Ninety-six years ago today, on March 1, 1926, "D.C. Worden, who purchased the Methodist church some time ago commenced tearing it down…." [Andes Recorder] He had purchased the building in the fall of 1921. It was used for a time for roller skating before Worden finally demolished it, using the materials to build a barn on his farm. The church was built in 1849 and used until the congregation disbanded around 1915. It stood across from the community hall.
Elizabeth Archibald Elliott died
167 years ago today on March 2, 1855. Born in 1832, she was the daughter of
Robert Archibald and Elizabeth Hamilton. She married Thomas Elliott in February
1854. That November, she gave birth to her only child, a daughter Elizabeth.
The child survived her mother by less than a year, dying in January 1856.
Mother and daughter are buried next to each other in the Bovina Cemetery.
Thomas remarried in 1858 and died in 1910.
Amanda Burgin died 154 years ago
today, on March 3, 1868. The daughter of
Stephen Seacord and Abigail Canfield, she was married to Homer C. Burgin in
1849. She had four children and was 37
years old at her death. Amanda is buried
in the Bovina Cemetery.
Ninety-nine years ago today, on
March 4, 1923, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "Miss Margaret
Hoy, one of the oldest residents of Bovina, died on Sabbath, March 4, at the
home of her nephew, Arthur Hoy, where she had lived since her health failed a
year or so ago, so that she could not live alone. She was the last of her generation and was
born in Bovina 85 years ago and had always resided in the town. The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon, from
the United Presbyterian church, of which she was one of the oldest
members."
144 years ago today, on March 5,
1878, the following letter appeared in the Andes Recorder: "Messrs
Editors: - It is some time since I have written to the Recorder, but having
good will to all men, I wish to occupy a brief space in your columns to show
your readers that Brushland is still in a prosperous condition, owing, first,
to the fact that we have no liquor license; second, we can’t get a license;
third, we don’t want a license, consequently we are a sober, industrious
people."
178 years ago today, March 6,
1844, a letter from Bovina was written to Mr. Gatchell, a temperance lecturer,
from "a drunkard's wife." The
letter was later published in the Washingtonian, a temperance newspaper from
Hudson, NY. The article published with the letter noted that the letter had
"the genuine, unsophisticated feelings of a heart rejoicing because of the
disenthrallment of her husband from the iron bondage of alcohol…how encouraging
to the friends of temperance to know that such instances are daily
occurring." The article went on to say that "many a wife's heart is
made to rejoice when the news reaches her that her husband has signed the
pledge; a new hope springs up in her bosom, and 'dreams of bright days to
come,' when under the influence of temperance, her home, hitherto cheerless and
desolate, shall be glad and happy." The letter read as follows: "Dear
Sir-I take my pen in hand to inform you that we are in good health at present,
hoping by the blessing of God that you are enjoying the same. All those that
signed the pledge when you were here have not put on the fetters again. My
husband has become truly pious, which is a great comfort to me. I hope that we
shall gain our second independence. Let us lay aside every weight and the sin
which doth so early beset us. I am sensibly rejoiced at your success in Bovina
and Delhi. I hope that you will continue to take pity on the distressed. I have
no other way to express my gratitude at present but my hearty thanks."
D.J. Miller held an auction 122
years ago today, March 7, 1900. The
advertisement for the auction appeared in the Andes Recorder as follows:
"D.J.Miller will offer for sale at Public Auction at his residence in
Bovina at 10 o’clock a.m. on Wednesday March 7th the following property: 29
young Jersey cows, 4 two-year-old heifers, two-year-old bull, pair of mules
also some farming and dairying implements and utensils. Terms, on all sums under $10 cash, over $10 a
credit of six months on approved notes." This farm was on Miller Avenue in
the Bramley Mountain area and likely was the ancestral farm of his grandfather,
also known as David Miller.
127 years ago today, March 8,
1895, the Bovina correspondent for the Andes Recorder reported what he felt was
disturbing news: "We understand
that W.T. Black is talking of selling his farm, we hope it is a false
report. The town of Bovina cannot afford
to lose such a man. He is an honor to
the town. Lives an honest, honorable life, respected by everyone. The best Supervisor we have had in office for
years and hope to have him hold the office for the next fifteen years if he
lives to see that day. The echo of the
whole town of Bovina." Black went on later that year to build a new barn
on the property and continued to farm but gave up being town supervisor. He ran in 1900 successfully for Delaware
County Clerk and sold his farm to John Irvine, the father of Isabell
Russell. Black and his wife settled in
Delhi after he became County Clerk.
Seventy-seven years ago today, the
March 9, 1945, edition of the Catskill Mountain News reported that "Local
Farmers Win Top Milk Production Honors." The Dairy Herd Improvement
association awarded “honor roll diplomas” for the year ending June 30, 1944, to
farmers whose herds averaged more than 350 pounds of butterfat per cow per
year. In third place was Bovina’s Benson LaFever, with 415 pounds of butterfat
from his Jersey herd. Two other Bovina
farmers who had more than 350 pounds average were James Briggs and Millard
Russell.
The Bovina United Presbyterian
Church Session met 154 years ago today, March 10, 1868. The main topic of discussion was “The subject
of promiscuous dancing…" The pastor
was instructed by the session "to warn the Congregation that intelligence
has reached Session that a violation of the rules of the church in this matter
has been made, and that hereafter Session will deal with offenders for said
violation."
Eighty-four years ago, the Andes
Recorder in its March 11, 1938, issue, reported that "Mr. and Mrs. Robert
L. Gerry, Jr of New York and Lake Delaware, have gone to Aiken, South Carolina,
to occupy Green Shingles for the season."
Ninety-nine years ago, as later
reported in the Andes Recorder "Sloan Archibald and his wife and Mrs.
Douglas Davidson spent Monday [March 12, 1923] with their aunt, Miss Jennie
Miller who is a ‘shut in’ at the Butt End.”
Sloan's wife was the former Jennette Hoy (1859-1942). Her sister was Margaret Jane Hoy (1866-1936),
the wife of Douglass Davidson. Margaret
would be widowed about seven months later.
Jennette's and Margaret's aunt would live another two years, dying in
1925.
107 years ago, "Mrs. Margaret
Palmer, who has been visiting her brother, George Gladstone, returned Saturday
(March 13, 1915) to her home in Andes.” Mrs. Palmer was the widow of Roman
Palmer of Bovina, who was killed in the Civil War in 1864.
One hundred and nine years ago
today, the March 14, 1913, issue of the Andes Recorder reported in its Bovina
column that "The roads are in very bad condition, the bottom, so to speak,
having dropped out in many places."
One hundred and ten years ago, the
Andes Recorder Lake Delaware correspondent reported in its March 15, 1912
edition that "The superintendent at the Lake is very good to his help,
even letting them take the farm teams to dances, parties and even other things.
It is tough on the horses, however, to be out all night and then have to draw a
load from Delhi the next day, and it has told on some of them."
John B. Dunn was born 190 years
ago today, March 16, 1832, the son of John Dunn and Elizabeth Doig. He became a minister, serving as pastor in
East Greenwich, New York. He died at the
age of 29 in 1862 and is buried in the old Associate Presbyterian Church
Cemetery at Reinertsen Hill Road.
Ninety-four years ago, as later
reported in the Andes Recorder: “The team of Harold Campbell took fright at the
creamery Saturday morning [March 17, 1928] and ran away. They collided with the bridge before reaching
the street and left the wagon. The team
continued to run and went up the steep embankment at the Hilson house and into
the fields and stopped. The damage was
not great.”
Vera Lillian Davidson was born 131 years ago today, March 18, 1891. She was the daughter of Douglass Davidson and Margaret Hoy. She would be joined by two brothers, John George (1893-96) and Howard Fletcher (1895-1987). Vera later went to Cornell and Stanford Universities and married Bill Storie in 1915. Vera was widowed in 1963 and passed away in 1967.
Photo by Bob Wyer, dated November 1943
Drusella Clauson was born 208
years ago today on March 19, 1814, the daughter of James Clauson and Sarah
Eldridge. Born in Maine, she married
Benjamin Tuttle (1811-1891) in Bovina around 1834. They had six children. Drusella died in 1879 and is buried in
Bovina.
109 years ago today, on March 20,
1913, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "many streams were
overflowing their banks and two bridges on the road above John Blair’s are
under water." The road above John Blair's probably was the Miller Avenue
area on Bramley Mountain.
109 years ago, the March 21, 1913,
issue of the Andes Recorder reported in its Bovina column two challenges facing
the town. The first involved the main
road through town, now County Route 6:
"The frost heaved the State road in several places." The other challenge involved the Bovina
creamery. The Recorder’s correspondent also noted that because of the lack of
an extra boiler, "the Dry Milk plant is being run night and day."
139 years ago today, on March 22,
1883, the Bovina Town Board met to deal with the fact that David Black, who had
been elected Supervisor the previous month had refused the accept the
office. The minutes of that meeting
reported how the issue was resolved:
"We the undersigned Justices of Peace of said town pursuant to
section 61 and 57 article 3 Title 3 Chapter 11 Vol. 1 of the Revised Statutes
of the State of New York hereby appoint Alexander F. Storie of said town to be
supervisor of said town.”
154 years ago today, March 23,
1868, Jane Maynard died in Bovina at the age of 70. Born in New York City, she married Isaac F.
Maynard, the son of one of Bovina's earliest settlers, Elisha B. Maynard. Jane would have five children, including
Judge Isaac H. Maynard. Her husband
survived her by eight years, dying in 1876. Both are buried in Bovina.
Sixty-nine years ago, the Catskill
Mountain News reported in its Bovina column in the March 24, 1953 edition that
"Robert Burns, Robert Boggs and Cedric Kittle all had televisions
installed in their homes the past week."
Eighty-four years ago, the Andes
Recorder for March 25, 1938, reported that "Alex Hilson, a student at
University of Minnesota, is home for a vacation. His uncle, James Hilson, met
him at Utica."
232 years ago today, on March 26,
1790, Thomas Winter was born in Northumberland, England, the son of John Winter
and Betty Allen. He married Isabella
Turnbull in Northumberland. They settled
in New Kingston, and both died the same year, 1857. Isabella died in June and Thomas in
December. Thomas was 67 at his death and
is buried in the Bovina Cemetery.
Sixty years ago today, on March
27, 1962, Bob Wyer took this passport photo of Sophie Reinertsen. She had this
photo taken in preparation for a trip to Norway she took in May 1962 to visit
relatives.
Eighty-two years ago today, the
Lake Delaware column of the Delaware Republican for March 28, 1940, reported
that "Peggy Mabon has recovered from Scarlet Fever and her sister Vallory,
who became sick with the disease last week, is also recovering, having had the
disease lightly." Valarie and Margaret were the daughters of William Mabon
and Elizabeth McDivitt Mabon.
110 years ago today, as later
reported in the Andes Recorder, "J.B. Gordon, who has the contract to
build the State road from Thomas C. Strangeway’s to the Center, was here
Friday, March 29, 1912, to make arrangements to begin work. He has hired the
barn on the Jennie Miller place below the village of Henry Campbell, and the
foreman will be here next Monday and fit it up with bunks for the Italians.
Work on the road will be begun about May 1." The state road in question is
present County Route 6. Thomas Strangeway's place was on present Route 28,
about where Bread Fellows is now located.
Eighty-two years ago, on March 30,
1940, Marjorie Russell and Rae Storie arrived in Bovina to spend the spring
recess with their parents. Marjorie and
Rae were students at Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio. Marjorie was a junior and Rae a freshman. They
returned to Ohio on April 7.
111 years ago today, the Andes
Recorder in its March 31, 1911, issue, noted that "John A. Irvine and
James E. Hastings, two of Bovina's progressive farmers, have had acetylene gas
plants installed and will light their farm-houses with gas. They will also use the light [for their]
barns." The Irvine farm was on
Coulter Brook (later known as the Elms Farms) and Hastings was on County Route
6, the farm that later became the Damgaard place.
