140 Years Ago - 1884

It is reported on good authority that a $50 counterfeit bill is circulating in this vicinity. We therefore duly notify our patrons and subscribers that nothing higher than $25 bills will be received at this office at one time. This is merely to insure personal safety.

The Monticello Post office has been raised from the Fourth to the Third in rank to take effect on and after July 1st. This is in consequence of an increase of business.

The Prattsville News, a neat little paper hailing from Greene County, condenses the sum and substance of editorial quarrels in Sullivan County in the following manner:

The Sullivan County newspapers seem to have a hard time determining their politics. The editors have been swearing to their creed and at each other.

The whortleberry crop around the village of Narrowsburg reported a total failure. The daily shipments at that point during the season of 1873 averaged 50 bushels per day; the daily average shipment this season is only 18 bushels.

Picnics and pretty Sunday School banners are all the rage around here.

Owing to the frequent showers which we have been inundated with this season has caused much trouble to our farmers in haying.

Rondout clamors for a gymnasium while her unpretentious compatriot, Jeffersonville, boasts of two of these muscle developing institutions.

The State Assessors do not appear to be of the opinion that Sullivan County is sufficiently taxed and have in view a plan to burden the county of an additional $50,000.

Henry Gurd of Liberty Falls is engaged in erecting a new tannery on the site of the old one which burned a short time ago.

130 Years Ago - 1894

Old hunters say they never heard of a fox climbing a tree, but Bernard Keegan of Kenoza Lake, a man of unimpeachable veracity, vouches for the truth of the following: A few weeks ago his chickens began to disappear very rapidly and he was unable to discover the thief until one morning on arising earlier than usual, he found a fox in his woodshed. He immediately set the dog on the animal, which came out and ran up a tree near at hand. Mr. Keegan followed and knocked him down with a club and the dog put an end to his career.

At the auction, all sale of blooded cattle on Mr. Bacon’s farm at Thompsonville last week, cows brought from $30 to $45 per head and horses sold for from $18 to $125.

Mr. Farey of Maple Grove Cottage, Cochecton, had a narrow escape during the electric storm Monday. He was sitting in his wagon in the barn when the lightning struck the roof, jumped down and knocked the brake block off the wagon, stunning Mr. Farley and then passed through the floor. 

Mrs. Lizzie Halliday, who has been on trial for murder, was convicted of murder in the first degree. The jury apparently believing that she is only feigning insanity.

With this issue the Sullivan County Record closes the twenty-sixth year of its existence and like rye whiskey, will keep right on improving with age. (N.B.– Contemporaries will please refrain from utilizing the above comparison as a mark for their wit, for we really don’t indulge.)(Editor’s note: N.B. is short for “nota bene,” a Latin phrase meaning “note well.”)

120 Years Ago - 1904

Miss Kate Scheidell is laid up by tonsillitis.

Frank Laufersweiler has placed a new iron fence along the front of his lot on Maple Avenue.

The town is getting very lively again, with the arrival of city guests, and the summer bustle is on among our business people.

John Beck of this place has taken a general agency for the Security Mutual Life Insurance Co. of Binghamton, with authority to establish agencies.

An Edison phonograph concert will be given in the chapel tonight by Henry Rau of New York now living in the Clos house. Mr. Rau has a long program of the latest selections and his phonograph is very loud and distinct.

John D. Rockefeller, the Standard Oil king, is stopping at Mrs. Bryon Angel’s at Fallsburgh.

Miss H. Ada Pintler of White Lake, a student of the New York City Normal School, has passed the highest in her examinations and attained the highest class standing as honor student of her class.

The barn, with all its contents, belonging to John Deckelman of Obernburg was destroyed by fire at about 5 o’clock Thursday afternoon, June 23. 

The Liberty Herald has again changed hands. Frank B. Knapp of Nyack, who bought it twice within the past month, has sold it to J.D. Jones, formerly of White Lake, who was for some time traveling representative of the Livingston Manor Ensign. 

Several instances have been reported where rural mail boxes have been tampered with. Probably those who have been guilty of such offenses are not aware of the gravity of the crime or the penalty attached thereto. The offenders, if caught, will not be brought before a justice of the peace and then let off with a small fine, but will find themselves under the charge of a United States Marshal and will be taken to Ludlow Street Jail, New York. The maximum penalty for such offenses is $1,000 or three years in prison.

110 Years Ago - 1914

Miss Minnie T. Bietz, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Bietz of Jeffersonville, and Harry V. Bacon of Toronto, Canada, were married at the Reformed Church at 10:30 o’clock July 4 by Rev. H.G. Coenen. The ceremony was witnessed by the relatives of the bride and a number of friends. The church was decorated for the occasion with flowers and flags. The couple were attended by George Bietz, cousin, and Miss Esther Bietz, sister of the bride. A splendid dinner was served at the bride’s home and the couple left in the afternoon for New York where they will reside, after a trip to the groom’s former home in Toronto. Mr. Bacon is an electrician and was formerly superintendent of the Western Sullivan Telephone Co.’s lines, while his bride was chief operator at the telephone central here. They will reside at 126 West 65th St., New York.

Fifty years ago, Frederick Hessinger and Anna Dorothea Staib were married at Callicoon, and on Saturday their relatives and friends gathered from far and near to participate in the festivities of their golden wedding.

It was indeed an occasion which those who attended will have cause to long remember. The wedding supper was served in the spacious parlor of the Hessinger homestead at 6 o’clock. The room was beautifully decorated with cut flowers. Suspended over the heads of the happy bride and groom hung a wedding bell artistically constructed of daisies. The bell was the handiwork of some friends.

Seth Etz has bought a Ford car of C.G. Yager.

The dam which the United  States Government is planning to construct at Troy across the Hudson River will wipe out a number of factories and mills in that region using water power. The head furnished by the dam will be utilized to generate about 6,000 horsepower, and this will be sold to the mills, and factories at cost. However, the companies will be required to pay the cost of building the powerhouse. It is estimated that the amount of power utilized will be three times as much as has heretofore been employed.

Fred H. Starck has bought the coal and feed business of Richard Schrumpf at Callicoon and takes possession July 10th.

The Callicoon Water Co. has sunk an artesian well 260 feet deep for a supply of water during dry spells. The well will supply fifty gallons of water a minute.

Kenoza Lake — Mrs. Elbert Garrigan of New York is spending a few days with her parents, John Demar and wife. Miss Ethel Wilson has returned to Middletown after spending a few days at J. Puerschner’s.

North Branch — Jacob Metz-ger, Mr. Ettinger and wife, Mrs. Heller and Mrs. Dorsch, all of New York, have arrived to spend the season at Henry Heberlein’s North Branch Hotel.

100 Years Ago - 1924

A high tension wire of the electric light company dropped from its fastenings on the pole at Masonic Hall Sunday noon, and created a danger zone for pedestrians until replaced by the local lineman, Charles Hoffman.

August Lott Jr. has returned home from Saunders Trade School in Yonkers where he took a two-year course in auto mechanics, drawing mathematics, science and English. His parents attended the graduation exercises.

The Cortland Cart & Carriage Co. of Sidney, manufacturers of the Hatfield automobiles, has gone into the hands of a receiver. Lack of funds has cast the company on the rocks. Considerable stock of the company is held by people in this community.

Mrs. Ethel A. Scheidell, who removed from Jeffersonville to Liberty, has begun work on a new house which she will have built on a lot purchased of Robert Hobart, on Carrier Street, in that village.

On the evening of June 24, the Liberty Board of Health met at the Farm Bureau office for a conference on milk problems with J.D. Brew, state specialist, Village president Wm. P. Young, A.F. Armstrong, Marvin LeRoy, Theo. S. Keesler, Wm. G. Birmingham and Dr. L.C. Payne.

The Board voted to permit no milk to be sold in Liberty unless it came from tuberculin-tested cattle. The dairymen will be prohibited from selling milk unless their cattle have been tested before January 1, 1925.

The Farm Bureau manager informed the Board that the cattlemen would have to get their applications in during the week of July 14 if they desired to get a test.

A daughter was born July 1 to Mr. and Mrs. Norman Roth of Jeffersonville.

90 years ago - 1934

Mayor Huff warns the users of village water that the reservoir is getting low and the water should not be used for sprinkling purposes.

While returning from Middletown Tuesday evening about 5:30, the car driven by Mrs. E.H. Nichols of Liberty skidded on the wet pavement and overturned below Monticello. Many cars passed without stopping to give aid. Finally two trucks picked up the occupants of the wrecked car and brought them to Liberty. Mrs. Nichols received a long gash on her arm, in which Dr. Payne put 42 stitches. Mrs. Reginald Schillinger of White Sulphur Springs also received a cut from broken glass.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry G. Paul have moved from Narrowsburg to their bungalow on the south side of Lake Jefferson, which they will occupy for the summer. In the fall they will move to Livingston Manor where Mr. Paul is engaged as school physical director. Mrs. Paul (the former Edith Gain) retires from the Narrowsburg School where she has taught several years.

Kenoza Lake was thronged with bass fishermen from far and near last Sunday when the season for the game fish opened. Many fish were taken out of the lake that day, the largest one, a bass weighing 6 pounds 1 ounce, being captured by Louis C. Moderjohn of New York who used a bug and five ounce fly rod. Ed Schwalbe who has a photography studio here, got a big mess of bass and pickerel.

Jeffersonville and all the other villages getting electric current were without service for several hours last Saturday morning on account of two large transformers burning out at the substation at 2 that morning. Lineman Paul Schwatz, with an engineer from the Liberty office, had just hooked up an extra transformer to take care of the increase in summer business and were leaving the station near the creamery when an arc suddenly started a fire, and before they could do anything in the very dangerous situation with a 23,000 volt current, two transformers were destroyed. Two other transformers were procured from Monticello and the service here was resumed about 9 o’clock.

New York State’s one percent retail sales tax, placed in effect a year ago by the legislature and Gov. Lehman to overcome a treasury deficit, expired at the close of business on June 30. The total revenue, tax department president Mark Graves said, probably will reach the budgetary estimate of $30 million.

The new state law requiring omnibuses and trucks to be equipped with flares, torches or lanterns went into effect at midnight Saturday, June 30th. This law affects all buses with a seating capacity of 10 or more passengers and trucks with a carrying capacity of 4,000 pounds or more.

Fred W.V. Schadt was in Albany last week to take the state bar examination. On his return, he brought his younger brother, Willard, from the state ranger camp at Cranberry Lake, who will spend two weeks vacation at his home here.

Science has great things in store for us. One of the inventions it will shortly offer is a combination of paper and cellophane for use as underclothing. What a convenience this will be when a man wants to make a few notes and finds he can surreptitiously draw upon the shirt tail for copy paper. Being in extremis and wishing to make a will, he can revise his property on the BVDs. What a boon to mankind.

80 years ago - 1944

Dr. Max Epstein, who bought the Fred Faubel property in the Delaware section of this village, has opened an office there for practice. The doctor, who is 43, was graduated from the New York Medical College and Flower Hospital in 1927 and practiced for a number of years in the city. He responded to the call for doctors in the army and was not accepted because of a diabetic condition. In 1943, he came to Cochecton Center and bought the Michael Dougherty farm, whence he moved here with his wife, a son and a daughter.

Miss Lillian, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. August Knack, Callicoon, and Albert, son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Freyer, Hortonville, were united in marriage on June 21 at St. Paul’s parsonage, Callicoon Center, by Rev. J.E. Straub. Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Conklin attended them.

Rev. Joseph Novach of the Jeffersonville Presbyterian Church will be installed as pastor of the Lake Huntington Church next Sunday evening. The service will be in charge of Rev. Robinson of Hillburn. Other ministers taking part are Luther M. Hollister, Stony Point; W.A. Crawford, Monticello; Benjamin Ashton, Bethel; and J. Douglas Gaston, Liberty. Rev. Kovach has been supplying the Lake Huntington Church since George H. Winn left a few months ago as chaplain in the Navy.

A daughter, Cynthia Kay, was born June 24th to Mr. and Mrs. Roland J. Murphy (nee Doris Hick) of Niagara Falls. Grandma Mrs. Charles Hick went to the Murphy home to help care for the new arrival. Mrs. Louis Smith (Rita Hick) is in Jeff taking care of Dad while Mom’s away.

If the picture shown in the movie newsreel gives a true picture of the manner in which  the jeeps are customarily driven, we predict a short life for the family bus when the boys get home and once more take their position behind the family steering wheel. The family bus was never meant for such a life.

Youngsville — A son, David Carl, was born June 20 at the Liberty Hospital to Mr. and Mrs. Werner Gurtner of Youngsville. The mother is the former Jean L. Sparling and her first husband was the late Harry Boband, from which union she has a son, Allan Edward Boband, 17.

Miss Shirley LeRoy, one of our sweet girl graduates, is clerking at the Jeff Pharmacy for the summer. Another graduate of the same vintage, Miss Mollie Manzolillo, is helping out at the Amber Store where her sister, Irene, is also employed.

70 years ago - 1954

Carole Adele Rittershausen, daughter of Mrs. and Mrs. A.W. Rittershausen of South Nyack, recently became the bride of Stanley Richard Byron of San Mateo, Calif., at the Cornell University Chapel. Both are students at Cornell.

The idea proposed by voters in the Jeffersonville Central School District, that the school’s basement be converted into classrooms or a cafeteria, has been rejected by the Division of School Buildings and Grounds of the State Education Department. It was recommended that the Board of Education “plan a one-story addition, to be added to the building.”

Dick von Bergen won first prize last Sunday during the annual shooting match held by the Callicoon Center Scheutzen Verein on their range at the Bury farm.

Jack Gohde, village policeman in Jeff for the summer months, has issued six summonses for parking violations and one for speeding as of Wednesday night, in his first week of duty. Patrolman Gohde will serve until September 7.

The Callicoon Center Band, under the direction of Ray Shaara, opened its weekly band concerts at the bandstand in Callicoon Center last Tuesday night.

With but 30 seconds to go in the last round of his first 10-round main event fight, Libby Manzo, tiring from the grueling, lengthy pace, was knocked down for the count of nine by Sandy Sandler, World’s Featherweight Champion at the St. Nicholas Arena in New York City last Monday night.

60 years ago - 1964

Monticello Raceway will present its first day-night doubleheader this Saturday, July 4, and the holiday attraction promises to be one of the best ever offered since the Might M inaugurated dual programs in 1959.

Four JYCS students received 100 percent marks on regents examinations: Willard Schadt in Mathematics, and Bethany Fuller, Barbara Krongel and Loretta Tauss, all in typewriting. Linda Beaver received a four-year perfect attendance award.

On June 26th Miss Marilyn Schmidt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Schmidt of North Branch, became the bride of Edwin Chellis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Chellis of Jeffersonville.

Edward C. Sykes, president of the Sullivan County Restaurant Liquor Dealers Association, has warned members of his group to be ready for a crack-down by the Liquor Authority and police agents in this area in the very near future. He called attention to state crime statistics recently released that placed Sullivan County near the top of the list in the number of offenses.

Cooperative GLF Exchange, Inc., and Eastern States Farmer’s Exchange, Inc., two of the nation’s oldest farmer cooperatives, officially becomes Agway, Inc., on July 1. The name of GLF in Liberty, Cochecton and Callicoon, which was the Delaware Valley GLF, will now be known as Agway Inc., Delaware Valley Service.

Fireworks, saved for organized licensed displays, have been outlawed in grounds of safety and with them have gone the traditional Fourth of July our fathers and their fathers and we, in our youth, knew.

50 years ago - 1974

The 7th Annual Upper Delaware Canoe Regatta, scheduled to be held on its traditional date of the last Sunday in July, the 28th, is slated to be bigger and better than ever but with one noticeable difference – the General Committee which has run the function since its inception is going out of existence, and the popular sports event will now be sponsored by the Callicoon Volunteer Fire Department.

You could almost hear the puff of steam engines and the plaintive roar of their whistles last Saturday afternoon at the Harmonie Hall of Callicoon’s Western Hotel when 60 oldtime employees gathered together for a happy reunion, organized by Neil Tobin and Lewis Cole, and which all hoped will become an annual affair. Francis Huff, recently retired as Trainmaster of the New York Division, headquartered in Port Jervis, acted as Master of Ceremonies, and had a host of railroad yarns to relate, many connected with prominent members of the audience.

Workmen are erecting the newest building at the Blueberry Hill Sarah Wells Girl Scout Council Camp in Liberty. The structure will be in readiness for next week when the camp begins to host various troop members who are starting their visits with the close of the school year.

Scott Makela, son of Mr. and Mrs. Vilho Makela of Hankins, has been chosen on the all-state team of the Independent College Athletic Conference. Playing for Rochester Institute of Technology where he is in his junior year, Makela was outstanding at third base with over a .900 fielding average. At the plate, he hit .261 and had 7 runs batted in.

Miss Terry Steenrod of Liberty became the bride of Douglas P. Leahey of Cleveland, Ohio, on June 15.

Mrs. Martha McGrath, librarian, and Mr. Willard Slausenberg, music teacher, will be leaving the Delaware Valley Central School system with their retirement. Best wishes to you both.

Miss Elise Andjkar and Joseph Freda, both of Callicoon, were married June 9 at the Conklin Hill (Pa.) Church.

40 years ago - 1984

First Holy Communion was conferred on William Deckelman, Anthony Connell, James Scott, Katrina Hiers, Elizabeth Schroeder and Catherine Scott at St. Mary’s in Obernburg. Father Louis Foley, OFM, was the officiating priest... Confirmed recently at the United Methodist Church in Liberty by Rev. Duane D. Buddle were David Cross, Denise Whitmore, Charles Winters, Pat Wood, Linda Teller, Pam Winters, Richard Winters and Lynn Winters.

Barbra Dee Hermann, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Hermann, Callicoon, and Bryan J. Sims, son of June Repko of Liberty, were married on June 16 at the Callicoon United Methodist Church. Rev. Ralph Madill performed the ceremony. A reception followed at Hermann Hall in Callicoon.

New York State Governor Mario Cuomo, who will give the keynote address at the Democratic Convention in San Francisco, will be the guest speaker at the 6th Annual Jeffersonian Dinner sponsored by the Sullivan County Democrat Committee at the Concord on July 1.

Rose Seelig established a $100,000 trust fund for cancer equipment at Community General Hospital. A check was recently presented at the Lotus Blossom Luncheon at the Concord Hotel in Kiamesha Lake to Auxiliary President Phyllis Burday.

Lindamar Farm, owned by Roy and Linda (Hillriegel) Sebastiano and located just off Old Hankins Road, has been named a Dairy Farm Beautification Program. Mr. Sebastiano is a teacher at the Delaware Valley Central School.

Twelve Sullivan County students will spend a good part of their summer traveling through the western part of the United States on a geological expedition under the guidance of Livingston Manor teacher George Will. They include Sharon Gibson, Lisa Wells, Shelly Cooke, Debbie Lenkiewicz, Marcia Herrmann, Mark Hendrickson, Steven Reynolds, Joe Gilmore, Craig Sturdevant, Tom Cosgrove, and assistant instructor for the trip, Barry Wehner.

30 years ago - 1994

A 240-foot long replica of the Vietnam Wall Memorial in Washington, D.C., containing 58,191 names of those killed during that war, is on display at the Apollo Mall in Monticello. The traveling wall was built by the Coors Brewery, with a homebase in Illinois.

Stanley Briker of Liberty was honored for his 50 years of continuous membership in the Cpl. Russell Sprague American Legion Post No. 109 in Liberty.

The gardens  at Community General Hospital in Harris have been rededicated and named the Beatrice Brender Memorial Gardens in recognition of her tireless efforts to create the beautiful array of plants and trees.

Jason Roger Edwards, son of Nancy and Roger Edwards of Neversink, was granted Eagle Scout status at a Court of Honor ceremony held at St. Peter’s Church in Liberty. He is a member of Troop 97.

20 Years Ago - 2004

The Mongaup Valley United Methodist Church has officially joined the Kauneonga Lake Community United Methodist Church after 12 years of joint services. The Mongaup Valley church is 153 years old. The Kauneonga Lake church is over 130 years old. The Reverend Kenneth Rodgers has been leading both congregations for the last seven years.

Irwin Siegel, a longtime resident of Monticello and Rock Hill and the founder and chairman of the Irwin Siegel Agency, Inc., died suddenly on Thursday, June 24, 2004 at his home, at the age of 75.

Charlotte H. Gerow of Jeffersonville and San Mateo, Fla. died June 22, 2004 in Valhalla at the age of 84 years. Mrs. Gerow retired after teaching 28 years in the Liberty Central School District.

Dr. Richard Stein of Monticello volunteered his veterinary services and Top Dog Kennels in Glen Wild has opened up its services to a bull terrier who needs to be quarantined for six months after being brutally attacked.  The owner of the kennels, Liz Keller, is convinced that the animal is a stolen house dog that has been used as bait for fighting dogs.

Helder Nogueira of Massachusetts battled Tyrone Krohn in the final match of the 2004 Sullivan County Open Tennis Championship to win (6-3, 4-6, 6-3) against Krohn, a two-time winner and five-time finalist of the championship. The tournament, organized by Urvashi “Tutu” Gupta, was held at deHoyos Park in Monticello.

Tim Kautz is the winner of the 2004 Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs of Sullivan County’s Spring Turkey Contest with a tom weighing in at 26 pounds 12 oz. and sporting a 9-inch beard and 7/8-inch spurs.

10 Years Ago - 2014

Rolling V Bus Corp. announced the promotions of Nicole Dungey to the position of safety director and Valerie Mott as safety officer. A Rolling V employee for more than 15 years, Dungey will now oversee day-to-day operations and long-term planning for Rolling V’s safety department from its headquarters in South Fallsburg. Mott, who has 14 years with the company, will help enforce Rolling V’s existing and future safety regulations.

Job Corps alum and former NFL player Gus Felder addressed Delaware Valley Job Corps graduates last week, emphasizing that now is the time to “get something done” with their lives. 

For former SUNY Sullivan basketball star Cleanthony Early, falling out of the first round and landing with the New York Knicks in the second, may have actually been his good fortune. Perhaps not financially since the contracts of second-round drafts are not guaranteed – but as far as his basketball development and landing in the hands of basketball mastermind Phil Jackson, his selection as the No. 34 pick couldn’t have turned out any better. Early grew up in the Bronx before moving to Middletown at age 14. He eventually enrolled at SUNY Sullivan where he was the dominant player in NJCAA Division 3.