150 Years Ago -  1873

The store of Martin Weyrauch of Thumansville was broken into last night and a number of articles were stolen.

Ground was broken last week for the second track between Narrowsburg and Cochecton.

A disgraceful row was created by a gang of drunken railroaders who invaded Thorwelle’s barroom at Callicoon Depot last Friday morning, smashing the furniture and even using the proprietor in a rough manner.

James Carlston of Pike Pond has a horse that ate three chickens the other day.

George W. Maybe resigned as principal of the Jeffersonville Academy.

P. Jacobs of Youngsville has assumed the directorship of the Fremont Center Band.

140 Years Ago - 1883

George W. Maybe sold his interest in the Sullivan County Record to Martin J. Weyrauch. Mr. Maybe has a half a column over his name headed valedictory. Mr. Weyrauch has another half column announcing his policy as editor and owner.

J.M. Schmidt of Buck Brook sold a span of horses to Mr. Smith of Newark, N.J., for $300. Peter Wagner and Joseph Zahorich sold teams to the same party.

Philip Seelig of Jeffersonville says that the upper leather tanning business is not very profitable, and he talks of converting his tannery into a sole-leather tannery soon. He has purchased a rolling apparatus for the purpose.

Mrs. A.A. Chapman will start a singing school at the Jeffersonville school house tomorrow night.

130 Years Ago - 1893

G.P. Childs of Wayne, Neb., formerly of this county writes, “We have quite a little colony of Sullivan County people in this neighborhood, all of them getting along nicely. Levi Kimball, formerly of Rockland, is a prosperous banker at Wakefield, two miles east of Wayne. O.B. Kortright of Loch Sheldrake is a leading contractor and building here. George W. Kortright from Liberty Falls is a jobber in photographic supplies at Sioux City. H.A. Sewell, another Rockland boy, is engaged in farming adjoining this city.”

About 5000 barrels of apples have been shipped this season from Callicoon to Philadelphia by Eighmy Bros. and Cortright.

We are to have another store in town. Frank Nober, retired New York City policeman, has purchased the Ed Fish property and is thoroughly overhauling it and fixing it up. The building was formerly used by Mr. Fish as a blacksmith shop. Later on he may put on an addition to the building for a double track bowling alley. Note: At present the building is the law office of Deckelman & Schadt.

The Jeffersonville creamery began yesterday to operate a separator. Farmers can now bring their milk, have the cream separated and take the skim milk home with them for feeding purposes.

120 Years Ago - 1903

Gottlieb Hansacker and Walter Gettel of Black Lake were arrested shortly after Thursday midnight and identified as being two of the party of three hunters who shot Deputy Sheriff William Shiells on the game preserve of Chester Chapin Wednesday afternoon while he was arresting them for killing a deer. In the meantime the officers were looking for Fred Gettel, a brother of one of the prisoners, who is said to have been the third poacher.

The three poachers had driven a deer in Chapin’s preserve where they killed it and about dusk were in the act of lifting it over the fence when Shiells and Felter placed them under arrest. The three men were ordered in the wagon and started with them to the headquarters. Felter led the horse and Shiells walked alongside the wagon. When almost there one of the men asked permission to walk, giving the cold weather as an excuse. He had hardly hit the ground when he discharged the double barrel shotgun he carried into Shiells. The officer was about three feet away. The charge tore a hole in his coat and tore a big piece out of his left arm below the elbow. The three hunters escaped driving away toward Mongaup Valley. Mr. Chapin promptly offered a $1000 reward for the capture of the poachers.

A.J. Wheeler, formerly of Craigie-Claire, has been arrested for defrauding a Marshalltown, Iowa woman out of $1,000. This same Wheeler made an address here at the dedication of the Union Chapel.

Catherine Christina Steiss, widow of the late Jacob Ernst, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Michael Yager at Peakville in Delaware County. Burial was Saturday in St. George’s Cemetery. Mrs. Ernst was born in Rheinfalz, Germany. She and her husband and six children came to America in 1874, settling in DeBruce where Mr. Ernst died. She is survived by two sons, Michael and Nicholas and two daughters, Elizabeth, wife of Michael Yager, and Helena, wife of Conrad Schaaf, both of Peakville, and step-stepsons, Jacob Ernst of Utica and Frank Ernst of Cadosia, and three sisters, Mrs. John Menges, Mrs. Elizabeth Ambelli and S. Wardly.

110 Years Ago - 1913

The following farm institutes are to be held in Sullivan County this year: December 11, at Fremont Center; December 9, at Grahamsville; December 8, at Hurleyville; December 10, at Jeffersonville; December 12, at Lake Huntington. D.P. Witter will be in charge at all the meetings.

Henry C. Merritt, head of the Merritt Construction Company, disappeared from his home a week before election and his whereabouts are still unknown. He was supervisor of his town and left the town’s affairs in a muddled condition. A petition in bankruptcy has been filed against him by creditors. Merritt is about 35 years old and is known locally as a contractor. He built some of the local state roads.

Wm. Moore, who owns a fine farm at Sackett Lake, has given an area of land on the shore to the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs, the Free Masons and Eastern Stars of Monticello, and the lodges will at some time build clubhouses on the lot.

Franklin H. Neuberger preached at the Hurleyville and Neversink churches last Sunday in the absence of the pastor.

A letter from Hancock from F.M. Woolsey, president of the Livingston Manor Electric Company, gives a column and a half of explanation explaining the obstacles encountered to bringing electric service to Youngsville and Jeffersonville.

100 Years Ago - 1923

Helen Hemmer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Hemmer, and Frank J. Eagin of Youngsville were married at St. Joseph’s College at Callicoon by Father Luke. They were attended by Edmund Eagin and Miss Louise Menges.

Henry Keim Jr. and Miss Marie Margaret Miller were united in marriage by Rev. B. Bohrer of the Lutheran Church last Saturday. They were attended by Fred G. Hasenpflue and Miss Myrtle Moran.

Roy C. Johnston of Livingston Manor, elected last week, is the first Democrat elected to the  County clerkship since the late William C. Brand of Jeffersonville who was elected 24 years ago.

The Town of Callicoon is entitled to the honor of being listed as the banner Democratic town in Sullivan County. At the last general election the voters gave majorities to all Democratic candidates ranging from one to three hundred on the average. Edward Homer had no opposition on the printed ballot but Edward J. Schroder’s name was written on 40 ballots.

Ethel W. Schriber, the Democratic candidate for school director in the Town of Rockland and the only woman on the ballot, was the only candidate to carry every election district in the town.

E.N. Moot, county agricultural agent, is promoting a project to encourage poultrymen to grade eggs for the market. Two meetings are scheduled at which time demonstrations will be given and exhibits will be explained. In the grading exhibition, candling will be demonstrated. Poultrymen and shippers alike have found they can secure better prices for graded eggs than they do for mixed eggs.

90 Years Ago - 1933

Walter Benson, aged 45, of Flush-ing, one of the subcontractors at the new prison at Woodbourne, was held Tuesday afternoon by Magistrate LaTourette of Monticello on a charge of extortion. Benson was accused by Vincent Lombari of Woodbourne, a mason, of having $2 taken of his $8 a day pay and of having been threatened loss of the job if the man refused to pay.

Workmen under Benson said the levies on their pay had been exacted for some time, but refused to give definite information under order of the district attorney.

A report of Mrs. Susanna Potsch, County Commissioner of Public Welfare, shows that the county now has 225 chickens, 1,600 pounds of pork, 1,045 pounds of beef, 673 pounds of veal, 2,538 dozen of eggs and 486 pounds of butter stored away. There are 21 pigs weighing between 100 and 200 pounds each. The farm output showed 125 bushels of corn, 317 bushes of potatoes, 17 bushels of carrots, 50 bushels of beets, 24 bushels of string beans, 35 bushels of tomatoes, 6 bushels of peppers, 4 bushels of cauliflower, 7 of green peas, 14 of cucumbers, 16 of spinach, 75 heads of winter cabbage, 38 tons of hay, 61 tons of ensilage and one and one-half tons of pumpkins.

R.A. Monroe, former owner, purchased the Moses Westbrook hardware store property at the foreclosure sale the other day and immediately afterwards sold it to Harold Poley who will move his shoe store in it.

Sullivan County spent $1,208 for poor relief of 73 families during the month of October. Old age relief checks for November for 214 recipients amounted to $3,369.

80 Years Ago - 1943

The post office at Loomis, established in 1896 mainly to service the patients of the sanitarium, was closed this week by department order. The sanitarium is no more and there is no light or heat or water for a post office.

John Bargried and Miss Dorothy Eagin were married at Pearl River on Saturday, November 6.

Postmaster Williard C. Schadt left yesterday to enter the army. His mother, Mrs. Ann Schadt, is now helping Robert H. Mann, the assistant postmaster in the office.

Mrs. William H. Krantz died at her home in Middletown on November 8. She was born Elizabeth A. Rogler at Youngsville 73 years ago and was married nearly 50 years.

Sgt. Emerson Bossley of White Sulphur Springs and Miss Emma Chellis Norris of Briscoe were married Saturday night at the Presbyterian Manse by Rev. J. Kovach. They were attended by PFC Leonard Huggler and Miss Dorothy Norris.

Leonard Francis Mauer of Beechwoods and Miss Joy P. Wood of Utah were married in Utah on October 25. Leonard is working in the mines in Utah under supervision of the army.

70 Years Ago - 1953

At the last meeting of the Jeffersonville Lions Club plans were made for a study to provide an outdoor basketball court and skating rink on the Lions Field.

Mrs. Charlotte Diehl celebrated her 93rd birthday on Saturday. She lives with her daughter, Mrs. Minnie Bacon, on Maple Ave.

Alex Krongel, Jeffersonville baker, is home and ventures out on the village streets after undergoing surgery at the Jewish Hospital in Brooklyn.

James J. “Jimmy” Braddock, the former world heavyweight champion, felt at home Wednesday night when he spoke to the alumni of the Boys Club of New York at the Tompkins Square Branch in New York City. Jimmy has his summer home here in North Branch.

Mrs. Anne Mages, went forth to hunt her deer. The land she knew best was her father’s pasture near Hunter Pod in Bethel, where she used to drive cows. Here is where she got her 8-point buck.

Schaefer Bros. of Jeffersonville have taken a contract to build a two mile stretch of highway in the Town of Fremont. This is part of the Erwin road program.

Nancy, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Valentine Reum of Beechwoods, and Eric Niessen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hans Niessen of the same place, were quietly united in marriage in the home of the bride last Saturday afternoon.

The Mullally babies were baptized last Sunday after Mass by Father Edward McGuire, pastor of St. George’s R.C. Church. Thomas Michael is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Norman Mullally and Timothy is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Mullally.

Robert Huter, ill of polio since last summer, returned to Jeff Central school this week for the first time since his illness. His brother is improving.

Over 100 employees and guests attended a party given by Peter Schmidt and Joseph Schmidt at the Tumble Inn in Callicoon Center Saturday night, November 1. The evening was spent dancing and enjoying the refreshments. 

Albert Hauser of Batavia spent a few days home recently.

60 Years Ago - 1963

Friday night at the Jeffersonville Central School auditorium should prove most entertaining. Miss Janet Flax will play  Claire de Lune by DeBussy on the piano. Miss Flax has studied for eight years with Ilse Glassel and has recently passed her national audition.

The Town of Thompson Board this week secured an option on 170 acres of land on the Old Liberty Road north of Monticello with plans to develop it into a town park.

Harry and Betty Schuler of Liberty just returned from an eight day vacation trip to Rockwood, Maine, visiting the Frank Sucks of Fulton on their way. The Sucks are formerly of Youngsville and send their best to all their friends here.

Cadet Frederick I. Williams Jr. of Callicoon has been awarded the rank of cadet technical sergeant at the Air Force Academy.

A baby girl, Mary Margaret, weighing 6 lbs. 15 1/2 oz. was born to Mr. and Mrs. Libby Manzolillo at Liberty-Loomis Hospital on Friday.

Mr. and Mrs. Karl Spielmann and son, Glenn, drove to Manchester, Conn., on Saturday to visit the John Vogel family. On Sunday, Mrs. Vogel accompanied them to Cornwall-on-Hudson where they attended the wedding of their niece, Florence Ann Spielmann. The wedding was unique in that the groom has a hobby as an antique car dealer and is a member of the Newburgh Automobile Club. Some of the guests arrived in their antique cars and following the ceremony the bride and groom drove to the reception in a 1920 Rolls Royce, polished to perfection and gaily decorated.

50 Years Ago - 1973

The Stone Arch Bridge at Kenoza Lake, one of Sullivan County’s most cherished historic landmarks, is currently being repaired by workmen from the Department of Public Works. They are repairing the footings by resetting them on concrete pads to correct the ravages of the years and particularly the flood damage of last spring.

David Fisk of Hortonville won the regional championship for his age in the Punt, Pass & Kick competition in New Haven, Conn., last Sunday during the half-time of the Giants-Cowboys game. Dave will participate in the semi-finals to be held in Atlanta, Ga., December 16.

Mrs. Margaret Snow was guest of honor at a 90th birthday party given her last Saturday at the Callicoon Church Hall. She is the mother of Mrs. Martha McGrath of Callicoon.

Mr. and Mrs. Karl L. Sauer of Cochecton have announced the engagement of their daughter, Sandra Lee, to Richard Jay, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Jay of Cochecton.

40 Years Ago - 1983

Harry Darbee, a flytier, fisherman and naturalist from Livingston Manor, died Tuesday, November 8. He was 77 years of age. By taking apart and reconstructing the flies of  Theodore Gordon, Herm Christian, Ed Hewitt, Roy Steenrod and others, Darbee preserved the work of an earlier era and through his experimentation developed his own style of fly-tying.

Brian Ingber was elected supervisor of the Town of Fallsburg in the recent election. He will serve on the Board of Supervisors with George Neuhaus of the Town of Bethel, David Kaufman of the Town of Thompson, Andrew Boyar of the Town of Highland, Rudy Lindberg, Town of Fremont; Lou Grupp, Town of Callicoon; Jean McCoach, Town of Cochecton; Craig Stewart, Town of Delaware; Dennis Greenwald, Town of Mamakating; Leon Siegel, Town of Rockland; Fred Tegeler, Town of Tusten; James Gorman, Town of Neversink; Don Scheetz, Town of Lumberland; Paul Rausch, Town of Forestburgh; and Abe Kleinman of the Town of Liberty. Although the Board of Supervisors consists of nine Republican supervisors and six Democrat leaders, because of the weighted vote the Democrats still kept control – 1081 to 836 on majority issues. Lloyd Heller was elected county coroner.

The company that wants to build a microwave tower near Jeffersonville has asked the Town of Bethel Planning Board to delay action in the controversial proposal but the issue is apparently far from dead. Lynn Hartrick, vice president and general manager for Rochester Communications, Inc., said Tuesday that the company requested the delay because it is still waiting for the Federal Aviation Administration to approve plans for a tower about 30 miles east of Bethel, at an undisclosed site.

Daniel “Jerry” Amatucci, former Bethel Supervisor, died Wednesday, November 9, at the Community General Hospital at Harris. He was 69 years of age and the father of Assemblywoman Jean Amatucci Fox.

Helen Intemann, a respected teacher and civic worker, died at  Community General Hospital in Harris on November 12. She was 71 years of age and the wife of Callicoon attorney Robert Intemann.

Elsie Winterberger, the Town of Forestburgh historian, was honored at a dinner of the Upper Delaware Heritage Alliance held Saturday night in Bethany, Pa., in recognition of her outstanding work in the field of historic restoration. Included in her list of accomplishments was the restoration of a log cabin discovered last spring, her personal work in raising more than $2,500 to achieve that restoration, her efforts to prevent the destruction of a historic stone wall and her fight to get the “h” put back on the town name of Forestburgh. She is the author of “Forestburgh Lore” a column that appears in the Sullivan County Democrat.

30 Years Ago - 1993

About 200 vendors exhibited their wares at the 23rd Annual Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair at the Sullivan County Community College held Sunday. Because of the growth of the fair, it is planned to enlarge the fieldhouse at the college to accommodate this and other popular events.

A sock hop, to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association, was held Saturday at Louie’s Happy Days Restaurant in Livingston Manor, a mecca for ’50s memorabilia. To add to the attraction, classic ’50s roadsters cooled their engines outside while guys and gals, clad in poodle skirts and leather jackets, burned up the dance floor inside.

Have you used the Three Sisters planting system? Corn is planted in the same hill with beans and squash. Corn stalks support the beans which put nitrogen back into the soil while the large leaves of the squash plants help block weeds. A 20-page leaflet, available through the Cornell Cooperative Extension, covers the legend, the need for diversity and tells exactly how and when to plant your own Three Sisters. Foods prepared from corn are described and a pattern for making corn husk dolls is included.

Tina Baker, daughter of Richard and Janet Baker, and Andy Diehl, son of Corky and Judy Diehl of Tyler Hill, were married last Saturday at the Equinunk United Methodist Church... Laura Hubert and Josef Seidel were married October 10 at St. Mary’s Church in Obernburg. His father and several other relatives came from Germany for the ceremony.

20 Years Ago - 2003

It was a bittersweet moment for Aileen Gunther, newly elected NYS Assemblywoman of the 98th Assembly District. Just a few short months ago, she lost her beloved husband and 98th District Assemblyman Jacob Gunther III. And on Thursday, November 20, in the wake of a landslide election victory, Aileen Gunther was sworn in to fill the seat of her late husband in a moving ceremony at the Sullivan County Government Center.

Tragedy befell the Liberty barracks of the New York State Police on Sunday. According to Major Alan Martin, former Liberty barracks chief and now commander of Troop F (which includes Liberty), Trooper Jeffrey T. Edelson, 34, died after losing control of his 2000 Ford Crown Victoria patrol car while pursuing a vehicle on Route 55 near its intersection with Airport Road in Liberty.

The National Park Service celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River on Sunday, November 9. The celebration included tours of the Zane Grey Museum and the Roebling Bridge in Lackawaxen, Pa., both of which were acquired by the local park to preserve them for the future.

William Brustman of Obern-burg was awarded first prize for his entry [of an Atlantic Giant pumpkin weighing 768 pounds] at the annual Pumpkin Party held in Grahamsville recently. — Jeffersonville Correspondent.

Paul Minton scored his fifth career 300 game at Kiamesha Lanes on November 12. 

10 Years Ago - 2013

The Fallsburg Pop Warner Midget cheerleaders became the first Fallsburg Pop Warner squad to advance to the Nationals since the program started in Fallsburg 10 years ago. In Orlando, there will be more than 400 teams from around the country competing in their division (Midget, Small, PW1). One of four age divisions within the Fallsburg Pop Warner, the Midgets are the oldest, comprised of 12 girls ages 11-15. They come from the Monticello, Liberty, Tri-Valley, Ellenville and Fallsburg School districts.

The former Jeffersonville Central School celebrated its 75th birthday Wednesday in an after-school ceremony. Guests perused mementos like an old wooden scrapbook and enjoyed an anniversary cake decorated with the school’s iconic cupola. Former superintendents returned to accept tiles of old slate taken from the roof in a $1.6 million re-roofing project. Thanks to the efforts of Carol Slotkin and others, the 1938 wing of the school remains a community treasure listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The 34th annual Sullivan County Winter Reunion will take place this year on February 9, 2014 in Boynton Beach, FL, where former neighbors who have retired to Florida, snowbirds who are spending the winter, and friends who are taking a short vacation in sunny Florida reunite.