This Day in Bovina for November

Here are the entries for the Town of Bovina Historian Page for November:

128 years ago today, on November 1, 1889, Globe Furniture Company from Norville, Michigan, issued this bill for $921.25 to James Coulter for the Bovina United Presbyterian Church's new pews. The pews still are in use today.

102 years ago today, on November 2, 1915, one of the items appearing on the ballot in Bovina and statewide was a constitutional amendment to confer equal suffrage upon women. In Bovina, there were 77 votes in favor but 103 against, with 32 blank or void votes. The amendment failed statewide. Here is the sheet that recorded the results of this vote. Two years later another women suffrage amendment succeeded in New York State. Bovina voters this time supported the amendment - by 13 votes. At that election, 97 voters supported women suffrage and 84 voted against it.

159 years ago today, November 3, 1858, Edward O’Connor signed this document submitting his claim for expenses as commissioner of highways.  O’Connor is noted in history as one of the two men sentenced to hang for the killing of Undersheriff Osman Steele during the Anti-Rent War in 1845.  O’Connor’s sentence was commuted to life in prison and he was released from prison within about a year.  He had been a town official before going to prison and resumed participating in town government after his release. 

The widow of the late John W. Bramley was found dead in bed 114 years ago this morning, November 4, 1899.  As later reported in the Andes Recorder: “[Mrs. Bramley] had not been feeling well for a few days and had complained of her stomach. The doctor was there Wednesday but it was thought she would be better in a few days. Thursday morning her son Fred, went to her room about 4 o’clock and spoke to her and receiving no answer, thought she was asleep. About an hour later he went back and found her dead. She was cold and must have been dead when he was in the first time. She was 72 years old.” Her husband John had just died  two weeks previously on October 19.

About 100 of the 212 women voters in Bovina voted 99 years ago today, November 5, 1918. As reported later by the Andes Recorder, “Their votes did not change results in the town except to swell the Prohibition vote by about 40.” Women in New York gained the right to vote in the November 1917. This was the first time in New York that women could vote. Women suffrage became nationwide in 1920.

117 years ago on Election Day, November 6, 1900, the ladies of the Methodist church served meals in A.T. Strangeway’s rooms and the receipts were about $15.  Also reported on Election day in the Andes Recorder was the number of votes cast in Bovina – 262.  This was a gain of 11 over four years previous.  There were two void ballots and 11 Prohibition votes.  Of the total vote McKinley received 190, a gain of 11, and Bryan 58…

135 years ago today, on November 7, 1882, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Stamford Mirror, "Will Boggs threw a stone and killed a cow…" The paper went on to report that "the cow had been bought by Archibald & Hastings from Margaret and Lydia Thomas, and while being driven away from the farm, became infuriated and attempted to get back, when Boggs threw the stone and killed her almost instantly."

134 years ago today, on November 8, 1883, James R. Shackelton was paid $1 for taking a quarantine notice to E.L. Dean.

Seventy-three years ago today, the Bovina column of the November 9, 1944 Delaware Republican Express included this item: "Miss Jane A. Hilson, who teaches English in the schools of East Orange, N.J., spent the week-end at her home here. She was accompanied by her friend, Miss Elsie Penton."

153 years ago today, on November 10, 1864, tavern keeper Dorcas Aitkin presented this bill for various services to the town, including lodging four recruits likely receiving town bounty to help Bovina meet its quota (who these men were we do not know).  Her hotel/tavern was located where the Jardine house is now located. 

Gordon Coulter entered the blacksmith shop of Gideon Miller to learn the trade 110 years ago today, November 11, 1907.  Gordon probably is Elton Gordon Coulter (1891-1945), the son of David and Lucy Coulter and an uncle to Grace Coulter Roberts.

117 years ago today, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, “Supervisor John A. Irvine went to Delhi [on November 12, 1900] … to attend the meeting of the supervisors.  John looks well to the interests of the town.”  John was the father of Isabell Russell.

Ninety-two years ago this evening, as later reported in the Stamford Mirror, “A masquerade and box social was held in the Hillis hall on Friday night, November 13,[1925] for the benefit of the lecture course. The proceeds amounted to $23.15. Season tickets were on sale at the social and there will be an opportunity given on Tuesday morning, November 24th, at nine o’clock at the post office for those having secured season tickets and choose their seats for the course. The first number will be given November 28th in the Hillis Hall by the ‘Fernandez Russell Duo.’” Hillis Hall was once known as Strangeway’s Hall and later was Clayt Thomas’s garage.

120 years ago today, November 14, 1897, as later reported in the Delaware Republican: "Lester Hoy, son of Thomas Hoy of Bovina, died of consumption Sunday, aged 22. Mr. Hoy was a very exemplary young man, and had a wide circle of friends who will mourn his early death." Two years later, his brother William’s wife Robena gave birth to a son who was named for his uncle Lester. This later Lester Hoy is the one who lived in the Hoy family home, now the home of Tim and Tamara McIntosh.

Photo of Lester Hoy from the Hoy family collection.

Eighty-nine years ago today, the Bovina column in the November 15, 1928 Stamford Mirror Recorder had this item: "We were glad to see and hear the Bovina band on election day. It totals thirty members. Come out again!" The same column also reported that "There was a large vote out in Bovina on Tuesday, the total being 392."

Seventy-eight years ago today, the Bovina column of the November 16, 1939 Delaware Republican reported that "Mrs. Elizabeth McNair has returned to Binghamton to spend the winter with her son, Raymond, and family after spending the summer with her daughter Mrs. J.W. McCune." She would die at her son's home a few months later in April 1940. Mrs. McNair was born in 1852, the daughter of James and Jane Crosier. She married Peter McNair in 1869 and would have four children. Peter died in 1908. She is buried in the Bovina Cemetery.

Ninety-six years ago today, on November 17, 1921, Mina Wilson signed this oath of office as the Tax Collector for the town of Bovina. She was the town's first female office holder. More about Mina can be found on the Bovina NY History blog at http://bovinanyhistory.blogspot.com/2013/11/bovinas-first-female-office-holder.html

Sixty-nine years ago today, November 18, 1948, burial services were held for Mary Dickson Baldwin. She had died three days earlier at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, DC. She was born in Bovina, the daughter of Gilbert and Jane Dickson. She married George F. Baldwin and was an English teacher for many years in Ossining, NY. She had moved to Arlington, Virginia two years before her death.

138 years ago today, November 19, 1879, Alexander Meyers was married to Isabelle Laing.  The couple would be married for almost 68 years.  In 1939, the couple celebrated their 60th anniversary with a party given for them in the Bovina UP Church parlors.  Bob Wyer photographed the event. Alex died in 1947 at the age of 91.  His wife Isabelle died 4 years later in 1951, when she was 90 years old. 

Photo by Bob Wyer, courtesy of the Delaware County Historical Association

138 years ago today, on November 20, 1879, Isabella Coulter Armstrong died in Bovina, aged 81 years. She was the daughter of Francis Coulter and Nancy Glendenning and was the only one of their children to be born in Scotland. She was married to John Armstrong and was widowed in 1864. She was survived by six of her eleven children at her death. (Isabella is my 4 greats grandmother.)

Ninety four years ago today, on November 21, 1923, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "Fletcher Davidson moved from the Cable house [later known as the Currie house, located next to the old firehouse, and now the home of Sohail Zandi and Sara Elbert] to the house of his mother situated at the foot of Russell Hill [where the Denisons now live]."

Fifty four years ago today, November 22, 1963, Isabell Russell recorded in her diary: "Another grand day.  I put tulips in.  M[arjorie] went & got eggs this A.M.  President Kennedy was shot in Texas where he was in a parade.  Was shot by a communist."  Isabell also recorded the shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald on the 24th and the funeral on the 25th: “Everybody that had television was glued to them all day [to] see the funeral of Pres. Kennedy.  We closed store from 11 o’clock until 2 o’clock.”

Ninety-one years ago this evening, November 23, 1926, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, the " Pines Brook Walton Basket ball team defeated the Bovina Center team … in a hard fought game."

One hundred and six years ago today, the Bovina column of the Andes Recorder for November 24, 1911 reported that "Misses Louisa Dennis and Helen Dennis have closed their house here and have gone to spend the winter with their brother, John P. Dennis, in Virginia.

Earl Harold Miller, son of John M. Miller of Bovina, and Miss Rachel Mary Sullivan, of St. Paul, Minnesota, were married 103 years ago today, November 25, 1914, in Minnesota. Miller was living in Minnesota by then, but had grown up on Pink Street, the son of John and Bertha Miller, at the farm that later became Suits Us Farm. He was a lawyer in St. Paul and ran for congress there (unsuccessfully) in 1920. Earl died in 1955 in Walton and is buried in Bovina.

Ninety-four years ago today, on November 26, 1923, the Bovina Town Board "met with a Mr. Rose, a representative of the New York State Gas and Electric Company to consider the giving to the said company a Franchise to build, maintain and operate a light and power line in the town.” The franchise was granted.

134 years ago today, the Bovina column in the November 27, 1883 issue of the Stamford Mirror reported that "D.L. Thomson has finished his job of tinning the roof of the R.P. Church."

Charles F. Smith was married to Christina Lamont 161 years ago today, November 28, 1856.  This was his second marriage.  Born in Scotland in 1824, he first married Annie Williamson, by whom he had two children before her death in November 1855.  There were no children from the second marriage.  Charles was widowed again in 1898 and he died 10 years later in 1908.  He ran the hotel at what is now Jardine's for many years.

Ninety-nine years ago today, on November 29, 1918, John Elliot moved from his house on Maple Avenue "to the Thomas Miller house."  The following Monday, Mrs. John Irvine, the mother of Isabell Russell, moved into the Elliott house (now the home of Tony and Norma Gabriele).  Note:  I'm still trying to figure out which house was the "Thomas Miller house."

137 years ago today, on November 30, 1880, Fred Henderson was born in Walton, the son of James Henderson and Mary Arbuckle. He married Nellie Hilson on 30 December 1903. They took over her father's farm in Bovina and were there until 1928 when they moved into the old Phyfe farm just outside of the Bovina Center hamlet. He and Nell were married for almost 68 years at the time of his death in 1971.