130 Years Ago - 1896

Sheriff Watson of Monticello has sold his three and five-year-old colts to E.F. Smith of Deposit for $650. They were sired by Mountain Prince, whose stock is becoming noted in the horse world.

H. Pillion, the new proprietor of the Maple Grove House in North Branch, had a very suspicious opening Thursday night of last week. The town was taxed for stable room for horses, while the Maple Grove House was crowded to the door with humanity.

“Prof.” Herman and Mr. and Mrs. Louis Bauernfeind, comprising the well known North  Branch Orchestra, made it mighty interesting for all who were fortunate enough to get on the floor of the ballroom.

Youngsville – Wonder if something can’t be done to stop Jeffersonville boys from coming up here and taking our girls out riding Sundays.

One  night last week someone stole a new double harness from Adam Wagner’s barn.

Henry Rogler and Frank Jacobs caught a mud turtle weighing 25 pounds while fishing at Hunter Pond Saturday night. The turtle was pulled up with a large eel it had swallowed.

120 Years Ago - 1906

Peter Graebner of New York, formerly of Callicoon, and Miss Matilda C. Niemeyer of Matamoras, Pa., were married at the German Lutheran Church in Port Jervis June 3.

Horace W. Orr of Calkins, Pa., and Florence L. Hesserger of Milanville were married at Cochecton June 5th.

Cleveland Gorton of Youngs­ville and Miss Whylam of Briscoe were married Sunday. The groom is employed at the Youngsville Creamery.

ADV. – “Dance, Saturday night, June 16, at Kenoza Lake Hall. Gents, 15 cents; Ladies 10 cents. Music by Kenoza Lake Orchestra.

John Reymann, an old settler in this section, died in this village early Monday morning, aged 73 years. He came to New York in 1860 and in 1861 enlisted in the Union Army, serving under General Franz Siegel. He was taken prisoner by the Confederate Army the next year, but later allowed to go home on parole. He came to Jeffersonville where he was married to Magdalena Kehrlie. He settled on a farm, where  he remained until 19 years ago, when he retired and removed in the village. He is survived by his wife and five children.

The Riemenschneider family of Union Hill arrived at their farm east of here for the summer.

John Brey of Callicoon is running the summer mail route to Kenoza Lake for Peter Mootz, the contractor.

Miss Carrie Huff of this place will attend the summer school for teachers at Downsville.

W. Becker is moving goods and fixtures to Lake Huntington, preparatory to reopening his branch drugstore there for the summer.

Horses frightened by autos are becoming a daily occurrence in this part. Can’t be helped. Autos have come to stay, and it doesn’t take much common sense treatment to cure the horses of their fears.

110 Years Ago - 1916

This community was saddened last Thursday morning by the death of Mrs. John H. Kocher, who passed away at her home on Terrace Avenue after a long illness.

Lulu Werlau of Hortonville, Rupert P. Huff of Jeffersonville and Sam H . Goodman of Monticello took the examination at Monticello Saturday for the state scholarship to Cornell University allotted in Sullivan County. This is the first time a female has ever taken the Cornell University Scholarship examination in Sullivan County.

H.V. Allington, late postmaster of Jeffersonville, has taken a position as manager of a store in Port Jervis.

During the storm of last Saturday, lightning struck the barn of George Puerschner in the Beechwoods and killed a calf in the stable.

At the last meeting of the Board of Directors of the First National Bank of Jeffersonville, Raymond Kohler was chosen assistant cashier of the bank. The business of the bank is growing steadily.

The erection of a new Catholic church building has begun at North  Branch on a lot donated by P.W. Divers of New York, a regular summer visitor at the Branch. The new church will occupy an eminence back of Gautche’s Hotel. The lot was purchased from F.C. Dorrer. John Lowe of Hortonville is the contractor in charge of the building, which is to be ready for services in July.

The Jeffersonville Braves will go to Liberty Saturday to play the Liberty team. This will be the Braves’ first game of the season.

100 Years Ago - 1926

Mr. and Mrs. George Mattheues celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at their home just north of Youngsville last Sunday evening surrounded by their family and a few friends.

Stephen DuBois, aged 55, former merchant and postmaster of Bethel, dropped dead on the streets of Syracuse on Sunday, June 6.

Clarence Collins, formerly of White Sulphur Springs, was killed at Jamaica recently when his car struck an electric light pole.

Miss Muriel Davis, elder daughter of Dr. and Mrs. J. William Davis of Livingston Manor, formerly of Jeffersonville, was one of the class of 118 graduated from Elmira College for Girls on Monday night.

Several hundred people attended the formal opening of the Maimonides Hospital in Liberty on Sunday, May 30. Harry M. Beck, Liberty attorney, was master of ceremonies. The hospital was opened for patients last week. Miss Frances Gerow is special nurse.

Alex Wittenberg and Mrs. B. Sobotnik have purchased the former Sobotnik boarding house situated at Roscoe, of George I. Treyz and will operate it.

Col. Theodore Roosevelt, who recently returned from a wild animal hunt in Africa, spent a few days last week fishing along the Beaverkill River in the Town of Rockland.

90 Years Ago - 1936

The Memorial  Day program sponsored by the Emmett Turner Post of the American Legion, despite a cold, cloudy atmosphere last Saturday, drew out a good sized crowd with a parade that included Legion and Auxiliary members, school and church groups, Boy and Girl Scouts, fire companies and trucks from this and neighboring villages and citizenry. A dance at Bucky’s Inn in the evening wound up the day’s program.

Willard Schadt, 22-year-old son of Postmaster and Mrs. Fred W. Schadt, has gone to Saratoga to take employment in a nursery. Willard graduated from a state forest ranger school upstate in February, 1935.

County Judge George L. Cooke of Monticello, who likes to come to Jeffersonville, drove himself over here Saturday to mingle with the crowd and be one of the spectators of the Memorial Day exercises, free from the speech-making responsibility for a day.

Arthur Joseph Aloysius O’Hara, actor of New York, is the guest of his friend and fellow thespian, Manual A. Alexander, at the latter’s bungalow on Lake Jefferson.

80 Years Ago - 1946

Catherine M. Brown, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Brown of East Kenoza Lake, was married to Harold R. Royce, son of Mrs. Catherine E. Royce and the late Oscar S. Royce of Curry on June 1 at the Kenoza Lake Methodist Church.

The Briscoe Free Methodist Church was the scene on Saturday, June 1, of the wedding of Laverne Bossley Gockel, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Bossley of Briscoe, and Edwin A. Neuberger, son of Mrs. Lydia Neuberger and the late August A. Neuberger of Jeffersonville.

Mrs. Irene Suden Kohler of Brooklyn, formerly of Fosterdale and Jeffersonville, has announced the engagement of her daughter, Claire Gertrude, to Sgt. Francis J. McKenna of Brooklyn.

Mr. and Mrs. Harold E. Deighton of Callicoon have announced the engagement of their daughter, Leota, to Paul W.  Hermann, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter F. Hermann of Callicoon.

Winfield Hessinger has sold his 125 acre farm and home up the Bethlehem Road to John Kuebler of Nutley, N.J.

John Weigel, mason contractor of Goshen, has contracted to build a brick house for Phil Reum on the Reichert lot, which Phil recently purchased from Henry Miller.

Joseph K. Strawbridge of the central school was the speaker at the Memorial Day observance by the American Legion at Callicoon.

70 Years Ago - 1956

Heavy frost this week blackened many tender plants.

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Bauernfeind celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary and Mr. and Mrs. Arthur G. Sipple of Mileses celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary on May 18th.

Mrs. Irene Mootz, 45, of Callicoon Center, died at the Callicoon Hospital on May 28th.

Rev. and Mrs. William Von Deben announce the engagement of their daughter, Mary Louise, to Lester E. Borden, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lester Borden of Liberty.

Regents scholarships have been awarded to Miss Norma J. Ruebman of Buck Brook and Miss Evelyn Reinheimer of North Branch, both students at DVCS; and to Patricia Wesley and Tom Button, both of Roscoe.

The W.C.C.C. held a very successful Krazy Hat Dance at Kennedy’s Korners in Lake Huntington, the proceeds of which went to Edward Kraack who had the misfortune to lose his eyesight during the past year.

Ruth Stiene, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Stiene of Narrowsburg, and Warren Doetsch, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Doetsch of Jeffersonville were married June 2 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Narrowsburg.

Jay Epstein, son of Dr. Max Epstein, was graduated from St. Bonaventure College on June 3rd.

60 Years Ago - 1966

Members of the Emmett Turner Post of the American Legion, and the H. Russell Kenyon Post, VFW, combined forces to furnish a color guard both at Fremont Center and North  Branch on Memorial Day. Large crowds greeted the marchers in each town. Robert Intemann was the guest speaker at North Branch.

This week the Callicoon baseball team returned home with two wins under its collective belt. Team support is needed. Get out to the ballgame!

Jim Purcell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Purcell of Yulan, a member of the Cornell University Varsity baseball team, pitched a shutout game against the Army Cadets.

Men from the Conservation Department stocked the Callicoon Creek (both branches) for the third and last time for the 1966 season last week. The trout stocked were from 7 to 10 inches and were “fat and sassy.”

50 Years Ago - 1976

Barbara Ann Tempel, daughter of Lorraine and the late John F. Tempel of Jeffersonville, and Michael Knack, son of Eleanor and the late Frederick A. Knack of North  Branch, were married on  Saturday, May 22, in St. George’s  Church in Jeffersonville. Father Raymond Lynch officiated at the 12 p.m. Mass.

Four members of the Lake Huntington Presbyterian Ladies Aid, 80 years and older, were  honored at their last meeting. They were Etta Sprague, Johanna Schork, Muriel Boucher and Mamie Allgeier. Maria Meyer made a special cake for the occasion.

Susan Helms of Livingston Manor won two Trophies – one for high average and the other as a member of the first place team in the Liberty Lanes Teenage League.

Michele D. Brooks will be crowned at the June Dairy Dinner June 4 as Sullivan County Dairy Princess.

Memorial Day 1976 seemed to be given extra attention as the county geared up for the 200th birthday of the country. A beautiful float, “Freedom, Liberty and Peace,” took first prize at the Fremont Center celebration.

The 13th Annual Antique Auto Meet will be held on June 5th in Monticello. Over 150 cars are slated to appear at the showing of antique cars on Broadway.

40 Years Ago - 1986

Concerned residents of Jeffersonville met Thursday night in the school auditorium to discuss organizing a neighborhood watch. About 25 persons attended the meeting organized by Edward Justus of Briscoe. Sullivan County Undersheriff Ralph Balbirer showed several videos followed by a question and answer period. The meeting was called in response to the rash of break-ins which have occurred recently in the village.

World heavyweight boxer Joe Frazier was on hand at the Apollo Plaza for the grand opening of Woodfield Furniture and Bedding Factory Outlet on Sunday.

A longtime informal boat launching site on the shore of Lake Huntington will be made legal for public use by action of the Department of Environmental Conservation. The site consists of a launching site and a parking lot. Construction will be completed soon.

Those who were recently confirmed at the United Methodist Church by  Rev. Duane D. Buddle included Laurie Smith, Melisa Clark, Kristina Clark, Nancy Worden, Jan  Statt, Jonathan Statt and Maria Murns.

Henry “Hank” Starr, a paid fireman for the Village of Monticello, was honored at a retirement dinner at the firehouse on Saturday night, sponsored by the Paid Firemen’s  Association and the Monticello  Fire Department.

Despite a 2-0 loss to the Jeffersonville Trojans, Tri-Valley baseball team secured the  Western Sullivan League baseball crown. Jeff ended in second place with a 12-2 record.

30 Years Ago - 1996

Governor George Pataki appointed Burton Ledina of Monticello as the new Sullivan County Court Judge and Surrogate Judge Thursday, ending months of speculation about who would fill that vacancy. He will succeed Anthony T. Kane of Forestburgh, who was overwhelmingly elected to the New York State Supreme Court, Third Judicial District, in November of 1995. A Republican, Kane had been cross-endorsed by the Democratic and Conservative parties.

Acting County Manager Harvey Smith, in his last appearance before the Solid Waste Management Committee, warned the legislators that the new landfill is running in the red for lack of revenue and could cost the county as much as $1 million a year from 1997 on unless something is done soon to make up for a revenue shortfall.

Delaware Valley Opera will present “The Medium” starting June 1 and starring Susan Thompson, David Pietri, Janean Sherwin and Susan Conroy.

The 1996 Dairy Promotion Banquet will be held Friday, June 7. Christina Sennett will be crowned as the new Dairy Princess. She is the daughter of Joy and James Sennett of Jeffersonville.

John Henry Smalls, 81, the retired owner of Smalls and Hornbeck Plumbing & Heating in Monticello, died May 28, 1996 at Community General Hospital in Harris.

Gary W. Wagner, 49, of Jeffersonville, the owner of Wagner Energy in Youngsville, died May 22, 1996 in St. Augustine, Fla.

Philip J. Hust II, 52, of Kenoza Lake died May 26, 1996 in Kenoza Lake.

A group of Boy Scouts from Troop 186 in Smallwood helped tear out shelves from the future bookstore to be operated by Literacy Volunteers of America in the former Synfleur building in Monticello. Connie Keller, president of the board of trustees for the not-for-profit agency said the center is expected to open July 1.

20 Years Ago - 2006

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church has been helping needy families fill their cupboards for over 20 years, and they won’t let anything stop them. Deacon Mae Nidds, who has been running the pantry since the beginning, is stepping down to move closer to her family in Iowa. Henrietta Phelps along with a group of assistants, will take up the task of keeping it running.

Joseph Freda will be featured at this year’s Annual Tribute to a Local Author hosted by the Daniel Pierce Library First Friday Reading Group at the Grahamsville United Methodist Church Social Hall.

Members of the Sullivan County Conservation Club (SCCC) stocked fish on Saturday afternoon at White Lake and Kauneonga Lake, including club secretary John Van Etten, Fish Stocking Program chairman Hans Diercksen and president Vinnie Lo Cascio. 

The Section IX Class D championship game at Baxter Stadium in Mountaindale between top-seeded Chapel Field and second-seeded Eldred was suspended Thursday afternoon because of torrential rain. After it rained Thursday, Friday and Saturday, officials postponed the game until Sunday and moved the location of the contest to the Liberty HS baseball field. The Lions finally claimed the championship with a 10-1 victory.

10 Years Ago - 2016

The Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum commemorated 35 years during their annual dinner and live auction on  May 28, which raised money to support CFFCM events and programs. Kelly Buchta, Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum president, is beginning her second year as CFFCM president and began fly-fishing 15 years ago after learning from her father and pursuing her interest in conservation. Fly-fishing is a method of angling that uses an artificial “fly” as bait and special casting techniques used to lure fish. The Catskills, especially the Willowemoc and Beaverkill Creeks, are a hub for fly fishing and attract anglers from all over the world. 

The Heritage Flag Company of North Carolina creates custom wooden flags from whiskey and wine barrels. This Memorial Day, the Town of Fremont raffled off one such flag, donated by Leonard Scullion to the Veterans Memorial Committee as a raffle prize. The committee sold about 950 tickets for $5 each. The winners, Randy and Cindy Whiting bought the winning ticket at the Long Eddy Hotel, writing in the name of their late son Justin, who had died in 2008 while serving his country in Iraq. 

SUNY Sullivan’s budget for 2016-2017 is actually less than the current year’s budget, legislators were informed Thursday. The $17,426,850 budget was approved by the college’s board in May, and it represents a nearly $1.6 million decrease from the 2015-2016 budget.