187 years
ago today, on April 1, 1830, Priscilla Brush was born, the daughter of
Alexander Brush, Jr. and Jane Storie (and the granddaughter of early Bovina
settler Alexander Brush). Priscilla would die at the age of 4 in 1834 and was
buried in the Brush cemetery.
Seventy-three
years ago today, on April 2, 1944, Elizabeth Hastings Bramley died at the age
of 86. born in Bovina in 1858, she was the daughter of John Hastings and
Jeanette Scott. She married William Bramley in Newburgh in 1893. She was
widowed in 1923.
106 years
ago today, on April 3, 1911, as later reported in the Bovina column of the
Andes Recorder, "Rev. H.B. Speer and family started Monday for their new
home at Omaha, Nebraska." Speer had been the pastor at the Bovina U.P.
Church since 1906 and had resigned in 1911 to become pastor of a church in
Omaha.
Fifty-two
years ago, the April 4, 1965 Delaware Republican-Express Bovina column reported
that "Mr. and Mrs. James Hoy of Bainbridge were Sunday guests of his
mother, Mrs. Margaret Hoy, and son Thomas."
Nineteen
years ago today, on April 5, 1998, this photograph was taken of the Bovina U.P.
Church choir. The members are (left to right) Pat Parsons (Miele), Marie Burns,
Marge Burgin, Leona LaFever, Lois Monroe, Anna Lounsbury, Frances Burns, Lauren
Monroe, Thelma Barlow, Joe Dibble and Enid Carter.
Eighty-three
years ago today, the April 6, 1934 Delaware Express reported that the
"Bovina girls ended their season of basketball Friday night, playing South
Kortright. Bovina girls won."
Fifty-six
years ago today, on April 7, 1961, the Bovina 4-H Diary Club held its monthly
meeting at the home of Frederick and Lawton Rabeler. Here's the full article in
the Delaware Republican-Express for April 13. The report was submitted by
Beverly Rabeler.
127 years
ago today, the April 8, 1890 Stamford Mirror reported in its Bovina column that
"Frank Palmer has moved to rooms in Charles F. Smith's house, Henry
Thomson to rooms in Strangeway's store building." Charles F. Smith's house
is the Jardine residence. Strangeway's is the former garage now owned by Tom
Hetterich.
Eighty-seven
years ago today, on April 9, 1930, this voucher was issued for $125 to pay
Bovina school district number 4 for tuition for pupils from Bovina school
district number 10. District 10. located on East Bramley Mountain Road, had not
run a school house in several years, sending its students to the Bovina Center
school.
Fifty-two
years ago today, the Bovina column of April 10, 1965 Delaware
Republican-Express reported that "Mr. and Mrs. H.F. Davidson, Mrs. W.J.
Storie and Mrs. Edna Carter attended the meeting of the Delaware County Historical
Association at Masonville…"
135 years
ago today, the Bovina column of the April 11, 1882 Stamford Mirror reported
that "Alex. Hoy has taken possession of the place bought by him from Wm.
Richardson." This is now my house.
Ninety-eight
years ago today, the April 12, 1919 Bovina column of the Delaware Republican
reported that "Hale Elliott, who has been laid up several weeks with
injuries received by a fall in the dry milk plant, has returned to his work
there." He was born in 1890 and died in 1980.
134 years
ago today, on April 13, 1883, David F. Hoy was paid $58.50 for teaching at the
Bovina school that stood at Miller Avenue and Lee Hollow, Bovina District 5.
194 years
ago, on April 14, 1823, days of highway work were assessed for property owners
in Bovina highway district 14. Before the imposition of road taxes in the early
20th century, roads were maintained by assessing days of work on the property
owners around the roads. They either had to carry out the work or hire someone
to do it. Where this district was located cannot be precisely determined, but
it may have been in the area of Pink Street.
169 years
ago today, on April 15, 1848, Charles Oscar Boggs was born, the son of William
H. Boggs and Elizabeth McKenzie. He married Mary Archibald in 1881. They had
two children before his death at the age of 43 in 1891. His widow survived
Charles by over 50 years, dying in 1945. They are both buried in Bovina.
142 years
ago today, on April 16, 1875, the five-year-old son of James Dean died in a
tragic accident. The accident was later reported in the Delaware Gazette:
"…a little son of James H. Dean, of Bovina, together with one William
Herkimer, who has been at work for Mr. Dean for some time, went into the
chamber of Mr. Dean's house to cut off a string from a piece of leather. While
there, Herkimer was on his knees in the act of cutting the leather, when in
some way the boy fell over on to the knife in Herkimer's hand. The blade of the
knife penetrated the boy's left side immediately under the heart. He lived only
fifteen minutes. The boy was in his 5th year." The child's first name was
not provided, but I believe it was James' oldest son, Alexander.
107 years
ago today, on April 17, 1910, as later reported in the Andes Recorder,
"Wilson McFarland died in upper Bovina …. at 7 a.m. He was taken with
lagrippe on Friday and this was complicated by heart trouble. He was born in
town of Roxbury in the Plattekill valley 71 years ago April 2. When only about
a year old his mother died and he was taken by his grandfather, James Thomson
at the 'stone house' and had always remained there. He is survived by an aunt,
Miss Lydia Thomson, one sister, Mrs. Nancy Jane Ackerly, of Margaretville, and
a half-brother, Milton McFarland, of Delhi." The funeral took place on the
19th and he was buried in the Bovina cemetery.
Seventy-seven
years ago today, the Bovina column in the April 18, 1940 Delaware Republican
reported that "Rev. and Mrs. Norman Spear went to New Castle, Pa.,
Wednesday of last week; he has been called to preach there. Miss Marjorie
Ormiston accompanied them, and the school in Bovina Centre is closed for a
week."
163 years
ago today, on April 19, 1853, Mary Jane Forrest was born in Bovina, the daughter
of Thomas Forrest and Helen Raitt. She was the second wife of Edward L.
Coulter, marrying in 1883. She would have two children and passed away in 1920.
Her husband survived her by 12 years, dying in 1932.
136 years
ago today, on April 20, 1881, as later reported in the Bovina column of the
Stamford Mirror, "The household goods of the late Mrs. Kendall were sold
at public auction…. Dan Franklin auctioneer." This likely is Jane Tuttle
Kendall, who died in February 1881 at the age of 61. She was the daughter of
William Tuttle and Sarah Carman and was married to Charles Kendall. I cannot
determine when she married him. Her will file uses her maiden name with a
reference to being also known as Jane Kendall.
106 years
ago today, the April 21, 1911 Bovina column in the Andes Recorder reported that
"Charles A. Tuttle has leased the rights of the stream flowing thru his
farm to the club owning the new lake built on the Thos Mabon farm, for a year.
The stream flows directly into their lake." This is now known as Coles
Lake or Silver Lake and is on Route 28.
Fifty-two
years ago, the April 22, 1965 Delaware Republican Express reported that
"Bovina maple producers have had a poor year up to now, but the last few
days they have had a splendid run of good quality syrup, which will help out a
lot to bring the run up to near average."
149 years
ago today, on April 23, 1868, Jane Black Murray died. She was born in Scotland
in 1789, though we don't know who her parents were. She married William Murray
in Scotland and would have nine children, most of whom were born in Bovina. Her
husband survived her by 4 years, dying in 1872. They are both buried in the
Associate Presbyterian Church cemetery on Reinertsen Hill Road.
Seventy-eight
years ago today, on April 24, 1939, Ronald James Russell was born, the elder
son of Ernest and Dorothy Russell. He was joined by a brother David in 1941.
Ron died in 1985 at the age of 45, after battling diabetes and kidney disease. [This shot of Ron and Dorothy Russell was taken in front of what is now Bill and Joan Foster's, just down from Hilson's Store.]
Seventy-seven
years ago today, the April 25, 1940 issue of the Delaware Republican reported
in its Bovina column that "Word that Mrs. C.A. McPherson is able to be up
in a wheel-chair has been received from the hospital in Cooperstown." This
likely was Mrs. Charles A. McPherson, born Rosa (or Rose) Strangeway in 1875.
She died in December 1947. She was the mother of Frank, Lester and Marian
McPherson.
137 years
ago today, the April 26, 1890 Bovina column of the Delaware Republican reported
that "D. Dickson is in New York this week buying goods." I'm not 100%
sure who this is, but it might be a reference to Dr. Gilbert Dickson, who ran a
store in the building that is now the Brushland Eating House.
138 years
ago today, on April 27, 1879, Hanna Halstead died. She was born in 1801, the
daughter of William Halstead. Unfortunately, we don't know a lot about her
except that she was living for a number of years with her brother John. In the
1860 census, she's listed as the head of household. She is buried in the Bovina
Center cemetery.
106 years
ago today, the Bovina column of the April 28, 1911 Andes Recorder reported that
"Jardine Hafele is home from Albany and will assist his father on the farm
during the summer." This may actually be Gailie A. Hafele, the son of
Charles G. Hafele and Lillian Jardine. Born in 1889, he died in 1947 and is
buried in Bovina.
160 years
ago today, the April 29, 1857 Delaware Gazette reported on a late snowstorm
that hit "the Western and Southern States." New England was spared
but apparently not New York. The Delaware County area was reported as having a
"full seven feet, and some think nearer eight feet of snow ... during the
two storms." There was mild weather between the two storms, allowing some
of the snow to melt and settle. "Some ten or twelve barns and sheds in
this village [Delhi] and vicinity were crushed in…A Mrs. Snooks, of Bovina,
lost three cows and had another badly injured, by the falling of a barn."
Mrs. Snooks' farm was on the lower end of Lee Hollow just above the Hook.