150 Years Ago -  1874

We notice the Jeffersonville Record this week makes the announcement that they have begun to observe the Sabbath in that place. There is some hope of them yet. A few missionaries might be employed to a good advantage there. — Correspondent, Liberty Register.

The publisher of this journal, not having by any means a superabundance of this world’s goods, respectfully requests the immediate payment of the legion of small bills scattered over the country, otherwise known as subscriptions.

It is said that the only representative of the armies of Scott and Taylor, residing in Sullivan County, is Captain Thomas Neil of Bridgeville.

The following should serve as a terrible warning to our piscatorialists. As a result of fishing when the mercury was 9 degrees below zero, Calkins Sr. and Jr. now have the largest pair of hands in the Town of Callicoon.

An Irish double track laborer near Callicoon Depot was crushed to death by the falling of a bank under which he was working.

The Monticello correspondent of the Port Jervis union perpetrates the following joke upon the best home paper published in Sullivan County.

“The Sullivan County Record of last week commences the publication of births in Jeffersonville. He singularly places the births before the marriages. In most places, marriages generally happen first, birth after, but it may not be the custom among Jeffersonville-ians as they’re queer fellows up there.” Our unknown friend’s criticism is certainly subtle, but not convincing. Of two evils, we have chosen the least — perhaps this correspondent would have us reverse the order of nature and place the marriage before the birth.

140 Years Ago - 1884

Edison, the inventor, indulges in the following prediction: As to the changes which will be affected by electricity within fifty years in the City of New York, I would say that I believe electricity will propel the cars of the street and elevated railroads, light the city without and within its buildings, furnish power for all purposes, work telephones and burglar alarms, convey parcels, detect and signal fires, operate fire engines and possibly displace animal locomotion for vehicles.

It is reported that some of the dairymen in the vicinity of Livingston Manor are talking of forming a stock company for the purpose of carrying on the creamery business.

Blake G. Wales of Pike Pond has placed in his mill, a buckwheat shucker, which is now running full blast. Mr. Wales says he can make a better and larger quantity of buckwheat flour per bushel now than he ever could before.

The stock of wood at the acid factory in Livingston Manor is immense. It is quite an interesting scene, especially for those who never saw such a large quantity at one place before.

Sleighing is all gone in this section. A few days of sunshine will cause the maple sugar juice to run, at least our merchants think so. Sap pans are being hauled out and put among their display goods.

Geronimo, the Apache, has returned from Mexico with a number of stolen cattle. He threatens if they are taken from his land he will cause the worst outbreak of Apaches that has yet occurred.

130 Years Ago - 1894

A county mass meeting in the interest of women suffrage will be held in Liberty March 19 and 20. Addresses will be made by Susan B. Anthony, Rev. Anna H. Shaw, Harriet Mary Mills and others.

Jeffersonville and vicinity are again favored this week with five sights of high class entertainment by that popular troupe, Allen’s New York Theatre Company. Mr. Allen and his merry company of thespians have become great favorites with the people here, who appreciate a good thing when they see it.

A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Scheidell of Jeffersonville on March 13th.

Many of the candidates who ran for offices at the recent town meeting have neglected to file accounts of their expenses with the town clerk. Up to Tuesday only the following candidates have sent reports to the town clerk of Callicoon. For supervisor, Frederick Scheidell, posters, $2.50; horse hire, $8, total, $10.50; W.J. Gavel,  $1 posters, postage, $.25; Town Clerk Valentine Hessinger, team hire, $9; Henry U. Krenrich, horse hire, $17.50; posters, $2.00, total $19.50; Justice of the Peace Oliver Hofer, nothing. Commissioner of Highways Peter Weissman, horse hire and legal expenses, $4.50.

Frank Lober is increasing his storeroom and expects to soon branch out into a full line of general merchandise. John Beck has resumed work on his new building. It is supposed he will use it for his store and rent the old building.

Birdsley Young, the drover from Orange County, took seven pair of oxen out of this place Tuesday.

It is said that Joseph Engelman has sold his cigar factory and dwelling in Narrowsburg to Charles Uch, and has purchased the Uhling hotel site and will build a large factory on the old site.

120 Years Ago - 1904

If you see a fellow walking along the street with a kerosene can or a big paper bag, don’t be too sure that he has oil or groceries. These are the new ways of rushing the growler in this town.

If present plans are carried out, the Eagle Hotel Livery will be conducted this coming season by Chester Eager of this village and Andrew M. Anderson of New York. 

Henry Chelius has entered into an equal partnership with John L. Schmidt in the Jeffersonville Meat Market. The former’s son, Coney, is employed in the business.

Dr. J.W. Davis of Livingston Manor, who expects to locate in this village this week, has not yet completed arrangements for office rooms.

Capt. John T. Stephenson of the Town of Bethel, who has twice been dismissed from the New York police department on charges, was for the second time reinstated last Friday by decree of the appellate division, reversing a decision of Ex-Police Commissioner Greene. Justice Laughlin, who wrote the court decision, says among other things that “the findings of the commissioner are so manifestly against the weight of the evidence that the same must be set aside.”

Cornelius Burtis and wife of North Branch are still nursing injuries sustained in being thrown from the sleigh in February. Mr. and Mrs. Burtis are well along in years, live on the farm bought from W.J. Gebhardt a few years ago. G. Fink, a neighbor, is attending their stock.

The deal which had been pending for several weeks between George J. Yager and John A. Reymann for the sale of the former’s residence and store in this village was finally fastened Monday. It is understood that the new proprietor will be assisted in the store by a daughter who is now clerking in a Liberty store. Mr. Yager will build a residence on Chapel Street and retire.

The little daughter of William Wahl of Long Eddy was bitten recently by a large mastiff dog belonging to Philip Myers. The child went to the Myers home on an errand and intended going to school with the Myers children. The dog was on the porch as the children passed and sprung on the Wahl child. Mr. Myers had the dog killed as soon as he returned from work.

110 Years Ago - 1914

Jeffersonville on Tuesday night had a good start for a big conflagration but fortunately the demon destruction was discovered at an opportune time to nip it in the bud. Several young men in Schmidt’s bowling alley saw the flames issuing from the rear of the old store building of John Beck, which stands on the west side of South Main Street, with Scheidell’s lawn on the north and J.C. Abplanalp’s store to the south within a few feet, and Becker’s large drugstore next below.

The proposition to pave main street in Monticello at a cost of $27,000 was carried at the village election last week by a vote of 165 to 34. Glory be! Soon the public will no longer have to wallow through the mire in that great thoroughfare.

Mr. and Mrs. John Schnorr came here from Rochester, Minn., to surprise their relatives and friends and also to celebrate their fifth anniversary. They gave a supper to about thirty people at the hotel of Mrs. Schnorr’s brother, Henry Krantz.

Mrs. Lillian Archibald, widow of Dr. Archibald, has purchased an up-to-date picture apparatus and will open a moving picture place here in company with others.

The sudden death last week of Miss Rosa Beck, an esteemed young lady from North Branch for the past several years, was a shock to her many friends there. The funeral Sunday afternoon was one of the largest ever seen in North Branch.

 There are eighteen cases of measles in the Kenoza Lake School. Among the adults afflicted are Theron Taylor and his hired man, Ed Backworth.

A drawing bee was held at Walter Townsend’s home in Hurd yesterday.

John L. Roesner has sold his fruit and confectionery store in the Lawrence building to Thomas C. Tormey of Fosterdale, who has moved with his wife into the Roesner quarters.

One of the houses belonging to the Luzerne Chemical Co. and occupied by Wm. Campbell, was destroyed by fire last night about 11 o’clock. The fire was caused by an overheated stove pipe. By the hard work of bucket brigades the fire was kept from other houses. This is the first fire Long Eddy had in some time and some people think it might be a good idea to organize some sort of a fire department.

100 Years Ago - 1924

The silver anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin B. Stephenson of Bethel was largely attended. The presents were many and beautiful. All had a good time and the affair broke up about 2:30 a.m.

Mrs. William Deckelman entertained about a dozen ladies at a St. Patrick’s social at her home Monday afternoon.

Louis D. Attila, noted strong man and physical culture exponent who married Miss Rosanna Saner of Jeffersonville about twenty-eight years ago, died at his home in New York City.

Walter Neumann and Charles Tuckfeld are wiring the Sinclair Hotel in North Branch for electric lights. This place was formerly the Bauernfeind Hotel and is now owned by Fred Langhorst and Charles Gresser, late of New York.

90 Years Ago - 1934

It is estimated that 300 men will be given employment in the county in state highway construction, beginning next month. About nine projects are under construction for the county according to Thomas C. Rogers, State Highway Engineer. The Bloomingburg spur will not be started until late in May. The construction on the White Bridge at Liberty, where machinery has been assembled, will begin as soon as weather permits. A small bridge is to be constructed over Jones Brook on the Jeffersonville-Callicoon road.

Willard Schadt, second son of Supervisor Fred W. Schadt, will leave next Monday to attend the forest ranger school at Cranberry Lake in the Adirondacks, which is a part of the State College of Forestry. Willard will be in the ranger camp for a year.

The Bethel town board will meet at the clerk’s office in Kauneonga Lake to receive petitions for improvement of town highways. It is expected that a plea will be put in for a stone road from Briscoe to Jeffersonville.

Henry Graff, aged 76, passed away at his home in this village Friday evening. Mr. Graff was born on a farm at Callicoon Center, the second youngest son of John Graff and Margaret Seidler.

Jacob Menges Jr. fell from a load of hay at his home in Youngsville and fractured two of his ribs.

80 Years Ago - 1944

Claire Wolff of Barryville and Gordon White of Glen Spey were married March 10, 1944, in Port Jervis.

 Lt. Alex Thomiades of Youngsville, who is with the 8th Air Force in England, was on 11 missions over enemy territory during the last few months. He has earned the air medal for his first five missions and an oak cluster for the other five. His tenth raid was over Berlin.

Get your waste paper ready for the truckman. He will call for it Saturday. Bundle up what you have – every pound is needed by the government to carry on the war.

The county highway department last week closed the sluice it put in near the top of the Catholic Church hill a few years ago to carry the surface water across the road and down back of the homes in Delaware. This has caused the Ernest Fimpel home and other properties to be flooded when heavy rains occur.

At the Callicoon Hospital it was a boy to Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Gregg of Damascus on March 9; a son to Mr. and Mrs. Louis Dirie of Livingston Manor, March 15; and a girl to Mr. and Mrs. Howard Hermann of Callicoon the same day.

A large crowd gathered at the home of Mrs. Amanda McGuire in Hankins in honor of her birthday on March 9. Cards were played and Osmer Graby had high score.

70 Years Ago - 1954

Two boys from Jeffersonville will participate in Exercise Flash burn, the most important maneuver of its kind ever conducted by the Armed Forces of the United States. They are PFC Eugene L. Doetsch, 20, and Pvt. Donald H. Hauschild.

Those taking part in the Music Club this Saturday at the Hotel Jefferson are Betty Lou Fritz, Joyce Eggler, Frances Polster, Barbara Rupp, Susan Gute, Carol Jean Stephenson, Joan Glassel and Barbara Hick.

Republicans in the State Senate blocked efforts of the Democratic majority to get legislative action on a bill to appropriate $250,000 for a milk publicity campaign.

Mrs. Harry Layman of the Beechwoods had many of her friends and relatives call at her home on March 17 to wish her a happy birthday.

Mr. and Mrs. August Lott of Jeff returned from their trip to Puerto Rico Monday. They traveled by air both ways and on the flight down hit the tail-end of a hurricane which did so much damage in Georgia.

Robert M. Zielinski, 20, of Swan Lake, was fatally injured in a single car crash last Sunday afternoon on Route 55 near Kauneonga Lake. A companion, Norman Weiss, 23, is in Monticello Hospital.

60 Years Ago - 1964

Dennis Schaefer, son of Henry Schaefer, and Robert Soule, son of Mr. and Mrs. Malvin Soule, joined the U.S. Air Force together last February and according to the “buddy system” will not be separated during their schooling. They are both stationed at Lackland AFB in Texas.

Births at the Callicoon Hospital: a son to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Erlwein of Callicoon Center, March 13; a daughter to Mr. and A. William Hennig of Callicoon March 14; a son to Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Friermuth of Narrowsburg, March 16; and a son to Mr. and Mrs. Benny Peisik of Callicoon on March 18.

At the Liberty-Loomis Hospital, it was a girl to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Caldiero of Callicoon on March 13 and a son to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Simpson of White Sulphur Springs on March 14.

Roger Kimmes, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Kimmes, Youngsville, arrived home on Thursday after being in Korea for the past 14 months with the U. S. Army. After a 30-day furlough, he will go to Kansas.

The first meeting of the Sullivan County Legal Secretaries Association was held on March 16 at the Sullivan County Courthouse. Miss Ethel Gage, national director from New York State, for the National Legal Secretaries Association was the guest speaker.

50 Years Ago - 1974

Although it is estimated that approximately 125,000 acres of local woodlands will be infested with gypsy moths this year, only a maximum of 9,810 Sullivan acres are scheduled to be sprayed this Spring.

Debris of what was once the Liberty Steam Laundry Co., gutted in a year-end fire, was removed this past week from the corner of Church and Maple Streets, giving Liberty an improvement in the looks of the village.

The Liberty Volunteer Ambulance Corps has recently taken over the entire building between Mill and South Main Street, where it formerly only occupied the upper story. The garage to house three ambulances has been moved to the lower level with meeting rooms and offices to remain on the second floor.

Nancy Smith Edwards and Frank Schrader were married on March 2 at the Community Reformed Church in Youngsville.

40 Years Ago - 1984

Dr. John Anthony Petkus of Shohola, Pa., was honored Thursday night by the Town of Highland Lions’ Club.

Amid a human wave of green and yellow, the Yulan St. Patrick’s Day parade entertained more than 500 people who came out to enjoy the annual parade which has grown from a small show into one of the highlights of the town.

The Sullivan County Democrat won a first and third place in the New York State Better Newspaper Contest which highlighted the New York Press Association convention held this past weekend at the Americana Hotel in Albany. The Democrat took first in the Best Section in Division II and took third in service to Agricultural.

Joe Purcell, in declaring he would seek re-election to the post of County Clerk, made his announcement in the traditional way – on St. Patrick’s Day at Roark’s Tavern in Monticello.

According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 13 black bears were harvested this season in Sullivan County. Two were taken during the archery season while 11 were harvested during the regular open hunting season.

The Monticello High School dramatic players will present “Once  Upon a Mattress” Friday and Saturday nights at the high school auditorium.

30 Years Ago - 1994

A margin of just nine votes separates the contenders for mayor in the Village of Bloomingburg following Tuesday’s election. Incumbent Ron Scott has the lead with 67 votes and his challenger, Edna Fedun has 58 votes. Eleven absentee ballots could swing the election in favor of Fedun. In other village elections, Susan Horton won re-election as a village trustee in Wurtsboro; Francis “Frank” Pete Armstrong and Edward J. Justus were elected trustees for the Village of Jeffersonville in an uncontested election; Shirley Lindsley and Patrick Galloway were elected trustees in the Village of Liberty.

Leah and Daniel Resnick of Monticello celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a family gathering at Mr. Willy’s on February 26. Mr. Resnick is retired from the plumbing business and Mrs. Resnick is retired as secretary of the business. Both do a lot of volunteer work.

Patti Denise, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Fredo of Mileses, and Michael Lambrigger, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Lambrigger of Roscoe have become engaged. They plan a Fall 1994 wedding. 

The Calico Geese Quilters held their 3rd annual quilt-a-thon Saturday with more than 50 quilts produced to be donated to the Sullivan County Public Health Nursing Service for distribution to needy children. Twenty-five ladies gathered at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Education Center in Liberty to cut, trim and stitch in an assembly-like production to produce the quilts.

Approximately 350 people gathered at Kutsher’s Country Club  on Sunday to kick off the Jake Gunther campaign in his bid for a second term as assemblyman.

Frank Hartman of the Town of Deerpark received the Upper Delaware Council’s Distinguished Service Award, presented by UDC’s vice chairman Alan Bowers, for his role in protecting the river resource. A number of other awards were also given at the 6th annual awards banquet of the group when they met  Saturday evening at the Villa Roma Country Club in Callicoon.

20 Years Ago - 2004

The River Inn, a longtime landmark in Hankins, was completely destroyed by fire on Wednesday. None of the people who lived in the apartments of the one-time bar and inn were home at the time the fire broke out. The only injury occurred when a woman attempted to recover her niece’s dog, which had been rescued earlier by North Branch Fire Chief George Conklin. Apparently the dog, frightened by his ordeal, bit the woman on the face as she attempted to secure him.

Friends and family gathered at Emmy and Horace DeFinis’ home in Fosterdale Saturday to celebrate the 100th birthday of Jacob Gyger who was born in Saanen, Switzerland and now lives with his daughter Emmy and son-in-law Horace.

Three local men were raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason at a recent meeting of the Monticello Lodge #532, Free and Accepted Masons: John Davis of Fallsburg Lodge #1122, David Misner of Monticello Lodge #532, and Craig Dean of Liberty Lodge #521. About 50 Freemasons attended the degree program and preceding dinner.

The Tri-Valley Intermediate School in Grahamsville recently completed its annual spelling bee. Grade level champions are: 4th grade, Heidi Furman; 5th grade, Hannah Lindquist; 6th grade, Amanda Noren.

On Saturday, a creel full of flyfishing enthusiasts and fly tyers got together as the Catskill Fly Tyers Guild held their annual swap meet at the Rockland House in Roscoe.

10 Years Ago - 2014

Saturday wasn’t just the day Jeffersonville celebrated St. Patrick’s Day. The village was overtaken by hairy folks looking to get their heads shaved for a good cause: the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Organized by Sullivan West fifth grader Evan Herbert, the shave-a-thon at the firehouse drew a large crowd of shavees and onlookers to help beat childhood cancer. By day’s end, 28 shavees had raised pledges totaling over $6,700.

Kevin Kohan and Carolina Rue were married March 1, 2014 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with their good friend Rev. Robert Coward officiating, who also served as wedding planner and hosted a celebration for the couple at his waterfront estate. The maid of honor was the bride’s sister Janesa Calone of Highland Mills. The bride’s twin brother, Eddie Rue of Monticello, also took part in the ceremony. The best man was the groom’s brother, Craig Kohan of Fort Lauderdale. The ring-bearer was the couple’s Doberman, Blaze.

Village of Woodridge Treasurer Brenda Cohn wrote: “The robins have been around for weeks in Wood-ridge… Today, they were eating berries off the bushes out front.”