Notes for: Eli H. Bodine, Sr.

He is the beginning of the racing Bodines from Chemung County, New York. There is an Eli H. Bodine buried in the Hicks Cemetery in Baldwin, Chemung County, New York. He died February 24, 1975 at age 87. He was born in 1887. Edith E. Bodine (must be his wife) is also buried there. She died June 12, 1973 at age 82. She was born in 1890. Records say Eli H. died at Sayre house in Sayer, Pennsylvania. Edith died in Waverly.

Geoffrey Bodine, his grandson, wrote this:

"I was born in 1949 and the Chemung Speedrome was built in 1950. My father, Eli Bodine Jr., and grandfather, Eli Bodine Sr., built the speedway. Local racers went to my grandfather, who owned a lot of land, and told him they needed a racetrack.

There was this cornfield and it was one-third surrounded by this banking. My grandfather and father looked out and said, "This looks like a good spot." They stepped out the racetrack, took a plow and a mechanical grader and built a racetrack.

There happened to be a pond up the road a little bit and it worked out well. It was a dirt track, and they needed that water to keep the dust down. Everything fell into place. That side hill ended up being the grandstand.

The rest of the article is at:
http://www.stargazettenews.com/local/ourtowns/chemung_3.html

Here is an obituary I found at the Tioga Co. GenWeb site for his wife, Edith:

Mrs. Edith Bodine, 82 of Chemung, the mother of nine children, died Tuesday, June 12, 1973, following a brief illness.

Born at Lamb’s Creek, Pa. on July 27, 1890, she resided in Chemung most of her life and was a member of the Chemung United Methodist Church.

Surviving are her husband, Eli of Sayre; five daughters, Mrs. Marion Pipher of Orlando Fla., Mrs. Jeanette Woznich of South Pasadena, Fla., Mrs. Lucille Ellis of Orlando, Fla., Mrs. Sarah Monell of Cato, N.Y. and Mrs. Louise Kilmer of Casselbury, Fla.; four sons, James, Eli, Jr., Maynard and Earl, all of Chemung; a sister, Genevieve Spalding of Fort Myers Beach, Fla.; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Friends may call at the Robert Funeral Home (the former Page-Jamieson Funeral Home) in Wellsburg, Thursday from 2 to 4 and from 7 to 9 p.m.

Funeral and committal services will be held at the funeral home Friday afternoon at 1 o’clock with Rev. Neil Bachman, pastor of the Chemung First United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be in the Hicks, N.Y. Cemetery at the convenience of the family.

Here is a message I got from Denise Oliver-Velez:

From: Denise Oliver-Velez [DOlivervelez at hvc.rr.com]
Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2003
Subject: Race car Bodines

Hi Dave,

Someone in my family recently asked me about the "racing car" Bodine's (Todd, Brett and Geoff) from Chemung, NY, and I got curious about them.

Found their grandfather on your site:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~bodine/f4440.htm

but it didn't go back further.

Discovered in 1880 census:

Milton H Bodine father of Eli H Bodine

Milton H. BODINE
Age: 25
Estimated birth year: 1855
Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Occupation: Farmer
Relation: Son
Home in 1880: Liberty, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania
Marital status: Single
Race: White
Gender: Male
Head of household: Hezekiah W. BODINE
Father's birthplace: NY
Mother's birthplace: NY

Image Source: Year: 1880; Census Place: Liberty, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania; Roll: T9_1196; Family History Film: 1255196; Page: 144D; Enumeration District: 122; Image: 0286.

Milton's father Hezekiah:

BODINE, HEZEKIAH (1860 U.S. Census)
Pennsylvania , SUSQUEHANNA, BRIDGEWATER, Age 49, Male, Race: White, Born: NY
Series: M653 Roll: 1185 Page: 75

Marriage record for Hezekiah from LDS and
http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyorange/dutch_01.htm:

Husband
HEZEKIAH W. BODINE
Marriage: 02 SEP 1841 Montgomery, Orange, New York

Wife
ESTHER JANE TRUMPOUR
Marriage: 02 SEP 1841 Montgomery, Orange, New York

His wife is buried here:

Fancher-Porter Cemetery, AKA Pine Hill Cemetery, AKA North Bridgewater Cemetery on Rt. 167 in Bridgewater Township.

Bodine
---Wife of Hezekiah Bodine Esther J. 1816-1881

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mjwanc/fancher.htm

I responded:

Hi Denise,

Thanks for the excellent information. The only missing link here is how do you know that Milton H. Bodine is Eli H. Bodine's father? That source would be important to include in this information.

Thanks,
Dave

From: Denise Oliver-Velez [DOlivervelez at hvc.rr.com]
Sent: Monday, December 01, 2003
Subject: RE: Race car Bodines

Hi Dave,

Sorry - left that out.

In 1930 Eli H is listed in Chemung - born Wisconsin father PA. His oldest son is named Milton.

In 1920 Eli H and Milton (senior) seem to be on same property poor next door in Chemung:

BODINE, MILTON (1920 U.S. Census)
New York , CHEMUNG, CHEMUNG, Age 65, Male, Race: White, Born: PA
Series: T625 Roll: 1092 Page: 44

BODINE, ELI H (1920 U.S. Census)
New York , CHEMUNG, CHEMUNG, Age 22, Male, Race: White, Born: WI
Series: T625 Roll: 1092 Page: 44

On actual record he is 32 though index says 22..


In 1910 Eli H is listed as 22 year old son in household of Milton H Bodine:

BODINE, MILTON H (1910 U.S. Census)
New York , CHEMUNG, CHEMUNG, Age 53, Male, Race: White, Born: PA
Series: T624 Roll: 931 Page: 55

End of info from Denise.

There is a Milton Bodine listed as Eli's son in the 1930 Census of Chemung, NY. He was 16 years old. He also has seven other siblings mentioned in that Census. However, Maynard and Earl are not listed since they were born, I think, after 1930. That makes ten children. However, Eli and Edith Bodine are listed in Edith's obituary as having had nine children. Milton is not listed.

There is a Milton W. (Woodruff) Bodine (1913-1965) and his wife, Dorothy H. Bodine (1916 - ____) listed as buried in the Chemung Cemetery in Chemung, NY. This must be the Milton Bodine listed as Eli's son. A note at the online cemetery listing says Milton was cremated in Florida and buried in Chemung on June 28, 1965 at the age of 51.

For now, I am listing this Milton as Eli and Edith Bodine's son, but it does make for a bit of a mystery.

From Ronny Bodine:

From Chemung County, New York Marriage Records:
Eli H. Bodine, 24, farmer, of Chemung, N.Y., born in Wisconsin, son of M. H. Bodine & Ida Wells AND Edyth E. Lenox, 21, housekeeper, of Chemung, N.Y., born in Penn., daughter of Dan Lenox & Sarah Thompson, were married 7 April 1912 in Chemung.

The Bodine family was living 1920-1930 in Chemung, Chemung County where Eli worked on a dairy farm in 1920 and in 1930 on a poultry farm.

Obituary, The Evening Times (Sayre, Pa.) of 25 Feb 1975.
Eli H. Bodine, 87, of Chemung died Monday, Feb. 24, 1975, following an extended illness. Mr. Bodine was a well-known poultryman and dairy and beef cattle breeder. Born in Hurley, Wisc., June 18, 1887, the son of the late Milton and Ida Wells Bodine, he was a life member of the Chemung Volunteer Fore Co. and was one of the first fire chiefs. He was the first secretary-treasurer of the Dairymen's League and was a charter member of the former G.L.F. Mr. Bodine was a member of the Chemung United Methodist Church. Surviving are five daughters, Mrs. Marion Piper of Orlando, Fla., Mrs. Jeanette Woznick of S. Pasadena, Fla., Mrs. Sarah Monell of Cato, N.Y. and Mrs. Lois Kilmer of Castleberry, Fla.; four sons, James, Eli, Jr., Maynard and Earl, all of Chemung; one sister, Mrs. Reva Ford of Elmire; several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Friends may call at the Roberts Funeral Home in Wellsboro Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. The Rev. Malcolm Howard, pastor of the Chemung United Methodist Church, will officiate. Burial will be in Hicks Cemetery, Chemung, at the convenience of the family. Friends wishing may contribute to the Chemung United Methodist Church.

Obituary, The Evening Times (Sayre, Pa.) of 13 June 1973.
Mrs. Edith Bodine, 82 of Chemung, the mother of nine children, died Tuesday, June 12, 1973, following a brief illness. Born at Lamb's Creek, Pa. on July 27, 1890, she resided in Chemung most of her life and was a member of the Chemung United Methodist Church. Surviving are her husband, Eli of Sayre; five daughters, Mrs. Marion Pipher of Orlando Fla., Mrs. Jeanette Woznich of South Pasadena, Fla., Mrs. Lucille Ellis of Orlando, Fla., Mrs. Sarah Monell of Cato, N.Y. and Mrs. Louise Kilmer of Casselbury, Fla.; four sons, James, Eli, Jr., Maynard and Earl, all of Chemung; a sister, Genevieve Spalding of Fort Myers Beach, Fla.; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Friends may call at the Robert Funeral Home (the former Page-Jamieson Funeral Home) in Wellsburg, Thursday from 2 to 4 and from 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral and committal services will be held at the funeral home Friday afternoon at 1 o'clock with Rev. Neil Bachman, pastor of the Chemung First United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be in the Hicks, N.Y. Cemetery at the convenience of the family