130 Years Ago - 1894

Allen’s New York Theatre Company, which played two engagements in Jeffersonville last winter, played three nights at Mt. Upton recently concluding on Saturday night. The company is a good one and the show was well patronized. Trouble had, however, been brewing, owing to the manager being largely in arrears in paying his actors and actresses. On Sunday, they demanded a respectable installment on what was due them, and received the magnificent sum of two dollars each on claims, some of which exceeded a hundred dollars. A row ensued and the company disbanded.

It is now proposed to catch the large trout in Underhill’s private fishland at Roscoe and strip them to get a supply of eggs with which to start the hatchery. It looks now as if the hatchery would go limping for some years to come. It would be better for the taxpayers of the state if there was a man from the commission who could tell a sucker from a trout.

DeWitt Knapp has sold his hotel at Cochecton to John Maroney of Lake Huntington. Mr. Knapp will reside on a farm in that village.

Notes About Town:

John Glassel is now foreman in Ross’s grist mill.

A son joined the family of John Huff Saturday night.

Eugene Sheridan left Monday for Findley, Ohio where he has a position.

Henry Luchs is making repairs about his house – building an addition in the rear, and painting up.

Peter and Conrad Wegman of Beechwoods have gone South to engage in sugar manufacturing.

Halloween was not very enthusiastically observed by the boys about town Wednesday night – at least the next morning didn’t show it.

Theodore Bird has purchased the property of Mrs. Hermann just above Mr. Ross. The consideration is said to be $300. The property consists of about an acre and a half of ground and an old house. Mr. Bird will erect a new dwelling.

Philip Bietz has purchased the saloon of John Leonard of Mongaup Valley in the Town of Thompson and will move there with his family after election. The consideration is said to be $1,000. For the last couple years, Phil has leased the saloon, formerly conducted by his father in this village, and it is said that his brother, Fred, will take charge of it when he leaves. We are sorry to see Phil leave town.

Buckler’s Arnica Salve: The best salve in the world for cuts, bruises, sores, ulcers, salt rheum, fever sores, tetter, chapped hands, chilblains, corns and all skin eruptions, and positively cures piles, or no pay required. It is guaranteed to give perfect satisfaction or money refunded. Price 25 cents per box. For sale by H. A . Meyer – ADV.

120 Years Ago - 1904

On Thursday of last week, John Ludwig, proprietor of the Mansion House in this village for the past thirteen years, sold that well-known hostelry to William Knell of Brooklyn and William J. Durr of Jeffersonville. Mr. Ludwig bought this property of Michael Gabriel twelve years ago last May, after conducting the hotel at Callicoon for eleven years. The new owners are brothers-in-law. Mr. Knell is a native of Youngsville and for the past 22 years has been in the city, late years engaged in the shade and linoleum business. He is a very genial young man and will make a popular hotelman. Mrs. Knell is an excellent cook and hustling housekeeper and as such will fit admirably in that part of the management. Mr. Durr is a well-known young man of this place, having for the past cold seasons had the management of the Weequehela, a large and well patronized summer boarding house on the hill. He will take charge of the hotel cafe.

Another hotel in Jeffersonville is likely to exchange hands soon. A party is negotiating for the purchase of the Eagle Hotel of Charles Homer who has conducted it for many years. This is one of the most popular stands in this section.

The new house of W.J. Grishaber on Center Street is rapidly nearing completion.

The large new house of Franklin H. Neuberger on Silver Heights is also well along.

James Robisch on the Beechwoods Road will soon build a new house on the hill this side of his present residence, which he will turn over to his son, Charles.

Nate Harris of Ridgeway, a former hotelkeeper here, was calling on old friends through this section last week. He is a son-in-law of David Wood of Youngsville.

The people of Kenoza Lake have been enjoying the rare sport of wild duck shooting this past week. Flocks have settled about the lake every day the past week and 26 have been shot.

Swamp Mills, the name of a post office five miles from Narrowsburg, has been changed to Neweiden.

Reports say that F.A. Baundendistel, a Hankins undertaker, will open a branch establishment at Callicoon Depot.

Mrs. TenEyck Sarr, a former resident of Liberty, was badly injured in a trolley accident at Port Jervis last week.

Philip Bietz of this place is at present working at typesetting in the Herald office at Liberty.

H.R. Howland, the blacksmith, has his cousin, Gernet Howland of  Delaware County, assisting him in his shop.

110 Years Ago - 1914

While the state has gone overwhelmingly Republican, the Democrats made a clean sweep on the county ticket. Elmer Winner, for sheriff, lead in the victory by defeating Howard Beecher by 1262 plurality. George H. Smith was elected county judge over Ellsworth Baker by 569. H. Blake Stratton was elected Member of Assembly over John Z. Twitchel by 582.

The contest for Superintendent of the Poor was closest, Cornelius E. Downie, Dem., defeating Lincoln W. Lawrence Rep. by 152.

The cottage of Frank Neuberger on the south side of the Callicoon Creek in this village, was destroyed by fire about 3 o’clock on Tuesday morning. No one was in the house at the time. Mrs. Neuberger had been cleaning there Monday, but went to The Franklin, where the family spent part of the summer, for the night.

The famous bear tree, which stood on the land of Thomas Taylor near Kenoza Lake and has for years been an object of great curiosity to summer visitors and others, has been presented by Mr. Taylor to Callicoon Lodge of Free Masons who will preserve it. It is a wonderful freak of nature – an abnormal growth of the wood, showing an almost perfect representation of a bear.

Louis Erdman has been working at plastering in Newburgh for the past couple of weeks.

Wm. J. Grishaber has sold his new Mitchell touring car to Wm. C. Fuhrer of Kenoza Lake.

Wm. Kohler, the lumber dealer, has bought a Chase motor truck from a White Lake man.

A recital by the new Edison diamond disc phonograph will be given at the Presbyterian Church Friday evening by a representative of the Edison Company.

100 Years Ago - 1924

The will of Mrs. Maria A. Smith of Liberty was admitted to probate in Surrogate’s Court last week. The estate is valued at $16,000. Mrs. Smith was the widow of Josiah Smith, for many years a  merchant in Jeffersonville. She was also a sister of Leander M. “Doc” Young, who, years ago, was a well-known cattle buyer in these parts.

Otto W. Meyer returned Friday from a hunting trip with several city men in the Province of New Brunswick, Canada. The party shot two moose, four bears and several foxes. Otto got a bear and brought the pet home. H.A. Maas of West Hoboken, N.J., brought down a moose.

 E. James Brand and his friend, Dave Shade, the welter-weight boxer, motored up from the city in the latter’s car Friday for a few days of hunting.

 Wm. J. Grishaber took his daughter, Dorothy, aged 17, to Rockville Centre Sunday to take treatment for heart trouble which has confined the young lady to bed the past month. 

Weddings — On October 15, Constant J. Pfeifer, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry E. Pfeifer of Lower Beechwoods, was united in marriage with Miss Lillian Connors at St.Raphael’s Church, New York City. Benjamin Bayer of near Hankins and Miss Edna Hartz, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Hartz of Hortonville were married at the Callicoon Center parsonage by Rev. John E. Straub on October 22. 

Grover Bertsch and Miss Mildred Lubbe, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Lubbe of Cochecton, will be married at the Presbyterian parsonage today by Rev. A.A. Casper.

90 Years Ago - 1934

Chandler Y. Grant, aged 54, prominent Liberty hide dealer and fraternal member, was instantly killed last Thursday night when the sedan he was driving northward failed to make the turn around the cemetery at Monroe and crashed against a large truck carrying onions and traveling toward the city. Grant was accompanied by William George, Liberty awning maker and former town supervisor.

The 83rd anniversary of “Aunt Marthy” Scheidell was celebrated at her home on Maple Avenue with about thirty relatives attending.

Beginning November 1, the Jeffersonville post office will be closed at 5:30 p.m. instead of 6:30 on order of the post office department.

Stanley Bird, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph P. Bird of East Orange, has secured a position with the Carrier Manufacturing Company of Allentown, Pa., manufacturers of air conditioning equipment. Stanley, a frequent visitor to relatives here, was graduated from a mechanical engineering college in Newark. His father, a former Jeffersonville boy, never went to college, but nevertheless is holding down a pretty fair job as eastern traffic manager of the Santa Fe Railroad and is in charge of the New York office.

Herbert S. Wood, a former resident of Jeffersonville, died recently at his home in East Rutherford, where interment was made last week. Mr. Wood was born on the farm of his father, Henry Wood, which is now the Edgar Fuller home on East Hill, Youngsville. When he came to Jeffersonville over forty years ago, he drove stage and carried the mail between here and Callicoon for a long time.

80 Years Ago - 1944

Mrs. Robert Huebler of Kenoza Lake received a telegram from the War Department, October 21, that her son, Sgt. Robert O. Huebler, 21, is reported missing in action over Germany since September 27. Robert is an engineer  and top turret gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress, and has won an oak leaf cluster to the air medal for “meritorious achievement, coolness, courage and skill” during Eighth Air Force bombing attacks.

From a new release from headquarters at Wright Field at Dayton, Ohio, we learn that Sgt. Earl Kohler of this village is crew chief of four enlisted men picked to be part of the ground crew for jet-propelling planes being tested by engineers at Wright Field.

The 24th annual supper and dance of the Jeff firemen drew a big crowd at the Kenoza Falls Lodge last Saturday. Eight hundred suppers were served and the service was better than ever. August Lott was chairman of the committee.

An exchange tells of a girl who does not powder her nose, use lipstick or rouge. She was born last week.

70 Years Ago - 1954

Barbara Mills, a student at the Delaware Valley Central School, has developed polio, which is reported to be a mild case. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Mills of Buck Brook.

Saturday night, October 30, the annual Jeffersonville Lions Club Halloween party will be held. Plans are almost complete to make sure both young and old have fun and stay out of trouble.

A vote of 169 to 120 favored the dissolving of School District No. 7 of the Town of Liberty at White Sulphur Springs and annexing the territory included in the district to School District No. 1 at Liberty.

According to Burton Lindsley, game warden for the Liberty area, any landowner who permits his land to be stocked with wild game cannot post the land.

Squire David Mullins, 26, of Cleveland, Ohio, a Yonkers Construction Company employee, was killed instantly in a two-car collision on Route 17 one mile north of Liberty Sunday night.

Miss Darrell Brand, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Brand of Long Island City, was married October 25 to Robert Sugrue of Brooklyn in St. Michael’s Rectory in Brooklyn. The marriage followed an elopement in January. The bride is a granddaughter of Ed. A. Brand of Jeffersonville.

Michael Manzolillo of Elmhurst has purchased the Jacob Bauernfeind residential property located on the Briscoe Road.

Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Heib of Lake Huntington have purchased from Edward Krauss the residential property located on Route 17B near Fosterdale.

Public housing and construction of mental hospitals will be the subjects of two proposals to be presented to voters in New York State when they enter voting booths on next Tuesday.

 Charles S. Carmen Sr., a resident of North Branch, died suddenly at his home on Friday, October 22. He was 56.

A daughter, their second, was born to Rev. and Mrs. Leroy Herzog last Saturday at the Loomis Hospital.

60 Years Ago - 1964

William and Margaret Kimmes Schaefer celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary on October 20 with a family gathering at the dairy farm home they have lived in these past 63 years. They are both in their eighties  but continue to operate the farm where they raised their fourteen children.

A large class received their First Communion at St. George’s Church last Sunday, October 25. They were Deborah Ardizzone, Ann Coleman, Joan Erlwein, Catherine Geiger, Deborah Haney, Cynthia Knack, Cathy Ohman, Janet Leonardo, Betty Rinaldi, Christine Schmidt, Constance Selfridge, Marlene Smith, Cathleen Tegeler, Timothy Bernhardt, James Armbrust, Bruce Babij, Christopher Forsbach, Christopher Gabriel, Sharon Gallagher, Frank Gulone, Walter Lux, Timothy Manzolillo, Jeffery Qualls, Stephen Rees, Robert Rinaldi, P. David Schmidt and David Wicks.

Last year when it became known that “Coach” Fuller was going to retire, the Class of ‘64 wanted to do something and decided to purchase a plaque to be hung in the main entrance hall. The plaque reads:

To Honor 

Kenneth C. Fuller

In grateful appreciation of his devoted service and untiring efforts on behalf of educating the young during his 37 years of service 1927- 1964. This plaque is presented with esteem and affection by the Class of 1964.

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Delos Brooks on the birth of a son, Mark Delos, on October 21, at the Liberty Maimonides Hospital. The new baby has a brother, Michael, and a sister, Michelle, awaiting him at home.

50 Years Ago - 1974

Keith Callahan, 19, of Hankins, died Saturday as a result of massive injuries he received in a head-on collision on Route 97 just south of Hankins on Thursday which also hospitalized three other persons. According to State Trooper Ralph Huebner of the Narrowsburg sub-station, Callahan was distracted while lighting a cigarette and crossed the dividing line, hitting a car driven by Mrs. Naomi Specht of Branchville, N.J. Mrs. Specht and her passenger, Linda Nichols, 22, of Newton, N.J., were treated for injuries at the Callicoon Hospital as was Rickie Hadley, 15, of Long Eddy, a passenger in the Callahan van.

Grover M. Hermann has approved funds for further renewal at the Delaware Youth Center. Money will be available for revamping and refurbishing the bath houses at the facility. Last Sunday, a group of 20 workers put up the sides and backboards of the recently constructed outdoor skating rink which will also be used as a basketball court in the summer months.

Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Krum of the Beechwoods celebrated 60 years of marriage on October 28 with a dinner at the Red Barn Restaurant, hosted by their children.

Janine A. Sykes, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Sykes of North Branch, has been selected to sing with the world-traveled Hood College choir. She is a freshman at the private liberal arts college for women in Frederick, Md.

Lloyd T. Shimer, director of the Veterans Service Agency for Sullivan County, has been elected president of the Veterans Service Officers  Association of New York State at the convention held recently at the Concord Hotel.

40 Years Ago - 1984

For the sixth consecutive year, Eldred High School has captured the Western Sullivan League girls soccer title. The Yellowjackets achieved the feat by defeating Liberty 4-1 on Friday, pushing their record to 12-0-1.

Charles Barbuti Jr. and his son, Charles Barbuti III, have, over the years, built the area’s largest furniture store which culminates a family dream. The senior Mr. Barbuti began working in the furniture business in 1946, when he went to work for Russell V. Hodge Appliances and Furniture. When the business was sold to another corporation, he stayed on as manager for the next 24 years. In 1973, when the business was turned over to another owner, Charlie decided it was time to go into business for himself and took his son into business with him which they opened in a converted garage on West Street in Liberty. A son, Jimmy, also was involved in moving furniture and unloading trucks. As business grew, they relocated on Main Street in the former Alan Gerry business location. Once again, growth has made it necessary to seek larger quarters. Coming full circle, the Barbutis are now at home in the building where Charlie Jr. first began work – 199 South Main St.

Ruth Popkin, former south Fallsburg resident now living in Great Neck, L.I., was installed as National President of Hadassah at a recent convention held in San Francisco, Calif.

Paul Patrick Henke and Connie Lynn Davenport of Johnson were united in marriage at St. Joseph’s Church October 20. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Francis Henke of Callicoon.

A son was born to Bruce and Georgia (Widmann) Mitchell at the Wayne Memorial Hospital on October 23. He weighed 8 lbs. 3 oz. and has been named Michael.

Gladys Olmsted, R.N., director of Patient Services for Sullivan County will be the recipient of the Woman of the Year award, which recognizes a woman from the area for her outstanding achievements, and who has an over 30 years record of service to the community, at an awards dinner which will take place at Kutsher’s Country Club. 

Lloyd Shimer, an 18-year director of the Sullivan County Veterans Service Agency, died Saturday, October 27, at the Albany Veterans Hospital. According to Al Etkin, immediate past commander of the Sullivan County Council VFW, “his shoes will be very difficult to fill.”

Undefeated Eldred and undefeated Tri-Valley continued their winning ways by capturing the boys and girls team titles at the Western Sullivan League (WSL) cross-country meet on Friday at Sullivan County Community College.Tri-Valley crushed Liberty 33-6 to capture the WSL football title on Saturday to end the season with a record of 6-0.

Due to two key injuries suffered last week in a game with Tri-Valley, Delaware Valley was forced to cancel its game Saturday with Eldred. Chris Hermann suffered a broken rib and Brian Roeder injured his knee. This brings the team down to 19 players, one less than the state requirement to compete. In a recent game with Jeff-Y, James King broke his thumb which brought the team dangerously low to 21 eligible players. Livingston Manor has also canceled their remaining games due to injuries to starting players.

30 Years Ago - 1994

Voters rejected three propositions presented by Sullivan County BOCES: (1) which called for an 18-room addition to the existing main BOCES building, by a vote of 1551-1059; (2) an $800,000 proposition concerning the purchase of the BOCES Administration Building and 93 acres of land in Liberty, that connects with the Ferndale-Loomis Road site, defeated 1563 to 976; and (3) would have enabled BOCES to purchase a new six-room modular classroom at a cost of $1.04 million, that is presently being rented, by a vote of 1494 to 1044.

Lorraine and Rosie Miesner of Roscoe are volunteer raisers for Guiding Eyes for the Blind. They raise the puppies for a year before they are returned to the training school in Yorktown Heights with Lori Reber. From breeding to graduation, it costs nearly $25,000 to prepare and match the dog with a blind person for their new life together. Ms. Reber is seeking her Master’s degree in special education for the visually impaired at Georgia State University.

At half-time last Saturday in the game between Jeff-Youngsville and Livingston Manor, the girls softball playing field was dedicated in honor of Lauren Hughson, 3-year-old daughter of Jim Hughson who did much of the work on the field at no cost to the district. Lauren was diagnosed with a benign tumor at the base of her spine at six months and has had several operations and treatment since.

Justin James Dennis, age 17, of Liberty, and Milton Gaebel, 23, of Youngsville lost their lives in two separate accidents, one Friday morning and the other Saturday morning, in what is being claimed as “a tragic loss.” Dennis lost his life in a two-car accident just 1/2 mile east of White Sulphur Springs. Gaebel lost control of his motorcycle when he failed to negotiate a turn at the intersection of Route 52 and Briscoe Road.

Gertrude S. Kohler of Youngsville died unexpectedly on Sunday, September 18. She was a well-respected English teacher in the Jeffersonville-Youngsville School and was the widow of Earl Kohler. She was 76 years of age.

20 Years Ago - 2004

One of Sullivan County’s best known politicians and public figures, former Sheriff Joseph Wasser, died Thursday morning, October 28, 2004 at Arden Hill Hospital in Goshen. Hundreds of people crowded into the Landfield Avenue Synagogue in Monticello on Sunday to pay their respects to the longest tenured sheriff in the history of Sullivan County. It was said that he rarely forgot the name of anybody. In one of the most memorable examples, Wasser greeted nearly a thousand of the attendees to his retirement dinner by name while standing at the door. He was buried at Landfield Avenue Cemetery with military honors.

Delbert E. VanEtten of Liberty, historian for both the village and the town of Liberty for 27 years, died Sunday, October 31, 2004 at his home. Mr. VanEtten was curator and historian of the Liberty Museum and Arts Center, a member and former president of the Sullivan County Historical Society, and past president of the Hudson Valley Historians’ Association, covering 11 counties in the Hudson Valley.

Rita Faubel Yewchuck of Jeffersonville, the Jeffersonville correspondent for the Sullivan County Democrat in Callicoon, died October 25, 2004 in White Sulphur Springs at the age of 82.

Kylie Dean of Neversink and Thomas Conjura of Grahamsville were married July 31, 2004. Kylie is the daughter of George and Barbara Dean of Neversink and Thomas is the son of Tim and Joan Conjura of Grahamsville.

Sullivan West scored three touchdowns in three different ways in the second quarter of Saturday’s Section IX Class B semifinal game versus New Paltz at Dietz Stadium in Kingston. Sullivan West earned a 21-0 victory and a spot in this Saturday’s championship game.

10 Years Ago - 2014

The Sullivan County Industrial Development Agency’s (IDA’s) new CEO is a familiar face. Mongaup Valley resident Steve White spent the past three years on the IDA Board. Now, as of November 1, he’s replaced the retired Allan Scott as the IDA’s chief executive officer. White is a Sullivan County native, born in Monticello and raised in Kiamesha Lake. His mother Joan was the niece of Concord owner Arthur Winarick.

The J-YCS class of 1964 reunited for its 50th class reunion at the Villa Roma Resort and Country Club on October 11, 2014. A total of 22 class members gathered: Louise (Snyder) Gorr, Betty (Hull) Jirinec, Bettie (Peters) LaJoie, Pat (Haney) Rodman, Ruth (Sanftleben) Robisch, Judy (Jennings) Foster, Barbara (Krongel) Hamilton, Nancy (Lott) Harder, Karen (Bossley) Huter, Joan (Bernas) Ernst, Mary Ann (Morton) Honaker, Dennis Gurtner, Audrey (DeVos) Knack, Betty (Schaefer) Peters, Wayne Townsend, Linda (Bury) Mall, David Maus, John Gabel, Bill Diehl, Tom Kutschera, Tom Bury, Ed Krauss.

Nine members of the Liberty Central School Class of 1954 held their 60th class reunion recently at the White Sulphur Springs Inn: Elvira Waldas Brey, Ida Steinberg Fracasse, Fred Thompson, John Kavleski, Ed Townsend, Rosanna Quinlan McKee, Ardith Borden Willi, Virginia Bailey Leckfor, Grace Klemm Holden.