110 Years Ago - 1912

Saturday afternoon, during the heavy thunderstorm, lightning struck the chimney of Jacob Dreher’s house in the Beechwoods, and nearly killed two little girls, Louisa Dreher and Helmar Neumann of Brooklyn, who were sitting on the lounge. The house sustained slight damage but did not catch fire.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. August Felske of Callicoon, on Wednesday morning, a son.

Out of nine graduates from the Liberty High School this year, four were from Jeffersonville, viz: Gertrude Godoman, Louise Wilfert, Floyd P. Hust and John Behnken.

The Liberty Athletic Society has arranged with George Lowe of Jeffersonville for the conveyance of passengers in his large 16-passenger “Thomas Car” to and from Liberty and points along the line to Jeffersonville on the evening of the great boxing match that is to be held at Liberty July 4th. Twenty-eight rounds of boxing will be offered.

Preparations for the picnic which is to be held July 4th in White Sulphur Springs are nearly completed. Dinner will be served at noon until all are served, the charge being 25¢. The program for the afternoon will consist of races, a ball game between Stevensville and the local nine and in all likelihood day fireworks. A festival and display of fireworks will take place in the evening. The Egypt Fife and Drum Corps will perform.

100 Years Ago - 1922

Fishermen report large numbers of bass in the Callicoon Creek at Callicoon. They saw the high water prevailing in the Delaware for the past few weeks as having sent the bass up the creek as far as Falls Mills. Hundreds have been caught in this tributary of the Delaware.

Saturday afternoon, Floyd Wright, who is employed by R.F. Anderson, went into the woods to cut a pole. In walking through some large horse brakes, he nearly stepped on a large snake. Securing a stick, Wright dispatched the reptile, a blacksnake that measured five feet ten inches.

This week Hurleyville received its fire engine, the outfit cost $5,500.

Amos J. Mitchell, past 80 and a Civil War veteran, is suffering with gangrene in the toes, brought on, it is said, by a corn.

Roelin Peterson, 47, who died in Wurtsboro last week, had a trace of Indian blood in his veins. He was a native of Centerville.

90 Years Ago - 1932

After fifty years of active law practice in Liberty, David S. Hill, Sullivan County’s veteran attorney is still working at his chosen profession every day. He celebrated this 78th birthday yesterday but it made no difference in his regular routine at the office. He spent his birthday working.

Mrs. A. Bauer, Mrs. A. Schmidt and Mrs. Carl Eltz and their babies were discharged from the Callicoon Hospital. ... A daughter, Dorothy Ann, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Otto Gerhardt of White Sulphur Springs Saturday a.m.

A card to the Democrat from Paul A.A. Rouis, secretary of the Democratic County Committee, from Chicago, Ill., stated that he enjoyed the convention there immensely. He also professed to be pleased at the nomination of Roosevelt and Garner.

The creamery at Youngs-ville, which has changed hands many times, has been finally sold to a concern which we believe will give the creamery a permanent management. The new owner, Fairmont Creamery Co., took possession June 16.

Wayne County folks who border on the Delaware anticipate much from Route 3A. Perhaps this new approach when finished will divert much of the through traffic of the present route from Pennsylvania to connect at Narrowsburg for New York City instead of the present line of travel via Hawley and Milford.

80 Years Ago - 1942

Irene Mosher of Damascus, Pa., and Warren Deyo of Kerhonkson were united in marriage by Rev. M.D. Kerr at the Baptist Church of Damascus on June 28.

Mr. and Mrs. Edmund Puerschner of Jeffersonville are the parents of a baby girl born June 26; Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Turner of Damascus, Pa., are the parents of a girl, born June 28, both at the Callicoon Hospital.

Apollonia Hoffmann of Hankins became the bride of Mark Callahan of Watervliet at a Nuptial Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Hankins on June 27.

The Town of Callicoon Centennial Celebration was a success. The first event of its kind in the section attracted nearly 4,000 people. The float from Callicoon Center displayed several old time crafts. Henry Leins cut out a wooden scoop. Mrs. Hauser put a rye straw bottom in a chair and Elmer Knack framed heavy timbers, using a boring machine. The biggest attraction of celebration, however, was its museum of old time tools and equipment for shop, farm, home and kitchen.

Mr. and Mrs. William Glaub of Narrowsburg have received word from the War Department that their son, Sgt. William F. Glaub, is reported “missing in action.” Ensign H. Russell Kenyon, grandson of Rev. and Mrs. N.R. Feagles Sr., Narrowsburg, is also reported missing in action. He was serving on the USS Hornet.

A burned-off journal resulted in the derailment of a loaded box car in the westbound train at White House curve last Sunday morning. Damage was nominal. Service was restored by 1 p.m.

All of the newlyweds in town were serenaded in proper fashion last Saturday night. Mr. and Mrs. Wm. J. Metzger were given a rousing skimmelton at their home and the large crowd of noisemakers then went to the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Karl Ebers where they made a double haul as Mr. and Mrs. James Vanderpoel were visiting there. After the second session the serenaders and all of the newlyweds went to the Olympia Hotel where refreshments were served and the fun continued into the wee hours of the morning.

After 41 years of loyal service, Frank Tyler retired July 1st, as postmaster in Galilee, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Rutledge will take over the position as the post office is located in their store.

70 Years Ago - 1952

Mr. and Mrs. John Carter of Narrowsburg are the parents of a daughter born Sunday; Mr. and Mrs. Henry DeBona of North Branch are the parents of a daughter, born Monday, both at the Callicoon Hospital.

From the Editorial: Want to see a heartwarming sight? If you do, go to the Callicoon playground and pool and see the fun that our youngsters are having these hot days. The water in the pool is better than ever this year — clear as crystal and chemically purified.

Among the graduates to receive diplomas in the graduation of eighty-one Army and Air Force Chaplains at Fort Slocum was Chaplain 1st Lt. Timothy J. Quinn, a resident of Jessup, Pa., and who will be remembered as a former pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Hankins and a resident of St. Joseph’s Seminary, Callicoon.

The marriage of Miss Elizabeth Ray of Woodridge to Burgess Peters of Pleasant Valley took place on June 29th at the Presbyterian Church in Jeffersonville.

“Yodeler” Gary Taggart of Tyler Hill, Pa., will appear on television on the Horn & Hardart Children’s Hour July 6. This will be broadcast from New York on Channel 4 and radio station WNBC.

Mr. and Mrs. William Branning of Equinunk, Pa., celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on June 3.

60 Years Ago - 1962

Miss Dolores Tedesco of Closter, N.J., became the bride of James R. Keesler, son of Mr. and Mrs. Everett Keesler on June 30.

Brandywine A. Laurie of Hankins, a collie owned by Kit Powers, took a best of breed puppy at the Wallkill Kennel Club Show in Middletown. Also at the show was Lady Trilene of Rocklawn, owned by Jill Makela of Hankins. She was a winner of the novice class best of breed, adult.

Miss June Stetka, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Steven Stetka of Cochecton Center, was  a recent graduate of the University of Michigan. She will leave July 15th for the United Air Line Stewardess Training School in preparation for becoming a stewardess for the airline.

Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Medlar of Callicoon celebrated their silver anniversary June 30 with a supper at the Arlington Hotel in Binghamton, sponsored by their six children, all of whom attended.

Mr. and Mrs. Perry L. Bowers of Kauneonga Lake observed their 60th wedding anniversary and Mrs. Bowers’ 87th birthday on Sunday, June 24.

The news is out: Callicoon is to have a new post office. The Whitmore lot is said to be the location, located on River Road.

Niles Fairbairn of Livingston Manor has again accepted a position with the Walt Disney studios, this time to train five otters for a forthcoming movie yet unnamed. One of his present otters, Flash, star of the Disney movie, “Flash, the Teenage Otter,” will also be used in the scheduled film.

50 years ago - 1972

Leo and Catherine Hemmer of Jeffersonville celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at the Firemen’s  Hall on June 18.

William Gozza, 16-year-old son of Town of Liberty Councilman Peter Gozza and Mrs. Gozza, and Christopher A. Goble, 16, son of Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Goble of Sprague Ave., Liberty, were killed in a one-car accident which took place at 10:30 p.m. on Old Route 17 near Parksville. Both boys were passengers in a car driven by John Filipovitz, 17, of Ferndale, who sustained a cerebral concussion in the mishap. Three other passengers, Ronald Brace, John Yuen and Steve Shelvey, all of Liberty, escaped serious injury when they were ejected from the wreckage.

Elaine Lee Neer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Neer of Callicoon Center, has just completed her seventh consecutive year of perfect attendance at the Jeff-Y Central School. She is twelve years old.

Miss Mary E. Phillips, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H.M. Phillips of Callicoon, was united in marriage with Robert J. Orf, son of Mr. Ulrich J. and the late Mrs. Thelma Orf of River Edge, N.J., and Stalker, Pa., on June 24.

Linda Rae Snyder, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. Lynn Snyder of Equinunk, Pa., became the bride of Craig Koons of Huntington Mills on June 21.

40 Years Ago - 1982

The Rev. and Mrs. William Robertson, formerly of Coxsackie, have been assigned to the Monticello Methodist Church and began duties there this week.

About 8,000 chiefs and their families filled the Concord and a number of other hotels, including The Raleigh, Kutsher’s and The Pines while attending the N.Y. Fire Chief’s Association Convention at the Concord Resort in Kiamesha Lake. The tennis courts and inside facilities provided a show place for the many trucks offered by manufacturers at the convention.

Dr. Joseph A. Nebzydoski of Pleasant Mount, Pa., received his doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in Philadelphia, Pa., on May 17. He has entered into practice with his brother, Dr. Henry J. Nebzydoski at Pleasant Mount, Pa.

Susan H. Rampe and James C. Nash were married May 22 by Justice of the Peace Miles Ellison in Neversink. A reception followed at the Dodge Inn in Rock Hill.

Janet Lashinsky of Monticello and Irving Kaplan of South Fallsburg were married June 6 at Temple Sinai in Middletown.

Conrail has promised a group of leading area businessmen that freight operation along the southern tier line – the old Erie-Lackawanna line – ill continue for at least five years. The news comes after a long period in which many feared the line would be abandoned leaving big Southern Tier shippers in the lurch.

An expert on covered bridges will be asked to inspect the historic Vantran Covered Bridge located just outside Livingston Manor to determine what repairs are necessary to reopen the bridge to traffic. The bridge has been closed to vehicular traffic for several years due to its deteriorating condition. Several years ago, a steel beam was placed under the bridge to keep it standing, although it is now sagging at both ends.

Richard C. Williams of Jeffersonville and Julius I. Freyberger of Callicoon were among distinguished members of the Masonic Order to be installed into office at ceremonies held on St. John’s Day, June 19, in Utica. Mr. Williams will serve as District Deputy Grand master of the Sullivan District. Mr. Freyberger was appointed Grand Director of Ceremonies.

St. Anthony of Padua Church in Yulan celebrated its 75th Diamond Jubilee on June 12 and 13. The ushers at the Diamond Jubilee Mass dressed in appropriate formal dress of the 1907 era.

Harry Bishop of Jeffersonville was the winner of the first Catskill Bass Club tournament, held on Briscoe Lake, hauling in two bass with a total weight of 4lbs. 12 oz. Second place, with two fish weighing 3 lbs. 8 oz., went to Bill Draudt of Youngsville.

30 Years Ago - 1992

The Sullivan County Democrat welcomed a new reporter recently. Laurie Ramie has been employed for the past four years by Park Newspapers of St. Lawrence County. Earlier this year she was honored by the New York State Bar Association with a certificate of merit for investigative journalism, based on her contribution to a series of articles written about the criminal adjudication of a local town justice and school teacher in St. Lawrence County for sexual abuse of a child.

Adam Naumovitz of Eldred school broke the school record in the 400 meter dash in the last race of his high school career. He clocked a 51.7 at the New York State Qualifier in Kingston’s Dietz Stadium last month. And the man whose record he broke, Keith Hocker of Livingston Manor, stopped by his home the night before the race to wish him luck. Hocker set his record of 52.0 in 1978.

A 50-year-old P-51 Mustang, the plane that had helped the British drive off the German aerial onslaught against their land in the early days of World War II when the German Luftwaffe had vowed to level every major city and bring England to its knees, was the first plane to arrive for the air show scheduled at the Sullivan County International Airport in mid-July. Landing at 100 miles an hour, the plane was the first of its kind that many spectators had ever seen. The British needed an American-made fighter plane to help their own Hurricanes and Spitfires beat off the ME-109s and own the Heinkles and Junkers before they could reach their English targets. The plane, with a Rolls Royce Merlin engine, was designed in England and produced in the United States. The “Dixie Belle,” piloted by George Roberts, was the advance guard for a bevy of World War II bombers and fighters that will be on display at the airport from July 15 to 19.

Monticello’s premiere truck driver, Henry “Hank” Good, shipped his famed rig overseas to participate in a host of truck shows throughout Germany. The trip was sponsored by German corporations who were anxious to have Good show off his award-winning Kennelworth cab in Europe for the eight-week stint.

Following the 28th commencement of Sullivan County Community College, a reception was held at Kutsher’s to honor Harold Diamond who has completed 25 years as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the college.

20 Years Ago - 2002

Opponents and supporters of a 100-foot tall Independent Wireless One (Sprint) cell phone tower on property owned by Fred and Judy Emery  on White Roe Lake Road offered contrasting opinions at the Town of Rockland Planning Board public hearing last Wednesday night. Although the board ultimately approved the tower, 90 minutes of heated discussion preceded that vote.

Once again, a power plant in Monticello got a chilly reception by the village board. The Calpine Corporation has been considering constructing a power plant next to the Sullivan County Landfill. To do so, Calpine must purchase the contiguous property from the county (they are currently in negotiations on the purchase). Calpine has received support from both the county and the town. The village denied support the first time it was brought before them about two months ago — and did so once again on Monday.

Parksville resident Matt Manzi, 17, won the first annual Fighting Fires 5K in a time of 17:13. The run was held Sunday by the Smallwood-Mongaup Valley Fire Department to raise funds for the department. Manzi will be a senior at Liberty Central School this fall. The overall women’s winner was Kathleen Rifkin of Middletown in 22:59.

Monticello native Bob Edwards has become an expert in trap shooting. Next Sunday, he will become  the 43rd person inducted into the Trap Shooters Hall of Fame in Cicero, New York, and the first Sullivan County resident to do so.

10 Years Ago - 2012

County legislators recently lauded Forestburgh resident Jim Galligan in June for his 37 years of service to the county. Called back from retirement three different times, Galligan most recently finished serving as interim administrator of the Sullivan County Adult Care Center, which just landed a $1.1 million state grant for much-needed improvements. Galligan and his wife, Ellen, now plan to actually enjoy their retirement.

DEATHS: Irving Salzman, 91, of Clearwater, passed away June 29, 2012. He was raised in Monticello... On June 27, 2012, Sheela Stainton Kingsbury died in a farming accident in Danby, NY at age 58... Mike Loizeaux of Beaverkill, husband of Ellen Loizeaux of the Shop in the Valley in Roscoe, died Sunday, July 1, 2012, at age 88... Frank G. Finn of Liberty died Monday, July 9, 2012 at his home. He was 89.

The June meeting of the Town of Highland Town Board opened with a moment of silence for Klendon Kirby, who passed away June 3, and the adoption of a resolution of remembrance and respect. The board acknowledged his daughter Georgia with a presentation. 

Swan Lake 17-year-old Mae Bonnaci earned repeated applause at the recent County Legislature meeting for her 41⁄2 years of volunteerism with Sullivan County CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates). From coordinating holiday parties to assisting other volunteers and children, Bonnaci has become a fixture at CASA.