January 1918 - 100 Years Ago "In That Thriving Town"

100 years ago this month, the Bovina column of the Andes Recorder was reporting on the lack of fuel reduced street lighting in Bovina Center and loss of one of Bovina’s last remaining Civil War veterans. Bovina also saw a suicide and the death of James Boggs' first wife, Elizabeth.

January 4, 1918

·       Many water pipes have been frozen during the excessive cold of the past week.

·       Owing to the cold weather the Center school will not re-open until next Monday.

·       The funeral of Dr. Scott was held on Saturday and internment was in Center cemetery. [This is Dr. Gilbert Scott, who had died at the end of 1917.]

·        A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Ray Thomson December 24.  The great grandfather of the child is still living. [The parents were Eldred Ray Thomson and Ruth Marie Joslin. Their daughter was named Jeannette. The great grandfather mentioned was William B. Thomson, who lived another decade after the birth of his great granddaughter, not dying until 1929. Ray’s mother was Cora J. Thomson. His 1916 marriage record lists his father as unknown. Ray died in 1975 in Sidney.]

·       George A. Goble, of Michigan, has purchased a half interest in Wm. H. Maynard’s farm in the upper part of Bovina.  His family and household goods have arrived.

Death of Bovina Veteran

Frank Gowanlock died at his home on the outskirts of Bovina Center, at 1 o’clock Wednesday, January 2, at the age of 76 years.  He had been in poor health for several years from hardening of the arteries, and last week suffered a shock.  He was born in Bovina and practically all his life was spent in the town.  He was a stone mason by trade.  He enlisted in Co E, 144^th Regt. In 1862 and served until the end of the war.  His wife, who was Jane Liddle, died May 29, 1916.  He has no relatives in this vicinity.  The funeral will be held Friday. 

The Recorder also reported on the suicide of John Irvine, former Bovina town supervisor and a farmer on Coulter Brook Road. He was found hanging in his barn by his son-in-law Cecil Russell. Irvine was 50 years old. He left as survivors his wife, the former Elizabeth Richardson, four sons, William, Lester, Clifton and Lloyd and his daughter, Isabell Russell.

January 11, 1918

·       James L. Coulter of New Wilmington, Penn. was here to attend the funeral of John A. Irvine.

·       The street lamps have not been lighted, thus carrying out the wishes of the state, to save gasoline. 

·       The funeral of Frank Gowanlock was held at 1 p.m. Friday, and that of John A. Irvine on Saturday.

·       Samuel Heller is home from school at Gladstone, N.J.  The school has been closed because of the lack of coal.

·       Mr. Wm. A. Hoy and son, James, went to Walton last week, where the lad will receive treatment for spinal trouble. [James later married Margaret Hoy and passed away in 1956. His spinal trouble persisted throughout his life.]

January 18, 1918

·       William Irvine, of Seattle, Washington, is visiting his mother, Mrs. John A. Irvine.

·       Chauncey McFarland has purchased a Delco Light plant to light his farm buildings. 

·       Gilbert D. Miller of the 144^th Regt. And Thomas Gordon of the 79^th are the only two civil war veterans now living Bovina.

January 25, 1918

·       Hale Elliott is making boxes for the cheese factory up-town.

·       For the month of December patrons of the Bovina Center Co-Operative Creamery company received 70 ½ cents per pound for butter fat.

Another Bovina Death reported in the Andes Recorder was that of Mrs. James Boggs (Elizabeth Felton), who died January 17 from blood poisoning.  She was 24 years old. She was married to James 4 1/2 years at the time of her death. Elizabeth gave birth to a son in 1915, but he lived only two months. James would marry two more times. He married Edith Barnhart in 1919. She died in 1930. James' third wife was Catherine Cameron Kelsey, who he married in 1947.