Wednesday, October 31, 2018

This Day in Bovina for October

138 years ago today, on October 1, 1880, as later reported in the Stamford Mirror, "the Russell boys upset their threshing machine over the bridgeway to Robert Forrest's barn, but fortunately the machine was not much injured."

This chauffer license photo of Fletcher Davidson was taken in August 1942 by Bob Wyer. Fletcher was a lifelong Bovina resident. Born in 1895, he was the son of Douglas Davidson and Margaret Jane Hoy. Fletcher served in the U.S. Marines during World War I, serving in France. He married Lois Ormiston in 1922. They had three sons and a daughter who lived to adulthood. Fletcher was the Bovina town historian and the Delaware County Historian for many years and was also a primer mover in the Delaware County Historical Association. The Library/Archives were named in his honor. Widowed in 1976, he spent his last few years living with his son in California. Fletcher died in San Diego in August 1987, at the age of 92. Image courtesy of the Delaware County Historical Association.



122 years ago today, on October 3, 1896, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "The Bovina ball players were at Delhi Saturday and played the Delhi team. And in five innings the score stood eight to nine in favor of Bovina."

Seventy-eight years ago today, the October 4, 1940 Catskill Mountain News had the following ad: "WANTED-Man on farm by month. Wages $40 per month. Cedric Kittle, Bovina Center." Here’s an undated image of Cedric from the Burns family photos. Cedric was the father of Millie Reinertsen and Gert Hall.



Ninety-nine years ago today, Sunday, October 5, 1919, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "There was no preaching in any of the churches in Bovina Center last Sabbath – a thing that has happened but once before as far back as runneth the memory of man.

164 years ago today, on October 6, 1854, Isabella Dickson Cathells passed away at the age of 77. She was married to James Cathells, Sr., who survived Isabella by 10 years, dying in 1864. Both are buried in the Bovina Cemetery.

134 years ago today, on October 7, 1884, the Stamford Mirror Bovina column reported several births: "Orrin Carman smiles - it's a boy. T.K. Hobbie laughs - it's a girl. James Andrew Russell shouts for joy - it's a boy." The sex of these children appears to have confused by the correspondent. In each case he/she got it wrong. Orrin Carman's child born at this time was a girl, Nellie, born on September 11, 1884. Russell's child also was a daughter, Orlena Mae, born September 6, 1884. She would later marry Rev. William Robb. The closest match for the Hobbie child is Rema M. Hobbie, who was born July 16, 1884. He was the son of J.K. Hobbie. Rema was married to Bessie McDonald and the father of Glenn Hobbie (1913-1970).

119 years ago today, on October 8, 1899, David Laidlaw, of Auburn, Washington, drowned in the White Horse rapids in the Yukon River, Alaska. As later reported in the Andes Recorder, Laidlaw had left Bovina about ten years earlier and was "on his way to Dawson City.." with a group. "They attempted to shoot the rapids without a pilot and their scow was wrecked on a boulder." David is buried in Bovina.

102 years ago today, on October 9, 1916, a complaint was submitted by the town health officer concerning a nuisance at the lower end of the Bovina Center hamlet.



Seventy-eight years ago today, the Bovina column of the October 10, 1940 Delaware Republican reported that "Mr. and Mrs. John Blair returned Sunday from a week's visit with their son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Thompson in Manhassett, L.I."

123 years ago today, the Bovina column of the October 11, 1895 Andes Recorder reported on some Bovina people being in New York City. They noted that "Andrew T. Doig and wife" were spending the week in the city. The column also noted that Louise Dennis was in the city the same week "purchasing millinary (sic) supplies."

168 years ago today, on October 12, 1850, Margaret Hamilton Coulter passed away. The daughter of Thomas Hamilton (1774-1853) and Elizabeth Arneil (1776-1836), she married David Coulter and had four children. After her death, David remarried to Fannie Taylor and had three children with her. David died in 1877.

125 years ago, the October 13, 1893 issue of the Andes Recorder reported that "T.E. Hastings has sold his store and goods to Andrew Doig, one of Bovina’s young men. The inventory was taken last week. Mr. H. reserves the right to sell feed." This is the store that later became Russell’s Store.

This photograph of Hugh McPherson was taken in May 1943 by Bob Wyer. Hugh was born in Bovina in 1912, the son of Howard and Eva Burns McPherson. For many years he was the road commissioner in Bovina and later worked for the New York State Department of Transportation. Hugh died in 1998 at the age of 86. Photo courtesy of the Delaware County Historical Association.



Sixty-four years ago today, the Bovina column of the October 15, 1954 issue of the Catskill Mountain News reported that "Charles LaFever has received his diploma for completing a radio repair course. He has opened a radio repair shop in his home."



Sixty-five years ago today, October 16, 1953, as later reported in the Catskill Mountain News by the paper's Bovina correspondent, "Several Farm Bureau committeemen and their wives from the Bovina area attended the chicken barbecue and membership drive meeting at the Grange hall in South Kortright Friday."

Sixty-five years ago today, on October 17, 1953, Lauren Monroe married Lois Hogg from Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. Happy 65th Wedding Anniversary Lauren and Lois!

Howard McPherson, the father of Hugh McPherson (profiled October 14), was born in Bovina in 1881, the son of A. Fitch McPherson and Julia Ann Fuller. He married Eva Jennette Burns in 1910. Hugh was their only child. Howard died in October 1952 This photo was taken by Bob Wyer in September 1943. Image courtesy of the Delaware County Historical Association.



Seventy-nine years ago today, the 'Bovina Centre' column of the October 19, 1939 Delaware Republican reported on the return of a couple of travelers. It noted that Alex and Lil Hilson had returned from "their honeymoon at Washington, D.C., and other places of interest." Alex's sister Jane D. Hilson and her friend Margaret Hotchkin (sister of Jane's future sister-in-law Barbara Hilson) "have returned after spending last week at New York City and the World's Fair."

106 years ago today, on October 20, 1912, Harold Lounsbury was born. In 1938, he was married to Mary Burns. They ran for a number of years Burn-Lou Century Farm as a resort on Crescent Valley Road. Harold and Mary had five foster children: Dorothy and Joe Bolduc, George and Clare Easly and Karl Waterman. Mary died in 1971. In 1973, he married Anna Boggs Hobbie. Harold died in June 1982 at the age of 69.





112 years ago today, October 21, 1906, Berry Shaw Miller died. Born in 1837, he was the son of William Miller and Isabella Dickson. He served in the 144th NY Volunteers in the Civil War and suffered after-effects of his service throughout his life. He married Kate Oliver and was widowed in 1892. Berry was active in the Civil War veterans' group, the Grand Army of the Republic, attending numerous reunions.



Sixty-four years ago today, on October 22, 1954, the Bovina Fish and Game Club held a dance at the community hall. Here's the ad that appeared in the Catskill Mountain News.



Eighty-nine years ago today, the Bovina Center column of the October 23, 1929 Delaware Republican reported that "The Bovina Creamery Co are making cheese for the present while doing some repair work to the dry milk plant."

107 years ago today, on October 24, 1911, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Andes Recorder, "Thos. C. Strangeway was at Andes on Tuesday and purchased two cows of Will Doig."

123 years ago today, the Bovina column of the October 25, 1895 Andes Recorder noted that "Quite a number of our farmers have sold their butter for 18 and 20 cents a pound. Not a very high price, but better than many received last year."

134 years ago today, the October 26, 1884 issue of the Andes Recorder reported in its Bovina column that "R.A. Thompson has had his house painted in colors. Alex. Myers and William Sloan were the artists."

This photograph of Millard 'Stub' Russell was taken by Bob Wyer in August 1949. Stub was born in 1924, the son of Millard F. and Isabella Hyzer Russell. He married Clare Rabeler in 1946 and had three children. He operated Mountain View Farm, the family farm on Russell Hill Road in Bovina for many years, raising registered Holsteins. Stub was widowed in 1994 and passed away in 2015. Image courtesy of the Delaware County Historical Association.



120 years ago today, the Bovina column of the 
October 28, 1898 Andes Recorder reported that "The village school is prospering finely under the directorship of James Gow, assisted by Miss Nellie Butts. Some of the boys say that if a boy feels like having some fun in school and jumps over the seat, he very soon learns that he is not the boss."

101 years ago today, on October 29, 1917, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, “The rain on Monday night caused the Pink Street brook to rise so much that the foot bridge on Main street was swept down against the arch bridge and about totally wrecked. Harry Robinson’s family were taken out of their house at 4 o’clock in the morning in a lumber wagon. Wood was carried away and several hens were washed out of Gideon Miller’s hen house.” This postcard view of the stone bridge shows the metal arch railing of the pedestrian bridge on the left. The building beyond is Strangeway's Store, which later became Clayt Thomas's and later still Wayne Gallant's garage and is now owned by Tom Hetterich.



133 years ago today, on October 30, 1885, John A. Miller died at the age of 80 of a stroke, caused by a urinary disease. He was the son of James Miller and Isabella Armstrong. John was born in Scotland, coming to the United States with his parents around 1818. He married Elizabeth Telford. They had three children. John was widowed in 1851.

107 years ago today, on October 31, 1911, as later reported in the Andes Recorder "The Hallowe'en pranks were not as numerous as usual. Will Thomson's livery sign appeared at Wm. Crosiers' and one of his wagons found its way to the platform at Wat Coulter's mill."

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