Friday, May 31, 2024

This Day in Bovina for May 2024

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

150 years ago today, this ad appeared in several issues of the Stamford Mirror, dated May 1, 1874, promoting the "American Submerged Pump." James P. Dean, Jon Scott and William Gladstone of Bovina were among the buyers. 



113 years ago today, on May 2, 1911, as later reported in the Andes Recorder Bovina column, a son was "born to Mr. and Mrs. A. Thomas Archibald, Mountain Brook…" This son was Marvin Archibald. Marv married Eleanor Burns in 1942 and would pass away in 1987.


204 years ago today, May 3, 1820, Bovina's first ever Liquor license was issued to John Hastings at a meeting of commissioners of excise. 



Ninety-eight years ago today, on May 4, 1926, two Bovina farms hosted woodchuck killing demonstrations held by the Farm Bureau. One at 10 am at the farm of James Boggs, the other at the W.J. Storie farm. The Catskill Mountain News, in reporting these under the headline "Woodchucks are Facing Death" noted that the demonstrations showed "how woodchuck dens are treated with calcium cyanide…" Farmers were being encouraged to use these "effective methods of ridding farms of the destructive animals."


262 years ago today, on May 5, 1762, Nathan H. Hilton was born in Connecticut. He was married around 1780 to Mary Pierce. Around 1795, they settled in Bovina. Nathan and Mary had eight children. She died in 1836 and Nathan the following year in 1837. They are believed to be buried in the Nichols Cemetery on Cape Horn.


Fifty-nine years ago today, the Bovina column of the May 6, 1965 Delaware Republican-Express reported that "Mr. and Mrs. Dan Waltzwer of New York spent the week-end in their summer home here in up town Bovina." This is not a name I recall. I'm wondering if anyone remembers this family (and keep in mind that the paper may have misspelled the name considerably).


131 years ago today, the Stamford Mirror for May 7, 1889 reported that "Word has been received that Wilson and Maggie Atkins, of Bovina, reached their journeys' end in due time. The latter is at J.L. Ormiston's, Raymore, Mo., and Wilson is at his sister's, in Jetmore, Kansas." Wilson and Maggie were the children of Isaac Atkin and Nancy Blair. Wilson was born in 1851, his sister in 1849. Maggie came back to Bovina was living with J.L. Ormiston's family in 1910 in Bovina, listed as a servant. By 1920, the Ormiston family was living in Oneonta and Maggie was living with them as a lodger. She died in 1925 and is buried in Bovina. Wilson ended up settling in Washington State, dying there in 1918. [Note: Atkin usually is not spelled with an 's,']


141 years ago today, the Stamford Mirror for May 8, 1883 reported that "Gilbert D. Miller has purchased the Halstead place at Bovina Valley, for $1,650, and will go to work thereon at once." I think this is now the Clarence and Frances Burns farm.


138 years ago today, the May 9, 1896 Delaware Express carried this Bovina Centre column: 



Seventy-five years ago today, in a notice dated May 10, 1949 in the Catskill Mountain News, it was reported that "Those who are driving new cars the past week are James Hilson with a Cadillac convertible, Martin Rabeler a Mercury sedan, Frances Schabloski a Ford sedan."


163 years ago today, May 11, 1861, the Delaware Republican had the following item: "We understand that several gentlemen of the name of Stott, formerly of Bovina, passed through here a few days ago, having been driven from their late residence in Chantilly, Fair­fax Co., Virginia, for being Union men. They left most they had behind them, and were even pursued and a horse taken away from them." I can't be sure but this likely was the family of John Elliot Stott. Born in Scotland in 1804, he came to Bovina and started his family. It seems the family moved south in the 1850s. Stott's wife Jane Hendry Ormiston died there in 1856. They lost two children there also. And I don't think John was one of the family who ran back north. He is reported as dying in Falls Church, Virginia in 1863. The gentlemen may have been his sons George, James and William.


Seventy years ago today, on May 12, 1954, as later reported in the Catskill Mountain News, "Mrs. Fred Thomson held a brush party at her home…"


Seventy-five years ago today, the Bovina column of the Catskill Mountain News for May 13, 1949 reported that "Miss Jennie Hastings is spending some time at the home of her brother, Milton Hastings, and assisting Lillie Happy with her work while she is recovering from her recent illness."


126 years ago today, on May 14, 1898, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "Woodburn & Smyth set up a monument… in the cemetery for Mrs. Muller, in memory of her late husband." Here's a photograph of the monument. 



142 years ago, on May 15, 1882, as later reported in the Delaware Gazette, "Snow was reported to be over an inch deep on Bramley hill, Bovina…"


Sixty-one years ago today, the May 16, 1963 Delaware Republican-Express reported in its Bovina column that "Volunteers and carpenters will begin this week in remodeling the church basement."


Seventy-five years ago today, it was reported in the Catskill Mountain News in an item dated May 17, 1949 that "We had several hard frosts in town last week. They did considerable damage to tender growths. It is hope this is the last for the season."


Eighty-five years ago today, the May 18, 1939 Delaware Republican reported in its Bovina column that "Edward Snyder is to teach in the Herbert Huggin's district next year." Snyder actually was Edward Schneider. He later was the last teacher at the Maynard district on Bovina road. Ed died in 2016 at the age of 102. The Huggins district was Bovina District 5, located at Lee Hollow and Miller Avenue.


Two hundred and four years ago today, May 19, 1820, Grace Elliott is born in Bovina, daughter of John Elliott and Christiana Mabon. She married Lewis Knapp in 1851 in Bovina and had three children. Grace died 1882 in Hamden.


Forty-three years ago today, the May 20, 1981 Oneonta Daily Star carried an article about the Bovina Quilt. The quilt, now housed in the Bovina Museum, was started in the late 70s as a fundraising project. Different families submitted square for the quilt. The photo in the newspaper shows Frances Burns, Mary Jo Doig, Mary Jardine and Marilyn Gallant sewing the edges of the quilt.



Seventy-seven years ago today, May 21, 1947, the Center-Inn Restaurant opened in Bovina Center. Run by Ethel and Burton Cornell, the restaurant closed about a year later when Bovina in November 1947 voted to go dry, ending the sale of alcohol in the restaurant. Here's the ad announcing the opening from the May 16, 1947 Walton Reporter: 



Ninety-four years ago today, the Bovina column of the May 22, 1929 Delaware Republican reported that "the post office inspector has recommended a change of mail route for Bovina. I am sure everyone will be glad."


Eighty-four years ago today, the May 23, 1940 issue of the Delaware Republican had in its Bovina column this item: "Mrs. Ralph Barnhart remains in a serious condition at present writing." Mrs. Barnhart was born Anna Irene Ruland and married Ralph Barnhart in 1921. They had one son, Donald. Anna was suffering from breast cancer and would pass away the following March in her home in Bovina. She was 40 years old.


142 years ago today, the May 24, 1882 Delaware Gazette issue included the following: "We regret to learn that David Black, Supervisor of Bovina, is not so well, in fact that his friends are very anxious and consider his condition critical." He would survive for a little less than a year, dying in April 1883.


151 years ago today, on May 25, 1873, Sarah Eliza Seacord died. Born in 1842, she was the daughter of Alexander Dean and Phoebe Ann Bramley. Married in 1862 to William Seacord, she had two children before her death at the age of 30. She's buried in the Bovina cemetery.


Seventy-one years ago today, on May 26, 1953, as later reported in the Catskill Mountain News, the young son of Howard and Theresa Conklin, Marty, "was burned on both arms and hands when he fell into a pail of water at his home last week Tuesday. He was rushed to Margaretville hospital where he remained overnight for treatment."


Fifty-nine years ago today, the Bovina column in the May 27, 1965 Delaware Republican-Express reported that "James Hoy of Bainbridge has been transferred from the Bainbridge branch of the National Bank and Trust Company of Norwich to the Grand Gorge branch as branch manager. He will move there this week." Jim was the son of James and Margaret Hoy and grew up in Bovina.


Seventy-two years ago today, on May 28, 1952, as later reported in the Catskill Mountain News, "Around 15 of the Bovina firemen attended the Elk's celebration at Oneonta Wednesday evening and took part in the parade with 16 other companies."


119 years ago today, on May 29, 1905, Mina Cook submitted this bill for $100 for her services as a teacher at Bovina District number 1 (the Maynard school). 



127 years ago today, on May 30, 1893, Bina Liddle died. She was born Jacobina McDonald in Scotland in 1819, the daughter of Henry McDonald and Margaret Donald. She married Alexander Liddle probably around 1840 and would have eight children. Bina was widowed in 1884.


148 years ago today, the May 31, 1876 Delaware Gazette reported that "Mr. Alexander Kinmouth, of Bovina, thinks a great deal of his Ayershire cow, which gives 48 lbs of milk a day. He makes 18 lbs of butter a week after using all the milk he wants for the family."



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