later reported in the Delaware Gazette, she "died suddenly….at her home in Bovina, aged 56 years." The paper went on to report that "she was in her usual health until the day of her death and was sticken that morning with a shock which caused her death that night. She was unable to speak after being stricken and did not rally at all from its effect." Her funeral was December 6, with burial in the Bovina cemetery. She was the widow of D. Lyle Thomson, who died 16 years before. She was survived by four children, a sister in Bovina and four brothers, including Robert Scott in Kansas City, MO and Rev. John Scott in Philadelphia.

103 years ago today, the December 4, 1912 issue of the Delaware Gazette reported that "DeWitt C. Sharpe, Jr., a Bovina farmer living on the old Elisha B. Maynard place, filed a voluntary petition in bankruptcy Saturday with liabilities of $2438 and no assets except those claimed as exempt. There are about 20 in Bovina including Johnson Brothers who have a claim for $1,100. The other creditors are located in Bloomville, Stamford and Bovina Center."

293 years ago today, on December 5, 1722, Bathsheba Brush was born. She was the mother of early Bovina settler Alexander Brush. She came to live with her son later in life and died in 1803. She is buried in the Brush cemetery next to what is now the library.

155 years ago today, on December 6, 1860, James Doig posted the following notice in the Delaware Gazette: "WATCH FOUND: About the middle of November a Watch was found in the road from Brushland to Andes. The owner cand have it by proving property and paying charges on application to the subscriber in Bovina."

110 years ago today, on December 7, 1905, as later reported in the Delaware Gazette, "Fred J. Henderson of Walton, and Miss Nellie J., daughter of Thomas Hilson of Bovina, were married at the First Presbyterian parsonage [in Delhi]….by Rev. J.H. Robinson. They will reside in Bovina." They were married just shy of 68 years when Fred died in December 1971. Nell died a few months later in 1972. The Walton Reporter's November 11, 1969 issue reported on their 64th wedding anniversary. 

105 years ago today, on December 8, 1910, as later reported in the Delaware Gazette, "Two yearlings, part of a dairy of Wm. Smith, a large farmer of this town [Bovina] died last night of Paris green poisoning and four or five other cattle are sick, but it is expected they will recover. The Paris green was part of a can which had been used last summer and was placed on a shelf above the stanchions in the stable by Larry Mitchell, a farm hand in the meploy of Smith. Mr. Smith did not know that the Paris green had been placed in the stable and as greatly surprised when he found that his cattle had eaten the poison. It appears that the can had been knocked off the shelf and the contents got into the feeding buckets."

Sixty three years ago today, the Catskill Mountain News had the following item dated December 9, 1952 concerning Bovina and a cookie swap. 

Sixty-five years ago today, on December 10, 1950, as later reported in the Catskill Mountain News, "Mrs. Richard Crosley held a party for her music students and their parents at the [Bovina] church parlors… Twenty five were present. Much credit is due Mrs. Crosley in her untiring efforts to further her class in their talents of music." Mrs. Crosley lived on Cape Horn Road.

Eighty nine years ago today, on December 11, 1926, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "Bovina defeated Bloomville at basketball here Saturday [Dec 11] evening by the score of 26 to 20."

111 years ago today, on December 12, 1904, as later reported in the Delaware Gazette, Jacob Bailey of Bovina died quite suddenly. The paper noted that "we have been able to get but few particulars, but he seems to have been quite seriously afflicted with asthma of late and his ailment is thought to have been complicated with heart trouble that resulted fatally." The paper went on to note that Bailey had lived on his farm near Lake Delaware for many years. He had just sold the farm and had only about a week before moved into Bovina Center. The death notice concluded by noting that Jacob "has always been regarded as a good neighbor, a faithful friend, an exemplary husband and father, one of the best citizens of that town."

138 years ago today, on December 13, 1877, Andrew H. Archibald was born, the son of Barbara H. Archibald. There is no information as to who his father was. His mother died nine days later. Her son only survived her by about three months, dying in March 1878.

176 years ago today, on December 14, 1839, Walter Coulter, the Bovina Commissioner of Common Schools, submitted this report of monies received from the County Treasurer for use in the twelve Bovina school districts. 

Ninety four years ago today, on December 15, 1921, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "Bovina had a double wedding last Thursday evening, December 15.  The contracting parties were Miss Viola Russell and Winifred Barnhart, both of this town, and Alfred Russell, of Bovina, and Miss Katherine Oliver, of Delhi.  Mrs. Russell is a granddaughter of the late Walter Amos of southern Bovina."

101 years ago today, on December 16, 1914, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "    Dr. Goodrich, of Delhi, was called here... in consultation with Dr. Whitcomb, in the case of Herman Coulter, who has pneumonia." Unfortunately, Herman did not survive his pneumonia and died on Christmas Day at the age of 35. He left his wife Julia and two children.

148 years ago today, on December 17, 1867, Jeremy Terwillger Barnhart was born in the Town of Hardenburg, Ulster County. He came to Bovina probably in the late 1880s and was married in December 1890 to Katherine Miller, who had grown up in Bovina. They had four children, including my grandmother, Anna Bell. Jeremy died in New York City in November 1916, about two weeks after surgery to remove a cancerous growth. 

193 years ago today, on December 18, 1822, Thomas H. Johnston was born, the son of Andrew Johnston and Mary Hamilton. His father would die when he was only 15. His mother took over management of the Johnston Woolen Mill. Thomas would take over when he was an adult. He married Violet Hamilton and had four children. Thomas was one day past 70 when he died in 1892.

151 years ago today, on December 19, 1864, Close Light died. Born in 1792, Light was a War of 1812 Veteran. More information about Light can be seen at the Bovina NY History blog at http://bovinanyhistory.blogspot.com/2012/06/war-of-1812.html

120 years ago today, the December 20, 1895 Bovina column in the Andes Recorder had the following item: "There is some talk of holding a meeting to see about establishing a creamery at this place.  Why not start one?  It is what is needed."

134 years ago today, the December 21, 1881 Delaware Gazette reported that "Thomas Johnson, of Bovina, has made 260 barrels of cider the present season."

106 years ago, on the evening of December 22, 1909, William McNee died suddenly. He was 60 years old. The Andes Recorder reported his death: "Mr. McNee had worked all day at the Center creamery assisting in putting in the ice and his part of the work was to take the cakes as they came on to the platform and get them to the elevator.  After completing his work there he went home and cleaned the sidewalk and then went to the outhouse.  Mrs. McNee, after keeping supper waiting for half an hour or more, became alarmed and went to see what was the cause of the delay and he was found lying just inside of the door of the outhouse, and he had apparently dropped dead as he entered. It was known that Mr. NcNee had valvular trouble of the heart and it is supposed that the over exertion of handling the heavy cakes of ice was responsible for his death. Mr. McNee was born on Scotch Mountain but for many years has been a resident of this town.  He married Euphema Doig, youngest daughter of the late William Doig and she, with three sons and a daughter, survives him."

111 years ago today, the Bovina column of the December 23, 1904 Andes Recorder reported that "Civil Engineer W.W. Hoy is visiting his mother, Mrs. John R. Hoy. He has just returned from India, where he has been employed." William Wilson Hoy was born in 1872 in Bovina. He lived for some time in Pennsylvania before settling in California, where he died in 1967 at the age of 94.

125 years ago today, on December 24, 1890, as later reported in the Delaware Gazette, "The Bovina Centre Brass Band will give a concert Christmas eve and the evening following."

Seventy four years ago today, the December 25, 1941 Catskill Mountain News reported on the American Red Cross's appeal for a "fifty million dollar War Relief fund.." The paper noted that the "Bovina-Lake Delaware branch had its Red Cross Victory Christmas tree ready to decorate…" It was decorated with crosses, each one representing "$50 given to the War Relief fund." The campaign chair, Tom Wallis, "announced that farmers were being asked to contribute a can of milk to the fund on Christmas day." The paper noted that "although some of the farmers do not have the ready cash to contribute to the fund just at this time, they are giving orders on their January milk checks."

154 years ago today, the December 26, 1861 edition of the Delaware Gazette published the annual accounts for all the towns in Delaware County, presented and audited at the annual meeting of the Board of Supervisors. Here's Bovina's:

195 years ago today, on December 27, 1820, Robert Scott posted the following notice in the Delaware Gazette: "Strayed or Stolen, From the Farm of the Subscriber in the town of Bovina, some time since, a number of young CATTLE. - Any person who will give information where the same may be found, shall be liberally rewarded."

Seventy-eight years ago today, on December 28, 1937, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "The Bovina Center basketball team suffered defeat Tuesday night at the hands of the Unadilla town team by a score of 28 to 23, on the winner’s court.  The Unadilla girls defeated the Bovina girls 23 to 15.”

194 years ago today, on December 29, 1821, Jonathan Adee was born. He married Henrietta Kipp and they had three children and a farm on Cape Horn Road for many years. Jonathan died in 1902 at the age of 80.

107 years ago today, the December 30, 1908 Delaware Gazette reported the following: "Elmer Doig, of Bovina, the 7 year old son of Milton Doig, recently harnessed a pair of horses and drove three miles to the Center and returned home with a load of grain."

136 years ago today, the December 31, 1879 Delaware Gazette reported that "Dea[con] Thomas McFarland, of Bovina, one of the best farmers in America and a veteran subscriber to the Gazette, was in town [Delhi] yesterday. It is never a bad day when the Deacon is in town."