USA > New York > Delaware County > Delaware County, New York, history of the century, 1797-1897, centennial celebration, June 9 and 10, 1897 > Part 20
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Since the failure of the Delhi and Middletown Railroad there have been several attempts at various times to organize railroad companies and build a railroad to Andes, but none of these have been successful. The people of the town have, however, by no means lost confidence in the ultimate success of their long con- tinued efforts in this direction.
The last two decades have witnessed no startling changes in the make up of the town. Business interests have been transferred from time to time, a new generation of inhabitants has sprung up and there has been a transition from the bustling days of the seven- ties to the more quiet times of the present. Of the older inhabitants identified with the progress of the town many are dead, among
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these Henry Dowie, of whom mention has already been made. Duncan Ballantine, for many years President of the First National Bank of Andes, died in 1889. The direction of the affairs of the bank passed into the hands of his son David, but the institution closed its doors a few years later. Another son, James Ballantine. was successively Supervisor of the town, Member of Assembly and finally State Senator at Albany. He died before completing his term of service, May 4, 1896. Prominent among the merchants of Audes were Daniel B. Shaver who began his business career in 1833 anl for many years occupied the building erected by him in 1835. Mr. Shaver died in May, 1897. A. S. Dowie, Sr., for many years the head of the firm of A. S. Dowie & Son, died in 1878; the junior member is now in business in Philadelphia, the firm having been later succeeded by Hotchkiss & Marx, who subsequently dissolved partnership, Mr. Hotchkiss retaining the old store while Mr. Marx has opened a new place of business near the site of the old destroyed Union hotel wagon house. Mr. E. M. Norton has for many years been engaged in the drug business in the village, his present location being in the building erected by Daniel H. Hawks. The hardware business was conducted in Andes by a number of parties who succeed each other in the course of a few years. Thus the establishment of Nichols & Dickson was conducted by O. S. Nichols, Nichols & Murray, and E. J. Turnbull. Eli Felton jr., afterward Felton & Cant, were succeeded by James Bruce jr. The Andes Recorder, originally issued by Rev. Peter Smeallie and successfully conducted for many years by William Clark, has. continued publication under various ownerships, being conducted at the present date by Miller & Crawford. A banking business is now conducted by James F. Scott, who has represented the town on the Board of Supervisors for many years and twice has been its chairman.
Andes has always maintained a satisfactory educational estab- lishment. For years the Andes Collegiate Institute, founded in 1847, drew students from distant points and it was perhaps the
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most prosperous school of the county. With the improvement of the public school system and the growth of other similar insti- tutions in many of the nearby towns, the prosperity of the Institute declined and its doors were finally closed in 1880. Several at- tempts were made to revive the school but the efforts have all failed and the spacious buildings now stand idle, reminding the citizens of their usefulness in the earlier days. The Andes Union Free school, later the Andes High School, was organized in 1893 in the old distriet school building which was enlarged for the purpose. This institution has been improving steadily and now stands high as a preparatory school for girls and boys. A num- ber of the young graduates have completed a collegiate course, giving evidence of the thoroughness of the preparation afforded by the Andes school.
The first telegraph line connecting Andes with the exterior was erected by the Andes and Delhi Telegraph Company in 1876. The first message was sent over the thirteen miles of this line June 1, 1876. Afterwards this line was extended to Arkville ou the Ulster and Delaware Railroad and likewise connected with Bovina Center. This line has recently been converted into a telephone line and has greatly facilitated the ease of commmini- ration between Andes and distant places. In 1896 another com- pany was organized and a telephone line built between Andes and Downsville, passing through Shavertown and Pepacton. This line is connected with many of the farm residences along the ronte and considerable local business is thus transacted by the use of the telephone.
The old Delhi and Kingston Turnpike-the road early con- necting Delhi with the Catskill region and the Hudson river- was abandoned beyond Arkville in 1872. Later, that portion of the road between Andes and Margaretville was given up by the company, which at the present time still controls the well kept road from Delhi to Andes village.
Vina,e f B . na Center,
Bovina. By Hon. D. L. Thompson.
O NE hundred and seven years ago three or four hardy young men from Westchester county, with rudely constructed knapsacks fastened to their belts and with trusty rifles upon their shoulders made a surveying and prospecting tour over an Indian trail from Stamford. through the eastern part of the county.
In that little party was Elisha B. Maynard, a young man of English descent, in search of a future home for himself and his family. With keen perception and astute judgment in regard to richness of soil, he selected that spot of ground which is now, and ever since has been in the possession of the Maynard family in Bovina. In the summer of 1791 young Maynard cleared up two or three acres of land, built a little cabin, mostly under ground, sowed a bushel and a half of rye and then returned to his home in West- chester county. He spent the winter of 1791 and 1792 in making preparations for his new home, and in the spring of 1792 moved his family and all his belongings npon a wood-shod sled drawn by two yokes of oxen, all the way from the Hudson river. For two years young Maynard had no neighbors this side of the Stamford range of mountains. The somewhat dangerous conditions and the actual privations incurred by him must be largely left to the imagination.
Game of every kind was abundant, the tameness of which on account of unfamiliarity with man was even annoying. It was dithi- cult to raise stock on account of the depredations of bears, panthers, and wolves. Benefits, however, resulted from these circumstances, for the mountain brooks were filled with the finest trout and the woods with deer, that furnished a material part of the family food.
16
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In 1794 Alexander Brush came from Long Island and settled upon that tract of land which now includes the village of Bovina Centre, six miles west of Mr. Maynard, his nearest neighhor. These two earliest settlers were blest with unusually large families, Mr. Maynard having twelve children and Mr. Brush nine. The old Puritan custom of giving children Bible names was in vogue with the Yankee element of the early settlers. Every one of the May- nard and Brush families were given Scripture names-the boys having such names as Abram, Isaac, Jacob and Elisha, and the girls Miriam, Ruth, Rachel, Esther, etc.
Mr. Brush a year or two after his settlement here, with a spirit of enterprise and the best of motives, bought the seed of the white daisy and sowed it upon his land, also giving it to neighbors around him. He lived to hear maledictions heaped upon his head for his well meant bnt mistaken idea of improving the pasturage of the farms.
About the beginning of the present century a number of set- tlers, mostly from Scotland, began to establish homes and clear up the land. Among them were the Landons, Leets, Davises, Dumonds, Moscrips, Hiltons, Russells, Hamiltons and Ormistons. Those peo- ple endured privations and hardships which the present third or fourth generation of their sons and daughters could scarcely imagine. The comforts, the conveniences, and the luxuries of life were to them unknown. Their necessities were easily supplied, and the source of them came from their immediate surroundings. The crops raised from the newly cleared land were principally rye, potatoes, and flax. Sometimes the family enjoyed the luxury of pork for dinner, provided the bears had not captured the pigs before butchering time. In such a case they resorted to bear meat, if they could catch the bear.
As a sample of physical strength and endurance growing out of the necessities of their environments, it is related that a Mr. Davis and a Mr. Hilton upon different occasions carried each of them upon their backs two bushels of rye to a grist mill in Schobarie
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county, a distance of eighteen miles from their homes, and returned with the flour the same day. However, a grist mill was soon after erected on the other side of the Stamford mountain at the foot of Rose's brook, and to this mill was carried on the backs of men or on horseback the grain to be made into flour for family use.
Amid such surroundings the sons and daughters of these pioneers loved and married as in more modern days. The first marriage was that of dames Russell and Nancy Richie, the first birth Elisha Horton Maynard (grandfather of the late Isaac H. Maynard) in 1793. The first death was that of Hezekiah Davis in 1798. The first sermon was preached by Rev. James Richie in 1795. The first school teacher was William Edwards, who taught a school in 1808. The first general store was kept by James Wetmore. The first grist mill by Stephen Palmer. The first resident physician was Dr. Kelly. The first church was built in 1809.
From this time onward, early in the morning and late at night could be heard the sound of the axe as it felled the trees of the forest, which after seasoning for a few weeks were rolled into heaps and reduced into ashes. The burning of so much timber produced large quantities of ashes which suggested a new industry-that of converting the ashes into what was called potash and pearl ash. The works where these substances wore manufactured were called asheries. David Ballantine, grandfather of the late Senator Ballan- tine, built an ashery and ran it for many years in connection with a sinall general store. Eight or ten cents a bushel was paid in trade for ashes delivered at the store or at the works, the good house- wives almost ivariably taking pay in dishes.
The town or township of Bovina, a name given it by General Erastus Root, was formed from parts of Delhi, Middletown and Stamford in 1820. The name is said to have been derived from the word Bovine, alluding to the fact of its being prominent in the dairying business. With the exception of Harpersfield it is in area and population the smallest town in the county, containing only 27,000 acres, or forty-two square miles of land. Fifteen years after
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its organization into a township, or more definitely in 1835, its pop- ulation was 1,412. Since that date until the present time there has been a steady and almost regular yearly decrease, until now the population numbers less than 1,000. Its general features are hills and valleys supplied with abundant springs of pure cold water, making it admirably adapted for dairying purposes, which is and has been from its earliest settlement its chief and most important industry.
Its enterprising citizens are justly proud of the flattering appreciation of the excellency of Bovina butter, and the reputa- tion it has gained. Upon two occasions Bovina dairies have supplied the tables of the presidential mansion at Washington, being recommended as the finest flavored butter made in the United States.
In March 1820 the first town election was held at the house of John Hastings, who then kept an inn on the farm now owned and occupied by his grandson, James E. Hastings. At this elec- tion Thomas Landon was chosen Supervisor, with a full corps of other town officials. Some resolutions adopted at these early town elections are suggestive and amusing. For instance at a meeting held April 5, 1821, is this record: "Voted that pauper be sold to the person who will keep him the cheapest."
. was then put up at auction and sold to John Bennett for one year at 9 shillings and sixpence a week. So vigorously op- posed were the people at this time to paying taxes for the support of paupers, that at a town meeting in March 1838, they passed this resolution: " Voted that the county poor house at Delhi be abolished."
Among those distinguished by long terms of office as Super- visor, may be mentioned Judge James Cowan, who held the office from 1825 to 1839-fourteen consecutive years. Alexander Storie was supervisor for eight years and David Black for eleven years. The present Supervisor is William L. White, a grandson of Rev. John Graham, who for over twenty years
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was the pastor of the (now) United Presbyterian Church of Bovina.
In the time that has long gone by, the habits and customs and to us the peculiarities of the carly settlers seem strange and somewhat amusing. The older inhabitants now living em- phasize the claim that there was more sociability and friendship among the people in those days than now. There was no division or distinction among them on account of wealth, for all were poor. Neighbors would drop in of an evening to have a social chat and a drink of whiskey with a fellow neighbor. Whiskey seems to have been regarded as a necessity. There was at one time three distilleries in the town for its manufac- ture. And I have been told that the home consumption did not allow of any exportation. A settler would take a bushel of rye to the distillery and receive for it two gallons of whiskey. They claimed that they could have a milder drunk on the whiskey of those days than in more modern times.
An old gentleman who was enthusiastic over the good old times and friendships of those early days, told a story that so evidently contradicted the facts claimed, that we are led to believe that there were sinners as well as saints even in the long ago time. He said that two neighbors, whom I will call A and B, had become somewhat careless about their line fences, which naturally made bad blood between them. On one occasion A's sheep got into B's lot, where B caught three or four of them and cutting the thin skin separating the muscle of the hind leg from the gambrel joint he stuck the other hind leg through the aperture, and in this shape sent them home on three legs. A just chalked this bit of neighborly courtesy down and waited for his chance, which soon came by B's hogs getting over into his lot. A caught. the logs and out their mouths alnost back to their eyes. When B saw his hogs he started for A's with all the vim of a modern Fitzsimmons and throwing his coat on a stump he wanted to know what A meant by slashing up his hogs in that shape. A
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said, " Well, now, just hold on, B; I'll tell you how this came about. Your hogs were over in my lot when my sheep came home on three legs, and when the hogs saw those sheep they began to laugh, and laughed so heartily that they split their mouths open clear back to their ears."
There is a tradition of a lead mine in the southern part of the town. An Indian named Teunis built a hut or cabin on the farm now owned by Walter A. Doig. This Indian was often observed to leave his cabin and after a short absence return with pieces of rock richly filled with lead ore, from which he obtained his bullets. He admitted the existence of a valuable lead mine, but would never make known its location. It is said that upon one occasion when this Indian was over on the East branch of the Delaware, he was assaulted and beaten by two drunken white men, when a Mr. Bas- sett of Andes came to his rescue. He afterward invited Mr. Bassett to come to his cabin, saying he would show him something that would make him the richest man in all the region around him. Mr. Bassett visited the friendly Indian, who blindfolded him and led him through the woods for a short distance. After removing the obstruction from his eyes, he was shown a lead mine of unusual richness. The Indian told him that he would not yet reveal the location, but promised that before his death he would do so. The old Indian, however, died soon after and all knowledge of this mine died with him. Mr. Bassett and others spent months in fruitless search for this buried treasure. The Mr. Bassett referred to was the father of the late Peter Norton Bassett of Andes, a man whose integrity and veracity was never doubted.
The adaptation of the early settlers to their necessities and snr- roundings ought at this time to teach us lessons of economy in many of the affairs of life. Flax was grown in large quantities from which the good housewife made her husband's shirts and sumner elothing. The woolen garments were likewise made in the liome. The wife and mother carded. spun and wove the wool for the cloth, and often completed the preparation of the garments for
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the backs of her husband and children by cutting and making them. They may not have been artistically fitted, but mother made them; while less critical eyes than those of modern times surveyed them. An old gentleman said that the men of those days, as they looked down on their thick eow-hide boots, were not always certain whether they were going home, or away from home. An old lady referring to the amount of material put into the men's shirt collars in those times, laughingly remarked that the shirts might have been worn wrong end up without attract- ing unusual attention.
But it was the men and women reared in such surroundings that the people of Bovina to-day are proud to call their ances- tors. Their labor soon developed the limited resources about them into material prosperity, and all now feel the truth of a sentiment once so beautifully expressed by Thomas Jefferson when he said, "Let the farmer be forever honored in his calling, for they who till the soil are the favored and chosen people of God."
From 1815 to 1820 those who settled in Bovina came largely from Scotland. They brought with them that Scottish thrift and piety that has so honored the land of Burns and of Bruce, and demonstrated in their love of country and their loyalty to Christ, the true elements of that Christian character which the world respects to-day. It has been reported by agents of the American Bible Society that no family in Bovina has ever been found with- out a bible. The influence of the clergy is universally felt. For forty years no license for the sale of liquor has been granted, and with one exception of a few months not a pauper from the town has been an immate of an almshouse.
From 1820 to 1830 hired men's wages were from eight to ten dollars a month. Hired girls received seventy-five cents a week, and if they could weave they got one dollar a week. An interesting fact in the history of this town is, that the Mormon Prophet, Joseph Smith, once worked here as a common day laborer. There is a stone wall still standing on the farm of Frederick Johnston built
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by him between the years 1835 and 1840. In 1835 when slavery was abolished in the state of New York there were two slaves in the town; one was owned by John Erkson and the other by Alexander Johnston.
One custom of Scottish origin was that of offering cake and wine at funerals. This was kept up for some time. Whenever the people entered a house of mourning they were offered cake and wine. This simple service at the burial of their dead was suggestive of appreciated sympathy in times of bereavement.
Briefly noticing what is called the Anti-Rent, or Equal Rights party, it may be said that the first meeting of this party was held at the hotel of John Seacord, in Bovina, Oct. 1, 1844. John McDonald of Kortright and George Thompson of Andes were nominated for the Assembly at this meeting. . Mr. MeDon- ald being endorsed by the Whig party was elected. For the killing of Under-Sheriff Steele at the Earle sale in Andes, Aug. 7, 1845, John Van Steenburg and Edward O'Connor were senten- ced to be hanged Nov. 27. O'Connor was a citizen of Bovina, then living on the farm now owned and occupied by Mr. Stephen Russell. Naturally the most intense excitement and deepest con- cern were felt for the fate of O'Connor. The sentence was how- ever changed to imprisonment for life, and early in 1847 at the request of nearly 12,000 petitioners, Governor Young pardoned Van Steenburg and O'Connor with all who had been imprisoned for this tragedy. The result of this Anti-Rent agitation was that the tenants bought the soil of the land they had tilled and occupied, at easy prices. But it had created bitter feelings and animosities among the people that took years to remove. Busi- ness men who were in sympathy with the landlords were boycotted to an extent that drove them from the town. Horace Greeley's paper was in sympathy with the Anti-Renters and was universally patronized. Almost everybody in Bovina took the Tribune. It was jestingly said that "up in Bovina the people didn't read anything but the Bible and the New York Tribune." But the
Lake Deliacre in B Vir a.
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Anti-Rent conflict has gone into history, a history of which the town to-day scarcely remembers with either pride or pleasure.
The first post-office in this town was established at Lake Delaware in 1821. Previous to that time the mail was brought from Stamford, a distance of sixteen miles, once every month, people taking turns in bringing it over the mountain. The post- office in Bovina Contre was established in 1811 with John Erk- son as postmaster. The present postmaster is Win. MeChe. The early mail carriers in bringing the mail, when within a mile of the post-office commenced to blow a horn, and continued to blow every two or three minutes until their arrival at the post- office.
The first physician, as has been said was Dr. Kelly-present physicians, Drs. Phinney and Dickson.
When this town was established there were upwards of 400 children of school age; now there are less than 275.
The most important trade center is the little village of Bovina Contre, in which there are four general stores, one for flour and fred. one hardware, one drug and one grocery store, one saw and grist mill, two blacksmith shops, two cooper shops, two boot and shoe shops, one millinery parlor, one barber shop and one hotel. Sixty years ago all the goods sold in this town consisted of three or four wagon loads drawn semi-annually from Catskill. some 60 miles distant.
The present trade, exclusive of the handling of butter, from figures and estimates, amounts to over one hundred and twelve thousand dollars annually.
The schools of this town are small. No educational advan- tages except the common school have ever been enjoyed by the people in their home town, while thousands of dollars have been paid for education in the academies, seminaries and colleges at other places. Bovina has furnished for the educational and pro- fessional voeations of life within the past forty-five years, forty- one persons who have been graduated with distinction from
ยท
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colleges around us. In all statistics of this town it is fair to consider the smallness of population.
In October, 1809, the Associate Presbyterian Congregation of Little Delaware, now the United Presbyterian Church of Bovina, was organized with a membership of eleven souls. The barns and private dwellings of the people were used as places of worship until 1815. The first sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. Alexander Bullions in the bar-room of Thomas Landon's hotel at Lake Delaware. The minister stood behind the bar, with his Bible resting upon it, and expounded to his little audience the truths and teachings of the Gospel. About this time Dr. Bullions preached in a barn vet standing upon the farm of Mrs. Lucy Coulter, at which an incident occurred that greatly disturbed for a time the devotional spirit which ought to exist during religious worship. Old grandfather Coulter had prepared the barn floor and provided seats for the female part of the audience-the men were to stand, or sit on the hay mow. Dr. Bullions had just begun his sermon when a hon flew off her nest with an unusually loud demonstration of eaekling, taking a circuit around among the worshipers, to the great diversion and merriment of the children and less sedate hearers. The preacher stopped and asked is someone would not remove the fowl from the building. Just then old Mr. G., a large 240 pound Scotchman, caught it by the feet and poking it under the hay sat down on it. The hen gave one squeal, and never after disturbed a religious meeting. But the spiritual solemnity of that service was badly impaired.
The first pastor of this congregation, Rev. James Laing, was installed in June, 1814, receiving a salary of $250 per annum. In 1815 a house of worship was built, which was not however completed until 1824. For nine years it was used for religious services without pews or pulpit or stoves. The carpenters' work- bench was used for a pulpit, with blocks and benches for seats. During the winter season women brought foot stoves filled with coals which for a short time at least kept their feet from freez-
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