150 Years Ago - 1873

Messrs. Gardner, Casey & Co. of Hortonville offers the following rates of good rye straw — $11 per ton is offered for flail threshed rye straw; $9 per ton for machine threshed rye straw already bound.

Married at Fremont Center: Gustave Oestrich and Ann Gerlach.

140 Years Ago - 1883

Mrs. Kellam’s two sons have left for Pennsylvania to peel bark during the season. They receive $40 and board for a month.

Be it known that a partnership has been formed this day between G.W. Maybe and M.J. Weyrauch under the firm name of Record Publishing Co. for the purpose of editing and publishing the Sullivan County Record and doing job printing of all kinds. June 8, 1883.

130 Years Ago - 1893

On Wednesday of last week Joseph Becker of Youngsville received a telegram from Hoytville saying his brother, Lewis Becker, had shot himself dead at that place.

Mrs. Minnie Fajin, wife of Herman Fajin of New York, died of hasty consumption, aged about 45 years. She is survived by her husband and a daughter; two brothers, John and William Knespert of Youngsville; two sisters, Mrs. Louis Schurer of Youngsville and Mrs. John Huff of New York; and her mother, Mrs. Philip Fritz of Youngs-ville.

The Livingston Manor Driving Club organized on Saturday last by electing Peter Parks president, Cyrus Mott, vice-president; F.W. Hartig, treasurer; and W.O. Ensign, secretary. The club has 20 members. The first trot of the club will take place at Sherwood’s Island Park. The purse offered is $100.

J. Albert Hagy, M.D., office hours until 9 a.m., from 2 to 4 p.m.; after 7 p.m. Fosterdale, Sullivan County, New York. — ADV.

120 Years Ago - 1903

The marriage of Miss Jennie, daughter of James I. Curtis of Callicoon Depot, to Charles Bergner of the same place, took place at the bride’s home last night.

William Baer and Miss Anne Miller of East Hill were married at the Jeffersonville M.E. parsonage on December 22.

At a special school meeting of Long Eddy it was voted to build a new schoolhouse. Long Eddy employs three teachers and ranks fifth in size in the county.

The New York Sun of last Sunday says “More people went on vacation lasting from a week to three months last year than ever before.”

Frank Magar, a former Kenoza Lake resident who was shot by a watchman of Stoddard Hammond for trespassing on the Hammond preserve near Livingston Manor, was awarded $13,000 for injuries sustained. The trial was held at Goshen in Orange County.

The money system of working highways was carried at a special election in Liberty last week by a majority of 144. Editor’s Note: Previously each taxpayer was assessed “a day’s work” that he had to devote to work on the road. This was what was known as the Pathmaster System.

 John Beiling was in town showing with just pride a handsome large diamond set gold medal awarded him by the Gazette for being the best developed young man out of 8,500 competitors for the honor. Mr. Beiling is a pupil of Prof. Atila, who produced Sandow and has a summer home here.

110 Years Ago - 1913

Graduating exercises will be held Friday night, June 20, at the Masonic Hall. The class is composed of Ruth Bauernfeind, Elise Becker, Esther Bietz, Gertrude Hofer, Violet Krantz, Edna Kurtz, Anna Myers, Ethel Sander, Lucky Shuman, Pearl Stalker, Rupert Huff, Gabriel Kaplan, Raymond Kohler, Herman Kraut, Charles Lixfield, Louis Ross and Frederick Seibert. These 17 are the first students ever to graduate from the academic department of the Jeffersonville school. They were given diplomas by the Board of  Education.

The Lyric Orchestra gave another of its popular concerts at Masonic Hall last night. Featured in the concert was a cello solo, “Traumerei,” by Karl Reinshagen; “Il Trovatore” by A.J. Bartholomew and Karl Reinshagen on flute and cello; “Sliding Jim,” a trombone solo by Fred Jacobs; and “The Warbler,” a flute solo by A.J. Bartholomew. The orchestra was under the direction of Herman Reinshagen of the Eighth Avenue Theatre in New York City.

A big fire in Liberty burned down a big section in the business section of the town at an estimated damage of $250,000. Another big fire at Ferndale burned 12 stores and residences.

100 Years Ago - 1923

Libuse Emr, the 11-year-old daughter of Thomas Emr, was completely scalped by her hair becoming wound around a revolving shaft in the button factory of her father and William Reznicek at Bethel. The girl was cleaning the windows in the factory, standing on a box with the back of her head within inches of the line shaft which was revolving rapidly under electric power. Her shoulder long hair must have been drawn by the magnetism of the revolving shaft, winding around it and tore the scalp from the neck to the back of her eyebrows in front, including her left ear. After the scalp was torn off she fell to the floor and dislocated her shoulder, the scalp clinging to the shaft. The accident was unusual as the girl wasn’t near a belt or pulley. The hair was wound around the shaft only.

Bennett Bros. in their last week’s ad inserted a coupon entitling the bearer to an ice cream soda. Extra copies of the Record sold like hot cakes to the small boys in Jeffersonville. Even so, some folks say it doesn’t pay to advertise.

Louis Masslow of Jeffersonville and Raymond Zwald of Fosterdale, lightweights, engaged in a wrestling bout at the Lake Huntington Casino last Thursday night and Masslow won the fall in 40 minutes.

The Jeffersonville Athletic Club secured articles of incorporation from the secretary of state. William Lieb is president, Dr. Harvey W. Meyers is vice-president, and George H. Raum is secretary-treasurer. Albert Paolucci, Harold Stephenson, William Deckelman and Fred W. Schadt completes the roster of directors.

90 Years Ago - 1933

Miss Lillian K. Rittershausen, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Rittershausen, was united in wedlock to Attorney Albert T. Decker, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Decker of Brooklyn  on June 17 at the bride’s home. J. Maxwell Knapp played the wedding march and the ceremony was performed by Rev. J.E. Straub.

Senator Thomas C. Desmond will be the speaker at the commencement exercises in Jeffersonville.

Wm. H. Baum of North Branch has leased the front room and the dance hall of Joseph Brownstein’s Delaware Inn.

The water in the village reservoir is the lowest it has ever been and the village board has found it necessary to forbid sprinkling or other unnecessary purposes.

Over 2,000 Sullivan County properties are offered for sale on July 27 to pay taxes of 1929, 1930 and 1931.

Announcement: Dr. A.W. Ferrara, M.D., of Long Island, will open an office and reside at Callicoon, on June 24.

The federal government has taken title to the property of George N. Hembdt for the site of the post office building to be erected in Monticello. Mr. Hembdt received  $20,000 for the property.

80 Years Ago - 1943

Linda Martha Kempf, daughter of Mr. Henry Kempf of Youngsville, and Willie Chapman Snead of Virginia, were married May 26 at Callicoon Center by Rev. John E. Straub.

Mr. and Mrs. Roy Norris of Briscoe announce the engagement of their daughter, Emma C. to PFC Emerson C. Bossley of White Sulphur Springs.

A Monticello paper notes that Dolores Brochu bowled 248 and established a record for the county. Of course that paper was not aware that our Mrs. Elsie Mall of Jeffersonville rolled a 266 game a couple of years ago.

Wm. R. Schaefer of Fosterdale was named Secretary to the Sullivan County Democratic Committee in place of Paul A.A. Rouis, who resigned.

70 Years Ago - 1953

Rev. Father Harold R. Blake, for nine years pastor of St. George’s Church and who is responsible for the shrine in the church yard in Jeffersonville, celebrated his 25th anniversary of his ordination at St. Patrick’s Church in Buffalo where he is a native and his family lives.

Mr. and Mrs. Lou Bertelone arranged a surprise “Sweet 16” party for their daughter, Marie, at the Catholic Church basement last Thursday night, June 4. About 30 of Marie’s school friends attended.

Max W. Brender has shipped two cases of pedigreed White Leghorn hatching eggs from Grossinger’s Airport to the stricken land of Holland to help restore into operation three breeding farms which were wiped out by the turbulent waters.

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Weissmann of North Branch announce the engagement of their daughter, Veronica Barbara, to Wilfred Hurley of  Valhalla.

The Jeff Modernaires played over radio station WVOS last Sunday. The singing of Libby Manzolillo occupied part of the time and was exceedingly good. Little Virginia Shaara also sang beautifully.

60 Years Ago - 1963

The weekend in Sullivan County was big, but not spectacular, except for the Raceway. The track had a total handle the first three nights of over one million dollars.

Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Roth of Jeffersonville celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a party at the Jeffersonville synagogue.

Mrs. Amanda Stewart retired from her position as postmistress at the North Branch Post Office on May 31, after serving in that position 28 years. Her daughter, Mrs. Earle Poley, has been named to succeed her as acting postmaster until a successor is named. There are two other applicants for the position. About 250 regular patrons are served at the post office with 600 additional summer patrons swelling postal duties.

At the Callicoon Hospital it was a daughter May 28 to Mr. and Mrs. Elvin Swendsen of Damascus, Pa.; a son, May 30, to Mr. and Mrs. Chester Kellam of Milanville; a daughter, June 3, to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Schumann of Lookout, Pa.; and a daughter, June 4, to Mr. and Mrs. George Glassel of Callicoon.

On June 3, a group of 166 children and adults were confirmed in the Catholic faith by the Most Reverend John M.A. Kearns, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of New York in an impressive ceremony at Holy Cross Church in Callicoon.

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur William Hennig have moved from Rockford, Ill., to Callicoon, after spending several years away from home.

A daughter, Cindy Lou, was born May 30 to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bennedum of Lake Huntington.

Miss Carolyn Lewis of Callicoon was guest of honor at a bridal shower on May 31. She will become the bride of Martin Moore of Obernburg on June 8.

50 Years Ago - 1973

Russell Hodge, owner of the well-known Hodge’s furniture store on Cat Hollow Road in Roscoe, has an-nounced that he is closing the store after 32 years in business.

BCI and troopers from the Ferndale Barracks together with members of the Fallsburg Police Department, are conducting an intensive investigation hoping to find the solution to the brutal murder Saturday afternoon of Dr. Jose Gil, 36, the only physician in Woodbourne, who apparently was lured to his death by a phony emergency house call.

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Robisch of Callicoon announce the engagement of their daughter, Elaine, to Kenneth Ernst of White Plains. A fall wedding is planned.

Funeral services were held Saturday for Captain Tom McGinnis, 93, the last surviving skipper of a canal boat on the Delaware and Hudson canal. McGinnis piloted a boat in 1896 when he was 19 years old. The second edition of “Coal Boats to Tidewater,” by Manville B. Wakefield, was dedicated in Captain Tom’s honor.

Deaths of two prominent Callicoon businessmen were recorded this past week. Harold E. Deighton, 72, died May 25. He had been a contractor and supervised several construction projects for the County of Sullivan. . . Fred Fendt of Durham, N.C., former owner and operator of a drygoods store in Callicoon, died May 27. Also noted is the death of Floyd Bauernfeind, a dairy farmer in the Beechwoods.

40 Years Ago - 1983

John Joyner, a retired postmaster at White Sulphur Springs with a tenure of 40 years, died May 27 at the Community General Hospital in Harris. He was 81 years of age.

Earle Wilde, who has served as division leader and county coordinator of the Sullivan County Cooperative Extension Service, will retire on June 5 after 27 years of service. He will be succeeded by Gerald J. Skoda.

Members of the 12 parishes in Sullivan County gathered on Sunday, June 5, at St. Mary’s in Obernburg to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the Catholic Diocese of New York. St. Mary’s is the oldest parish in the county, dating to 1854.

Three hundred thirty-eight graduates received degrees at the graduation exercises of Sullivan County Community College at the Loch Sheldrake campus on Sunday.

Dr. Thomas J. Goodman, executive director of the Sullivan County Chapter of the NYS Association for Retarded Children, Inc., will start on a 150 mile walk through Sullivan County in an effort to raise funds for Plant IV of the ARC, to be located on the site of the former Gold Marc Building in Monticello. The walk will begin in Wurtsboro.

Sarah “Polly” Brown of Neversink was singled out for honors at the 67th annual Jeffersonian Dinner Sunday night at the Concord Hotel, for 55 years service as the Democratic Committeewoman of Neversink. She said, “I should quit.” County Chairman Fred W. Stabbert Jr. of Callicoon replied, “You can’t.”

Barely a fortnight after John A. Roebling’s most famous engineering masterpiece — the Brooklyn Bridge — celebrated its 100th anniversary over the East River between Brooklyn and Manhattan, Roebling’s oldest existing engineering work — the Roebling Bridge — was rededicated at a ceremony by the National Park Service on Saturday afternoon. Roebling’s Delaware “Aqueduct” was completed some 35 years before the Brooklyn Bridge, and it contained preparatory design work in the mechanics of a suspension bridge vital to the final design of the great New York City span. Plaques honoring Roebling’s accomplishment with the Delaware River bridge were once in place on the New York side. They had been stolen. Saturday new plaques were in place, and were rededicated. The Roebling Bridge, which is the world’s oldest wrought iron suspension bridge, is on the National Historic Landmark Register and is listed by the Historic American Engineering Record. The bridge is open to pedestrian and bicycle traffic.

30 years ago - 1993

Brown’s Resort Hotel, one of the largest in Sullivan County, has agreed to seek protection from its creditors in U.S. Bankruptcy Court on Long Island. It becomes the third major hotel in the Catskills to do so in the past several years. With 473 rooms, it is second in size to the Concord in Kiamesha with 1,000 rooms. The other two hotels in Sullivan County who have sought protection under Chapter 11 are Grossinger’s in Liberty and the Imperial Hotel in Swan Lake.

Sixteen students of the culinary arts department of the Delaware Valley Job Corps Center and their instructor, Alice Guss, served a luncheon to the Delaware Valley Senior Citizens on Tuesday. It was a community project for DVJCC in which they cooked, served and cleaned up the meal.

Mr. and Mrs. William Hanka celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a party at the Rock Hill Firehouse on May 22. They reside in a home built by her grandfather, Stewart Low, and is believed to be the oldest original dwelling at Wanaksink Lake. Rev. Charles Woodman of the First Presbyterian Church of Monticello officiated as they renewed their vows.

As Dr. John F. Walter concluded his duties as president of the Sullivan County Community College, 387 graduates received degrees in the 29th annual commencement exercises, with 24 of the graduates being natives of Japan. Dr. Walter had been at the college 12 years. Thirty-two of the nursing graduates were pinned in special ceremonies on May 21 at the Seelig Theatre.

The 30th annual antique auto show, hosted by the Catskill Region of the Antique Auto Club of America, was held on Saturday with a parade down Broadway in Monticello, followed by a display of the vehicles.

The Hurleyville Fire District broke ground last Thursday for a new firehouse.

20 years ago - 2003

Former 24-year Sullivan County treasurer Donald Baker of Liberty died June 8, 2003 in White Sulphur Springs. He was 87 years of age. He was born June 1, 1916 in Liberty. He was the widower of Agnes Slaver Baker who died in 1998. The recipient of a Purple Heart, Mr. Baker served during World War II in the U.S. Navy.

Cayuga Indian Nation members dropped by Monticello last week to talk about their plans at the Monticello Raceway. The Cayugas and Empire Resorts have partnered to create an Indian-run casino at the raceway. The tribe has an agreement with the Village of Monticello for $5 million per year. They have yet to make an agreement with Sullivan County and the Town of Thompson, which want a minimum of $15 million per year in impact fees. Approvals are still needed from local, state and federal governments. There is also a lawsuit challenging the legality of Indian casinos that must be settled.

Laurie Beth Ehrlich, the daughter of Vivian and Jerrold Ehrlich of Manhattan and Livingston Manor, and Keith Jason Emmer, son of Dr. Michele Emmer and Michael Emmer of Brooklyn, will be married on Sunday, June 22 at Wave Hill in Riverdale, the Bronx. Mr. Emmer’s brother is married to a Lori Beth, which caused some confusion during family get-togethers.

Tim and Terri Calaianni of Mongaup Valley announce the engagement of their daughter, Jaime Colaianni, to Arthur Ebert, son of Theresa Wronka and Gary Sommers of Monticello. A July 2004 wedding is planned.

William J. Strong Sr. of Jeffersonville and Jill and Russell Somers of Monticello announce the engagement of their daughter, Brandi R. Strong, to Martin T. Chevalier, son of Clyde and Marci Chevalier of Monticello. An October 2004 wedding is planned.

A girl, Alycia Nicole, was born April 11, 2003 to Shannon Lamoreau and Jeremy Sanfacon of Livingston Manor.… A boy, Gemael Jermaine Wallace Jr., was born May 2, 2003, to Natasha Goncalves and Gemael Wallace of Livingston Manor.

10 Years Ago - 2013

The Beaverkill Chapter National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution met at the White Sulphur Springs Inn recently, with Frances Fuller as the hostess. Chaplain Frances Fuller and Regent Nancy Madison installed into office Beaverkill Chapter’s new Regent, Carol Norris. She will serve a term of three to six years. New treasurer Lynn Priebe and Vice Regent Nancy Madison will be installed at the June meeting. 

Laura Palmer brought her chicken “Sweet Baby Watermelon” and fourth grade teacher Patricia Whipple brought her chicken “Cream-sicle” to kindergarten and first grade classes at the Cooke ES in Monticello.  The kindergarten students are learning in their ELA domains how farm animals contribute and are helpful to our communities.  The first grade students are learning about life cycles of animals.

The smiles on the faces of 136 golfers participating in New Hope Community’s (NHC) Third Annual Wallace Berkowitz Cup were as bright as the sunshine on May 20.  After the first two years of braving rainy weather, the players rejoiced as they enjoyed a beautiful day of golf and at Grossinger’s Country Club culminating with a delicious dinner provided by Albert’s Liberty Steakhouse.