This Day in Bovina for June

Here are the daily Facebook entries I posted for June:

111 years ago, the Bovina column of the June 1, 1906 Andes Recorder reported that "Mrs. E.G. Gladstone, who has been on the sick list, is improving." This likely was the former Sarah Sloan. She and her husband moved to Colorado in 1909. She died there in 1936 and is buried in Colorado.

186 years ago today, June 2, 1831, an arrest warrant was issued for John Rutherford and John Renwick: "Whereas complaint hath been made before me, John M. Landon, one of the Justices of the peace for [Delaware] county upon the oath of David W. Thomson of Bovina ... that John Rutherford and John Renwick did on the 11th day of May last violently assault and beat him the said David W. Thomson at Bovina … therefore in the name of the people of the State of New York to command you forthwith to apprehend the said John Rutherford & John Renwick of Bovina & bring them before me, to answer unto the said complaint, & further, to be dealt with according to law…"

119 years ago today, on June 3, 1892, the Overseers of several road districts in Bovina requested that Bovina's commissioner of highways purchase a Climax Road machine for the sum of $235, to be paid in installments.

158 years ago today, on June 4, 1859, Alexander Sylvanius Bramley, son of John W. Bramley and Margaret McCune was born. He would die only 21 days later on June 25. John and Margaret had a total of eight children, five of whom made it to adulthood. Alexander was their fifth child. This is his headstone, courtesy of Ed and Dick Davidson. 

Eighty-seven years ago today, on June 5, 1930, Bovina's Village Improvement Society held its monthly meeting at the old Firehouse.  Fourteen members answered the roll call.  “Motion made and carried that V.I.S. take charge of the opening of the new Community Hall. It was moved that the Executive appoint a head com[mittee] to have charge.  A motion was also made and carried that all the money that V.I.S. has on hand, and what is made this year aside from necessary expenses to be used for equipment for Community House. Motion was also made and carried that Executive Committee appoint three committees to look after furnishings lights, curtains, and seating.”

137 years ago today, on June 6, 1880, as later reported in the Stamford Mirror, "a team of horses belonging to Wm. Archibald, managed to get loose from the sheds where they were tied while the family were attending church, and started for home, but were pursued by quite a large portion of the congregation and soon overtaken."

106 years ago today, the June 7, 1911 Andes Recorder reported in its Bovina column that Andrew T. Doig had "purchased a 'Cadillac' automobile' and broke ground “for the building in which to house it.”

Seventy-eight years ago today, the Bovina column of the June 8, 1939 Delaware Republican reported that "Postmaster and Mrs. Fred Thomson attended the horticultural meeting in Delhi…."

118 years ago today, on June 9, 1895, as later reported in the Andes Recorder's Bovina column, "A number of the boys were up [to Bovina] from Delhi … on their wheels."  In this instance, 'wheels' means 'bicycles.'  The 1890s were the heyday of bicycling in the United States.  It was bicyclists who started the push toward better maintained roadways.

117 years ago today, on June 10, 1900, as later reported in the Delaware Republican, "Wm. T. Miller died of heart trouble at his residence in Bovina...aged about 60.  He leaves a wife who was a sister of John and Thomas Hastings, and one daughter, Mrs. Geo. T. Russell.  Mr. Miller was one of the substantial men of Bovina, and a very worthy citizen. His funeral was held on Tuesday, the pastor of the Reformed Presbyterian Church officiating."

Fifty years ago today, on June 11, 1967, Delhi Tech Professor (and Bovina resident) Gaston Pelletier gave an address at the schools graduation ceremonies that so impressed local Congressman John G. Dow that he it entered into the Congressional Record.

134 years ago today, the June 12, 1883 Stamford Mirror reported that "Dr. Finney [Phinney], of New Kingston, thinks of locating at Bovina." Dr. Phinney did indeed relocate to Bovina, working there until his premature death in 1901 at the age of 51.

Seventy-seven years ago today, the Lake Delaware column of the June 13, 1940 Delaware Republican reported that "Miss Angelica Gerry has opened Ancrum House for the summer and has as her guest Saxham Deury of Newport, R.I."

Ninety eight years ago today, on June 14, 1919, as reported by the Andes Recorder, "Sergeant Donald Lee, a member of the Lightning division, who served over a year in France, arrived home ….having received his discharge."  Lee was born in Bovina in 1896, the son of John Bruce Lee and Lucy A. Hall.  The Lee family lived on Lee Hollow.  Donald was a US Army Sargent during World War I, receiving the Purple Heart.  He lived to see his 99th birthday, dying in Florida in May 1995, and was Bovina’s last surviving World War I veteran. He is buried in Bovina.

137 years ago today, the Bovina column of the June 15, 1880 Stamford Mirror reported that "Sheriff Crawford was in town last Saturday night, laying in wait for an escaped prisoner, but failed to find him." We do not know if he ever succeeded in capturing this escapee.

122 years ago today, on Sunday, June 16, 1895, Bovina saw the end of a weekend of burglaries. It started the evening before when Homer Burgin's home on present day Route 28 was entered.  The following morning, while the William Forrest family was at church, two burglars entered his house and took his gun and a number of other things.  That evening, burglars entered Francis Coulter's house on Coulter Brook. While rummaging through the house, they awoke Mr. Coulter and fled.  Coulter found his pants dropped on the veranda.  It is likely, though not definite, that all these burglaries were done by the same people.  I never found any evidence that the perpetrators were caught.

174 Years ago today, on June 17, 1843, the commissioners of highway of the Town of Bovina received an application to alter a highway from Alexander Storie:  "The undersigned resident of the said town and liable to the assessed for highway labour therein hereby makes application to you the said commissioners to alter the highway in said Town Commencing at the old road on the line between Priscilla Carman and William Jobson and running a northeasterly course through said Jobsons land to the Stamford town line (which said highway will pass through the improved lands of said William Jobson who does not consent to the laying out of the same)." Where this is located I'm not exactly sure, but I think it's the upper Pink Street area.  Alexander Storie had a farm where Tom and Joan Burns now live.  The Carman property may be where the John Thompson farm was located. A few days later, twelve men were brought in to hear the case for and against laying out this highway and agreed that it was necessary to do so.  William Jobson's objections to this action were overruled.

108 years ago today, the Bovina column in the June 18, 1909 issue of the Andes Recorder reported that "Mrs. William A. Gladstone has sold her farm on Coulter Brook, known as the Robert R. Scott farm, to Emile Snyder (sic), of South Kortright, and he is moving onto it this week.  The sale includes the stock and farm machinery, etc.  The price paid was $4,250." This was the farm of Emil Schneider. Schneider died in 1965. He was the father of three sons and a daughter, Lillian, who married Alex Hilson.

137 years ago today, a letter to the editor of the Stamford Mirror dated June 19, 1880 was received and published in the paper's next issue: "Brushland, June 19th, 1880. Mr. Mirror:- The author of Bovina items is mistaken about the 'neighbor's dogs.' The only shadow of reality lies in the attack of that barking one who calls himself your correspondent. Truly, N.B.A."

116 years ago, on June 20, 1901, the Bovina 'uptown' cooperative creamery was organized.  As reported in the Andes Recorder, the "creamery will be built on the Andrew T. McFarlane [McFarland] farm," now the Schumann property.  Thirty farmers were to participate.  The trustees elected were Andrew McFarland, George T. Russell and Alexander Burns. The Recorder went on to report that "[t]he contract for the building and apparatus has been let to F.B. Floyd for $4,350 and it is to be ready for business by September 1."  This creamery was organized a couple of months before the Bovina Center Cooperative Creamery was organized.  The uptown creamery building is no more, though the foundation is still identifiable.

Ninety eight years ago today, June 21, 1919, Clifton Irvine arrived home from service in the army in the Great War. The Andes Recorder reported that "He is going back to Seattle, where he was before the war, and Lloyd Irvine and Millard Blair expect to go with him." Clifton and Lloyd were brothers and the brothers of Isabell Irvine Russell (Lloyd was her twin). Millard Blair was the brother of Helen Thompson. Clifton, Lloyd and Millard all settled in Washington State.

153 years ago today, on June 22, 1864, a vote was held in Bovina to pay a bounty of $500 to any man enlisting in the Civil War, to be credited to Bovina.  There were several such votes during the war, each time for a larger amount.  By the end of the war, it was up to $800.  This vote was the closest of the war, passing by only one vote, with 68 for and 67 against.

112 years ago today, on June 23, 1905, William B. Thomson, the sole trustee of Bovina School District Number 1 issued this request to Bovina Town Supervisor John Irvine to pay Mina B. Cooke $25 for teaching at the Maynard School. 

122 years ago today, on June 24, 1895, two Bovina men took a bicycle trip, as later reported by the Andes Recorder: "William Palmer and Charles Thompson made a trip on their wheels (bicycles) to Delhi and Bloomville the first of the week." William Palmer likely was the son of Charles Palmer, born in 1875. I have not identified who Charles Thompson was, since there are several Charles Thompsons and Thomsons (the newspapers tended to use the spellings interchangeably) from which to choose.

122 years ago, on June 25, 1895, Alexander Hilson found that sixty of his eighty chickens, all four or five weeks old, had disappeared. The chicken thieves turned out to be rats. Alexander Hilson (1859-1923) had the farm by the creamery that is now owned by the Livestock Foundation.

Seventy-five years ago today, on June 26, 1942, the Bovina town board passed a resolution choosing the Bovina Community Hall as "an Airplane Observatory for the duration [of the Second World War]." The town agreed to furnish a "telephone and all needed appliances" unless the County agrees cover these expenses.

167 Years ago today, on June 27, 1850, David P. Stewart acknowledged a debt to William Doig of $53.93, dating from 1848, in this document, known as a chattel mortgage.  To cover the debt, he mortgaged several items from his blacksmith shop and components for a wagon being built for him by Herman Roterman, including "one running gear box and three seats of a Two Horse Plesure Wagon.." Stewart was obligated to pay the $53.93 with interest by the 1st of August.  If payment wasn't made, the items mortgaged would become Doig's.  Note that Doig also had the option to redeem the note before the due date of August 1st if he "shall at any time deem himself insecure…" In the days before credit cards, chattel mortgages were way to get a secured loan. 

166 years ago today, on June 28, 1851, four Bovina men made statements related to their unfitness for military service. Joshua Carman, age 40, had hearing issues and a problem hip joint. Walter Hamilton, age 42, ran the hotel located where Jardines house is now. He reported a knee injury from a few years previous that continued to plague him. Homer Burgin, age 33, was a farmer on present Route 28. He was not specific about his health problems, just stating that he was 'unfit for military duty on account of ill health…' Thomas Seacord, age 39, had a "weak and lame leg." All four statements were sworn before assessor Walter Stott, Jr. Two of these gentlemen, Hamilton and Seacord, would both die six years later in 1857. The other two lasted considerably longer. Carmen was 70 at his death in 1891, while Burgin was 78 when he died in 1897.  

122 years ago today, on June 29, 1895 (as later reported by the Andes Recorder) "Dr. Barnard was in town Saturday extracting teeth without pain." This likely is a gentleman named Homer H. Barnard from Milford in Otsego County. He shows up in several census records as a dentist.

Seventy-nine years ago, on June 30, 1938 (as later reported in the Andes Recorder), "Rev. and Mrs. Peter McKenzie traveled to Newark to see their two daughters sail on a six week trip to Finland." The McKenzies had three daughters, Janet, Elizabeth and Margaret. Which two daughters was not stated in the newspaper, though it probably was Janet and Elizabeth.