140 Years Ago - 1884

The Wayne County Independent comes to us very much improved and enlarged. It is now a nine column paper and very newsy.

Why use a gritting, muddy disagreeable article when Hood’s Sarsaparilla, so pure, so clear, so delightful can be obtained? 

Peter Wagner of this village sold his farm and stock to his son, John Wagner. Consideration $2,500.

We understand that Miss Chapman came very near freezing last week while on her journey from Youngsville to this village.

Miss Louise Reinheimer, formerly of New Jersey, wishes hereby to inform the public that she has opened a dress shop in the village of Callicoon.

James Schoonmaker and Elmer Winner were in town last week buying cattle.

A fight occurred in Montana between four Crow Indians and seven white men, on one side and five Piegans who had stolen the Crow’s ponies. Four Piegans and two white men were killed and two others wounded. Horses seem dear and life cheap in Montana.

130 Years Ago - 1894

The horse trot on the ice at Loch Sheldrake was well attended.

A pleasant surprise party was held at George Seibert’s Wednesday night. Youngsville folks made up most of the party.

Children in Callicoon are afflicted with scarlet fever.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hust of North Branch, a daughter.

The masquerade ball held at Callicoon must have been enjoyed by some of our village people, for they arrived home when all respectable people arrive and that was early in the morning.

S. Maltby of Kenoza Lake, the boss carpenter on the bridge block, was obliged to quit work last week on account of sudden illness. Dr. Payne soon brought him around, however, and work on the new store is resumed.

The people of Damascus, in the vicinity of Skinner Bros. Switch on the Erie, are petitioning the railroad company for a milk depot at that point. Should the Erie think well of the matter and gratify the prayers of the petitioners, it will prove a good thing all around.

120 Years Ago - 1904

The home of Otto Tegeler of Callicoon Depot was destroyed last Saturday by fire. The rapid progress of the blaze enabled the Tegelers to save only a small part of the furnishings.

Some of the younger generation got up a hay ride last Thursday night to Youngsville where they danced to the music of the Jacobs Orchestra.

W.H. Lawrence of Jeffersonville contemplates a telephone line between this place and Youngsville.

Bids are being received for the building of a new St. Joseph’s College at Callicoon Depot to be commenced this spring. The structure will be built of brick and stone.

The stores of H.U. Krenrich, Charles Schmidt and Conrad Metzger are being merged into the Jeffersonville Supply Co. store in the new Masonic building this week.

The creamery at Cochecton is preparing to do business at the old stand again. F. W. Farboan, owner of the creamery at Skinner’s Switch, will pay with one-quarter cent of New York exchange price for six months.

Rudolph Abplanalp has men at work tearing down the building formerly used as a cider mill, which he purchased of Mrs. Theiss last fall. The frame he intends to use in the construction of his new blacksmith and wagon shop.

Miss Clara Kohler left Tuesday for Hancock where she will be employed.

J.M. Schmidt of North Branch will erect a new dwelling house on his premises this summer. J. Lowe has the job.

 A surprise was given E. Bauernfeind and wife last Wednesday. The occasion was Ernest’s birthday. There were twenty-five present and all had a good time.

110 Years Ago - 1914

The question of votes for women is getting to be of lively importance. The women politicians marched into the committee at the House and threatened the Democratic party with the loss of all female votes in the states where they have a vote, unless Congress shall grant them a nation-wide vote.

John, the 6-year-old son of John Bernhardt of Kenoza Lake, got hold of a dynamite cap and placed it in the oven to see what would happen. Soon there was an explosion, the oven door flew open and struck Johnny in the mouth. Dr. Gain was called.

W.B. Townsend has leased his farm a half mile west of here to Henry Messemer of West Bethel.

Mrs. Webster Sherwood of Livingston Manor has become the head of the dry goods department of the Dubois Co.’s Department Store at that place as manager and buyer.

John Skinner has sold his hotel at Skinner’s Falls to Henry Nollwedel and Herman Eggers of New York.

Mrs. Marie Meyer, who went to Los Angeles last Fall, arrived in town Friday, having been called to New York by the death of her brother-in-law. She is staying at the Mansion House.

According to County Supt. Wright the highway law states that all the roads along the star routes must be broken for travel, but the town superintendents have the power to make a temporary road over anyone’s land if necessary.

The storm of March 1 was terrible in Damascus and the roads were impassable; teams could not get through with the milk, no mail came, the trains due from New York Sunday night passed here Tuesday noon.

100 Years Ago - 1924

The Callicoon Town Board has purchased through C.G. Yager of Liberty, a caterpillar tractor and scraper, to be used in working the town roads.

It never rains but it pours. And there was a heavy shower for Gertrude Goodman, not with anything wet, but with pre-nuptial gifts.

John Bosley has returned from his trip to South America and is now visiting in Brooklyn. After all his visiting he’ll return here for a spring tonic.

Leap year babies: A son to Mr. and Mrs. Peter Hubert and a son to Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Rush.

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Weber are spending the winter with their daughter, Mrs. Fred Hust, at Kenoza Lake.

A number of folks from Youngsville attended the opening of the new theater in Liberty.

Peter Weyrauch of Callicoon Center has bought the Valentine Mauer farm and will move there in the near future.

While shoveling snow from the pit of the turntable at the roundhouse of the L&H Railroad, James McKay of Bethel was crushed between the wall of the pit and the turntable guard rail.

Charles N. Cobb, a specialist from the state education department, inspected the Youngsville School this week on the application of that school for a raise in grade from junior high school to a middle grade. Mr. Cobb also visited the Jeffersonville School which last summer raised from the middle grade to a full high school.

90 Years Ago - 1934

John Bosley, one of the most successful farmers and boarding housekeepers in the section, died of a heart ailment early Monday morning.

Ernest Fimple Jr. of Brooklyn, last Thursday came here for a few days to escape the rigors of winter in the hot city. In other words, he left Brooklyn so he wouldn’t have to shovel the snowdrifts off his sidewalks.

Twenty-four guests were entertained by Mr. and Mrs. H. Berberich at their home in Youngsville to celebrate their silver wedding anniversary.

School was closed in Youngsville for a few days on account of frozen water pipes.

The Jeffersonville Athletic Association has been formed here. The boys have purchased gymnasium paraphernalia and will meet in the Grange Hall. 

For some time past now the weather has been the principle topic of discussion, because it has been acting unusual. There has not been much snow, but Jack Frost has been getting in some awful licks.

80 Years Ago - 1944

Miss Helen Duttweiler, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Duttweiler of Jeffersonville, has been engaged to teach art at Avon, N.Y.

Attorney Frederick W.V. Schadt and shoe merchant Allen Segar of this village are booked for the Army.

Mrs. Emma Wagner of Youngsville was given a surprise party for her 85th birthday. All her children helped her celebrate.

Measles are making the rounds among the children in Callicoon Center.

Governor Dewey signed into law today a bill which continues for another year a provision for release of school children for planting and harvesting and work in canneries and greenhouses.

Elmer Knack is making some changes in the stable of one of the barns on the Roder farm.

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Mueller, who are spending the winter in the city, are here for a few days on business, stopping with his brother and family, Mr. and Mrs. Julius Mueller at Kenoza Lake.

If you thought you saw the country doctor on Main Street in White Sulphur Springs Sunday afternoon, it was Mr. and Mrs. Horton Lindsley with a horse-drawn sleigh and bells.

Clinton Long goes to Ithaca to enter college training. Clint has been in the Seabees since last September.

70 Years Ago - 1954

Twenty-two employees were injured when a flash fire swept through the staff dormitory at the Grossinger’s Hotel. Eight hotel workers were killed in the early morning holocaust. Two Sullivan County women died in the blaze: Mrs. Anna Rubenstein, 54, of Liberty, and Miss Katherine Krick, 46, of Youngsville. Mrs. Rubenstein, a waitress, jumped from the blazing building and died on the way to the hospital.

Libby Manzo won his 8-round bout at Madison Square Garden against Pat Mullane of Connecticut.

At the annual meeting of the Sullivan County Co-operative Dairy Association, it was reported that for the year ending December 1953, net sales for patrons were 18,391,629 lbs. of milk sold, amounting to an average of 5.42 per hundredweight. The 142 patrons presently enrolled received a cash payment of 4 cents per cwt. of the average 9.72 cents per cwt., available from profits.

Peter Muth, a junior, has been selected as Editor of Hi-on-the-Hill, the school newspaper (appearing in the Record). He will have as his assistant, Ellen Dosch.

Mrs. Lawrence Hauschild taught school in Youngsville in place of the late Miss Krick, who lost her life in the Grossinger fire Sunday morning.

Gerald Doetsch is home on leave after spending two years in Japan with the Air Force.

While driving home from church in Youngsville, Mrs. Florence Armstrong of this village, and her two sons, Durr and Edward, had a nasty scare. Their car skidded on the ice at Leroy’s corner in Youngsville and turned over. They managed to crawl out of a window and hail a passing car to get help. No one was seriously injured except for a few bruises.

60 Years Ago - 1964

Births at the Callicoon Hospital: A son to Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Ray of Long Eddy on February 21; a son to Mr. and Mrs. James Keesler of Hankins on February 25.

Evgrove Rag Apple Villa 498-8495, a seven-year-old, owned by Max B. Yasgur, Bethel, produced 19,793 lbs. of milk and 651 lbs. of butterfat in 323 days. This level of production may be compared with the average U.S. dairy cow’s annual output of 7,211 lbs. of milk containing 270 lbs. of butterfat.

The schools in Jeffersonville were closed Tuesday afternoon so that the teachers and students could pay their last respects to Mrs. Irene VonBergen who passed away Saturday in the Callicoon Hospital. She was a junior high school teacher in the Jeffersonville-Youngsville Central School District.

Floyd Bodie, 36, arrested during a county-wide narcotics raid last August, was found guilty of selling narcotics Tuesday afternoon by a Sullivan County jury.

Augie Egar, Youngsville, presented to Fred Bunt, scoutmaster of Troop 115, Fosterdale, a plaque designating Troop 115 as the Honor Unit of the Len-Nava District in recognition of their troop having the most recruits during the year.

50 Years Ago - 1974

Bob Lander of Narrowsburg is proud to announce the opening of Lenape Farms – his new horse complex, which will include an indoor riding arena and 42 box stall barn, located on 250 acres, 1 1/2 miles south of Narrowsburg on Route 97.

Barry Becker, the new pharmacist who will open shop shortly in Peck’s Market in Callicoon, has indicated that the state inspector has looked over his facilities and there is a good possibility that the pharmacy might open next week. Formal announcement is expected next week.

Allen S. Minckler of Callicoon has been appointed as an International Representative in the Third District comprising the states of Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.

Robert Guinan of Callicoon was recently awarded a Master of Science degree in Biology from SUNY at New Paltz. He is presently teaching secondary Math and Science at Livingston Manor Central School.

Ruth E. Keesler of Callicoon announced the engagement of her daughter, JoAnne, to Michael P. Ristics of Scranton, Pa. A July 20 wedding is planned.

40 Years Ago - 1984

Dean Hall, Karla Suarez and Maurey Levitz, all seniors at the Tri-Valley Central School, have been nominated for admission to two different United States service academies. Hall and Suarez, according to Congressman Matthew McHugh, have been nominated for the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., while Levitz has been nominated to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

The National Park Service is seeking bidders for the second stage of the restoration of the historic Delaware Aqueduct Bridge. The oldest wire suspension bridge in the nation, the structure spans the Upper Delaware River between New York and Pennsylvania at Lackawaxen, Pa. It was built by the famous engineer John A. Roebling in 1848. The NPS purchased the historic structure in 1979, shortly after Congress authorized the establishment of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River. In 1980, the service spent $26,000 to replace rotted timbers and install new decking and lights on the bridge. It then reopened the span to pedestrians and bicyclists.

Proceeds from the 2nd Annual Bridal Show Extravaganza, held at the Honesdale Armory on February 10, resulted in a donation of $600 to the American Cancer Society. Due to its success, another show is planned for next February.

Jill McCoach, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clifford McCoach of Liberty, and John Dunnigan, son of Mrs. Stanley Leroy of Youngsville and the late John Dunnigan, were married at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Monticello on October 15, 1983.

Roger Busing of Jeffersonville recently caught a 5-pound 2 ounce pickerel.

The license of Monticello physician Karl K. Heins to practice medicine was revoked Friday because of the deaths of two women at the now-closed Hamilton Avenue Hospital in Monticello, caused, according to the report prepared by the state Board for Professional Medical Conduct, by complications caused by Heins’ surgery.

30 Years Ago - 1994

Arthur Keesler, president of the First National Bank of Jeffersonville, will be retiring after a 33-year career   with Sullivan County’s largest privately-owned banking institution. Raymond L. Walter of Yulan has been slated to take his place. Keesler will remain at the bank as board chairman and also as a consulting advisor. He became president of the bank in 1987 following the 27-year career of the late Frederick W.V. Schadt.

A large crowd attended the 21st Annual Holiday Mountain Winter Carnival  this past weekend. The carnival originally was proposed by Jerry Fielding, a member of the Town of Thompson Park Commission, which still oversees the event. Fielding has been manager of the ski area for the past 15 years.

Ample snow allowed four Hankins youths, Isaac Brenner, Frank Freer, Paul Smith and Martha Brenner, to construct a nine-foot snowman. Also helping to build the giant structure were Emily Smith and Peter Smith.

Janet L. Nystrom of Jeffersonville has opened a natural food store in that village.

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Reichenbaugh of Ferndale recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with a gathering at the Days Inn in Liberty.

Mr. and Mrs. Emerson Bossley celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last fall with a gathering of friends and family at King’s in Livingston Manor.

Nearly 200 participated in a skating party this past weekend at the Pines Hotel, in an effort to raise funds for the South Fallsburg Action Committee.

The Delaware Valley Eagles achieved the Western Sullivan League basketball championship when they defeated Livingston Manor 59-48 Friday night. Their overall season play resulted in 11 wins and one loss. Eldred took second place with 9 wins and 3 losses.

20 Years Ago - 2004

Jennifer Flynn, daughter of Robert J. and Linda T. Flynn of Callicoon and James Dexter Young, son of Timothy and Wendy Young of Woodstock, Conn., were married during a 3 p.m. wedding ceremony at the First Presbyterian Church at Hortonville on Sunday, October 12, 2003. The bride is a graduate of Delaware Valley Central School and is a member of the security forces of the United States Air Force. The bridegroom graduated from Woodstock Academy in Woodstock, Conn., and is in training to be a SERE instructor, stationed in Washington.

Rick and Jill Gallup of Daytona Beach, Fla., announce the engagement of their daughter, Robin Gallup of Wichita Falls, Tex. to Derek Buchanan Flynn of Wichita Falls, Tex. He is the son of Robert and Linda Flynn of Callicoon. An April 10, 2004 wedding is planned at the Chapel at Sheppard Air Force Base.

Charles Sprague, 52, died February 4, 2004 in Liberty after a long battle with cancer.

On Thursday, the Town of Mamakating Zoning Board of Appeals decided to wait for the environmental process to take its course before they grant variances to the proposed Maitake mushroom plant.

10 Years Ago - 2014

Janet Carrus, the producer of the movie “Musical Chairs,” has a passion for equal opportunities for the disabled, and puts her financial resources behind her efforts to pursue it. The story of a young dancer who has a terrible accident and winds up in a wheelchair takes that view. It was directed by Susan Seidelman, whose 1985 film “Desperately Seeking Susan” helped make Madonna  a superstar. “My long term dream is to have the first wheelchair dancing competition like what they do in Europe in Hurleyville,” said Carrus, and she’s working with The Center for Discovery towards that end. 

The Tri-Valley Lady Bears have not been tested too often during their undefeated run this year, but Thursday night in the Section IX Class C championship game they found themselves clinging to a two-point 54-52 lead with 1:21 left in the game. Thanks to clutch free throws by Katlynn Greffrath, Sabrena Smith and Sara Dertinger in the final seconds, Tri-Valley answered the  challenge and edged Pine Plains 59-54 to move on to the state regional out-bracket game against Haldane tonight at Westchester.