This Day in Bovina for September 2024

Here's the compilation of the Town of Bovina Historian Facebook page entries for September 2024:

139 years ago today, on September 1, 1885, as later reported in the Stamford Mirror, "…a large crowd assembled on the farm of Robert Thompson to witness the trial of Andrew Johnson's new engine and thresher.  It worked to perfection and bid defiance to the wet sheaves of oats and rushed wildly on."

123 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."

173 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, likely what later became Suits-Us farm. Renwick had leased it from the Livingston family since about 1822. It was a few years before he was able to sell it.

155 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."

Seventy-two 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-nine years ago today, the September 6, 1935 Catskill Mountain reported in its Bovina column that "Mr. and Mrs. Millard Russell, Mr. and Mrs. G.H. Russell attended the Syracuse fair on Tuesday."

118 years ago, 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. 

138 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.

Eighty-one years ago today, September 9, 1943, the Delaware Republican Express carried this Bovina column: 

111 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." William O'Brien was 59 years old.

161 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.  

124 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."

134 years ago today, the Bovina column of the September 13, 1890 Delaware Republican reported that "A.F. McPherson has leased the M. Dickson lot opposite A.T. Strangeway's store, and is building a blacksmith shop." A. Fitch McPherson was born in 1832 and was married twice. He died in 1903. McPherson is the great grandfather of Sandra Cole and Ruth Ann Avery.

160 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).

143 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 Bovina Center, exactly one year after she was widowed. She was born Sarah Collins in Belfast, Ireland and was the mother of seven children, most of whom survived her.

132 years ago today, the September 16, 1892 Delaware County Dairyman reported some mischievous in Bovina, under the title "Bad Bovina Boys:"  "On Sabbath morning last a strange sight greeted the gaze of the Bovina people when they arrived at church. Perched up on the top of the church sheds was the wagon of one of Bovina's young men who had been on a visit to his lady, when his wagon mysteriously disappeared to reappear upon its lofty perch. Upon it were the words 'Here we are, Platner Brook.' How is she, Russy?"

190 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."

Fifty 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."

135 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."

121 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." The dates in the death notice are a bit off. Stephen's wife, the former Mary Armstrong, died only about a year and a half before he passed. The couple had seven children.

114  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."

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

Fifty nine years ago today, the Bovina column of the September 23, 1965 Delaware Republican Express reported that "Mrs. Jennie B. Elliott returned home with Mrs. Walter Campbell and her brother, Glen Dyer, on Sunday afternoon after spending the past ten days with relatives and friends in Gilbertsville, Walton, Bainbridge and Unadilla."

Sixty 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). 

154 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.

116 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."

167 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-seven 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. Murray is buried near his parents in the Bovina Cemetery.

216 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). [UPDATE: James was not the last-born child of Francis and Nancy Coulter. In fact, he was the fifth child out of nine that were born to Nancy. Thank you to Naomi Coulter Casali who caught this error.]

Seventy-five 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."