140 Years Ago - 1885

PIKE POND — During a little tramp through the woods some distance west of here, a piece of peculiar looking ore was found. It is a stone about the size of a man’s fist and has a green color, is full of veins resembling gold, and some of them silver, and the ore is very heavy.

Graeff & Gardner of Liberty have made arrangements to open a Photograph Gallery in Jeffersonville in connection with their Liberty Gallery.

The long talked of road between Liberty and White Lake is now a matter of certainty. The road is to be of the turnpike class and will be organized with a capital stock of $5,000.

130 Years Ago - 1895

LIVINGSTON MANOR — Mrs. Lavina Ward, the missing wife of C.M. Ward, who was last  seen on Monday, October 21, has not been found up to the present. One hundred men have searched the woods, swamps and every place in the vicinity but have found no clue.

About fifty relatives and friends assembled at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Lawrence of Youngsville on Wednesday, October 23, to see their daughter, Ida, united in marriage with H.L. Goubleman of Fremont.

Valentine Reum has purchased his father’s farm, the old VonBerger place in Beechwoods, and will erect a new house next spring.

At Livingston Manor cows are selling from $8 to $20, oxen from $25 to $75 a pair and sheep from $1 to $3 each.

A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Valentine Hessinger of Callicoon on October 28th. A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. William Menges of Youngsville this week.

120 Years Ago - 1905

The barn of Thomas T. Tempel of White Sulphur Springs was burned Sunday night. Consumed with the barn were a pair of horses, hay and other farm tools.

The population of Sullivan County as shown by the census taken last June has been just announced as 34,795, an increase of 2,489 since the census of 1900.

The election in Sullivan County resulted in a victory for the Republicans. The only Democrat elected on the county ticket was Henry J. Knoll for School Commissioner in the second district.

Rudolph Gute and family are moving their household goods from Middle Village, L.I., to the McDermott house in the village, which he bought recently.

Valentine Scheidell has sold his interest in the Jeffersonville Meat Market to William Hauschild and the firm is now Lixfield and Hauschild.

Amelia, the seventeen-year-old daughter of Peter Schultz of Jeffersonville, who was employed at V.J. Persbacker’s Hotel at Callicoon Depot, was knocked down and mortally injured by the Mountain Express at the station Monday evening.

110 Years Ago - 1915

The Republicans carried the day in Sullivan County on Tuesday by electing A.C. Kyle special county judge over Robert B. McGinn, Democratic and Progressive candidate. McGinn was a victim of religious prejudice and the treachery of persons who purported to be his friends.

George B. Maas, formerly of the Nutshell Hotel at Lake Huntington, later of the Iroquois Hotel at Hortonville, and lately in the blacksmithing line at Kenoza Lake, has contracted with I. Rosenzweig for a three year lease of the Waterfalls Casino below this village.

Thirteen residents of the old Delaware School District No. 4 which has been consolidated with Jeffersonville have, through E.H. Krantz, applied to Supt. Charles S. Hick to have the district boundary lines changed so that they will be in the Kenoza Lake district.

At the Lake Huntington fire district election on October 2, William J. Bennedum was re-elected commissioner. The vote on the proposition to appropriate an extra $100 for fire apparatus was a tie, 15 to 15. Accordingly another election was held the week following and the proposition was lost by one vote, 26 to 25.

A son was born October 21 to Mr. and Mrs. Abe Turetsky on the North Branch Road. Issy, the newborn, was blessed on Sunday by a Rabbi from Parksville.

100 Years Ago - 1925

The garage of Edward H. Krantz in Beechwoods was burned this morning at 7:30 together with a Ford car, gasoline engine reaper, mower and all other farming machinery.

That there is a market for farms and that the high prices which prevailed in this section a few years ago are a thing of the past, was clearly shown here last Saturday when Referee Henry Gardner of Callicoon sold the 112 acre farm of George Stephenson at Briscoe under a mortgage held by John Manion. There was no offer and Mr. Manion was compelled to bid in the place at $1410 which was about the amount of his claim and the costs of the sale.

A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Albert Kraack of Lake Huntington on October 26th.

In Justice Glassel’s court last Saturday a jury of six gave a verdict of guilty in the charges of malicious mischief and threatened bodily harm brought by Rudolph Molusky of Callicoon against Henry Schmidt, a farmer living on the state road midway between here and Youngsville.

Al Paolucci of Fosterdale, the popular manager of the Jeffersonville baseball team, has proven his popularity also in the political arena. Al was nominated for Justice on the Republican ticket, and he  came through in the Democratic town with a plurality of 20. So if you please, your honor, it is now Judge Paolucci.

90 Years Ago - 1935

After a long legal battle between the Iroquois Hunting and Fishing Club and the Excelsior Sportsmen’s Club over the boundary line between their properties, Referee Hasbrouck of Kingston has decided in favor of the Iroquois Club.

Miss Marie Dedling has received $200 for injuries sustained in the accident on the night of Labor Day, 1934, near Liberty, when she was in the car of Paul Schwartz of this village, which collided with a car owned by a Mr. O’Neill of New York.

Positive assurance that the Hankins bridge over the Delaware, a structure known locally as Kellam’s, will be reopened to traffic and any necessary repairs made immediately.

George Yager, native townsman and well known Jeffersonville bachelor, died of bronchial pneumonia at his home on Mill Street at noon Tuesday, October 29, after only a few day’s illness. He was in his 72nd year.

80 Years Ago - 1945

A bad automobile accident occurred on the unfinished portion of the Beaver Brook-Narrowsburg Road, east of Jim Bennett’s on Sunday. Involved in the mishap were Leland Bernhardt, age 25, of Kenoza Lake, a former prisoner of war in Germany, owner and operator of the car, and four Beaver Brook girls. State police from Ferndale barracks investigated the accident. According to reports, the car had a flat tire, hit an obstruction and was overturned.

Harry Goldstein, who recently sold the former Toissen White House here to Morris Kaplan, a city painter and decorator, has bought the Conrad Ruppert place at Birch Ridge of Mrs. Dorothy Osborne.

Weddings — Alice Marion Ulrich, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Ulrich of White Sulphur Springs, and Raymond Stadtmuller of Brooklyn were united in marriage on October 27th. Ralph S. Wehner of Callicoon Center and Thelma E. Tripp, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. Irving Tripp of Bergen, N.J., were married October 6th at the Bergen Methodist Church.

Frederic Schaefer, 17-year-old Barryville youth, pleaded not guilty to an indictment for first degree murder in the death of Irma Gambe, 23-year-old New York stenographer, at Glen Spey last August 11th and at his request William Deckelman of Jeffersonville, former District Attorney, was appointed by Justice Scherick to defend Schaefer, who is confined in the Sullivan County Jail.

70 Years Ago - 1955

Dr. David Mandell, a former Sullivan County resident, has opened an office in Jeffersonville for the practice of chiropractics.

Capt. Warren Ruppert of the Air Force has moved his family to Limestone Air Force Base in Maine.

Barbara Lott and Ruth Kron of Jeffersonville, students at Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing in Newark, N.J., will participate in a state-wide glee club concert in Orange, N.J., on November 17th.

The foundation for the new home of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Kespert, now living in Liberty, was begun this week on the lot adjoining the Irwin Boxberger property in Youngsville. Cecil Bryan and Charles Roth are the contractors.

Merchandise winner this week at Amber’s was Mrs. Ida Kohler.

Mr. and Mrs. Abe Malmad are the parents of a son, Howard Jules, born November 5th at Horton Memorial Hospital in Middletown.

The film, “Martin Luther,” dealing with the life of the 16th Century Protestant Reformation leader, was shown at the First Lutheran Church.

Mrs. Sabrina Frydham of Silver Heights won the twelve-cup percolator at the annual raffle of the Hebrew Ladies Auxiliary held at the synagogue on Wednesday, November 2.

60 Years Ago - 1965

William B. Chavis, a 58-year-old disabled veteran of World War II, was sworn in as postmaster of Long Eddy, becoming the first Negro postmaster in the state of New York.

The Republican party scored a heavy victory in Sullivan County in Tuesday’s election. John McBride won handily over Democrat Eugene Glusker for assemblyman. Robert Williams was returned to the DA’s office by a handsome but smaller margin over his Democratic opponent Eugene Hanofee. Sheriff Louis Ratner won a big majority over Democrat Edward Sykes. To add to the Democratic troubles, two seats on the Board of Supervisors were lost in the town of Callicoon and Rockland.

The office of welfare commissioner, held since 1950 by Robert B. Travis, a Republican, was not on the ballot this year. Reason was a new state law which makes it an appointed office after January first.

Many and varied were the costumes seen at the annual Halloween Party at the Delaware Youth Center on Friday evening in Callicoon. More than 20 children and adults appeared in costume for the event, which played to a very large crowd of spectators.

William Schadt, 17, of Jeff, has been named winner of a trip to the seventh annual National Youth Conference on the Atom in Chicago on December 9-11. George Raum, teacher at Jeff-Youngsville, will accompany young Schadt to the Chicago event.

Ferndale State Police are continuing the search for Miss Teresa Sowa, 21, who has been reported missing since she left the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jean Kupiec on Benton Hollow Road, Liberty, October 30.

50 Years Ago - 1975

The Democratic Party of Sullivan swept to victory Tuesday by winning 11 of the 15 supervisor seats. The only Republican county official elected to office was Joseph Purcell who was named County Clerk over Chez Hanofee.

Friends and  business associates gathered at the Bethany  Colony Lodge to honor outgoing United National Bank President Anthony “Hank” Roos with a testimonial dinner.

A daughter, Angela Marie, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Reeves of Lava en route to the Wayne Memorial Hospital, via the Tusten Ambulance Corps. She weighed 4 pounds 2 ounces and was the first baby ever delivered by the Tusten volunteers.

A. Fred Mootz, 75, retired hotel owner of The Lone Pine Hotel in Callicoon Center, died November 1at the Liberty-Loomis Hospital.

Wedding Bells: Sharon Lynn Caldiero of Hortonville and Joseph Eugene Schroeder of Woodside and North Branch, were married October 4 at Holy Cross Church, Callicoon. . . . Tina Marie Miller and James C. Roemer have had their engagement announced by her parents. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Roemer of Callicoon. . . . Regina A. Hanretta and Steven M. Wagner, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Wagner of Youngs-ville, were married in Cornwall-on-Hudson October 12.

40 Years Ago - 1985

Robin Fiddle, 19, of Parksville has become the first Sullivan County resident to hold the title of Miss Teen-Ager of New York. A formal transfer of the crown is scheduled for November 23 at the Granit Hotel in Kerhonkson.

The famed Grossinger’s Hotel in Ferndale which hosted many celebrities during its hey-day, has been sold according to owners Paul Gross-inger and Elaine Gross-inger Etess. Started as a small farm house which took in boarders to supplement the family income in 1914, the hotel grew to be world-renown. Among the many things that made the hotel famous was the wedding of Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds.

Dr. Bradley Layton, a native of Equinunk, Pa., has opened an office of family practice in Lookout, Pa.

Thomas Coom of Rock Hill was feted on the occasion of his 100th birthday by a houseful of friends on Saturday evening. He came from England when a youngster and has lived for the past ten years with Mrs. Sophie Tietjen, who provided the party.

Frank Petrocelli Jr., a student at Liberty Central School, has been named first alternate alto saxophone player of the All-State Jazz Ensemble by earning a rating of 99 at the NYS School Music Festival solo festival held last Spring.

Election is over and the results declared the following supervisors victories: Abe  Kleinman, Town of Liberty; Sam Rosenshein, Town of Fallsburg; Walter Sipple, Town of Fremont; George Neuhaus, Town of Bethel; Ludwig P. Grupp, Town of Callicoon; Jean McCoach, Town of Cochecton; William Dirie, Town of Delaware; Paul Rausch, Town of Forestburgh; Andrew Boyar, Town of Highland; Thomas Hill, Town of Lumberland; James Gorman, Town of Neversink; Leon Siegel, Town of Rockland; Dennis Greenberg, Town of Mamakating; Richard Lander, Town of Tusten; and David Kaufman, Town of Thompson.

30 Years Ago - 1995

Tuesday’s election changed the way Sullivan County will be governed for the first time in nearly two centuries. Elected to the newly formed legislature were: District 1, Chris  Cunningham (D); District 2, Bob Lander (R); District 3, Raymond “Rusty” Pomeroy, (D); District 4, Gordon McKinnon (D); District 5, Rodney Gaebel (R); District 6, Richard Levine (D); District 7, Leni Binder, (D); District 8, Robert Kunis,(D); and District 9, Steven Kurlander (R). The legislators mostly represent multi-town districts and will have only a county function. Rodney Gaebel is the only county supervisor who will move on to the Sullivan County Legislature.

Golf Pro Earle “Slip” Soules died in Florida at the age of 76. He was born in Claryville. He had been playing golf for 63 years. In 1960 he began making golf clubs, a specialty he continued until last year.

Mary Sausmikat of Hortonville celebrated her 90th birthday with a family dinner at The Alpine Restaurant in Honesdale.

Dave Possinger, coach at Sullivan County Community College, has resigned his position. He gave his reason as “not having an assistant coach, I cannot prepare my team to play.” He said in an interview, “I developed my skills to the best of my ability, to be the best coach I could humanly be.”

20 Years Ago - 2005

MA2 Kathleen Ellison, USN, daughter of Miles and Peggy Ellison of Grahamsville, received her second Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for her achievement and performance as a patrolman and explosives dog handler during her tour in Italy. On Friday, Veterans Day 2005, she was proud to serve with the local VFW color guard during the semi-annual tradition of exchanging American flags at the Grahamsville Rural Cemetery.

The Narrowsburg Fire Department recently took delivery of a new 2005 Ford F550 Turbo Diesel Rescue Fire Truck, equipped with the Jaws of Life, a generator, lighting capacity and many other extras.

Warren K. Miller was recently honored for his 60 years of membership with the Delaware Free Masons.

The first Peters/Wahl family reunion was held July 3 at the Delaware Youth Center in Callicoon with 70 people in attendance. The five daughters of the late Sydney and Edith Wahl Peters, formerly of Hortonville, posed for a photo: Arlene Hanson, Edith Zito, Colleen Flynn, Myra Mathern and June Carrier. The ladies also have three brothers, Sidney, David and Dan. Another reunion is planned in five years.

Seven members of the Class of 1955 of the Youngsville Central School met for their reunion: Patricia Wright McDermott, June Rasmussen Krum, George Abplanalp, Joseph Grafmuller, Charles Baker, Harold Menges, and Alice Ellmauer Elberth. They were honored to have two teachers join them,  Evelyn Judson Heinrichs and Alma Knack Denman. 

10 Years Ago - 2015

Saturday night, more than 400 residents from across Sullivan County attended the Third Annual Ride 2 Survive Dinner Dance  at the Villa Roma Country Club in Callicoon to help others in their battle against cancer. During the past year alone, Ride 2 Survive has helped 147 cancer patients with monetary donations to help them offset the cost of gas, parking and tolls while they are attending doctor’s visits, chemotherapy or whatever cancer treatment they need. To date, more than $22,000 has been raised to help Ride 2 Survive flourish.

On Veterans’ Day, the Liberty Elks served a spaghetti and meatball dinner to 150 people. Over a hundred of them were veterans of various wars and conflicts beginning with World War II.   Assisted by fellow Elks, Head Chef Paul Gatta made hundreds of meatballs following his secret family recipe. Gatta will not tell the secret of his succulent spaghetti sauce but did reveal there was “Plenty of good ground beef in the meatballs.” The guests thought the spaghetti with meatballs and gravy (as Italians call their spaghetti sauce) was top notch! 

The Narrowsburg School’s got new owners with new dreams – and now it’s also got a new name. “The goal of the ‘Narrowsburg Union’ is to reimagine one of Narrowsburg’s most iconic buildings as a multi-use commercial facility that builds on the existing strengths of the Upper Delaware River Valley region and communities, while providing an environment for new ideas to germinate and flourish,” according to a press release from owners Kathleen and Brendan Weiden. The Narrowsburg couple is currently engaged in turning the 87-year-old school (closed in 2005 in a cost-cutting move by Sullivan West Central School District) into a state-of-the-art community center.