174
years ago today, on May 1, 1843, a meeting of the Commissioners of Excise for
Bovina was held, granting licenses to "retail strong and spirituous
liquors" to Peter Jennings, a tavern keeper and Alexander Burns, a
grocer.
106
years ago today, on May 2, 1911, school trustees were elected in Bovina. Some
of the trustees elected, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, were
"Center district, Fred Bramley; Miller district, Christopher Gladstone;
Lake Delaware, H.C. Hogaboom; Coulter district, Chas A. Tuttle; Biggar Hollow,
Adam Biggar; Coulter Brook, John A. Irvine."
127
years ago today, the May 3, 1890 Delaware Republican reported in its Bovina
Center column that "petty thieving has been commenced again. J.H. Dean had
a bag of oats stolen last Saturday night and S.G. Bramley lost about 20
chickens and a quantity of grain."
Sixty-four years ago today, on May 4, 1953, the Bovina Library reported on a number of
books given to its collection. This is the report as published in the Catskill
Mountain News.
Fifty-two
years ago today, on May 5, 1965, as later reported in the Delaware
Republican-Express, "Eleven members of the Bovina Home Demonstration Unit
met Wednesday forenoon at the Bovina Center Community Hall for the second
meeting on 'Meal Planning for Moderns' Mrs. Harold Lounsbury and Mrs. Robert
Burns [sisters Mary and Agnes Burns] taught the project, they asked each member
to bring a dish to pass, which would take only 20 minutes to prepare, from
state to finish. It was interesting to see how many people depend on rice for a
quick to prepare dish. A very good meal was enjoyed immensely by all. The
leaders illustrated by flannel-graph, charts, etc., that food does make a
difference, you are what you eat. The next meeting will be on program planning.
Officers serving the Unit for the coming year will be Mrs. Harold Lounsbury as
chairman, Mrs. Mildred Reinertsen as vice chairman, Mrs. Leonard Cairns as
treasurer, and Mrs. Vincent Trimbell as secretary."
131
years ago today, the May 6, 1886 issue of the Andes Recorder in its Bovina
column reported that "Thomas H. Johnson has added to his extensive
machinery a new loom of an improved pattern, which is probably the best one in
the county. He and his sons are capable
of doing a large amount of work with the machinery at their command. They not
only make all kinds of woolen cloth, but grind feed, saw lumber, etc."
This would have been for Johnson's Woolen Mill, which was located near the
Mountain Brook area.
120
years ago today, on May 7, 1897, an auction of 65 cows was held in Hobart. The
cows came from two Bovina farms, those of Thomas Hoy and A.F. Maynard. Here's
the ad for the action that appeared in the Delaware Gazette.
Ninety-one
years ago today, on May 8, 1926, the town clerk certified that a resolution was
adopted authorizing the issuance of a Certificate of Indebtness to allow for
the purchase of a stone raking machine.
115
years ago today, the Bovina column in the May 9, 1902 Andes Recorder reported
that "Three butcher carts now come round with meat – Perry Shaw, of Bloomville,
William McDivitt, of Andes, and Ward Coulter, of this place."
122
years ago today, the Bovina column of the May 10, 1895 Andes Recorder reported
that "Maple syrup is selling at seventy-five cents a can, and not very
plenty at that." The same column also reported that "Bovina has
secured no speaker for Decoration Day as yet.
Are our soldier dead to go unremembered this year? Surely we can stop our toil long enough to
remember the fallen heroes with the flowers of nature."
137
years ago today, the Stamford Mirror's Bovina column for May 11, 1880 reported
that "Mrs. David Miller Sr., is seriously ill." This was the former
Isabella Turnbull, the second wife of David Miller (1795-1883). She survived
this illness, dying in May 1883.
Seventy-seven
years ago today, on May 12, 1940, as later reported in the Delaware
Republican's Bovina column reported that "Mr. and Mrs. Sylvan LaFever of
Florida were here and attended Church." This likely was Sylvan's last
visit to Bovina for a month later on June 10, he died in Patterson, New Jersey.
Sylvan was my great grandfather.
Fifty-two
years ago today, the May 13, 1965 Delaware Republican-Express reported in its
Bovina column that "Herbert Parsons is now working with David Hoy at the
Concord Hotel near Liberty. They expected to be through there by Memorial
Day."
128
years ago today, the May 14, 1889 Stamford Mirror reported in its Bovina column
that "The family of John W. Bramley has been quarantined the past week,
but Mr. B. thought this was 'free America,' and went to Delhi regardless of the
Board of Health. There is some talk of enforcing the law."
141
years ago today, on May 15, 1876, Isaac Atkin died. His death was later
reported in the Delaware Gazette under the title "Sudden Death in
Bovina." The paper noted that "Atkins, after working on his
farm…until near night, started to go for the cows, and was shortly after found
by his son, dead in the road." Isaac was a life long resident of Bovina.
Sixty-eight
years ago today, on May 16, 1949, Bob Wyer took this photograph of the Bovina
Fire Department's new truck, sold by R.H. Lewis. The photo was taken at the
Bovina Center Creamery.
127
years ago today, the Bovina column of the May 17, 1890 Delaware Republican
reported that "Our milliners have returned from the city with a large
stock of head-gear, and now they are busy day and night rigging out the ladies
with that mysterious ornament which adorns their top-knots. If a woman's bonnet
is not a thing of beauty, it is a mysterious thing."
137
years ago today, the May 18, 1880 Stamford Mirror reported that " Charlie
Carman, the artist from Andes, was in town yesterday, taking views of some of
the public buildings and residences of Brushland and vicinity." Though I
can't be sure, this likely was being done for the Munsell History of Delaware County.
Here's one of the images likely done by Mr. Carman.
112
years ago today, the Bovina column of the May 19, 1905 Andes Recorder reported
that "William McDivitt whose illness we mentioned last week, continues
very low and does not improve." He had a shock, which was a term for a
stroke or heart attack. McDivitt did not recover and died on July 29, 1905 at
the age of 73, survived by his wife, the former Elizabeth Kipp, and five
children.
Ninety-six
years ago today, the May 20, 1921 Andes Recorder reported in its Bovina column
that "In order to provide more room for the choir at the United
Presbyterian church the pulpit will be extended further into the body of the
church and the front and probably the second row of pews removed."
157
years ago today, on May 21, 1860, Janet Rutherford died at the age of 80. Born
in Scotland, Janet was the daughter of Walter and Isabella Thomson. She married
James Rutherford in 1808 in Bovina. They would have eight children, six of whom
would survive her. Janet was widowed in 1870. She is buried in Bovina.
121
years ago today, the Bovina column in the May 22, 1896 Andes Recorder reported
that "Slight showers have brightened up vegetation this week, but much
more rain is still needed."
108
years ago today, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "Bovina was
startled Sabbath morning, May 23, [1909] when the news spread that William A.
Gladstone, who resided on the Robert R. Scott farm on Coulter Brook, had died
suddenly that morning a few minutes after loading his milk." Mr. Elmer
Close, who was with Mr. Gladstone, reported that he and Gladstone had loaded
his milk and sat down on the milk platform to talk for a few minutes. Gladstone
suddenly stopped in mid-sentence, put his hand to his head, fell over and died.
The paper noted that "Just what caused his death is hard to tell but it
seems probably that it was acute indigestion which caused heart failure. For some time, it is stated, his stomach had
not been perfect and the previous night after eating two bananas, remarked to
his wife that he guessed he shouldn’t have eaten them. He, however, slept well and Sabbath morning
ate a hearty breakfast and was apparently in his usual health." Gladstone was
only 31 years old at the time of his death. He was survived by his wife of
three and a half years, Elizabeth Armstrong, and his parents, George and Helen
(Strangeway) Gladstone.
Eighty-two
years ago today, the May 24, 1935 Delaware Express reported that "Dr.
Whitcomb Dies in Egypt." The articled noted that "Dr. Norris B.
Whitcomb, 47, a beloved physician who was formerly located in Bovina Center and
for the past sixteen years a medical missionary at Assuit, Egypt, died last
week, death, according to report being due to blood poisoning." He was
survived by his mother, sister, wife and two children.
Seventy-eight
years ago today, the May 25, 1939 issue of the Delaware Republican published
this photograph by R.R. DeGelleke of Jack Hilson in his High School shop class.
Fifty-two
years ago today, on May 26, 1963, the family of Charlie LaFever paid a visit to
his parents, Ben and Anna Bell LaFever near Massena, New York. This photo was
taken of Charlie, Leona and their three kids with his mother Anna Bell.
Seventy-nine
years ago today, the Bovina column in the May 27, 1938 Andes Recorder reported
that "A daily vacation school is being planned at Bovina Center during the
summer."
102
years ago today, the May 28, 1915 Catskill Mountain News carried this item
under the title "Bovina Center to Celebrate:" "There was a
meeting of public spirited men in Bovina Center during the past week, in the
interest of a ball team, a tennis club, and a Fourth of July celebration."
134
years ago today, the May 29, 1883 Stamford Mirror Bovina column reported that:
"Miss McMurray has resigned her place as teacher in our village school,
and Miss Mary Woodburn takes her place."
115
years ago today, on May 30, 1902, the Bovina column of the Andes Recorder
reported that "Truant officer, B.S. Miller has been visiting the schools
this week."
