This Day in Bovina for April 2024

Here's the monthly compilation of the daily entries on the Town of Bovina Historian Facebook page for April:

117 years ago, on April 1, 1907, Howard McPherson moved to Utica.  The Andes Recorder announced this move in its March 29th issue "Howard McPherson, who has been employed in Elliott Thomson’s blacksmith shop, has secured a position in a carriage factory at Utica and will go there April 1."

 

135 years ago today, on April 2, 1889, a notice appeared the Delaware Republican addressed "To Builders." The notice went on to say "Sealed proposals will be received at Bovina Centre until 2 o'clock P.M., on the 16th day of April 1889, for the labor and materials required in the repairs of the Bovina U.P. Church, including mason and carpenter work. Plans and specifications may be seen at the house of James L. Coulter." The contract was awarded later in April to Henry M. Coulter for $2,950. The work took place that summer and fall and the renovated church was dedicated in November 1889.

 

204 years ago today, on April 3, 1820, Thomas Landon, jr, John Humes and John Hastings were appointed town justices in Bovina, the first in the town’s history. This was later reported in the New York Gazette.

 

Eighty-four years ago today, the Bovina column of the April 4, 1940 Delaware Republican reported that "Mrs. Elizabeth Irvine is able to be out on the porch a little of late. She is recovering nicely from her long illness." Mrs. Irvine, who was the mother of Isabell Russell, would die three months later in July 1940.

 

114 years ago today, on April 5, 1910, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Andes Recorder, "Mr. and Mrs. George McMullen, of the Little Delaware, were here Tuesday in an automobile."

 

140 years ago today, the Brushland column of the Stamford Mirror for April 6, 1880 reported "The 'Study-Talk' society, which meets once a week at the M.E. [Methodist] Parsonage, is quite an interesting and profitable affair. They have essays, dialogues, debates etc., and a monthly paper which is generally very entertaining, edited by a different member each month. They also study the Bible lesson each week for the ensuing Sabbath. Mr. Quick is an able, as well as earnest pastor, and is very much interested in the wellfare(sic) of his flock. They held Easter Services in their church on Sunday evening last." The Methodist church stood across from the community hall. This image shows the church and a bit of what was the parsonage.

 

206 years ago today, on April 7, 1818, voters in the Town of Stamford voted down an attempt to form a new town from parts of Stamford. It was determined that it was "so vague and unexplained that the town cannot act on said notice. Put to vote and carried in favor of said motion." This was the first attempt to create what is now the Town of Bovina. The following year, the voters in Stamford narrowly approved the taking of part of Stamford for the new town, which was created in February 1820.

 

Ninety-nine years ago today, the April 8, 1925 Stamford Mirror-Recorder reported that George Decker commenced work on the state road as patrolman, from Chas. McPherson's to Margaretville. His assistants are John Aitken and George Shaver. The state road referred to here now is County Route 6.

 

107 years ago, as later reported in the Del Rep, "the team of James E. Hastings became frightened while standing at the creamery Monday morning [April 9, 1917], and made a dash for Main Street. Mr. Hastings was thrown out, but escaped injury. The horses were stopped at Hilson's store. The only damage done was to the milk cans, which were scattered all the way from the creamery to the store."

 

Fifty-nine years ago today, on April 10, 1965, as later reported in the Delaware Republican-Express's Bovina column, "Mr. and Mrs. H.F. Davidson, Mrs. W.J. Storie and Mrs. Edna Carter attended the meeting of the Delaware County Historical Association at Masonville…"

 

Eighty-four years ago today, the Bovina column of the April 11, 1940 Delaware Republican reported that "W.J. Storie is going in for raising chickens; he recently purchased four hundred." The same column also reported that "A part of Marshall McNaught's barn roof gave way under the weight of a recent snow. Fred Thomson is repairing it."

 

105 years ago today, the Bovina column of the April 12, 1919 Delaware Republican reported that "Dr. and Mrs. Whitcomb and daughter visited Walton friends Thursday and Friday." A few months later, Whitcomb and his family would leave Bovina and move to Egypt, where he died in 1935.

 

144 years ago today, the Brushland column of the April 13, 1880 Stamford Mirror reported that "Mr. Samuel Campbell has returned home from the West, bringing the measles with him. Quite a number have been exposed."

 

107 years ago today, the Bovina column of the April 14, 1917 Delaware Republican reported that "Patrons of the Bovina Center creamery are required to deliver milk every day in the week now."

 

134 years ago, the April 15, 1890 issue of the Stamford Mirror reported in its Bovina column that Robert F. Thomson lost quite a valuable horse a few days ago. Rob F. seems to be very unfortunate this spring, as he lost a good cow a few weeks ago."

 

128 years ago today, on April 16, 1896, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Andes Recorder, "John Burns, who lived with his son, Alexander, in the upper part of the town, died last week at the advanced age of eighty-eight years.  He had been in feeble health for sometime, and the end was not unexpected.  He was the oldest man in town.  The funeral was held on Saturday.  James Coulter is now the oldest surviving citizen in town, the old settlers have all departed." Coulter was also 88 and died at the age of 90 in 1898. This image of John Burns shows him in old age with his grandson and namesake John. John Junior was the father of Agnes Burns.

 

141 years ago, the Bovina column of the April 17, 1883 Stamford Mirror reported that "There have been three funerals in town this week: on Monday, David Black's; on Tuesday, Mrs. Robert J. Forrest's, who died with measles; and on Wednesday, William Archibald." David Black was 59. Mrs. Forrest was born Elizabeth Biggar and was 64 at her death. William Archibald was 60. Black died on April 7. Mrs. Forrest and Mr. Archibald both died on April 8.

 

Fifty-nine years ago today, on April 18, 1965, as later reported in the Delaware Republican Express Bovina column, "The following out of town families of Mrs. Sophia Reinertsen attended church services…and were Easter guest of their mother: Mr. and Mrs. Linden Kelly and family of Norwich, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Reinertsen of New York, [and] Mr. and Mrs. Edwin LaFever and daughter Christine, of Unadilla."

 

136 years ago today, the April 19, 1888 Hobart Independent reported: "The population of Bovina is increasing very rapidly. There has not been a death in two months, and there have been nearly a score of births in that time."

 

Forty years ago today, on April 20, 1984, James Archibald Hilson died at the age of 89. He was the son of Alexander Hilson and Isabella Archibald. Jim was one of the six children born to Alex and Isabella. Only three of those children survived to adulthood - John (1888-1956), Jane (1891-1967) and Jim. "Uncle Jim" was the last of their family to pass away. He was the uncle of Alex, Louise (Mole), Jack and Jane (Hoy) Hilson, the children of his brother John.

 

150 years ago today, the Stamford and Bloomville Mirror for April 21, 1874 reported that "Jas. H. Bramley and family, of Bovina, have gone to California." I haven't determined what James Bramley this was.

 

Sixty-nine years ago today, the April 22, 1955 Catskill Mountain News carried this item about three bridge projects in Bovina, including the replacement of the Scott Bridge at the lower end of Bovina Center. 

 

Sixty-three years ago today, on April 23, 1961, Bovina native Fannie Thompson Snyder passed away at the age of 101 years. She died at the home of her daughter in Masonville. Born in Bovina in 1860, she was the daughter of John and Betsy Thompson and was married twice, first to Ambrose Young and later to Eugene Snyder. She had lived in Masonville since 1942. She was survived by two daughters, three sons, 20 grandchildren, 48 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren.

 

123 years ago today, on April 24, 1901, Wilford White Barnhart was born, the youngest child of Jeremy Barnhart and Kate Miller. He would take over the family farm on Pink Street, now owned by Mike and Lori Glavin. Married to Viola Russell, they would have six children. Wilford died in March 1979.  This image from around 1917 shows Wilford with his siblings. Left to right, Ralph, Wilford, Edith and Anna Bell.

 

116 years ago today, the April 25, 1908 Hobart Independent carried this advertisement for Dairy Butter, being sold by Dixon Thompson: 

 

134 years ago today, the Bovina column of the April 26, 1890 Delaware Republican reported that "J.D. Mitchell started for New York…to attend a sale of thoroughbred Alderneys."

 

Fifty-one years ago today, on April 27, 1973, the Bovina Happy Hearts 4-H club held a roller skating party at the community hall from 7 to 9 pm. In my diary, I noted that I helped. The reference to my dad's new tractor is the John Deere that Tony Gabrielle included in the Bicentennial parade in 2022. 

 

Forty-six years ago today, on April 28, 1978, Gladys Doig died. Born in 1909, the daughter of Adam Biggar and Sarah Johnson, She was married to Ed Doig, who survived her. She was buried in Bovina. This photo by Bob Wyer, courtesy of the Delaware County Historical Association, shows Gladys in January 1943 with her husband and two of her children, Marilyn and Raymond.  

 

142 years ago today, the April 29, 1882 Bovina column in the Delaware Republican reported that "The telegraph line from the Valley to Brushland has been staked out and part of the poles delivered. The office will be in Rev. J.B. Lee's house and Duncan C. Lee operator." J.B. Lee's house is next to the church, the home of Tom Lamport and Amy Burns.

 

Forty-nine years ago today, the April 30, 1975 Stamford Mirror Recorder reported on the formation of the Bovina Rescue Squad: