This Day in Bovina for January 2026

 

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

185 years ago today, on January 1, 1841, the Trustees of Bovina school district number 9, located on Cape Horn Road, provided this document showing the books in the school's library. Books included Olden Times of New York, Parleys School History, Memoir of Harrison, and Weems Washington. The latter book was noted for introducing several myths about George Washington, including the famous cherry tree incident.

This Bovina column appeared 143 years ago today in the January 2, 1883 Stamford Mirror. The last item mentions that Jim has a "felon on his right hand." A felon was an infection/abscess on the fingertip (but we don’t know who Jim was!). 

172 years ago today, the January 3, 1854 Bloomville Mirror carried this report of an "Anti-Rent Meeting in Bovina" held the previous month. The Anti-Rent 'War' had been a decade before but farmers still were paying rent well after, as this article demonstrates. 

This image of Walfred Hansen was taken by Delhi photographer Harold McMurdy in the early 1940s. Hansen had a farm on Coulter Brook Road in the 1930s and 40s. Born in Colorado, he came to Bovina when he was around 10 years old. His father died when he was 14. He stayed on the family farm until the late 1940s when he moved to North Carolina. Wally died in North Carolina in 1998 at the age of 83. Image courtesy of the Delaware County Historical Association. 

124 years ago, on January 5, 1902, William Wilson Hoy and his wife were guests of his mother, Mrs. John R. Hoy, in Bovina.  Three days later, on January 8, William sailed from New York for London, where he had accepted a position as chief engineer of the Burmah Oil Company of London.  As later reported in the Andes Recorder, “From London he will proceed to India, where he will remain until surveys are completed, and has to report again at London in September. He receives $500 a month and expenses.”

127 years ago today on January 6, 1899, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "Anna, little daughter of Edwin C. Burgin died….Her death was a particularly sad one, as she die[d] under the influence of ether, which had been given her to perform an operation on her leg." Anna was seven years old. She was a sister of Edwin 'Ted' Burgin (1904-1993), the father of Cliff Burgin. Ted never knew this sister, given she died five years before he was born.

161 years ago today, January 7, 1865, Joseph Raitt signed this statement attesting that he had received a ten-dollar bill that was later "pronounced by the cashier of the Delaware Bank to be a counterfeit." 

These chauffeur license images of Wilbur Doig were taken by Delhi photographer Harold McMurdy in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Chauffeur licenses were required for anyone driving for hire or as part of their job. Today this is known as a Class E license in New York. Wilber was born in Bovina in 1900, the son of Robert W. Doig and Isabelle King Doig. He married Jane McFarland in 1924. He died in Oneonta in 1989. Images courtesy of the Delaware County Historical Association. 

1940

1937-38

115 years ago today, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, " The annual meeting of the Bovina Center Telephone company was held Monday [January 9, 1911] and directors elected are as follows: Thomas Ormiston, O.W. Hill, A.T. Archibald for three years; John W. Blair, M. Every, Fred W. Thomson, for two years. At a meeting of the board of directors Thomas Ormiston was chosen president and general manager, and Walter G. Coulter, secretary and treasurer."

123 years ago, on January 10, 1903, Jacob Cook died at the home of F.C. Armstrong.  Little is known about him. He was single and had come to the United States from Switzerland about 30 years previously.  The report of his death in the Andes Recorder had his first name wrong, calling him "Joseph Cooke."  The paper went on to note that he died "with pneumonia" and that "the doctor was called Friday and saw that death must be the result."  He was about 55 years old and was working, as the Recorder noted "At different times … in Bovina."  He was "buried in the County House burying ground."

Ninety-eight years ago today, the January 11, 1928 Stamford Mirror-Recorder reported the death of Elmer G. Gladstone:  "On Wednesday, January 4th, word was received of the death of Elmer George Gladstone at his home, Farr, Col[orado]. The cause of death was pneumonia. Mr. Gladstone was a native of Andes and was 62 years of age. His earlier years were spent in Andes and Bovina, living here for several years where he was a carpenter by trade. He left Bovina nearly 20 years ago." More about Elmer can be found in the Bovina NY History blog at https://bovinanyhistory.blogspot.com/2016/05/coulter-and-gladstone-builders.html

In 1946, Delhi photographer Bob Wyer took a series of aerial pictures around Bovina in a plane piloted by Eddie Davidson. This image shows the old Thomas Ormiston farm, one of the oldest in Bovina. At the time this was taken, it was owned by Thomas Ormiston’s widow, Margaret and run by her son Lloyd. It later was owned by Jack and Joan Nau. Image courtesy of the Delaware County Historical Association. 

The Andes Recorder reported ninety-eight years ago today, on January 13, 1928, that “Hilson Brothers will remodel their general store building. A cellar will be dug under it in order to install a furnace and changes will be made to modernize the store. Part of the present structure has housed the mercantile business of three generations of Hilsons.” 

130 years ago today, on January 14, 1896, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, Robert C. Scott was seriously ill with erysipelas of the head.  The paper reported that on the 14th his condition was unchanged but that “slight hopes are entertained for his recovery.” Scott died the following Sunday, January 19.  He was 84 years old. Erysipelas is a strep infection of the skin and includes a high fever, chills and vomiting. Robert was the son of Robert Scott and Mary (Miller) Scott. He married Janetta Hamilton and had seven children with her. Janetta died in 1883.

148 years ago today, on January 15, 1878, Edgar Scott took out a chattel mortgage on a pair of black oxen, one new democrat wagon and one buggy wagon for $172.52, to be paid by James Kerr of Kortright. A democrat wagon is a light farm wagon with one or two seats, usually drawn by two horses. 

118 years ago today, on Thursday, January 16, 1908, as later reported by the Andes Recorder, “a pretty wedding took place at the home of Mr. and Mrs. James B. Thomson, when their dauter, Pheba Mae, became the wife of Robert Tweedie.”  The Recorder went on to note that “This was the first marriage in town under the new law.”  This new state law required that all persons wishing to marry had to obtain a marriage license from the clerk in the village, town or city in which the marriage took place and present it to the clergyman or other official carrying out the marriage. Robert and Phoebe May had six children. Unfortunately, Robert and Phoebe had been married only 18 years when Robert died in 1926.  Phoebe died 20 years later.

107 years ago today, on January 17, 1919, the Andes Recorder reported that Bovina's "Dr. Whitcomb has increased his charge for calls in the village to $1.50 and other calls accordingly."

129 years ago today, on January 18, 1897, Homer C. Burgin died in Binghamton at the age of 78. He was in Binghamton being treated for cancer, which had plagued him for several years.  He was married and widowed twice and left a son and two daughters.  Burgin is buried in Bovina.

Ninety-seven years ago today, on January 19, 1929, as later reported in the Delaware Republican, "Mrs. Grace Dickson, wife of Delbert H. Dickson, died at her home in Bovina Center…aged 28 years. Mrs. Dickson underwent a serious operation at the Delhi hospital last year and had since been gradually failing, a recent attack of measles followed by pneumonia proving more than her frail constitution could withstand. Her death occurred on the anniversary of her marriage to Mr. Dickson." About a year and a half later, Delbert would remarry to Carrie Dumond. She predeceased him in 1972. Delbert passed away in 1985.

Fifty-nine years ago today, on January 20, 1967, Mr. and Mrs. James P. Cairns of Bovina Center were honored with an Open House to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. James Cairns was married to Mae Fisher on January 10, 1917 in Deposit, New York. The couple moved to Bovina in 1940. James worked on the Gerry Estate for many years, retiring in 1962. They had five children, including son Leonard. Mrs. Cairns died at the end of the year in December 1967. James passed away in 1972.

 

Seventy-two years ago today, the Bovina column in the January 21, 1954 Stamford Mirror-Recorder reported that "Clifford Hall has had T.V. installed in his home."

Eighty-four years ago today, the January 22, 1942 issue of the Sidney (NY) Enterprise reported that "Girl Takes Up Duties as First Supervisor of Dairy Herd Group." The article went on: "First girl to become a dairy herd improvement association supervisor in Delaware county, Miss Beatrice Thomson of Bovina Center, is announced by the Delaware County Farm Bureau…Miss Thomson…is a graduate of the New York State Agricultural and technical Institute at Delhi and has been carrying on the bacteriological work at the Bovina Center creamery since her graduation." More about Bea was reported in the Bovina NY History Blog in June 2017: https://bovinanyhistory.blogspot.com/2017/06/meet-lady-cowculators-bovina-dairying.html

121 years ago today, on January 23, 1905, Mrs. Isabella Hoy died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Douglas Davidson of pneumonia.  She was 73.  The Andes Recorder reported that she had just returned a few days earlier from visiting her son at Oil City, Pennsylvania with a severe cold, a cold that "grew rapidly worse."  The Recorder noted that "Her maiden name was Isabella Miller and she was born in Bovina, in September 1831.  About 1855 she was united in marriage with John R. Hoy, and he died September 30, 1901.  She is survived by three sons and two daughters, viz. David F. Hoy, registrar at Cornell University, Milton R. Hoy, of Oil City, Pa, William W. Hoy, recently returned from India, Mrs. Douglas Davidson and Miss Jennet Ellen Hoy of Bovina."

  

124 years ago, on January 24, 1902, an entertainment of the Bovina Centre Lecture Course was scheduled.  The Andes Recorder reported that "Among the promised features will be instrumental and vocal music, recitations and a debate, Resolved, 'that in civil affairs women should be allowed to vote on the same conditions on which men exercise the franchise.'” Unfortunately, the result of the debate was not reported.

165 years ago today, on January 25, 1861, Mary Margaret Archibald was born, the daughter of William Archibald and Margaret McDonald. She married Charles Oscar Boggs in 1881 and would have two children before she was widowed in 1891. Mary Boggs died in Bovina in 1945.

125 years ago today, on January 26, 1901, the Bovina Board of Health adopted a resolution quarantining the entire "herd of cows on the farm of T. Ormiston…" because of the prevalence of tuberculosis. 

 

123 years ago, on January 27, 1903, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "Miss Jennie E. Miller started Tuesday for Norfolk, Virginia, where she will be connected with the United Presbyterian college for the education of the Freedmen.  She has charge of the buying for the boarding department." The Jennie referred to here likely is Jennette Elliott Miller (1841-1925), the daughter of David and Isabella Miller.

158 years ago today, the January 28, 1868 Bloomville Mirror carried this letter to the editor, dated January 16. This is the earliest newspaper reference I found to the infamous slander suit between Revs. Lee and Kennedy, which went to court in 1869. More about this case can be found in the Bovina NY History Blog at https://bovinanyhistory.blogspot.com/2013/03/kennedy-vs-lee-part-i-libel-of-slander.html and https://bovinanyhistory.blogspot.com/2013/03/kennedy-vs-lee-part-ii-bed-was-badly.html  

This chauffeur license image of Raymond Rabeler was taken by Delhi photographer Harold McMurdy in 1940. Chauffeur licenses were required for anyone driving for hire or as part of their job. Today this is known as a Class E license in New York. Raymond, son of Alex and Ida Rabeler, was born in Stanton, Nebraska in 1920 and came to Bovina as a teenager with his parents. Raymond was a farmer on Mountain Brook in Bovina for 16 years until a farming accident in 1963 forced the family to sell the farm. They moved to Homer, NY in 1966. Raymond died in 2009. Image courtesy of the Delaware County Historical Association. 

106 years ago today, the January 30, 1920 Oneonta Star, in its Delaware County News column, reported "At a meeting of the stockholders of the Bovina Center Creamery company, held in town yesterday, a proposition to sell the dry milk plant here to the firm which is operating it came up for consideration. After discussion a vote was taken and resulted in the defeat of the proposition." The dry milk plant stood behind the main creamery building.

146 years ago today, the "Bovina Locals" column in the Delaware Republican for January 31, 1880 reported that "The weather is very 'child-like and bland,' and how we are to tell when Spring commences, if this style of winter continues, is a question that perplexes the strongest minds, and all the reliable old weather sages, who in vain have prophesied the commencement of a hard winter at each change of moon for the past three months, have at least agreed that 'we will catch it sometime,' which remarkable conclusion is probably correct."