140 Years Ago - 1884

Twenty cans of milk are now shipped from Liberty to New York City daily.

The National Union Bank of Monticello has declared a semi-annual dividend of three percent.

Shall our telegraph poles in the village be painted or remain as they are? Who will answer?

The Knights of the brush and pail will soon make a charge on the premises of Dr. Brand and renew the beauty of that residence. Keep the ball rolling.

Horses have to suffer now-a-days from the flies. When the small expenditure necessary to produce a net will keep from the faithful animals so much of their punishment, it does appear really cruel to drive them without it. A merciful man will be merciful to his beast.

We notice that the new iron fence around the M.E. Cemetery has received a good thorough painting. A fine job gentlemen. A coat of paint on the church and parsonage is now needed to make all as neat as need be. Shall we have it?

130 Years Ago - 1894

The Wawanda Hotel in Liberty now has over two hundred city boarders.

John Reiner of Liberty is having a new building erected on one of his lots at the junction of Main and Lake Streets.

The new form of money orders which has been adopted by the United States postal authorities are now on sale at local post offices. They have been in use in some cities since June 1. They are destined to lessen the probability of fraud being committed, which was only too prevalent under the old system. Then there was nothing to protect the post office authorities against increasing the amount on the face of the order by the holder. To alter the new postal order is absolutely impossible.

Hon. M.A. Smith says there is no foundation for the report that his son, Frank A. Smith, had been shot in the far West.

It is rumored that a new iron bridge will soon span the outlet of Segar’s Pond at Briscoe. The present structure is badly in need of repairs, and the new bridge will be a great improvement.

The village of Jeffersonville was visited by two show troops this week. Prof. Hilton performed tricks of magic on Monday evening and on Tuesday evening the “Ideal Minstrels” presented themselves. To say that the people were disappointed at the latter performance would be putting it mild.

The greatest piece of antiquity that we have seen in a long time is a clock belonging to Andrew Thoney of this place. At present it is in the possession of J.C. Abplanalp, our village jeweler who claims that it must be several hundred years old. It is almost entirely made of wood and contains but six wheels. The clock is an old heirloom.

Fosterdale: Born to Mr. and Mrs. Joel Kessler, July 4, a son.

North Branch: Lewis Bauernfeind is working for Liberty Walker during haying.

On opening his store Monday morning, Jack Sherwood of Livingston Manor discovered that an entrance had been gained by cutting out a pane of glass with a chisel taken from his turning mill. The thieves took the entire contents of a case of high grade cutlery, consisting of pocket knives, scissors and razors.

120 Years Ago - 1904

Those who run dances in this section are slowly coming to realize the fact that it is not profitable to have their floor space monopolized by people who pay nothing, to the great annoyance of those who pay for dancing. If closed doors were strictly kept and a small admission charge to both ladies and gentlemen, these summer dances would be much more successful, socially and financially. Try it and see.

Work in the gas plant here is being pushed right along. Pipe has been laid from the gas house on Center Street up Maple avenue to Valentine Scheidell’s and the gas house, which is 16x20, two stories and a cellar, is about completed. The gas machine will be placed in the cellar and the two upper floors will be used for a tin shop by Will Grishaber, who is one of the owners of the gas company.

The Misses Julia and Maggie Schmidt and sister, Mrs. Koter and children, are home for the summer.

Henry and George Dilgard are building a kitchen.

The Osmer Villa euchre Tuesday evening was a grand success. The decorations were put up by G. Rath, C. Weisbecker Jr., and A.W. Eickoff. There were eighteen beautiful prizes distributed among the players. The first ladies prize was presented to Miss Frank; the second to Miss L. Siebold; the third to Miss P.M. Fleiner, all of New York, and the booby by C. Michael. Messers. Rath and Weisbecker came from New York in an automobile especially for this occasion.

Youngsville — A surprise party was given Sidney Brown at his home last Friday evening in honor of his birthday. Games and singing afforded the principle amusement. Among those present were W.J. Gabel and wife, Frank Royce and wife, W.J. Brown and wife, Joseph Heller and wife, Mr. Summers and wife, Mrs. Abbie Spielmann, Mrs. Alburtis Wood, Misses Carrie and Mary Kohler, Helen Spielman, Elizabeth, Gertrude and Marjorie Morman, Annie Royce, Jessie and Mary Brown, Mr. Durkin, William Brown Jr., Frank Royce Jr., Clarence Royce, Bernard Morman Jr. and Otto Morman.

110 Years Ago - 1914

Under the auspices of the Women’s Political Union of New York State, a very successful meeting was held in Union Park, Jeffersonville, last evening. The weather was favorable for an open air meeting and the crowd listened with great interest to the able address of Miss Elizabeth Freeman. Her grasp of the situation is remarkable. Her understanding of the need of the working women having a voice and place in the government is the result of serious investigation into factory conditions. At the end of her speech, the men and women of Jeffersonville realized that the question of votes for women was not a matter of ridicule and indifference, but demanded the careful attention of everyone.

Paul Edward Fimpel of Brooklyn and Miss Katherine Hunerberg of New York, who were married in St. Paul’s Protestant Episcopal Church, New York City, on Friday, the former’s birthday, arrived in Jeffersonville on Saturday to spend their honeymoon.

At a meeting of the members of the Presbyterian Church last Sunday afternoon, it was unanimously voted to increase the salary of their pastor, Rev. J.K. Stadelmann, $100 a year, with the expressed hope that he would decide to remain with the church. The action was taken in view of the fact that Pastor Stadelmann was considering a call in a German church in Newark at a salary of $1600 a year, which is nearly double the salary he is getting here. Mr. Stadelmann has decided to accede to the wish of his congregation and remain with them. 

Walter J. Miller of Briscoe is the successful candidate for the Cornell University Scholarship for Sullivan County. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John W. Miller.

The automobile will soon succeed the one horse shay on many rural routes throughout the United States. Under the terms of a bill ordered reported by the House post office committee, an allowance of $1800 a year will be authorized to rural carriers who use automobiles. At present the standard route is 24 miles long and the maximum compensation $1200 a year. On recommendation of the postmaster general, the length of the routes will be increased to 50 miles, and officials believe that a yearly allowance of $1800 will enable carriers on such routes to purchase and maintain automobiles of the cheaper type.

100 Years Ago - 1924

Fred Duttweiler has added a new 21 passenger motor bus to his fleet on the Liberty route. He bought it off E.F. Kohler, who drove it up from Bridgeton, N.J., the first of the week. The car has leather upholstered seats wide enough for two persons and they are placed as in a railway coach.

All roads will lead to Jeffersonville next Sunday afternoon when the New York Bloomer Girls, the famous female baseball team, will be here to play against the Jeffersonville Athletics. Provisions are being made by the local club to handle a very large crowd and the weather being favorable you will see here the greatest gathering of baseball fans ever assembled in Sullivan County.

Fred VanDyke, on the staff of the national bank of Liberty, and Miss Emily Anne Smith of Cooperstown, were married on Thursday, July 3, at the Little Church Around the Corner, New York City. Albert VanDyke, brother of the groom, was best man and Mrs. Van Dyke was matron of honor. The bride has been a teacher in the public schools of New Jersey.

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Ludwig of Flushing and Mrs. Grover Hermann of Chicago visited Aunt Em Brand here this week. They came to attend the Hessinger sixtieth wedding anniversary celebration at Callicoon Center on the Fourth.

Thirty slot machines have been gathered in from different sections of Sullivan County during the past week and the proprietors of the places where the machines were being operated arrested and place under bonds to await the action of the grand jury.

90 Years Ago - 1934

Miss Mildred Klein, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H.B. Klein of Callicoon, and Lester Long, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Long of the Beechwoods, were married Wednesday, July 4, by Rev. J. E. Straub. The attendants were Charles Klein and Caroline Long. Mr. and Mrs.Long are making their home on the former Peter Schieffer farm near Petersburg, which the groom purchased last spring.

Mr. and Mrs. John B. Tempel celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on July 4th at the home of their daughter, Mrs. M. Black of Obernburg. Many relatives extended their congratulations and good wishes to the couple.

Kenoza Lake: Robert Armbrust of the Armbrust House says he is having a better boarding season this year than last which cannot be said by many boarding house keepers in these parts.

White Sulphur Springs: The Friday night electrical storm did plenty of damage in and around this village. All of the telephones and the street lights in the village were put out of order. One of the large maples in front of Mrs. Mary A. Townsend’s house was struck by lightning and the bark was peeled from one entire side. It is thought that the tree, which is about 50 years old, will die.

Eldred: Fire starting in the portion of the Henry Von Ohlen store, located across from Sunshine Hall and the Eldred High School, spread rapidly as it ate its way through the tinder dry frame structure and before the aid of firemen could be secured had consumed properties and stock estimated to be valued at close to $50,000 part of which was covered by insurance. The blaze, discovered at about midnight, roared for four hours and the flames lighted the sky so that they were visible as far away as Shohola, five miles from this village and on the Pennsylvania shore.

Jeffersonville water supply is at present at a very low state. Last week the water was all let out of the supply reservoir in order to clean away the mud that had accumulated and covered up the intake pipe and shut off the flow of water into the main. The reservoir is now slowly filling up, and in the meantime water is being pumped from the Callicoon Creek to the storage reservoir in the village for the use of the consumers while the supply reservoir is filling up. The water is chlorinated and under continuous inspection, which makes it safe for use. But if a fire should break out in the village now it would be difficult to subdue it with the present supply of water. It is plain to be seen that Jeffersonville must  now look for a new source of water.

80 Years Ago - 1944

The Maple Theatre, movie house operated here the past few years by Joseph Kutscher and Carl Bogner, who also operated theatres in Monticello, Livingston Manor and Roscoe, has been leased to the Harden Theatres of Hancock, owned by Harvey D. English, former school teacher who has been operating theatres at Narrowsburg, Hancock, Susquehanna, Windsor and Halstead.

The theatre here will continue to be in charge of William VanDerLeith  with Miss Pearl Wilfert in the ticket booth and James Amback of Roscoe as projectionist. The same high class pictures will be continued here.

Kenoza Lake: Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Carlson, contractor of Port Richmond, weekended at the Peaceful Valley home of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Schnibbe. Mr. Carlson displayed his marksmanship at woodchuck hunting but after each shooting the woodchucks would return to their underground homes. On Sunday, the Carlsons, Schnibbes and Mr. and Mrs. Otto Strube and Wm. C. Fuhrer and daughter, Bernice, had dinner at Sims’ Halfway House.

Mrs. Ruth E. Chellis and daughter, Dorothy, of Brooklyn, are spending a couple of days with her son, Edwin and family at the John Eggler home on Swiss Hill. Miss Dorothy is a member of Brooklyn’s Gallon Club, donors of blood at the Brooklyn Red Cross Blood Donor Center. Sister Helen is an assistant supervisor in the treasury department in Washington.

Lake Huntington: Mr. and Mrs. Louis Daily of Cochecton Center are the parents of a son, Alfred Louis, born July 12 at their home.

70 Years Ago - 1954

Jeffersonville: Yulan and Callicoon wound up in a three-way tie for second place at the end of the baseball season.

Frederick W. Stabbert, editor and publisher of the Sullivan County Democrat in Callicoon, was designated Democratic candidate for Assembly at the Democratic county convention at the Monticello courthouse. He will probably oppose the Republican incumbent Hyman E. Mintz of South Fallsburg.

The John Beck general store’s stock of merchandise was sold to Alfred Smith of Rochester, who will put the thousands of items on sale in about 10 days to two weeks.

James W. Burbank of Narrowsburg, who has held the post of Sullivan County Historian for about five years, has submitted his resignation to the Board of Supervisors to accept employment in connection with the New York City water projects.

The contract for the building of the town barn in White Lake for the Bethel Township has been awarded to Richard Morey of White Lake. His bid of $21,863 was the lowest, according to bid figures released by the town clerk. Gregory and Bates of Monticello had bid $26,940, while Joe Beiling of Jeffersonville bid $22,461 for the construction job.

Merchandise winner this week at Amber’s is Burdett Armbrust.

60 Years Ago - 1964

Playing at the Maple Theatre this week is the very popular musical “South Pacific.” Admission is $1 for adults and $.60 for children.

Two Brooklyn youths were arrested by Ferndale State Police Saturday for killing two milk cows owned by George Stevenson of Smallwood. Three other cows were injured by blasts from a 20-gauge shotgun and a .22 calibre rifle. According to the trooper investigating the case, the youth claim that they “just felt like shooting at something.”

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Beaver of Youngsville have announced the engagement of their daughter, Linda Jane, to Warren William Schaefer of Jeffersonville.

Kenoza Lake: The population of this hamlet is increasing as recently three babies arrived at the following homes: A daughter to Mr. and Mrs. James Cable at the Margaretville Hospital. The Cables live in the apartment of Mrs. Fred Hust. Mr. Cable is a meat cutter at the Jeffersonville Victory Store. A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. William Joseph at the Callicoon Hospital. A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Bunn at the Liberty-Loomis Hospital. Congratulations to all these parents.

Saturday, Mr. and Mrs. Hans Schellberg celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary. Gathering to help celebrate were their son, Robert, Mr. and Mrs. Jess Bury and son, Mrs. Schellberg’s brother, Karl Schuster, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Koenig and Mr. and Mrs. Judd Haddock and daughter. The guests took Robert back to NYC with them on Sunday and on Monday he boarded a plane for Iceland where he will resume duty for Uncle Sam.

50 Years Ago - 1974

Law enforcement to Western Sullivan County was significantly strengthened on Monday when Sheriff Joseph Wasser formally opened the first sub-station in his department’s history in quarters provided by the Town of Delaware Board and which will serve not only the township but also those of Callicoon, Fremont, Tusten and Cochecton. The sub-station will serve as an operational base for Sheriff’s patrols in the five townships and will save both time and money by eliminating the necessity for the lengthy trips to and from the county seat in Monticello.

The Callicoon Agway Store will be the focus of local attention next Thursday, July 25, when it stages a Community Appreciation Day to mark the 10th anniversary of the founding of Agway, Inc.

The First United Methodist Church in Niagara Falls was the scene of the June 29 wedding of Margaret Ross Kerns to Robert Hubbert, son of Mrs. Iva Hubbert and the late Robert Hubbert of North Branch.

The biggest “Mountaineer” of them all is what railroad artist Manville B. Wakefield calls his latest work. Measuring about three and a half feet long it has taken about six weeks to complete. It is a small segment of a 300 square foot mural based on the history of Sullivan County to be erected in the main lobby of the Sullivan County Community College where Wakefield is chairman of the Division of Commercial Art. The three-year project also includes the 1847 arrival into the county of a balloon stacked locomotive of the New York and Erie Railroad, passing through Callicoon.

Patricia Allgeier, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Allgeier of Callicoon, became the bride of Robert Connering on July 13 at St. George’s Church, Jeffersonville. The couple will make their home in Pepperell, Mass.

After three years of fundraising events and hard work, the White Sulphur Springs Teen Club repeats another 4-day tour with “Doc” Burden, their tour director. Twenty members and six chaperones enjoyed the trip.

Marilyn Maus of Roscoe and Terrence Grafmuller of Livingston Manor were married June 23 at the United Church in Roscoe.

Rhea Knight of Liberty and Domenick DeMaria of Oradell, N.J., were united in marriage on June 22 at St. George’s R.C. Church in Jeffersonville.

Michael W. Bernitt of Hortonville and Maureen A. Dexter of Narrowsburg were married July 14 with James Hahl and Dorothy Stockheimer as attendants at the United Methodist Church in Callicoon.

40 Years Ago - 1984

Gilbert E. Weiss, executive vice president of the First National bank of Jeffersonville, announces the promotion of Arthur E. Keesler to senior vice president. He has been with the bank twenty-three years and is secretary to the Board of Directors. K. Dwayne Rhodes has been promoted to senior vice president and cashier. He has been with the bank eleven years and is the Officer in Charge of Operation and the new computer service center recently constructed at the Jeffersonville location.

Neversink town residents are to host a group of Japanese teachers for the eighth consecutive year. There will be 14 families who will receive 27 Japanese teachers for the four-day visit August 9 through 12.

The Narrowsburg Central School voters are to ballot on $30,000 in repairs to two stairwells which have been cited for state fire code violations.

Elinor and Richard Fitch have had the honor of having their farm named a Dairy of Distinction in ceremonies held Monday at the supervisor’s meeting.

Dr. Steven J. Schiff of Liberty has the distinction of being the only recipient of the 1984 Research Fellowship of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Dr. Schiff is performing research on brain nypoxia, or lack of oxygen in the brain, and is a candidate for a PhD in Neurophysiology. He is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Sydney P. Schiff of Liberty.

John Conway of Rock Hill has just had his book on trivia, titled “Trifles & Poppycock,” published. If you are a trivia bug, this is for you.

The town of Bethel will celebrate its 175th anniversary on August 24 and 25 at the White Lake school. 

Sixty-four members attended the recent Stewart family reunion at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Rosenberger in Hortonville.

The 9th Livingston Manor “Spirit of Our Nation” celebration was held July 1 at the United Presbyterian Church. Rev. J. Richard Heaphy was the inspiration behind the observance which began with the bi-centennial of the nation. Among those present were 92-year-old World War I veteran Joel Kehrley of Livingston Manor, Jay Cross of Monticello who is well-known for his real-image portrayal of Abraham Lincoln, and Congressman Matt McHugh.

30 Years Ago - 1994

Clarence Krantz of Callicoon Center, a 60-year member of the Callicoon Center Band, was presented a commemorative pin for his many years of participation in the musical unit. The pin, in the shape of a clarinet, which is the instrument Krantz plays, was presented by Alan Sommer, a 52-year member of the band.

Ruth and Cliff Kortright of Neversink observed their 50th wedding anniversary  on May 14. They were married in Roscoe in 1944 by the Rev. Williams Hones. 

Frank and Renee Feller of Bethel observed their 55th wedding anniversary on  June 11 at the Liberty Diner. They were married January 21, 1939, in the Bronx.

Carolyn McGrath of Kenoza Lake  and Joseph Hofsommer of  Mongaup Valley were married at the Stone Arch Bridge in Kenoza Lake on  June 19. The Rev. David Coon officiated.

The engagement of Kristen Ann Green, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Knack, and Charles Nystrom, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eric Nystrom, all of Jeffersonville, has been announced by her parents. A June 1996 wedding is planned.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kays announced the engagement of their daughter, Amy, to Edward Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Sykes. They are all residents of Callicoon. A June 3, 1995, wedding is planned.

Patty Finn and Carl Lindsley were married June 1 on the bridge of the SS Independence cruise ship while in the port of Nawilii at the island of Kauai, Hawaii. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Graydon Lindsley of White Sulphur Springs.

Peter and Marcella Baum of Hortonville celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on June 11 at the home of their daughter in Lady Lake, Fla. He is 94 and his bride is 93.

Lucille Bradshaw, a social studies teacher in the Fallsburg Junior/Senior School, has been chosen as a recipient of “A Model of Excellence” award by the Mid-Hudson Social Studies Council.

Cochecton Center’s  102 year-old church, now designated as the Cochecton Center Community Center, was the scene of a dedication service which opened the hamlet’s Founders’ Day activity this past weekend. The Pony Express method of delivering mail was demonstrated by Holly Pollack and her horse, Tanya, who was “saddled up” by Postmaster Doug Heinle for the special cancellation Founders’ Day ride.

20 Years Ago - 2004

Alan Gerry, founder of Cablevision and president of the Gerry Foundation, finally spoke the words yesterday that everyone’s been waiting to hear: Bethel Woods Center for the Arts – the performing arts complex located near the site of the 1969 Woodstock music festival in Bethel – will open July 4, 2006 with a performance by the New York Philharmonic.

Samuel Becker turned 100 years of age on Tuesday, two years behind his older sister. Sixty-nine of his years were spent as a volunteer fireman in the Loch Sheldrake Fire Company.

The 29th annual Verkhovyna Ukrainian Festival in memory of Roma Pryma-Bohachevsky dominated the weekend in Glen Spey. The Verhovyna Resort was once the summer home of the Singer sewing machine empire’s founding family.

Andrea Hook and Kevin Cross of Woodridge announce the birth of a daughter, Kaitlyn Cassandrea Cross, born February 19, 2004, at Catskill Regional Medical Center.

Rene and Ethel LeClere of Hortonville and Corinne and William Buckmaster Jr. of Callicoon have announced the engagement of their children, Tabitha R. LeClere and William S. Buckmaster III, on July 5, 2004. Wedding plans are incomplete at this time.

10 Years Ago - 2014

Tré Branch, a 2011 graduate of Monticello Central School, has secured one of two national internships with the National Center for Border Security & Immigration at The University of Texas at El Paso. Branch, who just finished his junior year at University of Albany, is a sociology major and has been considering criminal justice as a career path. The 10-week internship was one of two types offered by the 2014 Homeland Security Summer Scholars Academy to 17 students nation-wide.

NBC’s chief meteorologist Janice Huff recently visited “The Famous” Roscoe Diner as a guest of the Roscoe-Rockland Chamber of Commerce. Friend and local realtor Robert Lambrigger invited the NBC television personality up for the day. Huff, a New York City native, has been working at WNBC since 1995 as a meteorologist and has been the host of the foster care and adoption TV program “Wednesday’s Child.”

The Ahrendt cousins of Wurtsboro were delighted to operate the hand-cranked siren of the Wurtsboro Fire Department’s 1918 Ford firetruck during Saturday’s Wurtsboro Founders Day Street Fair. Tierney, 10, and Amaris, 5, “drove” the truck that, according to Wurtsboro firefighter Frank Roosa Jr.,  his father Frank Sr. has been restoring. The antique, which is still in running condition, once belonged to neighboring Ellenville FD.