January 1919 - 100 Years Ago "in That Thriving Town"

The Andes Recorder's Bovina column reported at the start of the year the Bovina Fire Insurance Company's pay out of claims for several people, including John Miller's burned barn and several livestock deaths. The local doctor upped his charges for house calls and a Dairymen's league was created.

January 3, 1919

·         A New Years dance was held here on Wednesday night.

·         Cecil Russell, who recently purchased the general merchandise business of Andrew T. Doig at the old Thos E. Hasting store, took over the business January 1.  The inventory was taken the past week.

·         The team of Mrs. Rockafeller, driven by her son Floyd, ran away Saturday.  The lad had them hitched to a bob when they started and he was dragged some distance behind the bob before he could disengage his hands from the lines.  The team then ran to James Bramley’s and after circling around among Bramley’s cows, which were being watered, ran on a knoll and were caught.  No damage was done.

January 10 1919

·         George H. Russell has moved from Russell hill to part of H.C. Burgin’s house in the Center.

·         Mrs. Frank VanDusen received a German helmet from her son, Leon, who sent it from the front.

·         William R. Aitken of the U.S.S. Wanderer has been here on a five day furlough, to visit his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John R. Aitken.

·         Louise, the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Hilson, is now improving rapidly from an attack of influenza under the care of Miss Muir as nurse.

January 17, 1919

·         Dr. Whitcomb has increased his charge for calls in the village to $1.50 and other calls accordingly.

·         Harry Barlow age 10 years, died on his birthday, January 14, at the home of his aunt, Mrs. Wm. B. Smith, from Bright’s disease an heart trouble, which dated from an operation for appendicitis last February. He was born in Colorado and after the death of his mother came to live with his aunt.

Bovina Fire Insurance Co

List of amounts paid:

John M. Miller, barn burned - $2,000

Mrs. JohnIrvine, cow killed - $50

Emler Close damage to house - $11.17

R.E. Thomson, cows killed - $350

A.B. Phyfe, cows killed - $150

M.W. Thomson, cow killed - $20

N.B. Whitcomb, horse killed - $25

Ellsworth Tuttle, sheep killed - $5

Salary of officers - $102

State organization - $3

T.W. Miller printer - $9

January 24, 1919

·         Sloan Archibald lost a valuable cow Saturday. It bled to death after being dehorned.

·         Calvin Russell has gone to New York City, where he has employment for the winter.

·         Mrs. John A. Irvine is having an electric lighting system installed in her residence on Maple avenue.

·         The Bovina Center Co-Op Creamery patrons received a dividend of their surplus amounting to $3,632.16. The stockholders dividend this year was 5 percent.

·         Harold Robinson is home, discharged from the army.  Homer Burgin, who is in the marines, is home from France on a 30 day furlough.  He was “over the top” four times. J.L. Myers of the Aviation Corps, is still enjoying a furlough.

League Formed in Bovina

At a farmer’s meeting held Tuesday about 44 names were enrolled as members of the Dairymen’s League, W.J. Storie was chosen president; A.T. Archibald, secretary, and Frank T. Miller, treasurer.  A good start for the League in Bovina.

January 31, 1919

·         Letters from the boys ‘over there” are beginning to sift in, to the great relief of anxious mothers and other relatives.

·         The officers of the R.P. church for the ensuing year are: Fred Henderson, superintendent; Kenneth Kaufman, assistant; Millard Russell, secretary and treasurer.

·         A party Tuesday evening at Mrs. Ida Burgin’s, in honor of her son, Homer, whose furlough will soon expire, was largely attended, a number from Andes being present.