A Week with Bovina People - July 1900 - 125 Years ago from the Andes Recorder

 

July 6, 1900

• Stock day Monday.

• Alex. Fenton was in town Saturday.

• F.C. Armstrong visited Delhi Saturday.

• Ed Thompson was up from Delhi Monday.

• G.D. Miller and wife are on a trip to Oneonta.

• Rev. Piper and family passed thro’ town Monday.

• John R. Hoy and wife [the former Isabella Wilson Miller] returned from Hobart Friday.

• David Currie was up from Delhi on his wheel on Sabbath.

• W.L. White and Elmer Close were over at Andes Tuesday.

• Ernest Bouton is seriously ill with inflammation of the bowels.

• Robert R. Gladstone and wife were here from Andes on Sabbath.

• David J. Miller and wife [the former Elizabeth Campbell] returned Friday from their western trip.

• Doctor [Rev. J.B.] Lee and wife left Monday for their home in Franklinville.

• Joseph Raitt has been renewing old acquaintances in town this week.

• Fred Bramley has been having a well dug at the old Sott cooper shop.

• Andrew Anderson and wife [the former Margaret Liddle] were in this place on Monday from Dingle Hill.

• William A. Liddle and wife, of Margaretville, were visitors in town over Sabbath.

• James Hastings has been having some improvements made on the interior of his residence.

• Rev. and Mrs. Moser have been guests at S.G. Bramley’s. Rev. Moser will preach in the Methodist church on Sabbath.

• The loss on E. George Gladstone goods destroyed by the recent fire in the Methodist parsonage, has been adjusted at $8.47.

• Recently, Master John Miller of this village caught a trout which measured 14 ¼ inches in length and weighed one pound and two ounces.

• The frame is up for the addition to Andrew T. Doig’s store.  James L. Coulter, John E., and E. George Gladstone are the carpenters.  

July 13, 1900

• John A. Irvine was at Delhi Monday.

• Miss Louisa Case was home for a few days the past week.

• William L. White and Elmer Close visited Delhi on Saturday.

• Mrs. Dr. Phinney has been visiting relatives at New Kingston.

• Otis McCumer and family were at Mrs. Muller’s over Sabbath.

• William VanKeuren was seen in this village Saturday from Andes.

• Frank C. Armstrong made a trip to the County Seat last Saturday.

• Marshall Thomson was over at Andes Saturday on a business trip. 

• Thomas Gordon and wife visited her parents at Falls Mills over Sabbath.

• George Hunger of Colchester, was a guest at William Cooke’s recently.

• Albert Butts and wife returned from their visit at Davenport on Monday.

• Rev. W.L.C. Samson and wife arrived home Friday from their vacation.

• William Bramley and a son of John G. Bramley were in town on Sabbath.

• Lou Cooper and family were in this place from Scotch Mountain Sunday.

• W.L. White has purchased Woodburn & Smyth’s span of sorrel horses.

• Elliott Thomson made trip over to Davenport the fore part of the week. 

• Miss Anna Glover, of Delhi, has been renewing old acquaintances here.

• Rev. W.T. Mabon will preach in the United Presbyterian church on Sabbath.

• Ephriam Worden and daughter, of Andes, were visitors here on Saturday.

• J. Kennedy McCivitt, of Andes, will preach in the Methodist church on Sabbath.

• Gideon Miller and wife went to Andes this week, where he will help his father in the hay.

• William Northrup, the Walton painter, is doing a job of painting for Mrs. A.D. Thomson on Pink Street.

• The family of William Rogers arrived at their summer home at Lake Delaware Tuesday for the summer.

• George able, William L. Ruff and Thomas R. Boggs were among our citizens who were at Delhi Tuesday.

• Thomas Ormiston’s family arrived in town Tuesday from their home in Maryland, for a visit with relatives.

• Mrs. William Huber is at Alexander Myers’ helping take care of Nellie Myers, who has been very ill with a gathering in the head, but she is now some better. 

July 20, 1900

• Alex. Myers was at Delhi Saturday.

• Henry Thompson’s family are stopping in town.

• Thomas A. Oliver was up from Delhi the first of the week.

• Monday and Tuesday were the two hottest days of the year.

• Stephen Avery, of Bloomville, was seen in this place on Sabbath.

• Andrew Seacord and Alex. Hilson were among those at Delhi Friday.

• David Oliver, Alex. Hilson and Elliott Thomson were at Andes Saturday.

• A son and daughter of the late William Gladstone have been visiting their uncle, George Gladstone.

• Richard Smith, William Smith, Elliott Thomson, Dr. Seacord and Helen Blair were all at Delhi on Tuesday. 

• William Smitha nd family, of Walton, and also John Smith have been visiting their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Smith in this village.

• The little town of Bovina has two nominees for county clerk – Republican and Prohibition.  And the Democratic convention has not yet been held.

• Miss Nellie Myers, whose serious illness we reported last week, is lightly improved. Her grandfather, Frank Myers, visited her the first of the week.

• James L. Coulter and wife and Miss Jennie Strangeway expect to start next Monday for Denver, Colorado, to attend a Christian Endeavor convention.

• William T. Mabon preached in the United Presbyterian church on Sabbath from Gallatians 4:4 and 5. J.K. McDivitt preached in the Methodist church.

• Leslie, son of William L. Moore, draws milk to Bloomville, and drives one horse. Sunday going up the river he felt unwell and took a sun stroke but is now recovering. 

July 27, 1900

• William Lidle of Andes was seen in town Saturday.

• Born on July 3d to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Doig a son.

• Mr. Hamn, of Delhi has been in town doing some upholistering(sic). 

• Miss Cora Bell, of Delhi, was a guest at Thomas Gordon’s recently.

• W.C. Russell and Marion Robertson were at Andes on Wednesday.

• William Smith and family returned to their home in Walton Saturday.

• A number were at Andes on Sabbath attending the funeral of Andrew A. Liddle.

• The Misses Hunter, who have been at Rev. T.M. Slater’s started for home on Tuesday. 

• Among those at Delhi on Saturday were W.T. Black, John A. Irvine and David Oliver.

• Mrs. William Crosier, Mrs. G.D. Miller, and Mrs. Thomas Gordon, were at Delhi Wednesday.

• Owing to the absence of the pastor there was no preaching in the Methodist church on Sabbath.

• Mrs. and Mrs. T.S. Miller were here from Andes Tuesday evening to see their niece Miss Nell Myers.

• A good many have finished haying and report a fair crop.  It is said that Bovina as a whole has a better crop than her sister towns.  Oats and other crops are looking fine.

Bovina and the American Revolution

 

It’s been 250 years since the start of the American Revolution, so now is a good time to look at Bovina’s role in the nation’s fight for independence. Officially, it had none – mainly because there was no Bovina until almost 50 years after the war. In fact, Europeans had yet to discover the delights of the Northern Catskills, and while Indians hunted here, they probably never settled. 

So, identifying Revolutionary War soldiers from Bovina is a bit tricky. I focused on finding Revolutionary War veterans who settled in or at least spent some of their time in Bovina. This involved reviewing a variety of records in order to track these veterans down. The service records are challenging to find, given that there were several militia companies in each state. But the records are out there, thanks to sources like Ancestry and Fold3. Several states in the late 19th/early 20th centuries published books on their state’s role in the revolution, including various lists of soldiers in the war. 

In 1818, the federal government started to offer pensions to Revolutionary War veterans. These pensions are incredibly useful, though it also means that soldiers who died before 1818 won’t have a pension record (though sometimes you can find a widow applying for her husband’s pension). Veterans had to apply for their pensions, presenting information about their service and their current circumstances. These pensions are very helpful, though the information presented in these applications are based on memories over 40 old. One Bovina soldier was in a battle, but he could not remember the battle’s name. These pension records are mainly held by the National Archives and can be found on Ancestry and Fold3. If a veteran opted not to apply, there won’t be any pension records to review. 

Pension records also can be found at the county level. In the 1980s, Shirley Houck and the Delaware County Clerk’s office published a book of these applications from soldiers in Delaware County – “Delaware County’s War Papers.” This helped me identify two of Bovina’s five soldiers. I identified two other soldiers through their pension applications filed elsewhere. A fifth soldier died before pensions were offered, so I only found a bare service record. 

Over the next few months, I will be creating blog entries on each of the five American Revolution War vets that I have identified as having connections to Bovina. And there’s a possible sixth I also will write about. The five definite Bovina Revolutionary War veterans are:

• James Cooley (1755-1823)

• Samuel  Ludington (1744-1814) 

• Elisha Maynard (1763-1840)

• Jesse (or Justice) Purdy (1748-1840)

• James Vandenburgh (1758-1840)

Two of these veterans were Prisoners of War, one of the British and the other of Indians allied with the British. 

Two of them are definitely buried in Bovina. One more may be buried here and is memorialized on his granddaughter’s monument. One other veteran very likely is buried here but if so, the grave is unmarked and unlocatable. And one veteran we know is not buried in Bovina because he moved away over a decade before his passing. 

So more to come. 

July 1925 - 100 Years Ago in "That Thriving Town"

July 3, 1925

• David J. Miller, of Walton, was a caller here on Thursday.

• James F. Forman and family were up from Delhi on Tuesday.

• Archibald Thomson and family, of Walton, were here on Sabbath.

• A banquet for the juniors was held in the church parlors Tuesday night.

• William Tuttle, of East Delhi, spent a few days the past week with relatives in town.

• Mr. and Mrs. Harry Robinson were at Stamford and South Kortright on Sabbath.

• Miss Jame Hilson is home from South Orange, N.J. for the summer vacation.

• Miss Alva Galland, who has been teaching in the east, returned to her home in South Dakota.

• Mrs. Elizabeth Irvine left Wednesday for Seattle, Washington, to spend the summer with her sons.

• The friends of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Burgin made them a shower Monday evening at the Burgin homestead.

• George Shaver moved Thursday to Andes. He will assist his son Freeman Shaver of Terry Clove in haying.

• Professor and Mrs. Leon Taggart and family, of Oneonta, are with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. T.C. Strangeway.

• Glen and June Coulter, of Delhi, who have been visiting their grandmother, Mrs. Lucy Coulter, returned home Wednesday.

• The Fritz Burger and Ted Fuller sale Thursday was called off. The parties reached an agreement and Mr. Fuller will move onto the farm. 

• Carrie Dumond and Margaret Gordon have gone to the Pakatakan Country Club at Arkville for the summer. Mary Gladstone and Lillian McNair have gone to Stamford. 

July 10, 1925

• W.C. Russell’s new residence is being painted.

• Frank Drake has moved into the small Dickson tenant house.

• Alex McPherson, of Utica, was with the relatives here over the week end.

• Robert Doig and family and John Doig were up from Delhi on Friday.

• Lauren Dickson, of Binghamton, spent over the Fourth with his mother.

• Mrs. Wilbur Archibald has hired to teach next year in the Fleischmann high school.

• Mrs. Alice McNaught, of Hamden, is spending two weeks at the home of Colin McNaught.

• Mrs. James Monroe and daughter, Ruth, have gone to Catskill to spend three or four weeks.

• The Whitcomb Circle will give an entertainment entitled Breezy Point at the Hall of Friday night.

• Superintendent of the Poor James f. Forman and family, of Delhi, were in town Saturday evening. 

• Misses Kate and Fred Muller spent over the Fourth with their sister, Mrs. Otis McCumber, at Andes.

• Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Smith and family, from Connecticut, have been spending the past week in town.

• James W. Thomson, Geo Russell and Wm C. Russell are shingling the barn of Eliza J.P. Russell in southern Bovina.

• Millard Gow and wife, and Willard Gow, wife and son, of Endicott, spent over the Fourth with their parents in Bovina.

• Frank Myers and wife and William Thomson, of Endicott, spent over the week end with their people here. Ledger Myers returned home with them.

• Rev. and Mrs. H.B. Speer, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, are expected here August 1st to spend their vacation. He was a former pastor of the United Presbyterian church.

• The Women’s Missionary Society and the Young Woiman’s Society held a meeting at Chas A. McPherson’s on Thursday afternoon. Miss Work, a missionary gave an address.

• William Crosier was called to Delhi on Monday by the injury of his nephew, Don Burns. He is employed at the Ayer & McKinney creamery and was struck on the back of the head and was unconscious.

Kaufman-Russell – from our Bovina correspondent

Miss Edna Russell, daughter of Mrs. William T. Russell, and Kenneth Kaufman were united in marriage at the Russell home on the former Dysart farm, in the town of Bovina on Friday evening, July 3, in the presence of a large gathering of relatives. They went to New York City on a wedding trip. 

July 17, 1925

• Charles Hafele and John Hafele were at Andes last Friday.

• Mr. and Mrs. James Mabon and son motored to Andes on Thursday.

• Charles A. McPherson, on the former Strangeway farm, has had a part of the bar re-shingled.

• Quite a number attended the minstrel show held at Andes last Friday and Saturday nights.

• Supervisor Wallace Smith was at Delhi last Friday attending a meeting of the board of Supervisors.

• Miss Emily Hyatt, Miss Grace Hyatt and Mrs. Olson, of New York, have been spending their vacation in town.

• Mr. and Mrs. B.M. Thomson, from California, and Mr. and Mrs. E.F. Thomson, of Walton, were in town on Tuesday.

• Twin daughters were recently born to Mr. and Mrs. Schols at Walton. The mother is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.B. Smith up-town.

• Floyd W. Hyatt, who a number of years ago came here from Yonkers and purchased the David J. Miller farm, moved off this week and has gone to Delhi. The farm was sold Monday at foreclosure.

July 24, 1925

• John Armstrong and wife were at Schenectady last week.

• Cecil Russell, wife and daughter were at Delhi on Saturday.

• Mrs. James Monroe and son were here from Catskill last week.

• Ward Coulter and two sons, of Walton, called on his mother here on Sabbath.

• Harold Robinson and wife, of Delhi spent Sabbath with their people in town. 

• Mrs. John Hilson and Children are spending a few days at Jas Forman’s at Delhi.

• John Myers, of Springfield, Mass., spent over the week end with his parents here.

• Roy Worden has bought the hay on the Jas. A. Russell or Cathels farm up Pink Street.

• Mrs. Alex Crosier, who resides with her son in Philadelphia, is renewing acquaintances in town.

• Mrs. Charles Hyatt and two sons, of New York, are with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Everett Joslin.

• Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, of Pennsylvania, are guests of Rev A.M. Thomson at the R.P. Parsonage.

• Sabbath morning Rev. F.N. Crawford spoke especially to the children on the Best Not Good Enough.

• Mrs. S.K. Ferris, of Albany, and her mother, Mrs. M.M. Boggs, are at W.J. Crosier’s for the summer.

• George Decker, Mrs. Arthur Decker, Howard McPherson and wife, Charles Fuller were at Oneonta on Monday.

• Dr. and Mrs. Harry Corsier and child, of Steubenville, Ohio, are visiting his father, W.J. Crosier.

• David F. Hoy, registrar of Cornwell University, and Mrs. Hoy spent over the weekend with his sister, Mrs. Archibald and Mrs. Davidson. 

• Born recently to Rev. and Mrs. Thos Graham at Ambridge, Penn a dauter. Rev. Graham is a former pastor of the Church of the Covenanters here.

• The June Sabbath School report for the U.P. church showed 61 in perfect attendance for the month, and 25 did not miss a day during April, May and June.

• Mr. and Mrs. Alex Myers are spending a vacation with their son and dauter at Endicott. Mrs. Arthur Decker is taking charge of the telephone.

• Mrs. George Decker has returned from spending several weeks with her daughter, Mrs. Scobel, at Glen Cove, Long Island. Her granddaughter, Ada Scobel, accompanied her home. 

July 31, 1925

• Alex Scobie, of Cherlottville, was in town Wednesday.

• Ernest Jackson, of Andes, has rented rooms in Mrs. Julia McPherson’s house.

• Mrs. Laura Braden, of Amoret, Missouri, has been visiting her brother, Rev. F.N. Crawford.

• Dr. James Crosier, of Philadelphia, and his sister, Mrs. Walter Jackson, of East Orange, N.J., are visiting in town.

• United States Senator Peter G. Gerry of Rhode Island, has been spending a few days at his summer home at Lake Delaware.

• Mrs. Estella Oliver and granddaughter, Kathryn Martin, of Cannonsville are with her daughter, Mrs. Fred Thomson.

• Mrs. Nettie Donnaly, of Oneonta, is a visitor in town. She will be remembered as a daughter of the late Low Thomson.

• Wilber Doig has purchased the Geo Hamilton farm up Elk Creek, the former Ed Cavin place, and gets possession October 1.

• Rev. and Mrs. Hugh B. Speer, of Pittsburg, Penn are visitors here. On Sabbath Rev. Speer will preach at the U.P. church.

• Kester Signor, well known here, had a leg, three ribs and his collar bone broken in an automobile accident at Shinhopple last week.

• Mrs. Charles Hyatt, who has bene visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Everett Joslin, returned to New York on Wednesday, leaving her two children with her mother for a few weeks. 

Bovina Farm sold

Lester T. Hoy, who has for a number of years has been employed in creameries, has purchased his father, W.A. Hoy’s farm and takes possession September 1.  This is the former John Hastings place and the original Alex Brush place for which Brushland now Bovina Center, was named.

Bovina Estate

In the estate of Margaret S. Burns, late of Bovina, estimate is $5,000 personal. To Eleanor Burns is willed $100; Eva McPherson, daughter, $100 and an equal share of residue; J. Douglas Burns, husband, Arthur J. and William C. Burns, sons and Lizzie Rutherford, daughter, each an equal share of residue