Christmases in Bovina's Past

When one thinks of Christmas in Bovina, the usual thought probably starts with snow (though our more recent Christmases often have been green) and then goes back to the traditions of celebrating since the first settlers came.

Bovina’s early settlers, however, likely did not do much celebrating. Celebrations of Christmas before the Civil War were scattered and appear not to have been very common. Not all areas of the country felt it appropriate. During the colonial period, some groups did not celebrate at all. The Puritans at one point outlawed it and even when that law was repealed celebrations in New England were discouraged into the 19^th century. This contrasted with the south, where the English tradition of Christmas celebrations were more common.

Given that New York and Bovina were between New England and the South, traditions for celebrating likely varied. Though many of Bovina’s early settlers came from Scotland, there were settlers who may have been impacted by their New England heritage. And a number of the early Scots settlers would have had religious beliefs that started through John Calvin, who was a big influence on the Puritans. So it is likely that before the Civil War Christmas was not celebrated in any significant way.

And while religious beliefs may have driven this, a simpler explanation may simply be the lack of funds and time. To some, it was simply another day to do the chores and whatever else was needed to ensure they would make it to another spring.

It seems that people in urban areas did more with the holiday. In an article from the Cooperstown based Freeman’s Journal from January 1830, information about Santa Claus is provided, noting that “Many of our country readers are unacquainted with a custom which generally prevails in this city.”

In reviewing what Bovina records I could on the subject, it is often conspicuous by its absence. While absence doesn’t necessarily mean the holiday was ignored, it seems likely that it probably wasn’t much more than a date on the calendar. The Bovina UP Church Session minutes in the 19^th century make no mention of Christmas at all. The church’s session its regular meeting on December 25, 1886 with no mention of the holiday.

During Bovina resident William Richardson’s time in the 144^th Regiment of the New York Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War, he observed three Christmases away from home. Two of these are documented in his diary. He was in St. Augustine, Florida for Christmas in 1863. He noted, somewhat detachedly, that “there is no work going on today they are all holding Christmas.” Whether he was ‘holding Christmas’ too is not clear, but it appears likely he did not, indicating that it was not something he did when in Bovina. His Christmas in 1864 came while the 144^th was recovering from a major battle in South Carolina. His diary entry makes no mention of the holiday, though he notes that several went “went to the Catholic Church.”

Walter Coulter’s diary for December 25, 1868, when he still was living in Bovina (he settled a couple of years later in Walton), makes some mention of Christmas, noting that it “has passed off very quietly around here.” That day, he did chores and drew logs out of the woods. No reference was made to any kind of family gathering.

Alexander Storie kept a diary from the 1870s into the late 1890s. His mention of the holiday is inconsistent. He recorded on Christmas day in 1874 that the boys (likely meaning some of his sons) “went to the festival at Brushland in the evening.” I am assuming the festival was somehow related to the holiday (by 1870, Christmas had become a federal holiday).

His 1881 diary does not mention Christmas on December 25^th at all and provides no other hints that it was anything other than an ordinary day, but two days earlier, he mentioned someone in his house, Kate, going to a “Christmas tree” in Brushland. A Christmas tree was a term used for some time into the 20th century, denoting a community Christmas party. Newspapers started reporting these almost annual Christmas programs in Bovina (and other communities). Usually held at a church, school or at Strangeway’s Hall, these programs were geared toward the children. They would include an actual tree, presents and ‘exercises’ by the children. In the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, many of the presents were supplied by the Gerry family. Variations of these programs continued into the 20^th century.

This Christmas pageant dates from the late 1950s at the Bovina Community Hall. The photo was taken by John Robson.

In a rudimentary diary I kept briefly in 1966, I recorded going to a Christmas tree on December 22:

There were other kinds of celebrations of Christmas in Bovina in the 20th century. This is an ad from the 1944 Catskill Mountain news. The Melody Boys were a noted local band that included the well known fiddler and square dance caller Hilt Kelly, who was 18 at the time of this particular dance:

Holiday Greetings from the 1930s

I came across these two holiday cards that were sent to my grandparents, Ben and Anna Bell LaFever.  They date from the 30s - one of the cards has a date of 1936.  They come from Mr. and Mrs. W.D. Burns of Walton, NY.  W.D. is William Douglas Burns and Mrs. Burns is his second wife, Bessie Hughes Burns.  William was a first cousin once removed of my grandfather LaFever (and of Agnes Burns).  Born in about 1861 in Meredith, NY, William was the son of William Burns and Emily Jane McFarland.  He was married twice, first to Elizabeth Terry, who died in 1910, then later to Bessie Hughes.  They lived in Walton for many years where William was a clothing merchant.  He died in May 1945, age 85.  Bessie Hughes was born in 1888.  She survived her husband by over 30 years, dying in July 1977 at the age of 89.

Ghosts of Christmases Past

I thought it would be fun to look at my diary from past Christmases but decided I should also look at a few diaries in my possession from the Cecil Russell family to see what they had to say about the holidays.

Cecil's wife, Isabel Irvine Russell, sporadically kept a five year diary for 1941-45 (with no entries at all for 1944 or 45). For Christmas Day 1941, Isabel reported a little snow, but not a lot. In 1942, she reported that Cecil picked up their Christmas tree on the 23rd and that the store was 'real busy' on Christmas Eve. The family finished decorating their Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. For Christmas Day, Isabel wrote "A perfect day for Xmas about 1 ]inch] of snow and not cold."

Isabel and Cecil's daughter Marjorie kept a diary in 1946 and 1947 though, like her mother, she did it sporadically. She did report on Christmas Eve in 1946 that she was "busy getting ready for Xmas dinner..." She noted on Christmas Day that she had a "grand time." Her uncle Charles Russell and his wife Hildreth Tuttle Russell came, as did their son Allyn. They feasted on a "good turkey from Millard Russell." In 1947, she noted that her mother had a cold, which, by the day after Christmas, she had passed on to Marjorie.

Isabel kept a series of five-year diaries starting in 1954 and was much more faithful in recording an entry each day. In her attempt to record as much as she could in a small space, she wrote small, making these diaries a real challenge to read (or to distinguish one year's entry from another). Each Christmas Eve she mainly noted that the store was terribly busy with last minute shoppers and that they often didn't sit down to supper until 8 pm or later. She reported for Christmas Day in 1955 and 57 that it was nice and clear and that in 1957 the ground was bare. In contrast, there was record breaking cold in 1958, with the temperature still at 0 at 11 am. The weather was fairly stable in subsequent years until 1963, when Isabel recorded a lot of snow on Christmas Eve and again on Christmas Day: "Couldn't see any distance at all roads slippery had to drive slow." The next year in contrast saw weather 'just like spring 50 degrees this AM." Christmas 1966 saw "The worst storm for a long time. Wind blew hard all night have 15 to 17 [inches]." Christmas Eve and Day 1968 saw Isabel nursing a cold. She did her stint in the store in spite of her cold and noted that she "stood it ok."

Here's an undated picture of Russell's Store in the snow. Probably from the 40s or 50s. Whether it was during the holidays cannot be determined.



The first time I recorded my holiday activities in a diary was in 1970. By then, I was working for Russell's after school. I noted on Christmas Eve that there was 3 inches of wet snow, which I assume I had to shovel at the store, though I don't specifically say so. I also noted that Russell's "gave me a box of candy and a pair of soxs (sic) for Christmas." Cecil, Isabel and Marjorie were always very good to me. That evening, my sister Diane and I participated in the Christmas Eve service at the UP Church. My family had a tradition of opening presents on Christmas Eve, so that same night I reported getting "a very nice telescope, a Bill Cosby record and a shirt." Though the telescope was used primarily to gaze at the moon and stars, that first night we did look at the windows in the house across the way!

And I close with my entire diary entry for Christmas day 40 years ago: "I looked through my telescope quite a lot today. I could see things quite clear. Our dinner was very good but it filled me up quick. It snowed a little but not much. At 7:15 we went up to Howard's and Laura's [my Uncle and Aunt, Howard and Laura LaFever] and saw Grandma and Grandpa [Anna Bell and Ben LaFever]. I played ping-pong and played the piano [I can barely play ping-pong and have no idea how to play a piano beyond 'Chopsticks'!] . Watch[ed] on TV the movie Life with Father. Now bedtime. Goodnite."

And a very Merry Christmas to all.

Merry Christmas

In the spirit of the season, here are three images from Bovina from the Hilson Family. [Click on each image and you'll get a larger and clearer view of it in a new window.]

Christine Hilson Batey graciously let me scan some of her family's albums last year and there are some gems. This first image to the left dates from probably the late 30s. The gentleman in the foreground is Alex Hilson. His younger brother Jack (and Christine's father) is in the chair at the left.






This is a view of Hilson Brother's store, probably also from the 30s, though not necessarily from Christmas. Note the 'vehicle' at the left in the picture is a horse drawn wagon with milk cans.




















This winter scene, also not necessarily dated to Christmas, shows Scotts Bridge, which was at the 'lower' end of the hamlet. Noted as one of Delaware County's 'crookest' bridges, it was determined to be a safety hazard in the 50s. At one point, school buses crossing the bridge had to unload their passengers and have them walk across the bridge, with the bus following. It was replaced with a modern bridge, located a bit further down the river. When the new bridge was done, the old bridge was torn down, despite afforts by Frank and Stella McPherson to save it.
A Merry Christmas to all, and best wishes for the New Year.