110 Years Ago - 1912

The Jeffersonville Motor Car Co. started Thursday running a car to Liberty to meet the train leaving for New York at 10:14 a.m., and the train arriving at 12:29.
May 1, the Long Eddy office will absorb three post offices: Goulds, Rock Valley and Pea Brook, and have an RFD from the Long Eddy office to those places daily.
Joel H. Wagner has been reappointed patrolman on the county highway to Youngs­­ville and Fred Schmidt on the road to Fosterdale.
As stated in our last issue, the big fire at Hancock a week ago yesterday morning caused a large financial loss. The following are the losses sustained: Anderson & Gales, proprietors of the Hancock Transfer Co., about $4,000; Thomas Keery, $1,500, no insurance; Peter Block, $3,500 with $1,800 insurance; Fred Lakin, $200 covered by insurance; George Beer’s furniture store, $1,200; and S.N. Wheeler and Sons, $2,500. A subscription paper has been circulated and $450 has been secured to give Anderson & Gales a new start.
Capt. Oliver Weir of Hankins had a cousin who was one of the first cabin passengers that went down with the ill-fated liner Titanic and also a friend, a second cabin passenger, who went down with the ship. His friend leaves a widow and three small children.

100 years ago - 1922

Sale of the Rose farm near Jeffersonville recalls the discovery of iron ore there in the early 1870s. The ore yielded a 13 percent deposit of iron, but other than a limited use for the manufacture of a mineral paint, the deposit was not developed.
While this section escaped injury in the heavy gale and thunderstorm of last Tuesday evening, other parts of the county directly in its path suffered much damage. At White Sulphur Springs, the M.E. Church, a historic building, was partly wrecked and at Kenoza Lake farm buildings and trees were blown about. The church was used as a community settlement house and became a Methodist Church in 1862. During the Civil War, it was used as a Union arsenal. The belfry of the church was wrenched loose and plunged to the roof. It tore a large hole in the roof and smashed the ceiling in. This crushed the organ and eight new pews that were put in two years ago. The tower then rolled to the ground. The members have decided to repair the edifice. At Kenoza Lake, Mrs. C. Ruppert and son, Louis, were caught coming from the barn and blown to the earth. The mother was bruised and rendered unconscious. Parts of the farm buildings were carried a mile away. Wm. C. Fuhrer’s barn and chicken house were moved from their foundations. The roof of Mrs. Andrew’s barn was torn off and chicken houses and other buildings were carried away at Henry Hiberjahn’s and at Frank Fulton’s the chicken house was smashed against the barn. At John Stephenson’s at Birch Ridge, a chicken house was carried 3,000 feet and destroyed, killing fifty chickens. The Birch Ridge schoolhouse was blown off its foundation.
Henry Intemann, 83, died at his home near White Sulphur Springs. He was a charter member of the Masonic Lodge at Liberty.
Liberty is making an effort to have the federal government locate a hospital there for the care of the disabled veterans of the World War. Otisville is also a contender.
Last Sunday morning fire destroyed the former Roosa boarding house at Loch Sheldrake. The loss includes a barn and two outbuildings and damages total $15,000.
Two auto loads attended the wedding of Arthur Keller and Julia Weiner of Callicoon Center on Sunday at noon. —North Branch Corresp.
A little daughter arrived last week at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ellis Terrell of Abrahamsville.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. William Daub of Cochecton Center, a son on April 11.
Lewis Swartz and Fred Kautz of Cochecton Center left town yesterday. It’s rumored that they have accepted a position as managers of a dairy farm in Orange County, N.J.
The annual Jeffersonian Dinner, given by the Democrats of Sullivan County, will be held again this year at the Flagler House in Fallsburg, on April 27. More than 600 attended last year.

90 years ago - 1932

A loss estimated at $30,000 was caused here Sunday night when fire broke out in the Olympia Hotel, gutting it throughout and resulting in its complete destruction. The fire was the worst in the village of Callicoon since 1888 when a large portion of the business section was wiped out. Five occupants escaped uninjured: hotel guests, Mrs. Rose Butler, her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Victoria Butler, and infant daughter, Gloria, Miss Anita Gettel, a waitress and Eric Karg Jr., son of the owner. The alarm was turned in at 10:45 p.m. and Callicoon equipment left the scene at 6 a.m. Assistance was given by Callicoon Center, North Branch and Hortonville fire companies who were relieved at the scene at 3 a.m. Mr. Karg expects to remodel into a fireproof hotel.
Miss Mary Doyle of Long Eddy and Floyd Schultz of Callicoon were united in marriage April 17 at St. Joseph’s College in Callicoon.
Mrs. Elizabeth Worth Muller, owner of Muller Castle in Monticello, was married April 9 to her 31-year-old chauffeur, Everett Tompkins, in Philadelphia.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Kellam of Callicoon, RFD 2, a daughter, Hazel Anne, on April 11. Mr. and Mrs. Edward Hahn are the parents of a baby boy born on April 5. They live in Callicoon Center.
On Tuesday evening a number of friends gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. Winkler to serenade them. Mr. and Mrs. Winkler were married Tuesday and are making their home at the McCormack farm.
Miss Elaine Dodge, a student at Callicoon High School, was one of the prize winners in the Washington Bicentennial essay contest. Others from Sullivan County who were mentioned as winners of first prizes were Martha Jacobs of Monticello, Irving Kahn of Livingston Manor, Harry Wasserman of Mountaindale, Mary Darbee of Roscoe, Lillie Dentsch of Woodridge and Fred Doyle of Long Eddy.

80 years ago - 1942

Sullivan County’s first blackout last night was declared a successful 15-minute duplication of a wartime scene by state officials and county directors at the Control Center at the county seat in Monticello. The scheduled blackout operations started shortly before nine o’clock when a report of planes headed in this direction was phoned in to the warning center at the sheriff’s office. In two and three-quarter minutes, the news of an imminent air-raid was spread. In comparison with this blackout which the county had been anticipating for weeks, the next blackout which will probably cover a wider territory will be entirely unrehearsed and the warning will be a surprise.
Mrs. Alva L. Osborn of Livingston Manor announced the engagement of her daugh­ter, Elma, to J. Fred Hoos, the Livingston Manor baker.
Three thousand lake trout from the state conservation hatcheries at Bath were released in White Lake Tuesday. The trout were large specimens.
According to plans, sugar rationing for the Delaware Valley Central School District will take place in the Callicoon and Long Eddy school buildings. Registration will be held for commercial consumers on April 28 and 29 and for private families and individuals on May 4, 5, 6 and 7.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Adam Baum of North Branch, a daughter, Patricia Margaret, on March 16.
Miss Eva Purcell was recently reappointed postmistress at Barryville.
A baby girl, Shirley May, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Orville Whitmore of Conklin Hill, Pa., on April 9.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Kennedy (Dena Rohrmann) of Lake Huntington are the parents of a third girl, born April 6th.
“Russ” Twaddell, on the opening day of the trout fishing season, landed a speckled beauty that measured 23 inches in length and weighed more than six pounds. The fish was caught in the big pond in back of the Hanush Service Station in Roscoe.

70 Years Ago - 1952

Mr. and Mrs Howard Newman (nee Rose Gagliardi) were married in their new home above Fremont last Saturday.
The sale of the Fair Hardware store in Callicoon to Albert Craig was completed last Monday in the offices of Attorney Irving Bershader.
Miss Rita Jean Enright became the bride of Roland Swartz of St. Johnsville on Easter Sunday, April 13.
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Ferber of Callicoon became the parents of a daughter, April 9th; A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Berner on April 13; A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. William Westfeldt of Roscoe on April 16; and a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Hulse of Barryville on April 16, all at the Callicoon Hospital.
Sgt. Robert Flynn of Roscoe received a certificate showing he has completed 25 years of service with Troop C of the New York State Police.
Friends of Miss Leona Smith and Clarence Zurn Jr. tendered them a variety shower following the meeting of the Grange last Thursday evening.
Eileen Graham was the guest of honor at a miscellaneous shower last Monday night. She became the bride of Michael Kurrey on Sunday at St. George’s Church in Jeffersonville.
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Caldicro of Liberty became parents of a girl at Loomis Hospital on Saturday; A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Calkins at the Callicoon Hospital on April 8; It was a daughter for Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Bury of Roscoe on April 8 at Maimonides Hospital in Liberty.
Fifty year service pins, one of the highest honors that can be given members of the Masonic order, were given to Judge Joseph Rosch of Albany, a member of Mongaup Lodge No. 816, and Charles G. Burns of Monticello, a member of Monticello Lodge No. 532, Tuesday. A special joint communication of the two lodges was called to make the presentation.

60 Years Ago - 1962

Appointment of District Attorney Ben Newburg as county judge and his assistant, Robert Williams, as district attorney, is expected to be made soon by Governor Rockefeller.
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest V. Miller of Hortonville celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary recently with a dinner at the Olympia Hotel in Callicoon.
Three DVCS seniors have the distinction of having been on a championship team each year since they joined track as freshmen. They are Francis Tobin, Gary Mitinas and Barry Robisch.
Ruth McGrath of Callicoon and Julia Dominion of Woodbourne have been selected by the American Legion Auxiliary of Sullivan County to attend Girls State this year. The girls were luncheon guests at the Paddock in Monticello on April 14.
Mr. and Mrs. John Pesci of Jeffersonville had a 25th wedding anniversary on April 17.
Inter-County Co-op. Plant at Woodridge had a new lift installed this month which raises the front of the truck at a 40 degree angle to empty the contents of a trailer immediately.
A son was born Monday to Mr. and Mrs. Asa Blaine of Galilee, Pa., at the Callicoon Hospital.
Mr. and Mrs. Chester Davis Jr. of Swan Lake became the parents of a son, Dean Allen, on March 31.
Seventy-five years of “devoted services in their fellow practitioners and patients” will be recognized at the 153rd annual meeting of the Sullivan County Medical Society on October 10. The recognition will be in memory of three generations of medical practice of the Payne family of Liberty. It will include the life spans of Drs. Conklin S. Payne, Luther C. Payne and Deming S.Payne.
Peter Taggard of Callicoon Center has been notified that he is the recipient of a sports scholarship to the University of New Mexico.

50 years ago - 1972

The operating core of the Liberty Steam Laundry was heavily damaged and all but destroyed in a fire which erupted Tuesday afternoon following what is believed to have been a propane gas explosion in one of the pieces of machinery. Three employees in the laundry escaped without harm.
Miss Marion Yewchuck became the bride of William Abplanalp on April 2 at the Jeffersonville Presbyterian Church.
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Baum of Briscoe celebrated their Silver Wedding Anniversary on April 12.
Martin Hoffman and Rita Planica, both of Liberty, were married on April 8 at St. Peter’s R.C. Church in Liberty.
At the Liberty-Loomis Hospital, it was a girl, Alice Elizabeth, to Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Stefanski of Callicoon Center; on April 8, a girl, Melissa Ann, to Mr. and Mrs. John Mootz of Callicoon Center; on April 11, a girl, Sueann Rita, was born to Mr. and Mrs. John D’Agata of Livingston Manor; and on April 12, it was a girl to Mr. and Mrs. Gary Young, also of Livingston Manor.
Mrs. Roger Stauch of Callicoon has received first prize in the 1st Metropolitan Ceramic Show at Cranford, N.J. Her entry was a tree branch with two robins on it, done in stain.

40 Years Ago - 1982

Mr. and Mrs. Anton (Annabelle Rosenberger) Holblinger of Valley Stream, L.I., celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on March 16. Within the last three years, her sister, Olive and Terrence Donahue of Nanuet and her brother, William and Helen Kautz-Rosenberger of Hortonville, have also celebrated 50th wedding anniversaries.
Lisa Naughton of Callicoon was selected to represent the H. Russell Kenyon Post 5808, VFW, in the upcoming Sullivan County Loyalty Day Queen Contest on May 1.
Engagement announces have been made by Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Neer of Callicoon Center of their daughter, Nancy, who will become the bride of Donald Sherwood, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Sherwood of Livingston Manor, on August of 1983, and by Mr. and Mrs. John Tenbus of Narrowsburg, whose daughter, Judy, will be married to Roy Nordenhold, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Nordenhold of Beach Lake, Pa., in September.
Ralph Sykes of Hortonville has been named recipient of the 1981 Agricultural Producer of the Sullivan County Soil and Water Conservation District Award, presented by Fred Denman of Livingston Manor, district chairman.
JoAnn Paciga and Charles Bechle were married March 27 at Holy Cross Church in Callicoon. . . Miss Mariellen O’Connell of Oreland, Pa., became the bride of Dr. Bradley Layton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Layton of Equinunk, Pa., on January 2. Mr. and Mrs. Hyman Mendelowitz, former owners of the Redwood Motel in Monticello, have announced the wedding of their daughter to Henri Mazeres, on February 28. He is the son of Georges and Simone Mazeres of Orleans, France.
Maurice Martin, basketball star of the Liberty Indians, has been named New York State Small Schools’ Player of the Year for the 1981-82 basketball season. He will attend St. Joseph’s next year. He scored 1,786 points in four years of play, and helped lead the Indians to two consecutive titles in the Mid-Hudson Athletic League, a Class C Section 9 crown, and a Capital Conference title.

30 Years Ago - 1992

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hadley of Long Eddy and Mickey and Nancy Dauch of Roscoe have announced engagement of their children, Melissa Had­ley and Paul Dauch. An October 1992 wedding is planned.
Frances LeMay of Never­sink and Gerald LeMay of Grahamsville have announced the engagement of their daughter, Marie, to John Pierre Blouin of Welland, Ontario. A May 24,1992 wedding is planned.
Mr. and Mrs. William Schmauss of Kenoza Lake celebrated 50 years of marriage on April 9. They were married in Lexington, S.C. in 1942. A surprise party was given in their honor at El Monaco’s in White Lake on the 12th of April by their daughters, Karen Nicoletti and Roberta Rittershausen.
Three classrooms on the lower level of the Delaware Valley Central School have been closed due to not meeting fire code regulations nor regulations for handicapped students. Affected are the classrooms and instruction areas used for the rifle range, the chorus and the T-1 or transitional kindergarten/ first grade class. These rooms have been closed and the students assigned to other areas in the building.
Tuition costs could increase by $200 next year if approved when the college board of trustees meets next Wednesday. Dr. John Walter, president of the college, plans to make such a suggestion to the board of the community college located at Loch Sheldrake. The board approved a $300 increase last year, the first in five years.
Demolition of the Queen Esther Hotel on West Lake Street last week saw the demise of one of the last remaining old hotels in the village of Liberty, according to town historian Delbert Van Etten. It is thought to have opened in 1903 as the Gregory Homestead.

20 years ago - 2002

A group of technology transportation students at the Jeffersonville-Youngsville campus of Sullivan West assembled a couple of kid-sized go-karts to be raffled off as a fundraiser for the three-campus school district. According to tech teacher Brian Mullally, the engines had been lying around the shop gathering dust. Students Jeff DeLawyer, Dominick Denier, Mike Cookingham, Andrew Hessinger, Austin Ihlefeldt, Steven Kent, Ken Kohler, Josh Long, Steven Olsen, Andrew Skinner, Brandon Unser and Art Ward completed the project.
On Friday night, Dorothy and David Sherman of Barryville never expected to lose their home to an early morning fire the next day. But thanks to a group of “guardian angels” in the form of area residents, the Shermans didn’t lose their lives. The couple was home when the fire broke out, and they were trapped inside. Neighbor David Hulse noticed the raging fire and immediately notified Town of Highland Constable Robert Maas. While Maas was being informed, State Troopers Vincent Boyd and Tom Loewke heard the call and joined Maas and Liberty Police Sgt. Brian Van Houten in responding to the emergency call. The four immediately went to the rear of the home, calling to see if anyone was inside. Hulse ran back to his nearby home and retrieved a ladder. Dorothy Sherman heard the calls of the policemen and walked toward their voices. But just before reaching safety, she collapsed. So the officers then crawled in under the smoke to Sherman and pulled her outside. Upon being revived, she pointed to a window and stated that her husband David was still in their upstairs bedroom. Maas and Liberty Sergeant Anthony Lupardo pulled Sherman out of an upstairs window to safety. The Shermans lost two of their dogs in the fire but their two children were not home at the time of the fire. The couple was taken to Bon Secours Hospital in Port Jervis by the American Legion Ambulance Corps. They are expected to recover. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

10 years ago - 2012

Nearly 100 firemen from seven fire companies responded to a Friday afternoon brush fire, catching it before it climbed too far up the rugged mountains of the Basket Brook valley. “We have it under control,” a relieved Jason Seeley, a Forest Ranger on the scene, said at 4:30 p.m. Friday. “A tree came down and landed on a high voltage wire, that’s how this fire started. It was simply nature.” The fire was located about one mile from Route 97, up Basket Brook Rd. Firemen from Long Eddy, Hankins-Fremont, Callicoon, Equinunk, Hortonville, East Branch and Hancock responded.
Sullivan West implemented a new mandatory Career and Financial Management class for all 10th grade students this year. They spend the first part of the course exploring careers that match their interests and colleges that offer the necessary major and training for that career. During the second part of the course, students learn about banking, money management, credit, insurance, investing. They conclude the course by taking the Wise (Working in Support of Education) Financial Literacy Certification test.
DEATHS: Mildred Ludwig Snedeker of Fosterdale died April 22, 2012 at home... Robert H. “Bob” Sherwood Sr., a lifelong resident of Liberty, passed away on April 11, 2012... Katherine N. Pierce of Cochecton Center crossed over on April 19, 2012... Beatrice C. “Bea” Zemetra of Jeffersonville died April 18, 2012... Margaret “Maggie” Olver of Kenoza Lake died on April 19, 2012.
Jonathan “J.R.” Goodman of Liberty played Athenian General in the world premiere of “Goddess Wheel,” a new musical by “Hair” composer Galt MacDermot, with book and lyrics by Matty Selman. “Goddess Wheel” is being staged by the Wagner College Theatre, one of the Top 20 collegiate theater programs in America.