This Day in Bovina for May 2022

 

Here's the compilation of the May 2022 entries from the Town of Bovina Facebook page:

Sixty-seven years ago today, on May 1, 1955, as later reported in the Stamford Mirror-Recorder, "Mr. and Mrs. Merle Galusha and sons of Scotia attended church services [in Bovina] and were dinner guests of his brother-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs. Craig Banuat. Other callers at the Banuat home on Sunday were Mr. and Mrs. Walter Spraig and son, Willard of Andes." Merle would die in the crash of Mohawk Airlines Flight 450 in 1972.

 

170 years ago today, on May 2, 1842, the town of Bovina issued several liquor licenses, including this one for John Seacord and Thomas Secord, "to sell strong and spirituous liquors and wines to be drunk in his present dwelling house.." The 'dwelling house' likely was the Secord hotel, which stood across from the end of what is now Maple Avenue.  

 

140 years ago today, the May 3, 1882 Delaware Gazette carried this notice for an interest meeting for a railroad that would have come gone through Bovina. Nothing came of this particular idea - at least as far as Bovina was concerned. 

 

Eighty-eight years ago today, the May 4, 1934 Delaware Republican carried this Bovina column.  I'm not 100% sure where the baseball diamond mentioned in the column was located but seems very likely it was on the field next to the Bovina Center school (now the Bovina Public Library).  

 

Fifty-one years ago today, on May 5, 1971, Mary Burns Lounsbury died at the age of 57. Born in Bovina in 1913, she was the daughter of John and Elizabeth Burns and the sister of Agnes Burns. She married Harold Lounsbury in 1938. They lived for many years on the Burns family farm at the end of Crescent Valley Road.

 

Seventy-two years ago today, the May 6, 1970 Stamford Mirror Recorder in its Bovina column reported that "The Bovina Library has moved to the Social House Building this past weekend and will be open Tuesday and Thursday as before." Took me a bit to realize that "Social House" should have read "School House!"

 

192 years ago today, on May 7, 1832, a Bovina storekeeper created this page in his ledger for various sales to Bovina citizens. Items included tobacco, hayseed, silk, tea and calico. Morgan Livingston, who owned a chunk of Bovina as landlord, bought an axe. The 'Dr' after each name means debtor. Most of the payments are by cash but it looks like Sopher Peleg was making a payment (the 'Cr' after his name probably means credit) in butter. We do not know where this store was located because we cannot determine who kept the ledger - we only know that it was in Bovina. It possibly was a store kept by James Cowan, which stood where Russell's Store now stands.

 

Ellen McBurney was born 196 years ago today, May 8, 1826, the daughter of Francis McBurney and Margaret Boyd. She married Andrew Boyd and would have 11 children, most of whom made it to adulthood. She was widowed in 1879 and died in February 1893. She is buried in the Bovina Cemetery.

 

125 years ago today, in its May 9, 1897 edition, it was noted by the Andes Recorder that five brothers were seen at the same church in Bovina. What made this so remarkable was that the youngest was over fifty years old. The paper did not note what family this was, though it could be the Miller family. At this time, the six sons of William Miller still were alive, all older than 50 and living locally. Here is a picture of the six brothers. What five attended church we don't know, but William lived in Walton, Walter in Delhi and Berry Shaw in Andes. Thomas, Michael and Gilbert all lived in Bovina. 

 

200 years ago today, on May 10, 1822, a survey was made of a road that went from Thomson Hollow Road to Mountain Brook. Here's the survey document. 

 

Seventy-eight years ago today, the May 11, 1944 Delaware Republican Express carried this Bovina column. 

 

111 years ago today, on May 12, 1911, the Bovina column of the Andes Recorder reported that "A child was recently born to Rev. and Mrs. Robb, in China, where he is a missionary. The mother was formerly Jennie J. Campbell of Bovina."

 

Fifty-seven years ago today, Bovina column in the May 13, 1965 Delaware Republican-Express reported that "The prize fisherman of the season is John Robson who caught a six pound-12 ounce trout over the week-end."

 

Sixty-one years ago, on May 14, 1961, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Delaware Republican Express, "We were all pleased to see Mrs. Lena Lounsbury at Church Sabbath Day, she has been in Schenectady the past few months helping care for an invalid."

 

142 years ago today, the May 15, 1880 issue of the Delaware Republican reported on an article they had published called "Woman's Work in the Church," by "Mrs. Knox of New York City. The paper pointed out that the article "will attract especial attention from the fact that Mrs. Knox was a Delaware county woman, daughter of Rev. James Douglas, for many years pastor of the Bovina Associate Reformed Church, (whose doctrines were not in accordance with the views there announced,)…Mrs. Knox has also taken a very prominent part in works for temperance reform, and in many other ways practically exemplified the benefits arising from the course she advocates."

 

Eighty-two years ago today, the Bovina column of the May 16, 1940 Delaware Republican reported that “Little Nancy Brooks spent the week-end with her great-aunt, Mrs. John Hilson and family.”

 

135 years ago today, on May 17, 1887, the Stamford Mirror reported in its Bovina column that "John Hilson is improving his house by removing the old sash from the windows, and replacing them with a more modern style, each sash containing two large panes of glass."

 

142 years ago today, the Bovina column in the May 18, 1880 Stamford Mirror reported that "A horse belonging to J.W. Bramley ran away a few days ago, destroying a seed sower which Mr. Bramley was using."

 

The Andes Recorder reported 111 years ago today in its May 19, 1911 Bovina column that "There is some talk of putting in a pond on John Blair's farm on the Oliver brook and stocking it with trout."

 

Seventy-three years ago today, on May 20, 1949, as later reported in the Catskill Mountain News Bovina column, "The latest to buy a new car is George Storie with a Dodge sedan. Vincent Rosa is taking over the car recently owned by Storie."

 

Seventy-four years ago today, on May 21, 1948, the Bovina column of the Catskill Mountain News reported that Mrs. Mary Gordon, who received a bad fall down a flight of stairs at her home last week, is slowly recovering. She is still lame and sore." Mary was the widow of Thomas Gordon, who died in 1921, and the mother of Delhi social studies teacher Margaret Gordon.

 

126 years ago today, May 22, 1896, the Otsego Farmer (Cooperstown) carried the following item: "An exchange has it that in the town of Bovina, Delaware county, there are more abandoned farms than there were in all Delaware County ten years ago. This fact is interesting for the reason that Bovina has been called the leading dairy town in the county."

 

Sixty-four years ago today, the May 23, 1958 issue of the Catskill Mountain News published an article under the headline "Bovina WAC Earns Recruiting Citation." The WAC was "Sgt/1c Helen I. Johnston, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. George Johnston of Bovina Center." She was enrolled in a "Women's Army Corps enlisted recruiting course at For Benjamin Harrison, Ind." The paper went on to report "Sgt Johnston was in competition with 38 of the recruiters stationed through the United States. She earned the award by achieving an average of 85 percent for the course." More on Helen may be found in the Bovina NY History blog at: Bovina (NY) History: Bovina Ex-Pats: Command Sergeant Major Helen Isabelle Johnston (bovinanyhistory.blogspot.com)

 

129 years ago today, the May 24, 1893 Delaware Gazette reported that "Work has commenced for the foundation for the new school house in Bovina Centre." This is the building that is now the Bovina Public Library.

 

Eighty-four years ago today, on May 25, 1938, as later reported in the Delaware Republican, "Mrs. George Miller died…at her home [in Bovina]." Born Ida Kinch, she was married to George Miller and had three children, daughters Maude and Nellie and son Clark. Clark was killed in World War I. She was survived by her husband and two daughters. George is the maternal grandfather of Clark Lay.

 

The Andes Recorder reported 129 years ago today in its May 26, 1893 issue that "Richard Johnson of Bovina this season made 318 gallons of heavy maple syrup from 700 trees. This is equal to 2,544 pounds of sugar."

 

Seventy-two years ago today, the Bovina column in the May 27, 1949 Catskill Mountain News reported that "Paul Rosa is moving this week to his new home on Pink street road which he recently purchased of Gene Vandenbord."

 

Eighty years ago today, the Bovina column in the May 28, 1942 Delaware Republican reported that "Guy Hafele of Coulter Brook is having his house painted. Fred Thomson and Fred Henderson are doing the job."

 

Angelica D. Gerry, the daughter of Elbridge Gerry and Louisa Livingston, was born 151 years ago today on May 29, 1871. She built a summer home at Lake Delaware known as Ancrum. She also was instrumental in the building of St. James Church.   

 

117 years ago, on May 30, 1905, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, baseball teams from "Lake Delaware and the Hook battled for supremacy on diamond Tuesday at the Centre and the score was 12 to 4 in favor of the former."

 

127 years ago today, the May 31, 1895 issue of the Andes Recorder in its Bovina column included the following item: "Sylvester McFarland, who left this town over twenty years ago, and who had not been heard from since, suddenly made his appearance in town a few days ago." McFarland was born in Wisconsin in 1843 and died in Somerville, Massachusetts in 1914. He was a prison officer when in Massachusetts. It is not clear when he lived in Bovina. His father, James McFarland, was a Bovina native.

 

 

May 1922 - 100 Years Ago in "That Thriving Town"

May 5, 1922

·         Alex Myers is painting Thomas C. Strangeway’s new house.

·         Mrs. James Robson continues ill at her home above Lake Delaware.

·         A surprise party was held at Thos C. Strangeway’s on Wednesday evening.

·         Miss Ruth Hyatt, who is in a telephone office in New York, is home for a vacation.

·         Sheffield Smith has purchased a new Brockway ¾ ton truck and a 5-ton White truck.

·         World has been received here of the death of Mrs. Joe Dean at the home of her son in New York.  Her age was 84 years.  Burial will be made here later.

·         The firm of Davison & Monroe who have conducted the Bovina Garage, have dissolved partnership and Mr. Davison will continue the business.  Mr. Monroe has taken employment in the Center creamery.

 

Set Bed on Fire With Cigarette

            John Bell who boards at John Aitken’s set his bed on fire last Friday night from smoking cigarettes in his sleep. He claims to have no recollection of smoking. Mr. Dickson, who was sleeping with him, was awakened by the fire and found a hole burned in the pillow and the corner burned off the mattress.

 

Lake Delaware Church

            Jacob & Young, a New York firm, are the contractors who have taken the work of building the new church, rectory and parish house at Lake Delaware.  It is expected the work will be commenced immediately.

 

May 12, 1922

·         Harry McCumber has purchased an Empire milking machine.

·         Mrs. Elizabeth McMullen, of Delhi, has been hired as principal of the Bovina Center school for the next school year.

·         C.S. Gladstone is having the wing on his farm residence made the same height as the main part of his house and will install a bath room.

·         Lester T. Hoy, who has been employed in the Bovina Center Co-Operative creamery, has hired in the creamery at Frasers and is moving there.

·         Charles Pickwick, who for the past two years has been living on the James Wight place in southern Bovina, has moved to West Laurens, Otsego county.

·         A meeting was held Thursday in the interest of starting a cow testing association. Marshall McNaught and Charles Russell were appointed a committee to solicit members.  Another meeting will be held May 15.

 

Team Ran Away

            The team of John Scott, who lives in Tuttle hollow above Lake Delaware, ran away Monday. Mr. Scott had backed into the barn with the horses just outside, when the high wind blew the door against team, frightening them.  They ran to Lake Delaware, where they brought up astride a telephone pole and were caught.  The principal damage done was the breaking of the wagon tongue.

 

Was Native of Bovina

Mrs. Charles Palmer Passed Away at Delhi on May 2

            Mrs. Charles Palmer [Mary Ann] died at her home in Delhi on May 2, aged 72 years.  She had been an invalid for 14 years and was a great sufferer from asthma.  She was a daughter of William Gladstone and was born in Bovina where her girlhood was spent.  After her marriage to Mr. Palmer they continued to live in Bovina until in 1902 the coming of creameries ruined his business – making tubs and firkins – and they sold their property and moved to a farm at East Delhi.  Eight years ago they moved to the village.  Besides her husband she leaves a son, William Palmer, and two daughters, Mrs. Leslie McNaughton and Miss Mary Palmer. Burial was in the Bovina Center cemetery Thursday.

 

May 19, 1922

·         John R. Aitkins has purchased a new Durant car.

·         Mrs. G.J. Dickson is having her residence and store wired for electric lights.

·         Clarence LaFever has traded his motorcycle with Sheffield Smith for a Ford car.

·         Mr. and Mrs. T.C. Strangeway entertained about 25 at their new home Friday evening [now the home of Jim and Peg Hilson].

·         Marshall Thomson and wife, of Glen Spey, N.Y. spent over night the first of the week with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Blair.

·         Marjorie Dickson, who is a student at Cornell University, sprained her ankle while playing tennis and has to use crutches.

·         Sheffield Smith went to Nelson, near Syracuse, Thursday after the household goods of Mr. Filkins, the cheese maker, who will occupy rooms in Wm. Hoy’s house. 

·         Alex Myers is the busiest man in town. He has just completed the work of graining several rooms in the residence of Harvey Burgin and at present is painting the residence of Mrs. John Irvine [now the home of Tony and Norma Gabriel]. He has several more houses to paint. [Graining was the process of painting to make the surface look like wood or marble.]

 

May 26, 1922

·         United States Senator Peter G. Gerry spent the past week on his Lake Delaware estate. Miss Angelica Gerry is now at Lake Delaware.

·         Triplets were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher Davidson on Sabbath morning, May 21.  All were girls and two of them have since died. [The one survivor was Jane Davidson, who survived to adulthood only to die in childbirth in 1955.]

·         The contractor who has the contract to resurface the Bovina state road, was here this week.  He expects to begin work between the 10^th and 15^th of June.

·         James Ackerly has moved from Harry Robinson’s house on the Dennis corner to the Dickson big house.  The house vacated by Ackerley will be occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Elliott Thomson.

This Day in Bovina for April 2022

Here's the recap of the April 2022 postings on the Town of Bovina Historian Facebook page:

Sixty-nine years ago today, on April 1, 1953, Charles LaFever started working for LaFever Excavating. His job change was reported in the Catskill Mountain News, April 3 issue: "Charles LaFever, who has been employed the past three years at the Hilson Brothers feed store, has resigned and will start April 1 with his brother,  Howard, in bulldozing work." He would work for LaFever's for 40 years.

 

Fifty-two years ago today, on April 2, 1965, as later reported in the Delaware Republican Express, “Mr. and Mrs. Henry Monroe and daughter, Frances Burns, were guests Friday of his sister, Mrs. Arthur Kellam, at Binghamton."

 

125 years ago today, on April 3, 1897, "The catalogues have been printed and the Bovina Public Library was opened to the public… It contains many valuable books for both old and young."  The library at that time was located in the basement of the Bovina United Presbyterian Church. The church had started a library in 1879, but it ended after about a decade.  In 1896, E.T. Gerry donated $100 and Mr. H.C. Frick, of Pittsburgh, $50 to starting up the library again.

 

106 years ago today, at the primary election held April 4, 1916, only 34 people voted - 18 Republicans, 13 Democrats and 3 Prohibitionists.

 

127 years ago, Andes Recorder cast some disparaging remarks concerning certain people in Bovina and how they spend their money.  In its April 5, 1895 issue, the Bovina correspondent reported that "About thirty people in town purchased a copy of the Biographical Review, which shows that there are at least thirty fools in town."  The Biographical Review of Delaware County has proven to be an invaluable tool for genealogists, but this comment does confirm what I have done for years - take these biographies with a grain of salt. The full text of the Review is on the Delaware County Genealogy website at http://www.dcnyhistory.org/bioindex.html.

 

Ninety-nine years ago today, the April 6, 1923 issue of the Andes Recorder reported in its Bovina column: "The dry milk plant of the Bovina Center Co-operative Creamery is now in operation.  The company is experimenting in the making of cocoa which only requires the addition of hot water to make it ready for use.  One sample shipment has been made."

 

135 years ago today, the April 7, 1887 issue of the Hobart Independent reported on the death of James H. Bramley: "Our citizens were shocked on Thursday to learn of the sudden death of James H. Brimley, of Bovina, who also has resided at Kortright and in Delhi, and is well known and highly esteemed for his genial disposition and many worthy traits of character. He was in Delhi on Saturday, the 25th ult. in apparently good health. On Sabbath he complained of a pain in his breast, which continued at intervals without exciting especial alarm until Thursday, the 31st, when it was thought best to have medical advice, and his brother Girard, came to Delhi to procure a physician. Dr. Gates, who was desired, being absent at the time, his return was awaited as no immediate danger was apprehended, but in a short time a telegram came from Bloomville announcing that Mr. Bramley was dead." He was buried in the Bovina Cemetery.

 

Seventy-three years ago, the Catskill Mountain News' Bovina columnist reported in the paper's April 8, 1949 issue: "I think everyone in town is rejoicing over the fact we have the daily Binghamton Press route back again. It was discontinued during the war and up to now no Press papers were available same day they were dated."

 

It was 102 years ago today, on April 9, 1920, that Elizabeth Murdock Doig passed away. The Andes Recorder reported her death under the headline "Last of Her Generation." The paper went on to note that "she was born in Bovina 81 years ago and her entire life had been spent in the town.  The funeral was held Monday from the U.P. church of which she had long been a member.  She was the last of the family of the late Andrew Doig."

 

110 years ago today, on April 10, 1912, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "A.J. Nicholl was up from Delhi…for the purpose of organizing a Cow Testing association."

 

111 years ago, on April 11, 1911, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Thomson commenced housekeeping Tuesday in rooms in J.W. Coulter's house." This likely is Robert Gow Thomson, the son of W. Elliott Thompson and Mary Gow. Born in 1888, he married Nelle Moore. The marriage was short lived - Nelle died in 1917. Robert remarried and survived until 1949.

 

124 years ago, on April 12, 1898, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Andes Recorder, "the Standard Oil wagon was here…"

 

Eighty-two years ago today, on April 13, 1940, as later reported in the Delaware Republican, "Mr. and Mrs. Robert Boggs and children Bobbie and Barbara, were at Delhi on Sunday afternoon and called on her sister, Mrs. William Sanderson and her baby, Shirley Bell."

 

111 years ago today, the April 14, 1911 Bovina column of the Andes Recorder reported the following: "It is stated that Professor John P. Mabon, a son of Jas C. Mabon, in southern Bovina, contemplates giving up teaching and hopes to take up the business of farming."

 

202 years ago today, on April 15, 1820, James Rutherford and Thomas Laidley each applied for creation of a private road.

 

The Andes Recorder reported 154 years today in its April 16, 1868 issue, the following:  "Ho! For California – the following persons left for California on Monday last. Mssrs Robt. Smith, Daniel Smith and Jas. Armstrong, of Delhi, Mr. James Miller, of Bovina, and James Davidson of Andes, with their families; and Mr. John B. Scott of Bovina.  They will sail from New York on the 15th, by the North American Line, for San Francisco.  We wish them a safe passage and a pleasant journey." Robert and Daniel Smith likely were the sons of Robert Smith and Christiana McFarland. Daniel died in Salinas in 1886 and Robert in Fresno in 1903. James Miller probably is the son of James Miller (1802-1878) and Agnes Coulter (1802-1869). He appears to have settled in Gilroy, Santa Clara County, California. His cousin Libbie Miller married Robert Smith and traveled with him to settle in California. [I was not able to clearly identify James Armstrong, James Davidson or John B. Scott.]

 

138 years ago today, on April 17, 1884, as posted in the Andes Recorder, "Dr. Browne, of Delhi, will be at …Dr. Phinney’s office, Brushland, the 17th, for consultation and operation in dentistry.  White’s celebrated Laughing Gas used for the painless extraction of teeth."

 

126 years ago today, April 18, 1896, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "H.G. Bramley was still making [maple] sugar…Sap was still running fairly well in his camp."

 

138 years ago today, on April 19, 1884, as later reported in the Delaware Republican, "Mr. W.J. Coulter, of Bovina Valley, passed through town….with beautiful specimens of Colorado Elk horns, three in number, sent by his brother, Mr. John A. Coulter, of Colorado. The horns of one of the larger ones measured from the center of the frontal skull-piece, or forehead, to the tip of the horns, one horn 4 feet 10 1/2 inches, the other 4 feet 11 inches; from tip to tip, 9 feet 9 1/2 inches."

 

141 years ago today, on April 20, 1881, John Russell, son of Stephen and Mary Russell, married Agnes Orr, the daughter of Robert and Barbara Orr. The Bovina column of the Stamford Mirror for April 26 reported that "Our friend, John Russell, went to Kortright yesterday, and returned in the evening, bringing a young bride with him." They would have three children, Henry, Clarence and Everett before John's death at the age of 56 in 1910. Agnes survived her husband by 23 years, dying in 1933.

 

Sixty-seven years ago today, on April 21, 1955, the Bovina Recreation Club presented 'Bovina Center, My Home Town." As later reported in the Delaware Republican Express, the program was "presented by pantomime, narrative and the projection of colored slides on a movie screen…" Unfortunately, I was unable to attend this event.  I was considered to be too young at 14 hours old.  More information about this event may be found in the Bovina NY History blog at http://bovinanyhistory.blogspot.com/2011/04/56-years-ago-today.html.

 

142 years ago today, the April 22, 1880 Stamford Mirror's Bovina column noted that "Farmers report the maple sugar a short crop and of poor quality."

 

142 years ago today, on the April 23, 1880, someone passed through Bovina that aroused enough interest for someone to post in the Bovina column of the Stamford Mirror this notice: "Does any one know who that young man was, who passed through Bovina village, Friday evening, April 23d, riding a small bay horse, with a large white strip in its face."

 

Seventy-two years ago today, April 24, 1950, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Catskill Mountain News, "The Bovina Home Bureau held its closet storage meeting…at the home of Mrs. Alex Rabeler. Mary Lounsberry was the leader who showed many ways to improve storage space. There were eleven items made, including shoe racks, step shelves, sliding drawers and others…"

 

101 years ago today, on April 25, 1921, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "the little son of C.S. Terry had its leg injured while in the [Bovina] cemetery by one of the tombstones falling over and hitting him.  The cement which held the stone in the base had loosened and a slight pull brought the stone out of the mortice.  No bones were broken."

 

101 years ago today, on April 26, 1921, the Bovina Town Board voted to have David G. Currie fill the unexpired term of town clerk Thomas Gordon, who had passed away on April 22.  “On motion the Supervisor with Justice Strangeway be appointed a committee to assist the present Clerk to examine all papers and records in the private office of the late Town Clerk and remove all that are of value to the Town, to the office of the Town Clerk.” My dad recalled that Thomas's daughter Margaret told him that she had to help the committee locate all the records in the house. Margaret was 13 at the time.

 

126 years ago today, on April 27, 1896, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "S.G. Bramley’s fine team of greys ran away Monday with the harrow and cut themselves up somewhat."

 

123 years ago, the April 28, 1899 Bovina column of the Andes Recorder reported that "David Finkle, of Lake Delaware, has been suffering for several months with sciatic rheumatism and through the kindness of Mr. Gerry he will receive treatment in a New York hospital."

 

131 years ago, on April 29, 1891, as later reported in the Andes Recorder, "Miss Jennie Miller’s school entertainment….was a good one, the children gave evidence of careful training."  The paper also noted that "The temperance entertainment [the next] night was also good. Both were quite well attended."

 

Seventy-two years ago today, April 30, 1950, as later reported in the Bovina column of the Catskill Mountain News, "Milton Hastings visited Miss Lilly Happy at East Meredith on Sunday. He found her much improved in health. Sunday was her 87th birthday. She took great pleasure in reading many cards and letters which she had received in honor of her birthday." Miss Happy was Milton's housekeeper for many years. She had taken ill about a year before. In the summer of 1951, she was moved to the Delaware County sanatorium, where she died that October. 

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Some More Pictures from Bovina's Sesquicentennial

Charlotte Vanderhurst recently shared with me some pictures she took when Bovina celebrated its 150th birthday on August 29, 1970. Charlotte and her late husband Randy lived in Bovina at the time of the celebration. They later moved to Colorado. She is planning to come this summer for Bovina's Bicentennial celebration. 

There are 49 pictures here. Have fun figuring out who is who! And thank you to Charlotte for sharing these with me.