110 Years Ago - 1913

In this issue of the Democrat we publish an article from the pen of Charles T. Curtis and it is not only interesting but is of great historical value, probably being the best account of St. Tammany’s habitation of the Delaware Valley that has ever been written. Several years ago members of Tammany Hall, New York City, offered to erect a monument on Tammany Flats provided it could be proven that St. Tammany was ever in this section.

John Prince of Hurleyville, Edward Kenney of Long Eddy and Joel C. Fisk of Liberty were appointed as a commission to condemn the rights of way on Route 4 state highway between Livingston Manor and the Delaware line.

Homer Marks caught a four and a half pound pickerel through the ice on Kenoza Lake on Friday.

100 Years Ago - 1923

Early Saturday evening, February 17, 1923, Dr. Frank A. Katzmeier, aged 64, succumbed to a two weeks illness of pneumonia followed by pleurisy. He was born in Munich, Bavaria, but came to America when a child of eight. He came to Callicoon 25 years ago and practiced dentistry. He is survived by his wife and a daughter, Mrs. Robert Larkin of Callicoon… Benjamin Hartz, a native of Germany who came to the Jeffersonville area when a young man, died at his home at the Pump Station February 15, aged nearly 81. He married the former Louisa Sodawater and was employed by the New York Transit Co. in laying the pipe line through this section.

Mrs. Jesse Conklin, mother of seven children and wife of the section foreman, died at her home Monday evening of pneumonia.

A movement is on foot to establish a hospital along the main line of the O & W railroad in Sullivan County. At present hospital cases in the county are taken to Middletown, a distance of 35 to 50 miles.

The average salary per week for the 94 teachers in the schools under the jurisdiction of Supt. Charles S. Hick, according to a report just made by him, is $30.06. Forty of these teachers teach in one-room schools and the average is $26.75; thirty-one teach in the grade or village schools, having two or more teachers and the average is $27.80; twenty-three teach high school subjects in the academic schools, six of whom are academic principals. The average salary for high school teachers is $32.88 while the average salary for the high school principals is $48.83.

90 Years Ago - 1933

At the Callicoon Hospital: a 7-1/2 lb. boy, Rodney Martin, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Hermann last Friday. A girl arrived for Mr. and Mrs. Fred Reichmann of Callicoon Monday and a girl was born to Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Townsend of Jeffersonville Monday.

The net cash price to be paid the members of the Sheffield Producers Cooperative Association, Inc., for the milk delivered to them during the month of January, 1933, is 91 cents a hundred for three percent grade B milk. This is the same as $1.11 a hundred for milk sold on a 3.5 percent butterfat basis.

Representatives of the H. Warner Engineering Co., Webster, NY, arrived in town yesterday afternoon with some equipment preparatory to the start of building the 3-A viaduct in Callicoon.

A “Minstrel” will be held at the Hankins Club Hall on February 25…The infant son of Mr. and Mrs. C.J. Hoffmann was christened in the R.C. Church on Sunday. He has been named Frederick Donald. — Hankins corresp.

President-elect Roosevelt moves on March fourth into a house which has been kept from tumbling down upon its occupants’ head only by expenditures of millions of dollars. The White House cost only about $350,000 to build including the $500 that went to Architect James Hoban for designing it. Since then it has been rebuilt, refurnished, reroofed, reinforced and redecorated so often that its cost has risen to almost $10,000,000. With the grounds, the White House now is valued at $22,000,000. 

80 Years Ago - 1943

Miss Margery Baldwin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ross Baldwin of Callicoon Center is the first girl from this vicinity to join the WAVES, Women’s Reserve of the U.S. Navy.

Pvt. and Mrs. Walter Hartz were united in marriage at Bennington, Vt., on February 13. He is the bass drummer with the 187th Field Artillery Band.

Men and women home on furlough from the armed services will not be given extra gas according to officials of the Binghamton District Office of the Office of Price Administration.

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bruder of Narrowsburg were honored at a solemn High Mass and dinner on Monday in observance of their 50th wedding annivesary.

At the Callicoon Hospital, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Long of Callicoon are the parents of a son, Richard Allan, born Friday; Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Johnston of Roscoe are the parents of a daughter, Julia, born Saturday; Mr. and Mrs. Harold Stecker of Jeffersonville are the parents of a daughter born Tuesday; Mr. and Mrs. Harry Metzger are the parents of a son born Wednesday.

William “Chub” Ramsey, 78-year-old Callicoon resident, went to the county jail yesterday on a vagrancy charge after Corporal Robert J. Flynn of the State Police had discovered him in a horse stall with only a narrow board separating him from a pig pen in the Huff barn in Hankins. Ramsey had made himself a bed from straw chaff and had used feed bags to keep himself warm. Residents of the area had complained to the State Police asserting that Ramsey was without a home and was sleeping in barns and stables during the bitter cold weather. Justice Fred C. Wahl of the Town of Fremont sentenced him to sixty days in jail to assure him of food and a warm place to sleep.

A service flag has been made by the people of Obern-burg to honor those in their country’s service. The funds were obtained from collecting and selling scrap. On the honor roll from this little western Sullivan County town are: George, William, Joseph and Clarence Brustman, Frederick Cramer, Frederick Griebel, Emil Pfeifer, Anthony Deckelman Jr., Francis Leewe, Francis Wolf and Lawrence Muth. Also included are George Baker and John Huff who spent several years with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles V. Newman.

70 Years Ago - 1953

Funeral services were held Wednesday at St. Peter’s Church in Monticello for Sullivan County Clerk Emil Motl who died Thursday evening after a long illness.

Cecily Winkelstern of Kenoza Lake was the lucky winner on a coast-to-coast television program, “There’s One In Every Family.” Among her prizes were a portable radio to be serviced throughout the next year, four new tires for the family car, a make-up kit and $90 in cash.

Joan Marie Green of Brooklyn became the bride of Donald J. Neiger of Narrowsburg on February 14.

Mr. and Mrs. Philip Hutt of Hankins observed their 25th wedding anniversary last Thursday.

Allen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Kellam, Roscoe, has recently been promoted to Corporal in Korea. He has just returned from a six-day R&R in Japan.

2nd Lieut. J. David Freda is now in Korea where he is engaged in training Republic of Korea troops.

60 Years Ago - 1963

Miss Virginia Puerschner, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Puerschner, Jeffersonville, and Frank DePasquale were united in marriage at Our Lady of the Lake Church in Lake Huntington. The couple will live in Key West, Fla.

A total of 30 head of cattle were lost in a barn fire just off the Tennanah Lake Road out of Roscoe early Thursday morning. Known as the Walter Will farm, the place was being operated by Walerean Brejwo. It is reported that the family was unable to get the barn doors open to release the cattle because they were frozen shut.

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Fendt were honored at the Callicoon Methodist Church on February 13 to wish them good luck in their new home in Durham, N.C.

A double funeral for Mrs. Ora  F. Teeple of Lord’s Valley, Pa. (formerly of Braman, Pa.) and her nephew, Grant Caffrey of Equinunk, Pa., RD (Union) was held February 16 at the Braman Methodist Church. Mrs. Teeple and Mr. Caffrey died within a few hours of each other.

A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Schellberg of North Branch and a daughter was born Sunday to Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Houghtaling of Callicoon, both at the Callicoon Hospital.

Miss Marian Ebert of North Branch was guest of honor at a surprise bridal shower Saturday evening. About 40 relatives and friends attended the party with hostesses Patricia Meyer and Arlene Peters.

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Keesler of Callicoon Center are rejoicing over the birth of a son, their first child, last week at the Callicoon Hospital. — Callicoon Center Corresp.

Mr. and Mrs. Albert Hauser Jr. of Youngsville are the proud parents of a baby boy born Tuesday morning at the Liberty-Loomis Hospital.

Miss Louise Hubert of Hankins won first prize for Sullivan County in the recent CYO foul shooting contest.

Mr. and Mrs. Emil Voll-mers of Cochecton celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary February 18. . . Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Hartmann celebrated the birth of a daughter Tuesday, February 19. They live in Jeffersonville. Mr. and Mrs. Ed Hartmann of Cochecton are the grandparents. — Cochecton Corresp.

Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Ferber of Callicoon RD are parents of a baby daughter born February 16 at the Liberty-Loomis Hospital. Mrs. Ferber was the recipient of a baby shower recently at the home of Mrs. George Hubbert, with about fifty attending.

50 Years Ago - 1973

Jerry Jacobs, son of Mr. and Mrs. Max Jacobs of Loch Sheldrake Rd., Liberty, has been designated as a Merit Finalist and will be considered for a Merit Scholarship and a college-sponsored 4-year scholarship. He ranks first in his class at Liberty Central School.

Mr. and Mrs. George Rohrmann of Cochecton have announced the engagement of their daughter, Nancy, to Durwood O. Powell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ora Powell of Cochecton ...Mr. and Mrs. Roy Van Fradenburg of White Lake have announced the engagement of their daughter, Nancy, to Michael Rubino, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Rubino of Obernburg. A June wedding is planned.

Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Winglovitz Jr. of Cochecton announce the birth of a son, Gary, on January 29, at Wayne Memorial Hospital in Honesdale, Pa. He has two older brothers at home.

On February 14, a baby girl was born to Mr. and Mrs. Michael LeJoie of Jeffersonville; on the 16th, a baby boy was born to Mr. and Mrs. Carl Hellerer. In Livingston Manor, it was a daughter for Mr. and Mrs. Philip Macken on February 5; a preemie was born to Mr. and Mrs. John Roser who had to be taken by ambulance to Albany. At this report he is holding his own.

February 10, a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Clair Bee Jr. of Roscoe, at the Liberty-Loomis Hospital.

40 Years Ago - 1983

A donation in the amount of $25,000 has been made by the Firefighters Burn Treatment Fund of Orange, Ulster, Sullivan and Dutchess Counties to the Westchester County Medical Center for the continued care, treatment and rehabilitation of the patients. This is the first major contribution to the Westchester hospital since the fund was started in May 1975. Since then $337,000 has been given to the Albany Medical Center. Total contributions and interest earned from deposits have totaled more than $413,000.

Lazare Kaplan, at 99, is the oldest living member of the Livingston Manor’s Rotary Club. A world-famous master of diamond cutting, Mr. Kaplan has owned a Town of Rockland farm for decades and was recently honored for his large contributions to the education of young people from the town and the county.

Kristen Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Vakiener of Binghamton, was baptized February 13 at the Calvary United Methodist Church in Vestal. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Widmann of Callicoon and Mrs. Henry Vakiener of Youngsville.

Pvt. Bernard R. Bantin of Woodbourne has completed military police training at the U.S. Army Military Police School, Fort McClellan, Ala.

Richard Priebe Jr. and Mary Rieger of Cochecton were married Saturday at Holy Cross Church in Callicoon.

Announcement has been made of the engagement of Lori Catherine Krug of Roscoe to Leif Kaufman of Muir, Pa. No date has been set for the wedding. . . Stephani Ceil Wilson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John DeForest Wilson of South Fallsburg, is planning a May 7 wedding with Scott Robinson Humrickhouse. The young couple live in Raleigh, N.C.  . . . Mr. and Mrs. Walter Meers of Narrowsburg have announced the engagement of their daughter, Karen Ann, to Scott David Birney, also of Narrowsburg.

30 Years Ago - 1993

The Sullivan County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) Wednesday gave Woodstock festival promoter John Roberts and his backers 90 days to come up with a detailed and approved plan to stage a 25th anniversary celebration in Bethel or bow out of the picture. At the same time, the county announced plans to acquire the 38-acre site at Hurd Road and West Shore Drive by condemnation, whoever stages the event.

Inward House, a residential drug treatment center based in Liberty and the Bronx, celebrated its 25th anniversary by “giving back” to the community in the form of a free concert on February 15 at Sullivan County Community College. Founded in 1968 by Diane and Raymond Giella, the establishment grew into a 50-bed rural residential treatment facility for adult male chronic drug abusers in Liberty to supplement Inward House’s intake-induction site in the Bronx.

More than 275 persons attended the 12th annual Sullivan County get-together held in Pompano Beach, Fla., on February 8.

Just one week after being named Sullivan County Conservationist of the Year 1993, Thomas M. Callihan of Monticello died February 18 at the Community General Hospital in Harris. He was 46 years of age.

Career Systems Development Corp. of Rochester has been awarded a $12,455,244 contract to manage the Delaware Valley Job Corps Center in Callicoon for the next two years. This brings the total to three centers in New York to be managed by the corporation.

A total of 560 hearty souls braved bone-chilling temperatures and occasional snow flurries to participate in this year’s “King of the Ice” fishing contest, sponsored by the Sullivan County Conservation Club. Larry Labagh of Middletown won the title.

20 Years Ago - 2003

Harry and Beverly Parsons of Callicoon Center announce the engagement of their daughter, Jamie, to Perry DeWitt, son of Daniel and Carol DeWitt of Livingston Manor.

John and Kathy Armbrust of Kenoza Lake announce the engagement of their daughter, Shannon, to Michael Henke, son of Kim Henke of Callicoon and the late Michael B. Henke.

Even though times are tough, people still gave in spades this past Saturday at the 25th annual WSUL Heart-A-Thon at Kutsher’s County Club in Monticello. The donations raised during the day set a new record of $62,983. This year’s co-chairs were Ira Gold and Sharon Jankiewicz.

The home of Anthony Colletti in Callicoon Center went up in flames and smoke early yesterday morning, completely gutting the decades-old structure. No one was home at the time, but the house was undergoing renovations and was a complete loss.

John Theadore, 16, of North Branch, has been honored for his exemplary volunteer service with a state-level Certificate of Excellence from the 2003 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program. 

A boy, Alex Brey Gildersleeve, was born January 9, 2003, to Shelly Sammann and Guy Gildersleeve of White Sulphur Springs.

10 Years Ago - 2013

Livingston Manor is gearing up for a week-long celebration of Alaska’s 1,100-mile Dog Sled Race from Anchorage to Nome – the Iditarod. To mark the occasion, the film “Toughest Race on Earth: Iditarod” will be shown, and Sunday Iditarod Musher Kim Darst and her sled dog “Cotton” will be at Morgan Outdoors.

Katie’s Café in Narrowsburg, sponsored and hosted by St. Paul’s and St. Francis-Xavier Roman Catholic Church, will celebrate its second anniversary. Members of both congregations work together to provide a safe and warm environment for all entering the parish hall. Since 2011, Katie’s Café has served up homemade meals on a monthly basis. The Café is named after Katharina Von Bora, the wife of Martin Luther, a leader in the Reformation.  

The final league match-up between Liberty and Sullivan West basketball teams brought out some legendary faces to the Liberty gymnasium last Wednesday. Sullivan County Court Judge Michael McGuire has become the voice of the Liberty Indians, adding his own style of announcing, music and entertainment to keep the game exciting. Former Liberty Athletic Director Harry Rapenske was present, as was current Athletic Director John Wilhelm, Kurt Scheibe Jr., Patrick Donovan and former Rapenske student Rick Ellison. All four of the men have coached or are coaching teams at both Liberty and Sullivan West. Rapenske said he coached baseball, football and basketball “back in the day. And I also started a swimming program.”