This Day in Bovina for September 2020

Fifty-four years ago today, the September 1, 1966 Delaware Republican-Express reported in its Bovina column that "Mrs. Belle Dickson of Delhi is visiting her sister, Mrs. Helena Hilson."

 

119 years ago today, on September 2, 1901, as later reported in the Delaware Gazette, "The Bovina and Elk Creek teams played a good game of baseball on the Academy grounds…notwithstanding the rather unfavorable weather. At the close of the ninth inning the score stood at a tie. Consequently the tenth inning had to be played to settle the contest. It was closely contested, but the Bovina boys won the score, standing 10 to 9."

 

169 years ago today, James Renwick posted an ad dated September 3, 1851 to sell his farm: "The subscriber offers for sale the Farm on which he now resides, in the town of Bovina, containing about 180 acres. There are two good dwelling houses and three good barns and other out buildings. It is mostly fence with stone wall. Also, a large orchard of bearing apple trees - well watered and well calculated for a grain or dairy farm. Terms easy. For further particulars enquire of the subscriber. He would be willing to take a small farm in part payment." This farm was on what is now Pink Street, possibly around the area of Suits-Us farm. He had leased it from the Livingston family since about 1822.

 

151 years ago today, the Delaware Republican reported in its issue for September 4, 1869 under the headline "Lightning Raid on a Sugar Camp" that "The lightning struck a Maple Sugar Camp belonging to Mr. John T. Miller, Bovina, felling some fifty trees."

 

Sixty-eight years ago today, the Bovina column in the September 5, 1952 Catskill Mountain News reported that "Mrs. William Sellhorn Sr., accompanied by Mrs. William Sellhorn Jr., Monica and Renate Rabeler, grandchildren of the former Sellhorn, are leaving for New Bern, N.C. on Tuesday. They will return the two children to the home of their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alex Rabeler Jr., after spending several weeks in the South. The Mrs. Sellhorns will visit here for some time before returning home."

 

Eighty-five years ago today, the September 6, 1935 Catskill Mountain reported in its Bovina column that "Bovina has several new students starting in this year at Delaware Academy."

 

114 years ago today, the September 7, 1906 Catskill Mountain News carried this item under the headline "Dr. Lee Back to Bovina:" "Will Spend the Remaining Years of Hist Life There. Rev. James B. Lee, D.D., for thirty-two years pastor of the United Presbyterian church in Bovina Centre, previous to 1888, was given a farewell reception at Franklinville, where he has been since leaving Bovina, Wednesday evening of last week. Dr. Lee had contemplated for some time spending the remainder of his life among the Bovina hills and with Mrs. Lee will soon take up his residence there. He will occupy rooms in George Gladstone's house, better known as the Kennedy House." Lee died in 1914.

 

134 years ago today, the September 8, 1886 Delaware Gazette reported that "The beautiful village in the town of Bovina, previously known as Brushland, will hereafter be known as Bovina Centre. Brushland was a misnomer for the place, for it was never a land of brush but always a land of cattle. We understand that it was through the personal efforts of Rev. Dr. Lee that the name has been changed from Brushland to Bovina Centre by the Postmaster General. We congratulate the inhabitants of our neighboring village on this change of names, for it certainly is much more appropriate." Brushland got its name from Alexander Brush, the first settler in what is now Bovina Center. Bovina Center was known as Brushland from 1849 to this reported change in 1886.

 

152 years ago today, on September 9, 1868, Margaret Ellen Strangeway was born in New Jersey, the daughter of the Reverend William Strangeway and Margaret T. Dunn. Her parents were from Delaware County but were living in New Jersey at the time of Margaret's birth. She was married to Oscar A. Felton in 1892 and they lived for some time in Bovina near Lake Delaware. She had two daughters, both of whom precedeased her. She died in 1943 in Walton and was buried in Bovina. Her husband survived until 1950.

 

107 years ago today, on September 10, 1913, as later reported in the Delaware Gazette, "…a Downsville man named W.C. O'Brien, who was employed in the blacksmith shop of Gideon Miller, Bovina Center, suddenly fell unconscious while at work in the shop. He did not revive and died about two hours later."

 

157 years ago today, on September 11, 1863, William McCune, trustee for Bovina School District Number 2 (Pink Street) signed this order to pay Elisabeth Colgan $18.12 for teaching in the school for a four-month period.  

 

120 years ago today, the September 12, 1900 Delaware Gazette reported that "Commodore Elbridge T. Gerry has ordered the manager of his estate at Lake Delaware to have the public highway between Bloomville and Bovina Center repaired, he himself paying for the same, preparatory to his coming to his country seat at that place, which will be in the near future. It is his purpose to come over the Ulster & Delaware railroad to Bloomville and from there by carriage to Lake Delaware."

 

136 years ago today, the Bovina column of the September 13, 1890 Delaware Republican reported that "Rev. Mason W. Pressly is expecting a windmill, and intends to have running water in his house."

 

156 years ago today, on September 14, 1864, Supervisor Alexander Storie issued this receipt to pay Miss Jeanette Wilbur for teaching in the District 11 school (Coulter Brook).

 

141 years ago today, on the afternoon of September 15, 1881, Mrs. Orr Sloan died at the home of her son-in-law, James Aitkin in what is now Bovina Center. She was born Sarah Collins in Belfast, Ireland.

 

Sixty-seven years ago today, on September 16, 1953, as later reported in the Catskill Mountain News, a school fair was held at the Bovina Center school. Here's the article which appeared on the front page of the paper. 

 

186 years ago today, the September 17, 1834 Delaware Gazette had the following item: "Prolific - Mr. Robert Mitchell of Bovina, in this county, has raised, the present season, three calves from one cow. It is seldom that an instance of this kind occurs, particularly where the calves all live and do well, as in this case."

 

Forty-six years ago today, the Bovina column in the September 18, 1974 Stamford Mirror Recorder reported that "Burns Brothers have donated an eleven-week-old calf to be raffled off as a benefit for the Bovina fire department. The winner may decide to have the calf cut and wrapped or on the hoof. Tickets may be purchased from any fireman for $1 donation. The drawing will be held at the "Oktoberfest” on Oct. 13 at Catskill ski slope."

 

131 years ago today, the September 19, 1889 Hobart Independent reported "Bovina is a great town for accidents happening to those who go 'sparking.' Recently, a young man, after bidding his sweetheart a fond adieu, fell down stairs. People in the neighborhood thought it was an earthquake, but it was only 150 pounds falling about ten feet."

 

117 years ago today, on September 20, 1903, as later reported in the Delaware Gazette, "Stephen Russell died at his residence…in the 82d year of his age. He had always lived in Bovina, being born in that town January 1822. Mr. Russell was a very substantial farmer and one of the excellent citizens of the locality. His wife died a few years ago, but he is survived by a family of several children."

 

110  years ago today, the September 21, 1910 Delaware Gazette reported on "An Unhappy Matter" concerning a former Bovina resident. "Charles Oliver, with a very large family, recently moved from Bovina into a house on the rear of the Pitcher block [not sure, but likely this was in Delhi]. Their habits were soon found not very creditable. Sunday evening about a dozen chickens, two ducks and a saw were stolen from John Strangeways. Monday evening Sheriff Austin and Police Justice Hewitt went to the Oliver house. When they rapped at the door the light was put out. The sheriff demanded entrance and they were admitted. They found the saw, and the chickens were on the table. Oliver admitted that he stole the saw and five chickens but denied as to the rest. He is notorious for not being willing to work. In Bovina a notice was tacked on the door to move out or go to work, signed White Caps. It is said they are preparing to go to Walton. There are seven or eight children living, and it is said a dozen or fifteen have been born."

 

Sixty-seven years ago today, on September 22, 1953, the Democrats and Republicans in Bovina held their primaries and selected these slates for town office. 

 

Fifty-five years ago today, the Bovina column of the September 23, 1965 Delaware Republican Express reported that "Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hilson and Christine attended the World's Fair the past week-end." The same column also reported that "Mrs. Agnes Burns visited a few days at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Fred Phillips in Latham (Norma Phillips is Agnes' daughter).

 

Fifty-six years ago today, the September 24, 1964 issue of the Delaware Republican-Express carried this article about the hiring of Gus Pelletier to teach English at Delhi Tech (now SUNY Delhi). 

 

150 years ago today, on September 25, 1870, Margaret Miller Doig gave birth to twin boys, James Lee and John Timothy Doig. Their father was William S. Doig. Margaret died when the boys were 23 years old. James Lee Doig married Emma Louise Smith in 1916 and died in 1953. John Timothy died in Detroit, Michigan in 1923. Both brothers are buried in Bovina.

 

112 years ago today, on September 26, 1908, as later reported in the Delaware Gazette, "there arrived in Delhi….from Montana, an antelope 3 months old. It appeared to have been well taken care of on its long trip, and was quite a curiosity to a good many of our citizens, especially the children. It was sent to the father of Mr. Ed. Russell, in Bovina, on the Andes stage Monday morning."

 

163 years ago today, late the night before or early on September 27, 1857, as later reported in the Delaware Gazette, "the proceeds of a year's produce of the farm of John Bramley, of Bovina, was burned to the ground. It is believed to have been the work of an incendiary, but nothing has occurred to fix the crime upon any individual."

 

Sixty-three years ago today, on September 28, 1957, Rev. David Hamilton Murray died in Hancock. The last surviving child of Bovina natives Henry Murray and Elizabeth Coulter, he was born in Andes in 1872. He married Jessie M. Cheney. He is buried near his parents in the Bovina Cemetery.

 

212 years ago today, on September 29, 1808, James Coulter was born, the last child of early Bovina settlers Francis and Nancy (Glendenning) Coulter. He also was the last surviving child of Francis and Nancy, dying in 1898 at the age of 90. He married Nancy D. Thompson in 1832. She predeceased him in 1891. They would have 13 children, six of whom survived their father. James and Nancy lost a son in the Civil War (Solomon) and another to tuberculosis (Andrew).

 

Seventy-one years ago today, the September 30, 1949 Catskill Mountain News reported that in Bovina, "Rains which have benefitted pastures, meadows and lawns have not been sufficient to raise water where springs and wells have gone dry."