130 Years Ago - 1894

Tennanah is the name of a new post office in Sullivan County. It is located at Long Pond, in the Town of Fremont. Mail will be received Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and a young fellow named Misner will receive $50 a year as mail carrier. Long Pond is now called Tennanah Lake, the name being the Indian term for the same.

The young son of Henry Wagner of Sixteen near Callicoon, was riding a horse to water on Tuesday morning when he fell off its back and dislocated his arm at the elbow. Dr. Platz of Jeffersonville was summoned to reduce the fracture.

Albert Mille of Youngsville and Miss Hannah Rohrbach of Liberty were married at the Presbyterian parsonage in Jeff on October 10.

Dr. C.N. Knapp, son of DeWitt Knapp of Cochecton, has opened an office to practice his profession in Port Jervis.

Joe McEwen is having great success in training the hunting dogs which have been left in his charge. He took out a pointer the other day belonging to Alba Finch and brought down 7 woodcocks before the dog, which performed its part splendidly.

J.C. Abplanalp, watchmaker, etc., is changing the step in front of his place of business as to face the street. A good move, Johnny.

An enjoyable clambake and outing was held by the store clerks of Jeff Sunday on Charles Scheidell’s hill. The feast included large quantities of all good things that go with a clambake.

Ralph Bird left Jeff to take a position in an office of the Baltimore and Ohio RR Co. in New York. Miss Jennie Leroy of Roscoe has taken Mr. Bird’s place in the Delaware district below the village of Jeffersonville.

120 Years Ago - 1904

George Bohl, who came from Scranton and opened a bakery in Jeffersonville a couple of months ago, will give up the business and return to Scranton. Mr. Bohl, it seems, is not satisfied here.

WEDDINGS: Charles I. Robisch, a Beechwoods milkman, and Miss Mary Ferber of Hortonville were married at the home of the bride in October. They were serenaded by Mountain Echo Band of which the groom is a member. After a honeymoon trip of a week, the couple will make their home on the farm of the groom’s father, James Robisch, in the Beechwoods. 

John Eggler of Swiss Hill and Miss Emma Mennett of Honesdale, Pa., were married today. We understand that John will take charge of the farm of his father, Casper Eggler.

The extra summer mail between Youngsville and Liberty as been made a permanent thing.

The steel bridge spanning the Callicoon Creek in Jeffersonville was raised thirteen inches last week under the direction of the Highway Commissioner. This was done to give the bridge better protection from ice and floods.

The apple picking season is on and apples are said to be very plentiful.  The Jeffersonville supply will be several thousand bushels.

110 Years Ago - 1914

The creamery building of Theodore Cook just this side of Hortonville was burned last evening by fire of unknown origin. Though the creamery had not been operated since it closed down some months ago, there was considerable machinery and apparatus in it and Mr. Cook expected to start his cider mill in the building shortly. It is understood there was no insurance on the property.

John Kabat, formerly of Fosterdale, who went to Germany earlier this year, returned  last month. Mr. Kabat was caught in actual battle when the German army tried to take over his farm when the war broke out. He went through much to get passage back to the United States.

A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Edwin J. Duttweiler of Swiss Hill October 10.

William R. Heinle and Miss Laura F. Nearing, both of Cochecton, were married at the Kenoza Lake M.E. Church October 14.

About thirty-five relatives and intimate friends witnessed the marriage of Miss Edna H. Bergner and George N. Homer at the home of the bride’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Bergner in Callicoon on October 7.

100 Years Ago - 1924

Gernet Howland, for seventeen years in the garage business in the Hermann garage on the state road at Callicoon, has sold out to C.G. Yager of Liberty. Albert Bock, who has been conducting the machine shop since last summer has purchased the equipment and will continue that end of the business.

Two weddings took place last Sunday when Miss Gertrude Goodman became the bride of William H. Meyer and Mrs. Mabel Newmann James was united in marriage with George F. Kohl of North Branch.

The death of an uncle in Baltimore has Moe Jacobs of Ferndale heir to a tenement block in Baltimore, which Mr. Jacob says to be worth not less than $100,000. Jacobs is unmarried.

The cleaning out of the four inch water main from the supply reservoir two miles north of the village was finally completed this week after numerous delays.

Lawrence Hauschild, son of Roland Hauschild of Jeffersonville, and Miss Blanche Levey of Jersey City were married at the bride’s home September 17.

The citizens of Liberty and Monticello take pride in their villages. Would they have a village spirit if unincorporated? The slogan “Boost for Jeff” would be a vain vaporing. The village of Jeffersonville is entitled to its own government and is fully competent to govern itself. Those thinking otherwise are living in the wrong community and can fully protect themselves by disposing of their properties while the going is good.

90 Years Ago - 1934

Herbert Gute of Brooklyn, who spent the summer here, sailed from New York last Saturday for his second trip to Syria, to copy ancient murals. He will be gone several months.

The wedding of Theodore G. Rittershausen, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Rittershausen of Youngsville, and Miss Muriel Erskine of Brooklyn, was solemnized at the Incarnation Lutheran Church in Brooklyn September 26. Mr. Rittershausen has been employed as drug clerk in the Murray Pharmacy here the past few years.

A daughter, Bernice Rhoda, was born October 3 at Monticello Hospital to Mr. and Mrs. Chester Stephenson of Birch Ridge, Town of Bethel.

In Supreme Court at Monticello, Tuesday, a jury awarded Albert Smith, former truck driver for Edwin Schultz of Callicoon, $150 for acid burns on his arm received in handling a carton that contained sulfuric acid shipped by the Sullivan County Cooperative Dairy Association of Jeffersonville two years ago.

Judge Owen W. Bohan of the General Sessions Court, New York City, spent the weekend at the Mansion House. Judge Bohan was elected last fall and was one of the few Tammany candidates to escape the fusion uprising.

80 Years Ago - 1944

Real estate sales: William L. Huff, in the retail milk business here the past thirteen years, has sold the business along with his residence on Main Street to John and Dora Wischusion of Brooklyn who will take possession November 1. Mr. and Mrs. Roy Crandall who operated a large sand and gravel pit on the former Pfeiffer farm below this village, have brought two properties to add to their holdings. One is the neighboring property and house of Mr. and Mrs. M.J. Flynn and the other is the house and lot of Harry Lott, on the old School Street.

Emil J. Bernas of Cochecton Center, a Jeff high school graduate has been graduated an ensign from the Plattsburgh training station and has been assigned to the aircraft carrier Bunker Hill.

Simon Sattinger, after spending a few weeks at his home in Jeff, flew back to California. Si’s wife went to the coast to visit him some weeks ago and she returned here with him by train.

A portion of Record (Sullivan County Record, once printed in Jeffersonville) history, written by Charles S. Hick. During its half century of existence the Record has had many homes. It first saw the light of day in a small building in Youngsville, which stood where the cottage of Mrs. Himmelreich now stands. After coming to Jeffersonville, it was knocked about from one end of town to the other, with each change of ownership and several times in between, until the summer of 1896 when it set lead down for a “much needed rest” in its present domicile. In those days it was considered quite the thing for a country newspaper to locate in homes resembling more a retreat than a conspicuous business place.

70 Years Ago - 1954

Mary Louise Voorhees, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Voorhees of Livingston Manor, is among the top ten in her class at the Baylor University of Medicine, Houston, Tex.

In celebration of their Golden Wedding Anniversary, Mr. and Mrs. Charles I. Robisch of Beechwoods held open house last Saturday. As far as they can estimate, 375 of their relatives, neighbors and friends came to express their best wishes.

Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Crandall narrowly escaped death this past Monday in Canada when the fishing boat in which they were riding capsized. They were rescued after holding on to the overturned boat for 40 perilous minutes in the icy water.

The surrounding communities have been shocked by the death of Janet Hornung Beigen, formerly of Hortonville, who died at St. Charles Hospital, Port Washington, L.I., after a ten-day battle with polio. She was 22.

The American Legion Auxiliary elected Marguerite Fimpel president; Lillian Layman and Mildred Sykes, vice-presidents; Jeanne Hust, secretary; and Martha S. Stratton, treasurer.

Fire of undetermined origin destroyed the four-story boarding house of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Waldron of Fosterdale.

Charles McCaskill, 19, who stabbed 78-year-old Mrs. Joseph Grubs last March as she attempted to keep him from leaving the Crawford Memorial Library in Monticello with a few stolen books, was declared mentally incompetent by a Middletown psychiatrist.

Guest speaker at a special meeting of the Town of Callicoon Democratic Club will be Fred W. Stabbert, candidate for Assembly. The meeting will be held Friday at the Hotel Clair, Youngsville.

Mr. and Mrs. August Lott have recently returned to Jeff after a pleasant week’s vacation in Mexico as guest of the Hudson Motor Corp.

60 Years Ago - 1964

Mrs. Barbara Hartmann, who was a substitute teacher at JYCS last year, is now teaching fourth grade. Mr. Ross Dimler, a graduate of the University of Wyoming, will teach fifth grade.

Harold E. Deighton of Callicoon, Assistant Grand Lecturer, announced that the annual Grand Lecturer’s Convention for Sullivan County District will be held at Callicoon Tuesday, October 6, with Delaware Lodge 561 acting as hosts. The master of the host lodge, Paul W. Hermann of Callicoon, will be assisted by Senior Warden Glenn E. Young and Junior Warden Charles Nicholas, both of Narrowsburg, and J. Vance Hunt of Hawley, Pa., secretary.

The flag pole in memory of Fred Stabbert Sr. was dedicated at ceremonies on Sunday, September 27. Supreme Court Justice Lawrence Cooke was the speaker.

Miss Beatrice C. Simon and Raymond G. Bauer were united in marriage on September 27 by the Rev. Newton B. Ford at the Fremont Center Church.

On Monday evening, September 29, Mr. and Mrs. Grover M. Hermann were guests of honor at a reception given them at the Delaware Youth Center Hall. Mr. Hermann, a Callicoon native, is the donor of the hall. He spent Tuesday in conference with officials of the Sullivan County Community College to which he has granted $500,000.

The first meeting of the Delaware Valley Central School PTA was presided over by President Betty Bernitt. She introduced two new teachers, Donna Roeder and Daniel Hansler.

50 years ago - 1974

Miss Mary Louise Ritter of Basking Ridge, N.J., became the bride of Sydney G. Peters of Hortonville on October 5. He is a self-employed dairy farmer.

Catello Manzi was honored at the Monticello Raceway as he broke the dash winning record with his 133rd victory for the 1974 season, upsetting Jim Grundy’s 132 wins.

The Liberty Lodge of Elks donated $240 to the Liberty Boy Scout Troop 96, which is sponsored by the Lodge and also contributed $300 to the Sarah Wells Girl Scout Council. The funds were derived from the bingo committee.

Edward C. Sykes Sr. of Callicoon has received a significant promotion from his firm, Jewel Electric Products of Fairlawn, N.J. and has been named divisional sales manager for the area covered by the entire states of New York, New Jersey and northern Pennsylvania.

About 1500 senior citizens attended the Fall Fiesta of Fun staged in their honor last Friday by the County Office for the Aging and Monticello Raceway.

David Poley, 23, formerly of Hortonville, but now of Newport, R.I., is recuperating in a Providence hospital after having been shot in the shoulder by masked men who entered his apartment on the night of September 15. His roommate, Robert Ruppert, 22, was hit over the head and treated at the Naval Regional Medical Center in Newport for a cut forehead.

For almost a decade lovers of the arts in the county have awaited the opening of the new theatre of the Sullivan County Community College in Loch Sheldrake. That dream became a reality two weeks ago with the opening of a 275-seat theatre to provide exciting evenings of outstanding drama and music. City Center Acting Company presented Anton Chekhov’s “Three Sisters.”

Bob Bunnell of Narrowsburg has accepted a position as a teaching associate at Temple University in Philadelphia.

40 Years Ago - 1984

Holly Doetsch, daughter of Ruth and Warren Doetsch of Callicoon, and Bradford Meyer, son of Nena and Vernon Meyer of Long Eddy, were married on August 4 at Holy Cross Church in Callicoon. . . Julie Lynn Kurpil, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Kurpil of Liberty, and Gene Burns, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Burns of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., were married at the Scotchtown Presbyterian Church.

Sullivan County Administrator Paul Rouis Jr. unveiled a tentative $55,848,138 budget Monday that carries a 5 percent increase in appropriations and a 3.7 percent increase in the property taxes.

The WSUL news team has recently received an award for the best regularly scheduled news broadcast, “The PM Report.” This Associated Press award was given to only three radio news teams in New York State in the small market category. The program is anchored by Tullia Maffei and news director Bill James.

Most Reverend Thomas Manning, OFM, Bishop of Coroico, Bolivia, S.A., celebrated the Mass marking the 75th anniversary of Youngsville St. Francis Roman Catholic Church with Deacon John Riley and con-celebrants Rev. Brennan Connely, OFM, and Rev. John Maher.

The White Sulphur Springs Fire Department recently won the Eastern Sullivan Firemen’s Softball League. Roche’s Garage of Callicoon was named ninth in the nation (after placing third in the New York State Modified Fast-Pitch Championships) taking 3 and losing 2 games in the 35-team tourney held in Meadville, Pa., this past weekend.

30 Years Ago - 1994

Sullivan County is about to lose one of its landmarks with the announced closing of Sullivan’s Department Store in Liberty on December 24. Irving and Sidney Shapiro founded the store 46 years ago. They started out after World War II with an Army and Navy Surplus Store, located at the base of the Grossinger property. Twenty-two years ago, they opened another store in the Orange Plaza in Middletown. That store closed in 1993.

Dr. Richard Dunn, a professor of psychology at Sullivan County Community College, was recently honored for his dedicated work in the field of Alcohol/Drug Abuse Counseling. The New York State Department of Correctional Services presented him with a plaque for establishing the Alcohol/Drug Abuse Treatment Program at the NYS Woodbourne Correctional Facility. Approximately 70 counselors from across the southern region of the correction system were on hand.

Eddie’s Famous Foods in Jeffersonville fried a six-foot in diameter 115 lb. patty of sausage over 100 lbs. of charcoal in a benefit for the SADD chapter and sponsored by the Take Charge Club of the Jeffersonville-Youngsville Central School. The meat was provided by the Hatfield Quality Meats Company in Hatfield, Pa.

20 Years Ago - 2004

Sullivan County Manager Dan Briggs hit taxpayers with gloomy news on Friday morning, presenting a budget that would raise the real property tax by 9 percent. The proposed budget increases spending by 3 percent but also pays over $4 million of a county debt estimated at over $60 million, largely due to landfill-related costs.

The project of refurbishing several buildings in the village of Jeffersonville began production Saturday afternoon for TLC’s newest television series, “Town Haul.” More than 150 people crammed into a basement room at St. George’s Church to recreate a “Town Hall” meeting and kick-off filming of the new six-episode series which will premier January 22, 2005.

Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development, a not-for-profit private business association, announces the celebration of its 10 years of providing economic development services to the private, public and residential communities of Sullivan County. The organization, which is funded by private members, the Sullivan County Industrial Development Agency and the County Legislature, will honor 33 founding members at its annual meeting. 

Edna Calkin has been named the 2004 Sportswoman of the Year by the Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs.

10 Years Ago - 2014

“I never planted sunflower seeds before,” said Lee C. Ellmauer Sr. of Youngsville, who with wife Barbara owns some acreage on the Willowemoc Creek off DeBruce Rd. north of Livingston Manor. Lee, a retired dairy farmer, tractor trailer driver and employee with Krum Excavating, took six seeds from an old packet and planted them. The seeds turned into the popular summer flower, the tallest of which he measured at 10 feet 8 inches. He said that the base is 5 1⁄2 inches in diameter and the head about 15 inches across.

A cow in Sullivan County tested positive for rabies, the first confirmed case of rabies in Sullivan County so far this year. The rabies virus occurs commonly in animals throughout Sullivan County and across New York State, with the vast majority of rabies cases reported each year occurring in wild animals, including raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks and woodchucks. Be sure your dogs, cats and ferrets are up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations.