110 Years Ago - 1913

I have just returned from New York and have a complete stock of all that is latest in exquisite millinery and would be pleased to have you call and inspect same. Mrs. Charles Newman, Kautz Bldg., Callicoon —ADV.

For the first time in eighty years the Wayne County Herald, published at Honesdale, Pa., has suspended publication. A petition in bankruptcy has been filed by N.A. Hulbert of Scranton.

The farmhouse, occupied by Felix Heinle and sons, Jacob and John, on the new Cochecton Turnpike at Fosterdale, caught fire from the chimney at about breakfast time last Sunday morning and was burned with nearly all its contents. The property was insured with Callicoon Mutual for $700 or $800.

The auction sale held by Theodore Kelly, who lives just above Hankins on the Pennsylvania side, last Wednesday, was the most successful auction held in Wayne County in some time. The cows averaged $78 each. H.D. Wood of Beach Lake was the auctioneer.

G.R. Trusdell of Hancock has announced that he will be at William Heuser’s Hotel in Cochecton, May 23-24, to take impressions for crown, bridgework and rubber plates.

A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Eben Lawrence of White Sulphur Springs on May 4.

Artist Will Rau has a job painting three murals at the Continental Hotel in New York City. One is to be the capture of Andre, another the meeting of Washington and Lafayette, and the third the surrender of Burgoyne. Last week he completed a large mural painting, entitled Lee’s Surrender to General Grant at Appomatox Court House. He and his partner also have the contract for redecorating Carnegie Hall in New York. Mrs. Rau will remain here at their bungalow. —Jeff Corresp.

The new barn of Theron Taylor and the new garage of Peter Theiss of Kenoza Lake, both built of cement, are now completed. The work was done by George DeLap and both are as fine a building as anyone could wish for.

There are a lot of new cars in the Long Eddy area: John Snyder of Rock Valley has one; Paul Skinner purchased an automobile of Walter Peake at Pea Brook, a combination of a runabout and touring car; J.B. Hagadorn has purchased of Engert and Sawyer, a runabout, and is using the same on his RFD route; Henry Peake purchased a new Ford touring car from Engert & Sawyer in Callicoon.

100 Years Ago - 1923

Isaac Post, a 50-year employee of the O & W Railroad and for a large part of that time agent at Liberty, died at his home in Liberty Sunday.

Pneumonia, following a chill he sustained Thursday while locked in an ice box in Callicoon that he was wiring, proved fatal to Theodore A. Cook, 65, of Hortonville, early Sunday morning, May 20. He was a brother of Dr. Frederick A. Cook, active in Arctic exploration, and Mr. Cook made a technical study of sleds and built a number that had been successful in withstanding the rigors of the Arctic. In 1917, Mr. Cook organized within his family the Independent Electric Light & Power Co., erected a power plant and pole line and began serving Callicoon and the vicinity with its first electric service.

The May card party and dance held at the Waldorf-Astoria roof garden in New York City, under the title The Jeffersonville, N.Y. Reunion, for the benefit of St. Joseph’s Seminary, has proven to be a grand success. To date a net proceeds of $1,000 has been realized.

Erma M. Mawdsley, a graduate of the Callicoon High School, class of 1921, is among the 12 honor students of the state normal school at Oneonta.

Fred Hinaman of Lookout, Pa., has been appointed supervisor to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Jacob W. Keesler and Coe Branning has been appointed tax collector to fill the vacancy caused by the death of his father. These offices are in Damascus Township.

90 Years Ago - 1933

The First National Bank of Narrowsburg opened at 9 o’clock this morning for “business as usual.” The directors of the First National Bank of Callicoon meet this evening to discuss their plan by which the bank here may be rehabilitated and reopened on a 100 percent basis.

Waxey Gordon, racketeer and New Jersey beer baron, who fled from New York City three weeks ago after being indicted on charges of income tax frauds amounting to almost $400,000, was captured last Sunday morning in a pleasant retreat on the shores of White Lake by State Troopers and Department of Justice agents and returned to New York early the same night. His two bodyguards were also brought along.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. George Seibert of Narrowsburg, a baby boy, Richard; born to Mr. and Mrs. William Meyer of Callicoon, a son, May 24, both at the Callicoon Hospital. Mrs. Richard Herrmann and daughter of Fremont Center were discharged Sunday.

Mrs. Pauline Elizabeth Hartmann Daub, wife of Frederick Daub of Cochecton Center, died in the Honesdale Memorial Hospital Wednesday, May 17. She gave birth to a healthy boy May 7 and was doing well until infection developed that could not be arrested. She was a very popular school teacher in the western part of Sullivan County.

We are informed that now is the time to view the blooms of the southern rhododendrons at the Curtis Nurseries on Delaware Avenue, Callicoon (Pa. side). Many different kinds of azaleas are also in blossom now.

A son, Robert, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Edward Knack of Jeff, May 21; a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Harold Leave of Jeffersonville at the Horton Memorial Hospital in Middletown.

Mr. and Mrs. John Becker of Callicoon Center celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary Sunday.

The laying of the cornerstone for the new Reformed Church, being built now, took place in North Branch Monday afternoon. Rev. John E. Straub, the minister of the church, was present with many out-of-town people coming for the occasion.

Thrifty Shoppers — this sale ends Tuesday, May 30 — Gold Medal Flour, 24 1/2 lb. sack, 85¢; Finest N.Y. State cheese, 23¢ lb.; Ayrshire butter, 2 lbs., 53¢; Calla Hams, 9¢ lb.; Prime Rib Roasts, 20¢ lb.

George Nealy has just completed another requirement of the Aeronautics Department in placing conspicuously on the field the town name, Cochecton, in large letters 8 by 12 feet to be painted a deep yellow and easily readable from the sky. He is to be commended for his interest in aviation and, for your information, our airport is listed officially in the Rand McNally map of airlines and ports.

80 Years Ago - 1943

Pvt. Jacob Gross, Fremont Center native, was slightly wounded in action in the African Theatre of Operations on April 5.

Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Hughson of Jeffersonville are the parents of a baby girl born May 12 at the Callicoon Hospital.

The Office of Price Administration tonight imposed a new strict ban on pleasure driving in twelve eastern states, the District of Columbia and part of West Virginia. New York is included in the ban. It was taken to meet a gasoline crisis resulting from increased military demands and to assure adequate gasoline for the production of food, the O.P.A. said.

Arnold Baum has been accepted for officers training in the Army after graduation in June; Jack Swords, also to graduate in June, has been accepted for officers training in the Navy.

E.E. Aldrich landed a pike in the Delaware this week that tipped the beam at nearly 7 pounds. It is the largest seen here this season.

Two very hard showers passed over Jeffersonville Tuesday evening with plenty of rain and hail. At Briscoe Sedletsky’s silo was blown over and the silo on the Peters farm was destroyed. Russell Norris’ barn was completely demolished. Len Huff lost 25 panes of glass. On the Frank Hubert place on East Hill the roofs were damaged and glass was broken. Frank Hauschild suffered about $100 damage to roofs and windows.

70 Years Ago - 1953

Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr. spoke to 800 people at the Concord Hotel in Kiamesha Lake on Monday night when he was guest of honor at the Jeffersonian Dinner.

A daughter was born May 16 at the Callicoon Hospital to Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Townsend of Fosterdale.

The new 57-bed Maimonides Hospital and Grossinger Clinic was dedicated Sunday at Liberty after which 1,500 people inspected the hospital which is at the corner of Carrier and Lake Street, Liberty.

Open house was held Saturday at the new building and modern facilities of the First National Bank of Narrowsburg.

Banns were published for Albert Schick of Obernburg and Miss Evelyn Specht of Jeffersonville in St. George’s Church Sunday. They expect to be married in June.

A new bungalow is under construction in Callicoon for Robert Deichert who has been a summer guest in this vicinity since childhood. It is located on the hillside opposite the Fred Starck Jr. residence.

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Sipple of Mileses celebrated their 55th anniversary on May 18.

Katherine Reynolds was given a baby shower at her place of employment, the Regal Underwear Factory, “all work and no play, etc.”

About 75 friends gathered at the home of Margaret Allgeier last Tuesday evening and tendered a surprise bridal shower to Gloria Mueller. She will become the bride of William Ackerman in the near future. — Kenoza Lake Corresp.

60 Years Ago - 1963

Herman Schmidt of Lake Huntington celebrated his 92nd birthday at the home of his son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Schmidt, on May 15.

Donna Popolillo and Gary Mauer reigned as King and Queen of the DVCS Junior Prom held Friday evening. Natalie Reichmann and Bruce Peake, the King and Queen of last year, presided over the crowning ceremony.

At the Callicoon Hospital, it was a son to Mr. and Mrs. William Stenros of Long Eddy on Wednesday; a son, Tuesday, to Mr. and Mrs. William Mohn of Narrowsburg; and a son, Tuesday, to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Gries of Milanville, Pa.

Cadet Major Richard Paul Bihler, son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Bihler of Kenoza Lake, has been designated by the 535th AFROTC  Wing of Syracuse University, as the recipient of the Professor of Air Science Award as the most outstanding Senior in Flight Training.

Marco and Michael Guozzo, twin sons of Mrs. Joseph Guozzo of White Sulphur Springs, received scouting’s highest award, the Eagle Badge, at a Troop No. 95 Court of Honor held in Liberty, May 2.

Word has been received that David Bult will be transferred to Campbell College in North Carolina on a full basketball scholarship. He has been captain of the Orange County Community College basketball team and was rebound leader in the Junior College Christmas Tournament.

50 Years Ago - 1973

Ted Rittershausen, longtime operator of Ted’s Restaurant in Jeffersonville, has announced the sale of the eating place to Mr. and Mrs. Sam Schwartz of Livingston Manor.

Joe Naughton, proprietor of the Western Hotel, Callicoon, shot a beautiful 23 1/2 pound turkey on Wednesday.

Three Western Sullivan supervisors and more than a score of residents, many of them members of area garden clubs, were disappointed Friday morning when the freak snowstorm canceled the scheduled arrival at Sullivan County International Airport of Assemblyman Louis Ingrassia and two Department of Environmental Conservation officials.

George Burkle has moved his Callicoon insurance offices to the former medical suite in the Mills Building on Route 97.

Mr. and Mrs. Merritt Madison Jr. of Livingston Manor have announced the engagement of their daughter, Kay, to Kenneth R. Zak of Plainview, L.I. A fall wedding is planned.

Randy Mills and Mary Ellen Canazon were crowned King and Queen at the Junior Prom in Callicoon Saturday night.

At the Liberty-Loomis Hospital, it was a boy and two girls on May 15: a son to Mr. and Mrs. Willy Bartschi of Ferndale; girls to Mr. and Mrs. William Norris of Youngsville and Mr. and Mrs. John Nodop of Harriman; on May 16, a boy was born to Mr. and Mrs. William Fisher of Monticello, and a girl to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Cox of Ferndale; on May 17, a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Russell VanLoan of Swan Lake.

A daughter, Dana Lynn Cole, was born May 16, 1973 at Liberty Loomis Hospital to William and Ada Cole of Hurleyville. She joins her brother Bill and sister Colleen at home.

40 Years Ago - 1983

C. Amanda Stewart, a retired postmaster at North Branch with 29 years service, died Tuesday, May 17, at the Murray-Tufts Garrett Methodist Home just across the bridge from Narrowsburg. She was 90 years of age. She was the mother of Town of Cochecton Supervisor Jean McCoach and the grandmother of Town of Delaware Supervisor Craig Stewart. Upon her retirement, Mrs. Stewart was succeeded by her daughter, Mae Poley, as postmaster, and upon Mrs. Poley’s retirement her sister, Wilda Priebe, took over the position (in 1981), making a total (at this time) of 59 years service as postmasters in the family.

Robert Schmidt, auto body instructor, and Clifford Krantz, electrical trades instructor at the Sullivan County BOCES, will be honored at a retirement dinner at the Villa Roma Country Club on Saturday, June 18.

Ida “Skippy” Frankel, Village of Liberty mayor, and president of the New York State Conference of Mayors, the first woman elected to the post in the organization’s history, has been invited to a conference of presidents and executive directors of state municipal associations scheduled to be held in the White House in Washington, D. C. on May 23.

Lucille Coleman, R.N., a member of the nursing staff at Wayne Memorial Hospital in Honesdale, Pa., was honored  by more than 120 friends at a retirement celebration recognizing her more than 57 years in the nursing profession.

A strike that apparently almost nobody really wanted, failed to happen here last Friday when 175 registered nurses at Community General Hos-pital voted to accept their negotiators’ recommendation to settle with the hospital administration. The nurses gave their approval at a Friday morning meeting at Liberty’s Holiday Inn.

Carlton Fritz, a postal superintendent with 35 years service, and William Henkelman, Liberty postmaster with a 27-year tenure, were honored by 86 fellow postal employees at a dinner at the Red Barn Restaurant in Swan Lake last Thursday.

30 years ago - 1993

“People have always been good to us, both in making artifacts and archival materials available to us,” said Marge Smith, president of the Sullivan County Historical Society in celebrating the 65th anniversary of the official chartering of the organization at the Hurleyville site of the Sullivan County Museum and Cultural Center. First organized in 1886, the state chartered the Society in 1928. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Lindsley of Wurtsboro were honored for their work in unraveling the history of Alfred S. Landis of Wurtsboro who was responsible for much of the art that is now legend concerning the county’s once mighty hotel industry. He created artwork and printed the lithograph postcards between the 1940s and 1950s, which today are all that remain of some of the great hotels of the area’s bygone era.

Tracy Lynn Immoor, daughter of Doug and Linda Immoor of Youngsville, and Lawrence Krug of Harmony, Pa., were married April 24, 1993, at the United Methodist Church in Kenoza Lake. A reception was held at the Villa Roma  Country Club in Callicoon.

Joseph B. White and Paul Ingrassia have been named one of the 1993 Gerald Loeb Award winners in business journalism. Joe is the son of Mary White of Callicoon and Tom White of Texas. They recently won a Pulitzer Award for their exposé of General Motors Corp.

The Frederick A. Cook Society has donated land for the permanent home for the life and letters of one of Sullivan County’s most famous native sons. Believed by many to be the first explorer to reach the North Pole shortly after the turn of the century, Cook was born in Hortonville in 1865 and went on to become one of the world’s foremost Arctic explorers. A doctor, he is credited with saving an entire Belgian expedition to the South Pole in 1910, drawing on his vast knowledge of survival in the coldest parts of the planet.

Leisure Time Spring Water and Ice Co. in Kiamesha Lake has launched its latest venture, L T Plastics, in which plastic pellets are blown up into bottles for use in bottling the company’s spring water. All told, 24 new employees have been or will be hired to accommodate the greater, production guaranteed by the new device.

Lillian McKeen was guest of honor at a 90th birthday celebration held at the home of her son, Mr. and Mrs. Walter McKeen of Jeffersonville, on April 17.

20 years ago - 2003

On Monday, May 26, Fremont Center will hold its 199th annual Memorial Day Parade.  The parade began in 1884 as Decoration Day, a day to remember and decorate the graves of those who fell in the Civil War. Over 100 families and businesses sponsor the parade. This year’s parade will commemorate the Armistice to end the Korean war, which was signed on July 27, 1953.

Isadore Gerber of Providence, R.I., a former longtime resident of Liberty, died April 24, 2003 at the age of 79. Following graduation from Liberty High School in 1940, he joined the family business, Gerber Dry Cleaners. He entered the U.S. Army in 1942 and was a highly decorated veteran of World War II. He was involved in civics and politics throughout his life.

St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Narrowsburg had eight children receive their first Holy Communion on May 3: Peter Kelly, Kristen Daley, Shane Andrewski, Samantha Peck, Jonathan Allen, Richard Lander, Cheyenne Everett and Manuel Leon.

10 Years Ago - 2013

The Fallsburg Central School District Hall of Fame announced  Jack Leshner as its first inductee. This year marks the 60th anniversary of when Mr. Leshner began his 33-year teaching career at FCHS in 1953. Jack’s interest in teaching started as a young boy in Kiamesha Lake at a one room schoolhouse where Ms. Mabel Wood taught his older brother Misch and Jack. She admired the “Mischa Boys” so much that she skipped Jack over the fifth grade so the two of them would graduate together in her final year teaching at that school.  She went on to teach in Sullivan County well into her 70s. Jack began a very long career as an outstanding educator in the social studies department at Fallsburg Senior High School. He made the subject of history come alive to his students.  He encouraged students to think critically and to see the relevance of the past to current events.  Many of his students were so inspired by his methods, mentoring and manner in and outside the classroom that they pursued their own teaching careers. 

DEATHS: Jeffry Lee Laffey, Sr., 67, of Naples, FL and formerly of Fremont Center, passed away on May 22, 2013. …Daniel S. Hogue, Sr. of Forestburgh died Wednesday, May 22, 2013, at the age of 74. …Paul W. Hook of Cochecton and formerly of Honesdale, died Sunday, May 19, 2013 at Ellen Memorial. …John Weiner of White Plains died peacefully at his home May 21, 2013 two weeks before his 94th birthday. His parents, and then he and his two brothers, were the proprietors of the White Roe Lake Hotel.