150 Years Ago -  1873

Sullivan County has one solid Republican on its Board of Supervisors. Think how lonely that poor fellow must be.

The Hammonds are about to close their tannery at Claryville on account of their bark being exhausted.

All the old dilapidated tannery houses which have long been an eyesore to the public have been sold by the McDermotts to other parties who will remove them. The frames of these buildings are sound.

Mr. Krueger of Youngsville intends to add a turning mill to his already extensive furniture establishment.

The smallpox epidemic is still on the increase. Two more cases have manifested themselves in the family of Mrs. Schultz who resides two miles from the village of Jeffersonville. The public is strictly prohibited to pass the north line of Mrs. Borden’s place on the road to Mrs. Metzger’s leading to Callicoon Center.

Stage driver James Stoutenburg has placed upon his route between this place and Callicoon Depot a new and very tastily painted stage. James inaugurated his first trip by carrying a heavy load of human freight.

140 Years Ago - 1883

Total amount of money apportioned to the schools of Sullivan County is $21,632.66.

Blooded Stock Sale. I am prepared to furnish a few blooded calves during the month of April. The dams of these calves are selected for milking qualities, being Ayrshires, Duer and native. The sire, a thoroughbred Holstein, three years old last month, weighing 2,000 pounds, took first premium at the Middletown Fair last fall at which Orange, Ulster, Delaware and Sullivan and part of New Jersey were represented. He was bred by ex-judge Wm. Fullerton, Clifton, Va., is registered in Holstein Herdbook No. 5, named King George the III No. 977. Calves delivered at Hankins Station or at Cooks Falls on the Midland, or at the farm, price according to age and quality. —M.A. Smith, Fremont Center.

There is one Rebekah Degree Lodge in the county, which was organized in Youngsville January 5.

130 Years Ago - 1893

John Huff and Michael Gabriel are engaged in manufacturing ice boxes.

The new church at Cochecton Center, though unfinished, was used for Easter Service. There was a large attendance.

Commissioner Twitchell held an examination in the Bethel school house on Saturday,  April 1. A very large attendance of teachers was present.

Sheriff Beecher of Monticello was in town Saturday.

The Grange Store at White Sulphur Springs is again closed. It is rumored it will not be reopened until a buyer is found.

Maurice Borden of this place is painting for E.R. Kniffen at Liberty.

The following is a list of the postmaster in Sullivan County and the amounts they received for their services last year, 1892: Acidalia, Eugene F. King, $82.66; Beaverkill, W.H. Ellsworth, $73.41; Bethel, G.L. Fraser, $234.36; Bushville, Prentice Decker, $47.15; Callicoon, Wm. J. Harding, $216.91; Callicoon Depot, $674.29; Cochecton, Herman Inderlied, $339.31; DeBruce, M. Cooper, $104.29; Falls Mills, E. R. Lawrence, $39.12; Fremont Center, W.F. Grimm, $170.31; Grahamsville, G.F. Curry, $287.48; Halls Mills, John Tyler, $54.49; Hankins, Charles Brustman, $246.70; Hurd, Wm. H. Pinney, $2.70; Jeffersonville, John Beck, $355.43; Kenoza Lake, A.K. Osterhout, $238.39; Lew Beach, Wm. C. Hardie, $115.50; Liberty, H.J. Sarles, $1,000; Liberty Falls, Henry Gurd, $218.12; Livingston Manor, C.B.N. Hull, $764.09; Mileses, John Baer Jr., $29.56; Mongaup Valley, M.J. Kiersted, $230.36; Monticello, John Waller, $1200; Narrowsburg, Edward O. Green, $490.39; Neversink, W.H.H. Williams $209.71; North Branch, Lewis J. Knise, $273.19; Obernburg, Joseph Kille, $56.82; Parksville, Chester E. Roce, $420.30; Rockland, McKendrel Dodge, $339.85; Roscoe, J.D. Stickle, $388.18; Stevensville, H.M. Stoddard, $174.18; White Sulphur Springs, R. Tyler, $118.02; Willowemoc, M. Decker, $77.77; Woodbourne, Jas. O. Morss, $843.30; Youngsville, Margaretha Reichert, $200.48.

120 Years Ago - 1903

Johnston and Albee, hardware dealers of Rockland, will give up their stand on account of the growth of their creamery business into which they went over a year ago and which is claiming more of their time and energy.

The graduating class of Liberty High School this year will be as follows: Matie Birmingham, Louise Carpenter, Elva Hill, Grace Lynch, Ruby Pinney, Anna Redington, Jessie Wickham, Walter Hardenburg, Edward Rogler, Nial Sherwood and Martin Weyrauch.

The Simon Kneel farm of 46 acres has been sold to the heirs of Felix L. Manny for $1200.

Mrs. Wilhelmina Huth, widow of Peter Huth, died at her home in Beechwoods, at the age of 83. She was born in Langen Echwalbag, Germany, in 1820, and came to America with her husband 50 years ago, 48 of which she lived on the place where she died.

Peter Portz, a resident of Callicoon over 50 years, died at home on Tuesday. He was born in Bavaria and came to America in 1846. He was married in France. Six sons survive him.

George Reinheimer, for many years village tailor at Callicoon, died at his home Tuesday at the age of 78 years.

Will Lawrence has secured 25 or more subscribers to instruments on the new telephone line he intends to build from here to Callicoon Depot.

The Jeffersonville Mutual Telephone Association may soon extend its line to the Kohler suburb, in order to take in new members and also to the creamery.

110 Years Ago - 1913

Section 8 of the sanitary regulations, relating to tuberculosis, was amended by the town board of health to eliminate a practice now current under which New York City now pushes the cost of its indigent poor tubercular cases off on county towns. It appears that large cities have been making a practice of sending incurable cases, just prior to death, to the county, frequently raising the transportation money by subscription if they had insufficient means of their own. Under the existing poor laws New York City can, in this way, work off onto Sullivan County any sick persons about to become paupers.

The following bills have been introduced into the legislature — a bill providing for consolidation of schools, another to provide tenure to teachers, another to lengthen the term of school to 190 days each year, and another to provide for medical inspection of all school children.

Frank S. Anderson, who quietly melted away from this part of the county a year ago last July, leaving his family and friends and a large number of personal law suits to take care of themselves, has been admitted to practice law in the first judicial district of Texas, at Galveston. His admittance was based on the certificates of Hon. Arthur S. Tompkins, Justice of the Supreme Court in the Ninth New York District, “that he is a person of good moral character and worthy to be admitted to practice law in any court to which he may apply for admission to the bar.”

Mrs. Susannah Klein Schad died at the age of 67. She was born in Kaiserslauter, Germany, and came to New York at the age of 6. At the age of 16, she married and moved to Callicoon Center. Eleven years ago she went to Long Eddy to keep house for a son.

Preston Becker and Mary Rath were married in New York City March 25 at St. Bartholomew’s Chapel.

100 Years Ago - 1923

Mr. and Mrs. Jos. Rapp announce the engagement of their daughter, Florence, to Ed Neiger of Middletown.

Alfred Huggler of Liberty was mortally injured in a coal mine in Rendham, Pa., on March 24. He was taken to a hospital where he died two hours later.

Ralph P. Bird, a former Jeffersonville boy, has just been made eastern freight agent of the Atchison, Topeka and Sante Fe Railroad with offices on Broadway, NYC. Mr. Bird lives in East Orange. His wife is the former Bertha Glassel of Jeffersonville.

A new highway map which the legislature asked the commissioner of highways to approve, lists Route 3A along the Delaware River from Port Jervis to Hancock.

Osmer VanSchoick, the 11-year-old son of John VanSchoick, is ill at his home.

90 Years Ago - 1933

At a recent meeting the Western Sullivan League voted to deny all post graduates the right to participate in spring sports.

People who get off the hard road with their cars and trucks nowadays are in bad — in mud .

Milford Hathaway, aged 32, building contractor of Liberty, lies unconscious in Liberty Hospital as the result of an explosion self-arranged, in his new Chevrolet sedan last Thursday morning. The explosion occurred just as Hathaway, alone, was at the approach of the Strongtown railroad crossing at about 8:30. Fred Smith, who lives near the crossing, heard the explosion and then saw the car smashed to smithereens. The bottom of the car had been blown away. District Attorney Deckelman and the police revealed that the explosion was planned by Hathaway himself.

The Jeffersonville, Callicoon, Narrowsburg and Hankins banks are still closed but working toward reopening in the near future.

Twelve students of the Jeffersonville High School will go on the Washington Easter Excursion, leaving early Saturday morning. They are Alethea Hess, Mary Taberoff, Vera McKay, Katherine Schadt, Mabel Stephenson, Henry Harken, Harold Stecker, Edward Wagner, Milton Frankel, Max Odrezin and Morris Yeager. Miss Christine Sohl will be chaperone.

80 Years Ago - 1943

Ceremonies dedicating the honor service roll of the Town of Callicoon were held last Saturday afternoon. Supervisor Walter C. Weiss was master of ceremonies.

George E. Rau, petty officer in the U.S. Coast Guard, was graduated on April 2 as a pharmacists mate. He stood next to the highest in a class of 198.

Elizabeth Berry, who has leased the grist mill here for the past year, reports that the mill will be closed this month for the season.

Howard C. VanKeuren, son of Dr. and Mrs. Howard VanKeuren of Narrowsburg, was graduated on March 27 from Albany Medical College. He now goes to the Naval Hospital at Newport, R.I., for internship.

Miss Martini McGinn, a former teacher at Jeffersonville, died April 2 at Mt. Saint Mary’s Academy, Newburgh, where she was known as Sister Mary Roberts.

70 Years Ago - 1953

The Kenoza Lake Firemen are sponsoring a blood typing clinic at the Kenoza Lake Fire House next Monday, April 6, from 7 to 9 p.m. The typing will be done by George Dudley, technician at the Callicoon Hospital.

Stephen Wormuth of Lake Huntington was appointed Tuesday to the post of County Commissioner of Jurors, made vacant by Arthur N. Meyers getting the post of Deputy County Clerk. Mr. Wormuth is now on the County ABC Board.

Jacob Rogler, 77, of Youngs-ville died March 26 at the Liberty-Loomis Hospital of pneu-monia.

August Lott, local Hudson dealer, calls attention to the fact that the New York State Automobile Dealers, Inc., offer six $500 scholarships. Application blanks are available from member dealers.

60 Years Ago - 1963

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Schoonover, former residents of Eldred, celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary on Monday at the Sullivan County Home and Infirmary, where both are now residents.

Three fire departments were called to Fremont Center where fire gutted the Blue Bird Inn, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph Hermann, Tuesday night. The fire was discovered in a portion of the building not occupied by a member of the family. Mileses and Hankins responded to the alarm with their new trucks. Pumpers were called from North Branch and Callicoon. No one was injured although several firemen got thoroughly soaked fighting the fire. Firemen are credited with saving the Hermann residence portion of the building.

A  variety show, “Remember When?,” will be presented by the local PTA Friday and Saturday night at the DVCS gym. William Trivelpiece is the newly elected president of the PTA.

50 Years Ago - 1973

Pauline M. Kautz, a native and lifelong resident of the Callicoon area, died March 15. An active civic leader of her community, she came forth in 1967 with a gift of $100,000 to be used toward the building of Grover Hermann Hospital in Callicoon. The main lobby of the hospital is dedicated to her in appreciation for this gift.

“Watch what happens in November... I will be a winner,” was the quotation of former planning director Joseph Purcell of Narrowsburg as he accepted the Republican nomination for county clerk at the county convention Tuesday evening of last week at the Holiday Inn in Liberty.

Mr. and Mrs. John W. Milk of Rock Valley will be celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary April 8 with an open house. In lieu of gifts, they ask that donations be made to the Long Eddy Fire Department.

Marc Stier of Liberty has been notified that he has been named a Merit Scholar, placing him in the upper 1/2 percent of the student population in the U.S. Marc will graduate in June from Liberty Central High School and at the same time complete his first year at Wesleyan University.

Mrs. Jo Flaherty celebrated the 25th anniversary of her business, The Band Box. In celebration she is giving an orchid to the ladies as she did on opening day, March 20, 1948.

Born at Liberty-Loomis Hospital, on March 9, a girl, Jennifer Ann, to Mr. and Mrs. Michael Doyle of White Sulphur Springs; March 10, a boy, Todd Michael, to Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Huebsch of Liberty; March 11, a girl, Erika Ivette, to Mr. and Mrs. Enrique Serrano of Liberty, and a girl, Rachel Anne, to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Curry of Neversink; March 13, a boy, Matthew, to Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Averill of Roscoe.

40 Years Ago - 1983

Friends and relatives gathered over the weekend to honor Mrs. Edith Gottschalk of Hankins on the occasion of her 95th birthday. Events included a family dinner at the Antrim Inn in Roscoe.

The New York Press Association has awarded Nellie Stabbert Persbacker of Callicoon an Honorable Mention for her “While the Kettle Boils” column which appears weekly in the Democrat. The Democrat also received an honorable mention for General Excellence in Division Two, which includes all weeklies with circulations between 3500 and 7000.

Charges of misuse of almost $24,000 in federal funds have been lodged against the Monticello Housing Authority by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). However, Housing Authority officials say they are unaware of such charges, although HUD officials contend the Housing Authority has already been notified of the alleged misuse of funds.

Former Sullivan County Sheriff Louis Ratner has been named as the Liberty Lodge “Elk of the Year” 1983, earned partly for his participation in weekly trips to the Albany Veterans Hospital where he distributes items donated by the Elks.

Three area students, enrolled in BOCES, placed in the Regional Competitions held in Yonkers on March 11: Joseph Tigano of Monticello, placed second in the Auto Mechanics contest; Robert Mure, also of Monticello, placed third in Extemporaneous Speech; Susie Kestler, DVCS, placed third in Job Skills Demonstration. Approximately 300 students from this seven county region participated in 38 contests.

30 Years Ago - 1993

In village elections this past week, three new mayors were named to serve their respective villages: Ron Gozza took the village of Liberty in a landslide over incumbent Robert Sherwood; Leslie Bogert was elected mayor of Jeffersonville in a close write-in win; and the village of Wurtsboro now has an all-Republican government with the election of Clifford Jessup as mayor.

Judith Kaye, a native of Monticello, was confirmed as Chief Judge of New York State Court of Appeals by an unanimous vote of the State Senate Judiciary Committee. She is the first woman and the third Sullivan County native to assume the post. Judge Lawrence Cooke served in this position from 1979 to 1985 when he retired. The third chief judge from Sullivan County was William Wright in the 1860s.

The 22nd annual St. Patrick’s Day parade was held Sunday in Yulan, delayed a week because of the “blizzard of ‘93.” A float, “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” entered by A&J Maintenance and Marciano family of Yulan, garnered the first place award. Fred Reber and Paulette Marciano served as Grand Marshals of the parade.

A retirement dinner for William G. “Bill” Smith has been scheduled for March 27 at Bernie’s Holiday Restaurant in Rock Hill. Mr. Smith has been county historian for 18 years.

Tisha VanderWiele of Eldred was named the Western Sullivan League Girls Basketball Most Valuable Player by basketball coaches and players. Her Eldred teammates, Pat Brady and Joe Miedreich, shared MVP honors in the boys league.

20 years ago - 2003

Nine-year-old Benjamin Davis of Woodridge was awarded the Mountaindale First Aid Squad’s Young Heroes Award for his cool-headed response to an emergency when his father, Bernard Davis, was accidentally pinned to a wall by his pickup truck. The third grader drove the truck forward and parked it to release his father, then calmly went in the house and called 911, telling the dispatcher every last detail. His father is doing well and slowly recuperating.

If a legacy is about doing good and making the world a better place, then Robert Rosen, 64, leaves such a legacy. Rosen, who died Monday, March 24, 2003 after a long battle with brain cancer, touched almost everyone he ever knew. Rosen was very involved with his family, his law practice, and the community he lived in.

The Minisink Valley Historical Society is in the process of compiling the records and tombstone inscriptions of the Sparrowbush Pine Hill Cemetery in Sparrowbush. The public is asked to notify the society if they know of any burials without markers. 

George Krum of Youngsville celebrated his 90th birthday on March 9 at the Sullivan County Adult Care Center in Liberty. A son of the late Matthew and Minnie Krum, and a lifelong area resident, Krum served as a medic in Okinawa during WWII.

Nick Yaun, a 2001 Liberty Central School graduate, has already found the job of a lifetime – and he’s 20 years old. Yaun, a member of the professional golf management studies at Clemson University in South Carolina, has secured a seven-month-long internship with Winged Foot, the eighth best golf course in the country. A sophomore at Clemson, Yaun has a 73 stroke average and he was named the 2002-3 player of the year for the program. Yaun is the son of Tim and Cindy Yaun of Liberty. He has a sister, Kate, who attends Liberty High School.

10 Years Ago - 2013

The Sullivan County American Legion and the S.C. Auxiliary held their Annual Visitation Dinner at The Eagle’s Nest on March 10. Honored dignitaries included Department of New York Commander Timothy S. Van Patten, Department Auxiliary President Sally Johnson and SAL Detachment Commander John J. Knapp Sr. Howard Goldsmith, the S.C. American Legion’s Finance officer, was Master of Ceremonies.

The United Way of Sullivan County will honor Volunteer Extraordinaire, Eileen Ernst, at its 30th Anniversary Celebration at Bernie’s Holiday Restaurant in Rock Hill. Ernst has been active in United Way of Sullivan County for more than 30 years, giving freely of her time and energy to serve as both an enthusiastic volunteer and a dedicated trustee. She lives in Rock Hill with her husband Bob. They have three children, Chris Ann Ernst, Stephen Ernst and Nancy Bowen and eight grandchildren.

It could resemble a family tradition, but it really all comes down to the outstanding individual talents of 16-year-old Tri-Valley Central School junior Ashley Exner, who this summer will sing with the Sound of America Honors Band/Chorus as they travel to Europe to perform across six different countries. Ashley follows her cousin, Regina Hartman, who sang with this group in 1992, and her aunt, Erica Exner, who performed with this group in 1999. An alto, Ashley studied three years with David Trombley, and Regina Hartman prepared her for singing with the National FFA chorus.