This Day in Bovina for October 2026

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

146 years ago today, on October 1, 1880, as later reported in the Stamford Mirror, "the Russell boys upset their threshing machine over the bridgeway to Robert Forrest's barn, but fortunately the machine was not much injured."

110 ago today, on October 2, 1916, a milk strike led to the Bovina Center Co-Operative Creamery receiving milk from 37 farms, in addition to their regular patrons. These farms were located in South Kortright and Bloomville, as well as above Delhi, on the Little Delaware and at Glenburnie.  The Andes Recorder reported that these farms would continue to send their milk to Bovina “until the question of milk prices is settled.”

138 years ago today, the October 3, 1888 Delaware Gazette carried an article entitled Building in Bovina. "Alex. Hoy is preparing to build a new house on one of his lots, and A.F. .Maynard a large barn. John Hastings and A.T. Strangeway are each building a new hall, and Wm. D. Thomas has just moved into a new house, which is one of the finest in that part of town." Alex. Hoy's house is now the house I live in. He owned three lots to the west of his house.

140 years ago today, on October 4, 1886, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Stamford Mirror, "Madison McFarland, James L. Ormiston and Miss Addie Scott started for Missouri…going via Arkville and New York. Mr. Ormiston will return in a few weeks." It appears that at some point Madison McFarland also returned home, dying in Margaretville in 1914. Addie Loughran Scott did stay in Missouri, marrying James H. Morrison in 1890. She died in Los Angeles, California in 1952 and was buried in Missouri.

107 years ago today, Sunday, October 5, 1919, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "There was no preaching in any of the churches in Bovina Center last Sabbath – a thing that has happened but once before as far back as runneth the memory of man.”

James, son of Alex Bryden near Lake Delaware, died in Fall Clove 127 years ago today, October 6, 1899, of spinal meningitis.  As later reported in the Andes Recorder: “He had ridden his bicycle over there and was quite warm and this may have had something to do with his illness.  The funeral was held from his home Monday at 11 o’clock, Rev. W.L.C. Samson, officiating, and the interment made here [Bovina cemetery].” He was 21 years old. 

142 years ago today, on October 7, 1884, the Stamford Mirror Bovina column reported several births: "Orrin Carman smiles - it's a boy. T.K. Hobbie laughs - it's a girl. James Andrew Russell shouts for joy - it's a boy." The sex of these children appears to have confused by the correspondent. In each case he/she got it wrong. Orrin Carman's child born at this time was a girl, Nellie, born on September 11, 1884. Russell's child also was a daughter, Orlena Mae, born September 6, 1884. She would later marry Rev. William Robb. The closest match for the Hobbie child is Rema M. Hobbie, who was born July 16, 1884. He was the son of J.K. Hobbie. Rema was married to Bessie McDonald and the father of Glenn Hobbie (1913-1970).

130 years ago this morning, October 8, 1896, as later reported in the Andes Recorder's Bovina column, "Mt. Pisgah was white with snow, the first of the season. This was followed by a heavy frost that evening."

110 years ago today, on October 9, 1916, a complaint was submitted by the town health officer concerning a nuisance at the lower end of the Bovina Center hamlet.

Eighty-six years ago today, the Bovina column of the October 10, 1940 Delaware Republican reported that "Mr. and Mrs. John Blair returned Sunday from a week's visit with their son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Thompson in Manhassett, L.I."

131 years ago today, the Bovina column of the October 11, 1895 Andes Recorder reported on some Bovina people being in New York City. They noted that "Andrew T. Doig and wife" were spending the week in the city. The column also noted that Louise Dennis was in the city the same week "purchasing millinary (sic) supplies."

Seventy-five years ago today, the Bovina column of the October 12, 1951 Catskill Mountain News reported that "Robert Reinertsen of Corinth spent the weekend at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Reinertsen."

133 years ago, the October 13, 1893 issue of the Andes Recorder reported that "T.E. Hastings has sold his store and goods to Andrew Doig, one of Bovina’s young men.  The inventory was taken last week. Mr. H. reserves the right to sell feed."

115 years ago today, October 14, 1911, “The lady friends of Miss Jennie Miller made her a welcome home party .... All rejoiced that she is now able to see. Miss Miller was also presented with sum of money.” Jennie had traveled to New York the previous month for cataract surgery. This Jennie Miller was the daughter of David Miller and his second wife, Isabella Turnbull. She was the great aunt of Fletcher Davidson. Born in 1841, she died in 1925. This photo was in the collection of Celia Coulter. 

Rev. Joshua Kennedy died 135 years ago today on October 15, 1891.  He had been pastor of the Bovina Reformed Presbyterian Church in Bovina from 1865 to 1885.  Kennedy passed away in Green Castle, Pennsylvania, the town to where he had retired after leaving Bovina.  See the Bovina NY History blog entry for March 18, 2013 (http://bovinanyhistory.blogspot.com/2013/03/kennedy-vs-lee-part-i-libel-of-slander.html) and for March 24 (http://bovinanyhistory.blogspot.com/2013/03/kennedy-vs-lee-part-ii-bed-was-badly.html) for more information about Rev. Kennedy and his ‘dust-up’ with Rev. James B. Lee.

Seventy-three years ago today, October 16, 1953, as later reported in the Catskill Mountain News by the paper's Bovina correspondent, "Several Farm Bureau committeemen and their wives from the Bovina area attended the chicken barbecue and membership drive meeting at the Grange hall in South Kortright Friday."

Ninety-six years ago today, the October 17, 1930 Brooklyn Times Union carried this intriguing item: "Scranton, Pa, Oct 17 - William H. Taft, aged 75, of Bovina, N.Y., who said he is a first cousin of the late William Howard Taft (ex-president and supreme court justice), and Mrs. Nellie Coe, aged 65, also of Bovina, were married today by an alderman in the courthouse here. Taft's resemblance to the late President was so great the marriage license clerk asked him if he were a relative. 'First cousin,' he said, but made no further comment." A look at the 1930 census indeed finds a William Henry Taft in Bovina, living with a servant, Nellie Coe. He was a widower, born in Vermont. Taft had a farm on Yankee Street. The house burned to the ground in 1932, shortly after Taft had sold the farm.

136 years ago today, the "Bovina Centre" column of the Delaware Republican for October 18, 1890 reported that "The band have postponed their concert till about Christmas. By the way, our neighboring towns are commencing to realize the fact that we have a band and you can spell it with a big B. every time." Here's a photo of the Bovina Coronet band taken around this time. 

Eighty-seven years ago today, the 'Bovina Centre' column of the October 19, 1939 Delaware Republican reported on the return of a couple of travelers. It noted that Alex and Lil Hilson had returned from "their honeymoon at Washington, D.C., and other places of interest." Alex's cousin Jane D. Hilson and her friend Margaret Hotchkin (sister of Jane's future sister-in-law Barbara Hilson) "have returned after spending last week at New York City and the World's Fair."

108 years ago today on October 20, 1918, the first death in Bovina from the “prevailing influenza epidemic” occurred when Mrs. Loron Maxim, passed away at her home on the Hewitt farm up-town.  As later reported in the Andes Recorder, “The remains were taken to Hardenburgh, Ulster county, their former home, for interment.”  The Hewitt farm later became the home of Tom Groves and Deidre Larkin on Mountain Brook Road.

120 years ago today, October 21, 1906, Berry Shaw Miller died. Born in 1837, he was the son of William Miller and Isabella Dickson. He served in the 144th NY Volunteers in the Civil War and suffered after-effects of his service throughout his life. He married Kate Oliver and was widowed in 1892. Berry was active in the Civil War veterans' group, the Grand Army of the Republic, attending numerous reunions.

Seventy-two years ago today, on October 22, 1954, the Bovina Fish and Game Club held a dance at the community hall. Here's the ad that appeared in the Catskill Mountain News. 

Fifty-one years ago today, the October 23, 1975 Stamford Mirror Recorder carried this item about the new Bovina Firehouse. 

115 years ago today, on October 24, 1911, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Andes Recorder, "Thos. C. Strangeway was at Andes on Tuesday and purchased two cows of Will Doig."

119 years ago tonight on October 25, 1907, as very briefly reported later in the Andes Recorder, “A party was held … at Frank Coulter’s.” Frank's place was the original Coulter family farm on Coulter Brook road, just over the bridge that goes over Coulter Brook. This image is from the collection of the late Grace Coulter Roberts. Frank is on the left and her brother Arthur on the right. The gentleman in the middle is labeled as the milk tester.

206 years ago today, October 26, 1820, Andrew T. Thomson was born, the son of Andrew Thomson and Elizabeth Rutherford. He married Elizabeth Dunn and died June 6, 1861. His wife died in 1872. They are both buried in the Bovina cemetery. 

100 years ago today, on October 27, 1926, this bill was issued from the Standard Oil Company of New York to the Town of Bovina Highway Superintendent W.G. Coulter for "Furnishing and Applying Standard 6100 gallons of Liquid Asphalt," for a total of $640.50.  

128 years ago today, the October 28, 1898 Bovina column of the Andes Recorder reported that "The village school is prospering finely under the directorship of James Gow, assisted by Miss Nellie Butts.  Some of the boys say that if a boy feels like having some fun in school and jumps over the seat, he very soon learns that he is not the boss."

109 years ago today, on October 29, 1917, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, “The rain on Monday night caused the Pink Street brook to rise so much that the foot bridge on Main street was swept down against the arch bridge and about totally wrecked.  Harry Robinson’s family were taken out of their house at 4 o’clock in the morning in a lumber wagon.  Wood was carried away and several hens were washed out of Gideon Miller’s hen house.”  This postcard view of the stone bridge shows the metal arch railing of the pedestrian bridge on the left. The building beyond is Strangeway's Store, which later became Clayt Thomas's and later still Wayne Gallant's garage and is now owned by Mark Foster. 

117 years ago in the early morning, on October 30, 1909, Chas McPherson and his wife were instrumental in saving A.T. Doig’s store, later Russell’s, from going up in flames.  As reported in the Andes Recorder, the couple discovered the fire while coming home from a party.  “The fire was on the stoop at the lower side of store and fortunately was discovered before it had gained much headway and was put out before only slight damage was done.  It is supposed that the fire started from a spittoon that had been set out on the stoop the night before and there had probably been fire in it.”

Ninety-eight years ago on October 31, 1928, Mrs. Leon VanDusen held a Hallowe’en party Wednesday for the pupils of the primary room of the village school.