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

November 1919 in Bovina saw a surprise in the election of the Bovina Town Supervisor, a 50th wedding anniversary and the passing of a noted Bovina citizen.

November 7, 1919
·       It is reported that Charles J. Russell has purchased the land of Milton Hastings and Mrs. Thomas Fuller at the upper end of Bovina Center and is bargaining for Sloan Archibald’s land and house, known as the McDonald place [The McDonald Place is now my house].

Bovina Elects Democrat Sup.
Wallace Smith Defeated Thomas C. Strangeway by 25 Majority
In the election Tuesday 298 votes were cast n Bovina and the surprise of the day came when it was announced that Thomas C. Strangeway, Rep. had been defeated for supervisor by Wallace Smith, Dem., who is an uptown farmer.  The state road over the New Kingston mountain was the argument used to bring about the result.

November 14, 1919
·         Frank Kinch has sold his farm (the Soper place) to his son-in-law, Harrison Hall, and has moved to Delhi.
·         It is stated that J.S. Kennedy, who came from Canada, a few months ago and purchased the John Irvine farm for $20,000, has sold it for $30,000.

November 21, 1919
·         Thomas Ormiston is lying very low at his home on the Butt End road.
·         Mrs. Lucy Coulter is having a stone walk laid along the front of her residence.
·         Miss Jenette Laidlaw entertained the Camp Fire girls and a few others Friday evening.
·         Ray Thomson has purchased what is known as the Stone House Thomson farm up-town.  The price is reported to be $6,000.

Bovina Couple married 50 Years
Mr. and Mrs. G.D. Miller Celebrated Golden Wedding November 15
“…In honor of the day forty of their relatives and neighbors walked in upon them at about the noon hour bringing a bounteous supply of good things to eat.  Following the feast the afternoon passed all to quickly.  With Gilbert Banker at the piano the bride and groom, preceded by Rev. Galloway, marched thru the rooms.  Then there was singing and the final event was the taking of the picture on the lawn. [Here's that picture, which was not published in the newspaper.]












November 28, 1919
·         George Cable has commenced to remodel the interior of his residence.
·         There was no school in Miss Ormiston’s department at the village school this week.
·         Harry Martin is having a pipeless furnace installed in his residence at the Dennis corner.
·         The Dry Milk Company furnished turkeys and all the things that are necessary to go with it for a turkey supper for their employees, at the plant Thursday night.
·         Mrs. Dixon Thomson, who has been under the doctor’s care for sometime, is slowly improving.  Mrs. Geo Cable, who has been confined to her bed, is able to be about the house again.

Well Known Bovina Man Dead
Thomas Ormiston Passed away Nov. 22 After Long Illness.

Thomas Ormiston died at his home, midway between Bovina Center and the Butt End, early on Saturday morning, November 22, after an illness of several years with tuberculosis at the age of 63 years.  Deceased was a son of the late James Ormiston and Robena McFarland and was born in Bovina on January 31, 1856.  With the exception of a few years spent in Maryland he had been a lifelong resident of Bovina.

He is survived by his wife, who was Marjorie Boggs, and seven children, viz: Wendell, Ruth, Lois, Lloyd, Edwin, Marjorie and Marian. [Lois later married Fletcher Davidson and Ruth was married to Henry Monroe.]

The funeral was held on Monday, his pastor, Rev. H.K. Galloway, officiating. Internment was in the Bovina Center cemetery.