This Day in Bovina for September 2022

Here's the monthly compilation of entries from the Town of Bovina Facebook page:

One hundred and four years ago today, on September 1, 1918, as later reported in the Delaware Republican Bovina column, "a number of patriotic citizens of this place observed the first gasless Sunday by driving their horses to church instead of their automobiles." The paper also noted that "few pleasure cars passed through" town and that "most car owners tried to be patriotic and avoided the unnecessary pleasure trip on that day." The first World War still was raging and though there was no official gas rationing, efforts like this were ways people could "do their part."

Deliah Sprague Bailey, wife of Jacob Bailey, died 142 years ago today on September 2, 1870 at the age of 60. She was the mother of six children. Her husband survived her by less than two months, dying October 28, 1870.

Eighty years ago today, September 3, 1942, the Delaware Republican Express carried the following in its Bovina column: "It has been decided to maintain only one teacher in the village school this year. Grades 5-8 will attend at Andes or Delhi. Mrs. William Vogel will teach grades 1-4." This image of the Bovina Center school dates from the late 19th century, not long after it was built. 

Sixty-nine years ago today, the Bovina column of the September 4, 1953 of the Catskill Mountain News reported that "Floyd Aitken, creamery employee, is enjoying a week's vacation from his duties, and with his family left on Saturday for a visit with relatives at Long Island." Image by Bob Wyer, taken in 1947. 

Fifty-eight years ago today, on September 5, 1964, Jack Hilson drove the Bovina Fire Department's jeep in the old home day parade. The same jeep appeared in a Bovina parade fifty-eight years later in the town's Bicentennial parade, driven by Tim Schneider and included Bovina Fire Department Queen Kadence LaFever. Image by Chris Ingvordsen. 

Ninety-four years ago today, the September 6, 1928 Stamford Mirror carried this item: "Rain Interfered with Picnic. The town picnic was well attended. The parade was fine, but the thunder
shower in the middle of the afternoon brought everything to a sudden halt. The girls' ball game was only partly finished, and the men never played at all on account of the rain." The picnic took place on August 30.

Eighty-three years ago today, on September 7, 1939, the Bovina column of the Delaware Republican reported that "Mrs. W.J. Storie and daughter, Rae, Mr. Craig Banuat and Miss Mary Banuat, returned last Wednesday from their trip to California. They were away nearly six weeks."

137 years ago, on September 8, 1885, the Stamford Mirror reported that "James Coulter has a squad of men at work rebuilding the mill dam that was carried away by the high water last spring. Pretty late for the young boys to try their bathing suits." The dam likely was behind what is now the highway garage (or somewhere in that area). 

178 years ago today, September 9, 1844, this notice was issued by Robert C. Scott of Bovina Centre and published in the Delaware Gazette: ONE CENT REWARD:  Ran away from the subscriber on the 5th Sept. instant, Sylvester Lake, an indented apprentice to the Farming business. All persons are forbid harboring or trusting him on my account, as I shall pay no debts of his contracting."

Eighty years ago today, the September 10, 1942 Delaware Republican-Express reported that "Mrs. Ida McCune left Monday for Philadelphia where she will spend the winter in the employ of James Crosier." The same column reported a related item: "Mrs. Mary Crosier, son James and daughter Mrs. Jackson, of Philadelphia have been spending some time at her home at Bovina."

138 years ago today, on September 11, 1884, the Stamford Mirror reported that "Quite a number of our citizens went to the Delhi fair today…" The paper also noted that "those who remained at home were favored with a fine view of the balloon as it passed over the town, north of Brushland about 4 p.m."

103 years ago today, the September 12, 1919 Bovina column of the Andes Recorder reported that "the weeds and brush is being cut in the old cemetery above the Center." This probably is referring to the old Associate Presbyterian Church at Reinertsen Hill Road.

121 years ago today, the September 13, 1901 Andes Recorder reported on the attempt to make the new 'uptown' creamery in Bovina one that would operate only six days a week: "'Six days shalt thou labor and do all they work' to be exemplified by the new co-operative creamery company of Bovina (the upper one) a majority of the stockholders having signed an agreement to make the plant a six day creamery.  Bovina is noted for its strong Sabbath observance sentiment and practice, but such a rule as has been adopted at the 'Butt-end' creamery is the first on record so far as our knowledge goes and is to be commended.  Of course, some will sneer and wag their heads but these people believe that they can care for the Saturday night’s and Sunday morning’s milk to their own advantage at their homes on Monday, and they are going to risk it anyway may success attend them." Ultimately, they were unable to do this and operated seven days a week. The uptown creamery was located on Bovina Road about a half mile south of what is now the Schumann farm. 

Ninety-four years ago today, on September 14, 1928, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "The gross receipts of the hot dog roast … under auspices of the V.I.S. were $35."

Sixty-eight years ago today, on September 15, 1954, Bob Wyer took this picture of the new bridge being constructed at the entrance to Bovina Center. It was built to replace the Scott Bridge, which can be seen in the background. The stone bridge was demolished in July of 1955. Go to the Bovina NY History Blog at http://bovinanyhistory.blogspot.com/2010/06/bridging-bovina.html for more about this bridge. 

114 years ago today, September 16, 1908, Elizabeth J. Bramley was married to Mr. William J. Reynolds at the home of her parents in Bovina. She would have two sons before her early death in May 1918.

Thirty-one years ago today, the Bovina column in the September 17, 1991 Delaware County Times carried this item: "Happy 80th birthday greetings to Mrs. Florence Thomas who celebrated on September 9th. Her family celebrated with her on Sunday and all attended the Hunter Mt. antique car show. Those attending were Marge, Bill and Billy Rockefeller of Elk Creek, Al Brown of Delhi, Donna, Ed, Cody and Tommy Weber, Pat Parsons and Lou Miele and Joyce and Martin Kelish of New Providence, N.J.

Ninety-six years ago today, September 18, 1926, as later reported in the Arena column of the Stamford Mirror, "The young ladies of Arena crossed bats with the young ladies of Bovina….. Unfortunately, Arena was defeated."

126 years ago today, on September 19, 1896, Lois Jane and Lloyd Boggs Ormiston were born, twins of Thomas J. Ormiston and Margaret E. Boggs. Lois married Fletcher Davidson in 1921 and would have seven children, of whom four made it to adulthood - Jane (1922-1955), Ed (1923-2019), Alan (1925-2004), and Richard (born 1930). Lois died in 1976 at the age of 79. Lloyd never married and predeceased his sister, dying in Walton in 1971. Lois and Lloyd are both buried in Bovina.

111 years ago today, the Delaware Gazette for September 20, 1911 reported that "A young son of Alex. Jardine of Lake Delaware, who had a leg badly injured in a mowing machine last July, has been taken to a New York hospital at the expense of Mr. Gerry, a friend of the boy." This boy was Raymond Jardine, who settled in Bovina and farmed in the hamlet. He was married to Mary Hyzer and was the father of Marion, Martha and Richard.

104 years ago today, the September 21, 1918 issue of the New Berlin Gazette reported that "The Bovina Dry Milk Company is loading several cars of milk to be consigned to the British government. This company has leased the Bovina Center Co-operative creamery for a year."

Fifty-six years ago today, the Bovina column of the September 22, 1966 Delaware Republican-Express reported that "Many of our young people have left or will be leaving in a few days for college. Lee Archibald is at Rocky Mountain College; Miss Jean Damgaard at Susquehanna University; Miss Joan Damgaard, Keuka College; Miss Louise Wilkens, Russell Sage College; Walter Wilkens, old Dominion College; Miss Judy Chase, State University College at Potsdam; Byron Trimbell, G.E. Technical Training School; Lynell (sic) Trimbell, Alfred Technical Institute; Howard B. LaFever, Clarkson College; John LaFever, New York State Agricultural and Technical Institute at Canton; Thomas Hoy, Cornell University; Jack Robson, Auburn Community College; Miss Clair Easley, Ulster County Community College; Miss Dorothy Bolduc, Central City Business Institute; Miss Christine Hilson, Culver-Stockton College; Miss Norma Reinertsen, State University College at Oneonta; Robert McIntosh, Albany Business College; Edward Hall, Orange County Community College."

159 years ago today, on September 23, 1863, Esther Lull was paid as a teacher in Bovina District Number 11 (Coulter Brook).  Here's the receipt for the payment. Esther was born in 1847, the daughter of William Lull and Martha M. Bell. She never married but was a teacher for some time, living with various siblings. In 1880 she was living in New Jersey with her brother Andrew. In the 1905 census she back in Bovina, living with her sister Mary Bramley but by 1910 was back in New Jersey, residing with her nephew Herbert Hoffman. In 1920 she was living with her sister Martha Hoffman in Camden, NJ. She died there in June 1924. 

106 years ago today, on September 24, 1916, Mrs. John Elliott died. As later reported in the Andes Recorder, she had been in New York city the previous month for a cancer operation "but with no beneficial results." She was brought back to Bovina the evening before she died. She was born Ella Squires in New Kingston and was 55 years old. She was survived by four children - William (1883-1956), James (1888-1969), Hale (1890-1980), and Emily (1887-1966).

120 years ago day, the September 25, 1902 Catskill Mountain News carried this item: "On Thursday of last week Mr. and Mrs. Richard Smith of Bovina Center were permitted to reach the fiftieth anniversary of their wedding day. Their children and relatives came up from Walton and with others made the occasion a very pleasant one for the two who have traveled together until the golden day of marriage." Richard Smith was married to Maria Saunders in England in 1852 and came to Delaware County shortly after. They had five children: George, Lucille, John, Mary and William. About three years after celebrating their Golden anniversary, they left Bovina, first going to Walton and then to California. Mrs. Smith died there in 1908. Her husband died almost exactly three years later in July 1911.

139 years ago today, on September 26, 1883, as later reported in the Stamford Mirror, "A valuable horse, belonging to John Hilson, was found dead in the stable…."

G.D. Miller was showing off a good sized cluster of black raspberries of unusual size 103 years ago today, on September 27, 1919.

The girls got the upper hand over the boys in a ball game played in Bovina 127 years ago today on September 28, 1895.  The girls won by a score of 32 to 27.

Fifty-six years ago today, the Bovina column of the September 29, 1966 Delaware Republican-Express reported that "Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Doig and son, Donald, visited her brother Donald Biggar and family at Cherry Valley on Wednesday."

Civil War Veteran John R. Hoy died 121 years ago today, on September 30, 1901. The son of James Hoy and Elizabeth Robertson Hoy, he married Isabella Wilson Miller in 1854. They had eight children, including David Fletcher Hoy (1863-1930), who was the registrar at Cornell University and created the Bovina Families genealogy files that I still use today in researching families in Bovina. Two of John's daughters, Mary Isabella and, after her death, Margaret Jane would marry Douglass Davidson. Margaret was the mother of Fletcher Davidson.