Faces of Bovina - Happy Birthday Agnes Burns

Agnes Burns celebrated her 96th birthday this week (January 21). Thought I'd share these three photos of her taken by Bob Wyer on November 28, 1942. Photos are courtesy of the Delaware County Historical Association.

And here are a couple of pictures of Agnes as a girl.

Agnes is in front standing next to her grandfather Alex Burns (1848-1939). Behind her are her Grandmother Nancy Burns (1852-1931), her sister Mary Burns (1914-1971), her mother Lizzie Burns (1888-1952), my grandmother Anna Bell LaFever (1893-1980) holding baby Howard LaFever (1925-2005), my grandfather Benson LaFever (1900-1982) and his brother Clarence (1902-1979). Agnes's father John (1888-1955) is in the very back.

Agnes and her grandmother Nancy Burns (1852-1931)

January 1914 - 100 Years Ago in "That Thriving Town"

Water and ice - delivery of the pipes for the Bovina water system and harvesting ice were prevalent news items in the Bovina Column of the Andes Recorder for January 1914.

January 2, 1914

• Town Clerk Thomas Gordon issued 61 hunting licenses during 1913.

• A street lamp has arrived and will be set up at the Mill to see if it is satisfactory before more are ordered.

• The town board met Monday to settle with the supervisor, overseer of the poor, etc.  As usual not a dollar was spent for support of the poor.  

• The Armstrong pond from which the Center creamery has always secured it ice to fill its ice house, has sprung a leak and let the ice settle to the bottom.  

• A Christmas tree was held here on Christmas eve and one was held at Lake Delaware on Christmas night.  Mrs. Gerry sent her usual generous contributions for the occasions.

• The directors of the Bovina Water Company held a meeting Wednesday evening and ordered the pipe for the new water works.  About 200 tons of pipe is required.  It is to be delivered during January and February.  

January 9, 1914

• The Bovina Center Creamery ice house will be filled from Lake Mahikan on the Mabon farm.

• Thomas Gordon and G.D. Miller attended the funeral of their comrade, James R. Hoag, at Andes on Monday. [Gordon and Miller were both veterans of the Civil War.]

January 16, 1914

• The filling of the Center creamery ice house is completed.

• Wednesday morning thermometers ranged from 20 to 27 degrees below zero.

• The home talent cast will go to Andes on Thursday evening with their play entitled “Next Door.”

• The directors of the Bovina Center Co-Operative Creamery company have hired Henry A. Ayers as butter maker for another year.

• Two car loads of the pipe for the Bovina Water Works arrived this week at Delhi and was hauled up Wednesday and Thursday, making twenty two loads.

January 23, 1914

• Harry Robson has put in ice and will open a meat market here next spring.

• William Archibald had a horse drop dead one morning recently while on his way to the creamery.

• George H. Miller has purchased of William M. Armstrong his house and lot in Bovina.  The place will be better known to many as the old Kinmuth place*.  The price paid was $600.

Four and a Half Tons at a Load
Tuesday, Arthur Decker with one team, drew a load of pipe from Delhi to Bovina Center, the weight of which was 8,951 pounds.  Some of the other teams brought up over 8,000 pounds.

January 30, 1914

• Ruth Ormiston finished her course in the teachers’ training class at Walton last week. [Ruth would later marry Henry Monroe and is the mother of Frances Burns, Isabelle Deter, Elinor Brink and Lauren Monroe.]

• Sand for the reservoir for the water works is being hauled from the Muir sand bank below Andes.

• Hamilton Russell [1850-1921, the father of Cecil Russell] is suffering with a very sore finger.  The trouble started from a small bunch and the finger has now broke.

• William Armstrong has rented what is known as the John Hastings house** in Bovina Center, from William Hoy and will move from the Lake this week.  Mr. Armstrong is an applicant for the position of patrolman on that portion of the Andes-Delhi state [road] located in Bovina.

Bovina Center Co-Op Creamery (annual meeting)

Elections

The meeting voted to take $200 of stock of the Bovina Center Water company and a pipe will be run to the creamery and a hydrant put in to give fire protection.

The report showed that during the year there was received 6,848,819 pounds of milk and 148,933 pounds of cream, and from this milk and cream 422,921 pounds of butter was made  The average net price of 100 pounds of milk was $1.83, and the cost of making one pound of butter was .0187.

*42.2615°N 74.7888°W – This was later the Clark and Gladys Lay residence, now owned by Timothy and Carol Cunningham.

**42.2624°N 74.7821°W – This is possibly on the property now owned by Tim McIntosh.  At one time, the property had four houses on it that were often rented out.  It could be the house that was washed away in the 1953 flood.  

Stories from Bovina's Cemeteries - Adam Scott and his Tobacco Tin

Samantha Misa, a Bovina resident, recent graduate of DA and now a history major at SUNY Geneseo, made a very interesting find while volunteering at the Delaware County Historical Association (DCHA), where I work two days a week as their archivist.  She was helping our curatorial manager conduct an inventory of the many objects in DCHA's collection when she found this tobacco tin.  Here's the article that Samantha wrote for the December 2013 Headwaters of History, the newsletter of the DCHA, along with images of the tin and the note inside that started this whole story (Samantha took the images of the note and tin).

On a shelf in the collections of DCHA, there is a small, dark tin with five small pieces of shriveled tobacco inside (pictured at right, below). This would seem unimportant and not very intriguing if it were not for the note accompanying it. The note (pictured below) reads: This tobacco box and tobacco was in my grandfather (Adam Scotts) pocket when he was killed at Bovina. Del. Co. NY. Dec. 31st, 1836.  James A. Scott, New Kingston, Del. Co. NY Feb. 2nd, 1898. 

So, who was Adam Scott, and how was he killed in Bovina all those years ago? According to the Biographical Review: The Leading Citizens of Delaware County, first published in 1895, Adam Scott was “one of the earliest settlers of Bovina.” (Biographical Review, 368) Scott, like many other early Bovina settlers, was Scottish, having been born in Deanburnhaugh, Roxburghshire, Scotland in 1775.  He emigrated to Bovina in 1818, making him one of the town’s original settlers. Scott “devoted his time to the pioneer labor of clearing a farm. He had made excellent headway in his work, having redeemed a very good homestead from the wilderness.” (16) Scott was married to Nancy Russell in a ceremony that was performed by Squire Maynard, who was the grandfather of Bovina’s Judge Maynard. Scott’s home was used in the winters as an early Presbyterian church for Sabbaths by the Reverend Robert Laing. (W.W. Munsell’s, 127.)

Later, in 1836, Scott, “while yet in the vigor of his manhood” (Biographical Review, 522) was killed in an accident when “a pair of horses which he was driving took fright and ran away, and he, being thrown from the sleigh, was thrown over a bridge, struck on his head and went through the ice.” Scott died, leaving Nancy Russell a widow with eight children, “the eldest of whom was a boy twelve years old. A year afterward, the mother of these children was likewise taken away by death, leaving the family orphans indeed.” (522) The Scott children were dispersed and raised by family members, many going on to lead successful lives, such as a son, James Scott, who would go on to become a doctor. The tobacco tin that was taken off of his person in 1836 was donated to DCHA in 1981 by Roberta J. Scott.

Scott is buried in the Old Associate Presbyterian Church Cemetery (commonly known as the Reinertsen Hill Road cemetery). His wife was buried next to him when she died a year later.

The grave of Adam Scott in the Old Associate Presbyterian Church Cemetery.  Image courtesy of Ed and Dick Davidson

Bovina Place Names - Describing Bovina in French's 1860 Gazetteer

I will be doing two or three entries related to Bovina place names, starting with the earliest published reference to how Bovina got its name. In 1860, a gentleman named J.H. French published the Gazetteer of the State of New York: Embracing a Comprehensive View of the Geography, Geology, and General History of the State, and A Complete History and Description of Every County, City, Town, Village and Locality. With Full Tables of Statistics. This book has been an invaluable tool for researchers looking at a snapshot of New York State a year before the Civil War. A main section of the book is a description of every county and every town within the county. Below is the entry for the Town of Bovina. It provides the earliest written reference as to how Bovina came by its name and probably the earliest published history of the town, albeit brief. I was able to download the images below using Google Books. The Bovina entry started on page 259 of the book and continued on 260. That is why the first footnote is '9' and the rest start back with '1.' The item in parentheses (p.v.) stands for postal village (thanks Gabrielle Pierce for clarifying this). Click on the image to see a larger size of the text (you can also see the transcription at the end of this entry).

The reference to Bush Creek could be a typo and might refer to Brush's Brook, which runs through the hamlet coming down off Pink Street.  Given the way it is written, however, it might be referring to the outlet of Tunis Lake. I have not figured out yet where Grants Brooks is located.  I cannot find any reference to anyone named Grant in Bovina for whom it would have been named.  And it doesn't show up in the 1869 Beers Atlas.

Here's the transcription of the Bovina entry from the Gazetteer:

BOVINA - was formed from Delhi, Stamford, and Middletown, Feb. 25, 1820. It is an interior town, lying directly east of the center of the county. Its surface is a hilly upland, broken by the deep valleys of small streams. The highest summits are 1500 to 2500 ft. above tide. The streams are Little Delaware River, flowing west through the center of the town, Bush Creek, the outlet of Teunis Lake(1), and Coulter, Maynard, Mountain, and Grants Brooks. The valleys of these streams are narrow and are bordered by steep, rocky hillsides. Teunis Lake (s.) and Landons Lake (w.) are small bodies of water. The surface is stony and the soil is generally a clay loam, admirably adapted to grazing.  Brushland(2)(p.v.), on the Little Delaware, contains a tannery, gristmill, and clothing works. Pop. 183. Bovina(3)(p.v.), at the junction of Maynard and Mountain Brooks, contains about a dozen houses.
The first settlement was begun in 1792, by Elisha B. Maynard, and during the succeeding 3 years many families from Conn. and Scotland located in the valleys(4).  Rev. James Richie conducted the first religious services, in 1795. The first church (Un. Presb.) was formed in 1809. The census reports 3 churches, M.E., Asso. Presb., and Ref. Presb.

Footnotes:

9. Name applied by Gen. Erastus Root, from the Latin, in allusion to its fitness for grazing.
1. This lake lies near the foot of Mt. Pisgah, and its shores are muddy, and covered with bushes and coarse grass.  It was names from a friendly Indian who saved the early settlers of Middletown from massacre by giving them a timely warning.  His hut was near the lake, and he remained several years after the war.  Tradition attributes to this region rich lead mines known only to Indians.
2. Named from Alex. Brush, first settler and proprietor.
3. Known locally as "Butt End."
4. Francis Coulter, Levi and Jacob Mabie, Jas. Kidzie, Andrew Chisholm, Jas. Ray, Thos. Liddle, Sam'l Davis, and A. Nichols, were early settlers. The first birth was that of Elisha H., son of Elisha B. Maynard, Aug. 26, 1793; the first marriage, that of Jas. Russell and Nancy Richie, in 1799; and the first death, that of Hezekiah David in 1798.  ___Edwards taught the first school, in 1808; James Wetmore kept the first inn, at the "Hook;" Robert Hume the first store at Brushland; Stephen Palmer built the first mill, in 1796, for Gov. Lewis; and John Jerome the first factory, in 1808.

This Day in Bovina for December

Here are the daily Bovina history bits that were posted on the Bovina NY History Facebook page for December:

Ninety eight years ago on December 1, 1915, the Hilson Bros new feed store was dedicated "by a dance with 57 numbers." This is photo of the feed store taken in the late 1980s.

John William Storie, son of Alexander Storie and Esther Cowan was born 150 years ago on December 2, 1863.  He was the last child of Alexander and Esther Storie.  They had five children in total, but the two eldest died within a few days of each other in October 1862.  John would marry Jennie Laidlaw in 1890 and have two sons, William and George.  He died in 1944 when he was 80.

106 years ago on December 3, 1907, Miss Jennie Dickson died at the home of her nephew, Dr. G.J. Dickson, aged 79 years.  As later reported in the Andes Recorder, "She sustained a shock several weeks ago.  She was a dauter of Gilbert Dickson and was born in Scotland, but most of her life was spent on homestead farm above New Kingston."  The funeral and burial took place on December 5 in Bovina.

115 years ago on December 4, 1898, Duncan Campbell died.  His passing was reported a few days later in the Andes Recorder:  "While he has not been in the best of health for some time he was seen on our streets last Wednesday and was taken ill that night.  He was born in Scotland, December 24, 1817, and came to this country in 1820, when it took forty two days to come across the ocean.  In 1857 he was married and came to Bovina and farmed it for thirty five years, and in 1893 he moved to this village where has since lived.  The funeral was held Tuesday in the Reformed Presbyterian church the sermon being preached by Rev. T. Slater, and the interment made in the new cemetery.  He leaves a wife and seven children, two sons and five daughters."

Ninety five years ago on December 5, 1918, as later reported by the Oneonta Star, "Ralph Barnhart and sister, Mrs. Anna B. Calhoun, and G.D. Miller and wife, of Bovina Center, were in Oneonta ….The ride … in the early morning was not devoid of incidents, one of them being that their vehicle passed through snow drifts four feet deep on the Swart Hollow road between this city and the Ouleout valley."  Anna Calhoun was my grandmother and had just learned three weeks earlier that her husband had been killed in France in World War I.

Ninety five years ago, on December 6, 1918, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "A party was held at A.P. Lee’s.... Dancing was indulged in."

On December 7, 1914, ninety nine years ago, there was a fire at the Howard McPherson residence. Here's how the Andes Recorder reported it: "A small fire about midnight Monday night did about $15 damage in the residence of Howard McPherson, adjoining Elliott Thomson's blacksmith shop. During the evening the chimney had burned out but at 11:30 everything was apparently all right. Half an hour later Mrs. McPherson heard something fall and ongoing upstairs found the rooms filled with smoke. Mr. McPherson was not at home and she aroused the neighbors. The fire was in the partition and was put out by the use of several pails of water." This is now the Kim and Marcelo Riera residence.

Eighty five years ago on December 8, 1928, Mrs. John McCune fell while hurrying across the street to avoid an on-coming car and sustained a sprained ankle.  That same day, David LaFever, son of Mr. and Mrs. Benson LaFever, was born at the LaFever home, about a mile from Bovina Center.  David lived less than two years, dying in March 1930.

One hundred and twelve years ago on December 9, 1901, Spillman Riggs, lecturer, whistler, musical impersonator appeared at Strangeway's Hall.

The thermometer registered from 2 to 5 degrees below zero 113 years ago on December 10, 1900.

Ninety nine years ago on December 11, 1914, a horse owned by John Hilson and driven by James Hilson ran away while it was hitched to a cutter.  The horse took fright and ran from the street onto the flat below the creamery, causing some damage to the cutter.  Apparently James and the horse were not hurt.

Abigail Fuller was born 159 years ago on December 12, 1854.  The daughter of James Seacord and Esther Close, she married Thomas Fuller in 1878 and was widowed in 1913.  Abigail died 80 years ago on her 79th birthday December 12, 1933.

118 years ago, the December 13, 1895 issue of the Andes Recorder reported that "A club called 'Patrons of Industry' has been organized at Bovina, with Sloan Archibald, president and A.T. Russell, vice president.  It is proposed to establish a store at the Butt End and buy their supplies at wholesale, and thus dispense with the profits of the middlemen."  It is not clear how long the organization operated, though there are references in the Andes Recorder to about 1898 about the activities of the Patrons.

*Ninety years ago, the Andes Recorder in its December 14, 1923 issue reported that the " Bovina Dairymen have received notice that they must put in three ton of ice per cow.  Must want the milk made into ice cream."

Ninety nine years ago on December 15, 1914,  thermometers registered 2 above zero.  The following morning, the temperature was zero.

Eighty seven years ago on December 16, 1926 - M.T. Hastings sent this bill to Town of Bovina Highway department.

Ninety three years ago the illness of a child put off a golden wedding anniversary celebration.  The Andes Recorder reported that "Ralph, the 10 year old son of James Mabon was operated upon Friday, December 17, 1920, at Delhi for appendicitis.  Because of his illness, the celebration of his grandparents 50th anniversary (James and Ellen Mabon), scheduled for December 21, was postponed."

115 years ago this afternoon, December 18, 1898, Mrs. Charles F. Smith died at the age of 90.  The Andes Recorder, when reporting her death, noted that "Her maiden name was Christina Lamont and she came to this town over 40 years ago.  She was an excellent woman, a good neighbor; always cheerful and she will be missed in this community as well as in her home.  On Tuesday the funeral was held, the sermon being preached by Rev. Samson, and the interment was in the Bovina cemetery."

Eighty four years ago on December 19, 1929, Grace Edna Boggs, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Boggs, of upper Bovina, died, just five days shy of her fourth birthday.  The Andes Recorder Bovina correspondent reported that she died "as a result of cancer of the throat."  A growth was removed from her neck, "but this only caused the disease to develop more rapidly."  Grace was the sister of Anna Boggs Hobbie Lounsbury, Mary Boggs Bathen and Helen Boggs Tyrell.  Helen died a year ago, dying 83 years to the day after her sister.  Helen was only 14 months old at her sister's death. This picture, found in photographs my grandmother LaFever had, may include Grace.  The two older girls definitely are Anna (b 1922) and Mary (b 1924).  The youngest I think likely is Grace (b 1925) rather than Helen (b 1928), based on their relative ages.

Wallace Smith, Bovina's Supervisor-elect, died 70 years ago on December 20, 1943, at the Delhi hospital.  Smith had been elected Supervisor in November, to succeed Charles Lee, whom he defeated.  Smith was a Democrat and had served two previous terms as Supervisor.  He was 70 years old at the time of his death.  On January 6, 1944, the Bovina Town Board voted to appoint Charles Lee as Supervisor for one year to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Smith.  Lee went on to win election to the position in November 1944.

119 years ago, December 21, 1894, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "The scholars of the village school [gave] an entertainment, Friday evening, December 21, to raise money to purchase a clock."  The entertainment raised about $25.

Jane, the 15 month old daughter of Walter Coulter and Margaret Storie, died 184 years ago on December 22, 1829.  Out of the 12 children they would have, four would die before reaching adulthood - a fifth child, their eldest daughter, died six weeks after her marriage.

118 years ago on December 23, 1895, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "Bovina had a case of Kidnapping on Monday evening. Archie VanBramer came to W.B. Thompson's to see his wife, a daughter of Mr. Thompson, and his child and had the child brought out to the wagon and then took it into the wagon and sent his wife to the house on some trivial excuse and in her absence drove away with the child. The child has not yet been recovered. It is thought that Van Bramer hopes to secure money for the return of the child." The Andes Recorder reported in its January 17, 1896 issue that Van Bramer brought the child back "of his own accord, after having caused the family lots of trouble and worry. If he has any shame about him he should be ashamed of his recent capers." I'm not sure which Thomson/Thompson this was, but there was a William B. Thomson (1843-1929) and he had a daughter Cora - but I have not confirmed this is the same person yet.

104 years ago on December 24, 1909, Bovina had a rather sad Christmas Eve day.  In the morning, the funeral of a daughter of Fred Bramley, Marian Jenette, was held and that afternoon, that of William G. McNee.  The Bramley child had died on December 21 at the age of about 7 months.  The next day, McNee collapsed as he was going to the outhouse and died on the spot.  He was 59 years old.

117 years ago on December 25, 1896, a "Christmas tree" was held at Strangeway's Hall.  As later reported in the Andes Recorder, it "was a success and well attended.  There were lots of presents for the children and some of the older folks were in luck.  Everyone enjoyed themselves apparently."

Ninety four years, the December 26, 1919 issue of the Andes Recorder reported that "In addition to the new highways to be constructed in Delaware County during 1920, the 2.34 miles of the Bovina Center state road will be re-constructed with concrete."  This likely refers to a section of what is now County Route 6.

116 years ago, on December 27, 1897, the thermometer registered sixteen degrees below zero at the Butt End.  This was the coldest so far that winter.

119 years ago in the December 28, 1894 issue of the Andes Recorder reported in the Bovina column that the "butter market is very dull. Many of our farmers have not yet sold and those who have cannot get the buyers to take the butter away."

114 years ago, in the December 29, 1899 issue of the Andes Recorder in the Bovina column, the following appeared:  "A new order just received from the State Department forbids the acceptance of any excuse from pupils except for sickness, and that only on the certificate of a physician.  Take warning."

A notice from the Andes Recorder, dated 146 years ago:  "Estray – Came to the premises of the subscriber, on our about the 16th of December, a Newfoundland dog.  The owner can have the same by proving property and paying charges. Jas. Coulter, Bovina Valley, Dec. 30, 1867." Bovina Valley is now the Lake Delaware area.  And no, I have not found out if anyone ever came forward to claim the dog.

147 years ago, on December 31, 1866, the Bovina UP Church session passed the following resolution: “Whereas Elder Wm Thomson has for the past 18 months failed to perform his duties as an elder and whereas Mr. Thomson has not given to Session any reason for this course, or formerly tendered his resignation of the office of Elder, and whereas it is desirable that there be a free interchange of views between Session and Mr. T. therefore Res That Mr. Wm Thomson be again cited to appear before Session to either tender his resignation or give excuse for his neglect of duty.  Res 2nd That in case Mr. Thomson refuse or neglect to appear at the next meeting of Session, his case be referred directly to the Presbytery for its actions and instruction.  Res 3 That a copy of the above resolution be given to Mr Thomson, with his citation to appear at the next meeting of Session on the 22nd of January 1867.”  Thomson ultimately resumed his duties.  His absence was due to a family squabble that is further documented in the Bovina NY History blog for May 5 and 17, 2011.  http://bovinanyhistory.blogspot.com/2011/05/brothers-in-law-part-i.html

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.

Illegitimate Child of Robert Dysart

One hundred and fifty years ago, on October 14, 1863, Robert Dysart, the son of Peter and Jane Dysart, died on Folly Island, South Carolina of typhoid fever, one of the eleven Bovina 'boys' to die in the Civil War. Robert left to mourn his loss his parents, Peter and Jane Dysart.  And though not married, he also left behind a four month old son. Robert has the distinction of being the only Bovina Civil War fatality to have left behind a child. This son would have been referred to in the 19th century as a bastard child, but he appears to have grown up in a stable home and was not shunned because of the circumstance of his birth – nor was his mother.

We likely will never know the whole story of how Robert met Eleanor Thomson, the mother of his child. Eleanor was the daughter of John R. Thomson. Robert and Eleanor probably were “seeing each other” before he headed off to war. The baby likely was conceived just before Dysart’s departure with the 144th Infantry in September 1862, for nine months later, in June 1863*, Eleanor gave birth to a son, who she named for his father. If Dysart had not gone off to war, would he have married Eleanor before the birth of their child? He was down south fighting and likely did not have the option of rushing home to make things right. But we can only speculate as to what Robert would have done if the war had not intervened.

Their son ultimately was known as Robert Thomson, using his mother’s maiden name, but in the census records, his name varies.  His first appearance in the 1865 census lists him Robert Thomson, living with his mother and Thomson grandparents. In 1869, when Robert was six years old, Eleanor married a prosperous widower, John Thomas Miller**. Miller had lost his wife a year before and was left with five children to raise, ranging in age from 16 to 2.  The 1870 census listing for the John Miller household includes a boy, Robert Miller.  In the 1880 census, Robert again shows up with his stepfather and mother, this time listed as Robert Dysart.

By the time of his marriage to Mina Kaufman in December 1888, Robert officially is going by the name Robert A. Thomson, and would do so the rest of his life.   The record for his marriage, however, does include the fact that his father was Robert Dysart. Robert and Mina settled in the Stamford area and were well regarded there.  They had one daughter, who predeceased them.  Robert died in 1939 and is buried in the Bovina Cemetery, as is his wife, who died in 1954. They were survived by one granddaughter, Barbara Shaw.

Did Robert Dysart know about his son? Given that the child was four months old when Dysart died in South Carolina, it seems unlikely that someone would not have written him about it.  And how did Robert's parents react to this grandchild? Peter and Jane both died in 1877 and left no documentary evidence, such as letters or a will, that would let us know whether or not they acknowledged the child. When they were married in or around 1837, however, they found themselves in a situation very similar to that of Robert and Eleanor. It seems that they would not have had grounds to ostracize this child and his mother.

Peter Dysart was born in Scotland in 1807. He came to America in 1833 and was in Bovina shortly after his arrival. Peter married a Bovina woman, Jane Patterson, though there is no record of the actual date of the marriage. Their first son, Robert, was born in May of 1837. It is likely that Jane was pregnant when she married Peter, for in September 1837, she was accused before the Associate Presbyterian Church session of Anti-nuptial fornication (ie, pre-marital sex). Someone must have done the math and figured out that the marriage and birth date were less than nine months apart. After some discussion with the session members assigned to speak with her on the charge, Jane agreed to be rebuked and was restored to church privileges.

One can speculate that the response from the grandparents either was sympathetic, because they had been in a similar situation and it was their dead son’s child, or they wanted nothing to do with the child because it was a situation that brought back bad memories. We probably will never know, but evidence indicates that most people in Bovina accepted the situation. The fact that six years later Eleanor was married to a prominent member of the community and that his children accepted both mother and child into the family says that the circumstances of Robert's birth were not held against them. Of course, one also can see the practical side to this marriage. J.T. Miller needed a mother for his children and Eleanor Thomson needed a father for her son. But what started out as a marriage of convenience lasted until John's death 30 years later. A year after their marriage, they had a daughter Margaret, the only child they had together.  Eleanor survived her husband by 20 years, dying in Hobart in 1920. Her obituary mentioned not only her son but listed as surviving daughters her step daughters, as well as her daughter with Miller. My general sense is that Eleanor was a good step mother.  For the youngest step-daughter, Lib Miller Blair, Eleanor would have been the only mother she knew.

Sometimes, people think of a community like Bovina in the 19th century as being very censorious but it seems that in this situation, at least, the community and family knew the circumstances (I suspect that if Robert's paternity was a secret, it was a pretty open one), accepted them and moved on. We sometimes do not give our ancestors enough credit for how forgiving they could be.

* Though Robert’s obituary says his birthdate was June 20, 1864 and his headstone says 1865, I have determined that June 1863 likely is the date, based on his first appearance in the New York State census in 1865.  The census was done based on inhabitants in a place on June 1, 1865 and his age is very specifically given as 1 year and 11 months, making a date of June 20, 1863 the most likely one.
**J.T. Miller lived for many years where the Jack and June Burns farm is located.  And Miller was my 3 greats grandfather.