150 Years Ago -  1873

Mr. Henry Rose informs us that the bridge which is situated near his residence is in sad need of repair.

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

Jim Colson of Pike Pond is the proprietor of a carnivorous horse. The animal ate three chickens the other day.

A new turnpike is talked of between the villages of Parksville and Claryville.

140 Years Ago - 1883

State Fish Commissioner Wood of Schoharie began on Wednesday to destroy the eel weirs in the Delaware River.

We have received a copy of the new directory of Sullivan County for 1883-1884, published by Crum and Fowler of Newburgh.

An article of the New York Herald says that the army of unemployed persons in that city is now very large and seems to be rapidly increasing.

“Allow me through the columns of your paper to say that Thomas Maroney of Cochecton Centre handed me a potato one day last week which I think he said weighed two pounds and five ounces. Mr. Gildersleeve gave me one which weighed four ounces less. There is not enough Irish about Mr. Gildersleeve to compete with Maroney.”— “Stage Driver”

130 Years Ago - 1893

About 15 of the German residents of Liberty met at Schubert’s Hall Monday and organized a shooting club.

No less than three “snap” conventions were held in Sullivan County last week in the fight between Barnum and anti-Barnum factions of the Democratic party. Charles Barnum is the state committeeman from Sullivan County, and there was a movement on foot to oust him out of that position, but he seems to have come out on top.

Threshing machines and the flails are busy now.

The Western Union telegraph office at Callicoon has been closed.

J.M. Schmidt of North Branch is scouring the country for apples. He has an order for several thousand barrels to be shipped to England.

The foundation of Beck’s new business structure will be completed this week. The wall is 30 x 60, eight feet in height and provides for a basement the entire space.

The Empire Steam Cider Mill at Youngsville opened on Monday, September 25, and will run daily.

120 Years Ago - 1903

It is said that deer hunting will be better in Sullivan County than last year. 

Herman Bauernfeind, Henry Reinheimer Jr., Peter Schutt, Edward VanFredenburgh, J.J. Townsend, Jacob Hoehn, John H. Baum, J.G . Staib, George Henry and Wm. H. Nearing were among those picked for jury duty.

Jacob Weisheimer died September 27 at his home in New York. Mr. Weisheimer was a son of the late Eberhard Weisheimer, an early settler of Jeffersonville.

Jacob Gebhardt, a former well-known hotelkeeper at Narrowsburg, died Tuesday.

Daniel J. Maltby, former resident of Bethel, will be buried at Kenoza Lake today.

Beats all how we do progress. Another great combination of capital has been formed in this village. Ralph Bird, Sidney Royce and John Beck have formed a partnership in the purchase of the nine-months-old hound of Rev. William Meyer. The capital stock is something like five shillings and is fully paid up.

110 Years Ago - 1913

Charles Scheidell has again invested in a Metz automobile.

Up to last Thursday night County Treasurer Sears issued 148 liquor licenses in the county, 19 less than last year.

Charles M. Heidt on Friday sold his saloon property, the Halfway House, to Joseph Welch Jr. of Kenoza Lake. This is not the original Halfway House, which was formerly owned by Philip Hembdt and which is now called the Waterfalls House, but the old Wiurm place.

The Mansion House at Liberty changed ownership on Wednesday, the new owner being John C. Lennon, formerly proprietor of the Lennon House at Liberty.

The state road from Monticello to Liberty is now completed.

Henry F. Nussbaum, formerly a resident of Hankins, died at his home in Albany.

Larkin W. Geer, aged 59 years and formerly a well-known resident of Long Eddy, was found dead in a chair in a Middletown cafe Saturday. Death was due to heart failure.

“Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn;

If you don’t it won’t be blown.

The people won’t flock

To buy your stock

If you never make it known.

So Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn;

It’s the proper business caper

To make it pay

Is to blow it through this paper.”

100 Years Ago - 1923

The well-stocked store of Wm. F. Heinle at Cochecton Center was burned with all its contents Tuesday morning. The loss is estimated at $15,000 with only about a third covered by insurance. The post office was also in the store, Mr. Heinle being the postmaster.

The contract for the erection of the new schoolhouse at Lake Huntington has been awarded to Elmer Knack &  Co. of Callicoon Center.

Herbert Grishaber of Jeffersonville, who several weeks ago went to Liberty to work as a mechanic in the garage of his uncle, C.G. Yager, was frightfully injured last Thursday while he was repairing a leak in a 30-gallon Fordson tractor gasoline tank. The tank was empty, but there was just enough left inside to form a gas and blow out the end of the tank when it became ignited by the blowtorch he was using to melt the old solder away from the leak. The explosion struck him in the face and he was hurled ten feet backward. His nose was broken.

90 Years Ago - 1933

The house of George Wenner of Buck Brook was burned to the ground with its furnishings Tuesday night. The family had all retired and were aroused about 11 p.m. by the fire which seemed to have started from the chimney in the kitchen.

A 5-weeks-old pig of John Eggler is the champion swimmer at Lake Jefferson this season. Last Saturday, it left its sty on the border of the lake, plunged into the water and swam the quarter mile distance across the lake, visited the places on this side of the lake and then swam back home.

The White Lake baseball team won a bloody battle here with the Jeff team last Sunday. The game, because of three casualties, being called in the sixth inning, with the score of 4 to 2 in White Lake’s favor. A fast hook caught Martin Fisk of Liberty on the right thumb, splitting and breaking it. Bill Driscoll failed to duck one of pitcher Scardefield’s fast high shots and took it on the bean, rendering him “hors de combat.” But the finis to the fray came when catcher Earl Kohler shot the ball down to second to catch a White Lake runner. The ball caromed off the batter’s shoulder and caught O. Will smack in the eye. Oscar was carried off the field.

Cameron Gain has resigned as assistant postmaster and will take a trip to Canada. Robert Mann Jr. will fill the vacancy in the post office temporarily.

80 Years Ago - 1943

Mr. and Mrs. Oscar P. Schaefer (Ella Reimers) of New York celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary on Monday, October 11.

Mr. and Mrs. William J. Durr of New York came up last Friday and on Sunday evening, October 10, at VonDerLieth’s where they are staying, they celebrated their 37th wedding anniversary.

A surprise party was given at the Monticello Grange Hall to Mr. and Mrs. Casper Fischer of Fosterdale who were married  50 years ago by Rev. Samuel Muery at Hortonville.

The Ace Garage of August Lott is a busy place these days, employing a dozen men 24 hours a day on three shifts and seven days a week. Mr. Lott and James M. Holmes are partners in turning out steel rollers for government amphibian planes and landing tanks.

Corp. George Seibert, who was in Miami for about a year in the Air Corps, was recently transferred to camp in Colorado.

The Bradley post office in the Town of Neversink has been ordered closed. Benj. Krum resigned as postmaster several months ago and no one else will take the office.

70 Years Ago - 1953

Charles S. Hick, editor of the Sullivan County Record, entered Liberty-Loomis Hospital Sunday for X-ray preparatory to an operation which was to be performed this morning, October 8.

A car full of local men traveled to New York City Friday to see Jeff’s Libby Manzo win the decision on a hard fought bout with Walter Johnson of Newark at the St. Nick’s Arena.

Last week’s merchandise winner at Amber’s was Rae Altman of Jeff. This week’s winner was Minnie Shaara, also of Jeff.

Mrs. Thomas J.V. Cullen and Miss Josephine McNally of Chester spent the weekend with Mr. and Mrs. Al Tonjes.

60 Years Ago - 1963

Earl A. Wilde, Sullivan County Agricultural Agent, was cited for his outstanding contribution to agriculture by the National Association of County Agricultural Agents September 26. The award was presented at the Association’s 48th annual convention in Minneapolis, Minn.

A Court of Honor installed Douglas Mullally, oldest son of Mrs. Winifred Mullally, as Eagle Scout with an impressive ceremony at the Youngsville P.T.A. meeting. Mr. I. Ellenberg of the Hudson-Delaware Council was the installing officer. Mr. Fred Schadt was the guest speaker.

 Sullivan County antique car fans will be off and running this Thursday for the largest meeting in the county for enthusiasts of ancient vehicles with gas power when they leave for Hershey, Pa., to attend a gathering of over 1,000 at the Annual Fall Meet of the Eastern Division of the National Antique Automobile Club. In the vanguard will be Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Lindsley of White Sulphur Springs, driving a 1926 Model T Ford, closely followed by his Jeffersonville brothers and their wives. The Nial Lindsleys will be coaxing along their 1924 Model T and the Milton Lindsleys will drive a 1930 Model A. The Kohlertown contingent will find Edwin Chellis driving a 1930 Model A and Mr. and Mrs. Emerson Bossley guiding a 1929 Model A. Mr. and Mrs. Guilford Cox of Liberty will drive a 1930 Chevrolet.

The Sullivan County Community College will be on NBC News’ Huntley-Brinkley report some evening this Fall. The material will be used as background material of a story on the need for college facilities and the role the junior or two-year colleges play in meeting the student population explosion. Sullivan County was singled out as the newest community college to meet the demands for higher education.

50 Years Ago - 1973

Mrs. Nellie Knack of White Sulphur Springs, 86 years of age, was killed after being struck by an automobile while trying to cross Route 52 near her home. She died shortly after being taken to Liberty Community General Hospital Thursday evening. Earlier, in the morning of Thursday, Alvin Mildner, 43, former general manager of the Flagler Hotel in Fallsburg, was instantly killed when he slammed into the rear of a tractor-trailer on Route I-84 just east of Port Jervis.

Ted Bailey of Route 52, Jeffersonville, has received a shipment of Polaris snowmobiles, which he will sell and service at his new establishment... The new owners of Ted’s Restaurant in Jeffersonville are Harry Savopoulos and Phillip Svinos. They are from the New York City area and have had previous restaurant experience. A few Greek dishes will be added to the menu.

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Eichenauer of Liberty have announced the engagement of their daughter, Susan, to David Morrow of East Bloomfield. A spring wedding is planned.

Perry E. Meltzer of Monticello was the winner of a 1973 Gremlin, given away by the Sullivan County American Cancer Society in a drawing held September 18 in Monticello.

40 Years Ago - 1983

Figures contained in a booklet printed by the State of New York reveal that Sullivan County has received $2,020,273.83 in aid to education since the state lottery first came into existence in 1977.

The Village of Liberty and the Liberty School District have dedicated a bronze plaque to commemorate the Otto Hillig building on North Main Street in the Village of Liberty. The building, built in 1914, is now operated as the Liberty Press. The Village of Liberty was the first in Sullivan County to set aside a historic district. Hillig quit the photography business in 1947, saying that “50 years was enough.” He sold the building in 1947 and it was put on the National Register of Historic Sites on April 11, 1978. The building was described as the “best equipped photo studio between New York City and Buffalo.” In 1981, among his many accomplishments, Hillig had a stamp issued by Denmark which showed his plane with “Liberty” on it. He and Holger Hoiriis flew across the Atlantic in a red-winged single engine Bellanca. On June 24, 1931, they flew from Harbor Grace, Newfoundland, to Copenhagen, Denmark, ran out of fuel, and were forced to land in Germany. They were acclaimed by the Danish capital, knighted by the King, wined and dined at the Palace and returned to New York City to a heroes’ welcome. In an earlier history of Hillig, he was an aerial photographer who in 1929 bought a ticket for the round-the-world German Graf Zeppelin trip but the ticket was given to someone else. Hillig sued the Zeppelin company for $109,000 and broke about even. There is also a stained glass window in his honor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Liberty and a plaque placed in the Sullivan County Golf and Country Club on July 21, 1931. Hillig died  September 12, 1954, at the age of 78. Hoiriis died August 12, 1942.

On September 11, Suzanne Lee Andrews of Plattsburgh and Walter E. Mall of Jeffersonville were married at St. John the Baptist R.C. Church in Plattsburgh... Diane Michelle  Gilbert and Thomas Alan Meyer were married October 1 at Our Lady of the Lake Church in Lake Huntington... Pam Smith, who will marry Thomas M. Lyons on October 29th at the Lake Huntington Presbyterian Church, was guest of honor at a bridal shower at Fiddlers III on October 1.

Mr. and Mrs. Art LeRoy of Youngsville became affiliated with the Order of St. Francis at a Mass offered Sunday, September 25, at St. Francis Church in Youngsville.

Ronda Kagan Siegel will represent Sullivan County at the Hudson Area Nurse of Hope Program set for the Concord Hotel on October 13. She is a graduate of Fallsburg Central School and Orange County Community College School of Nursing.

Parishioners of Obernburg are planning a trip next June to Obernburg, Germany, to help that city celebrate the 1900th birthday of its founding. Residents of Germany’s Obernburg visited the New York State village (and possibly only other in the world) last year, bringing a plate and a mug from the sister city. These are kept at the local church.

Extensive damage to the Narrowsburg Feed and Grain building was the result of a fire which broke out Wednesday night. The mill employed 17 people. Temporary offices have been set up in the Rasmussen Furniture Store. More than 100 firemen battled the blaze, bringing it under control about midnight, but water was still played on the ruins Thursday morning as small fires continued to break out under the two-story building.

30 Years Ago - 1993

Having only been opened for five years, the Valley View Home for Adult and  Adolescent Chemical Dependency Services seeks to nearly double its patient capacity, from 72 to 140 beds. In the past two years, nearly 1,500 adolescents, ages 14 and up and adults from the tri-state area, have received voluntary treatment at the center. The 100-acre complex was formerly a large resort catering to the Polish population. 

Linda Green of White Sulphur Springs and Gene DeCarlo were married September 18 at the home of Maurice Gerry in Ferndale. A reception was held at the Liberty Elks Club. . . Chris  Austin and Dana  Gibson were married September 25 at the Liberty Free Methodist Church. A reception was held at the Villa Roma Country Club and Resort. — White Sulphur Springs Corresp.

Melissa Blade of Neversink became the bride of George Slater Jr. in a ceremony performed August 21 at the home of the bride. A reception was held at the Woodbourne Fire Co. Social Hall. He is the son of George Sr. and Gladys Slater of Kenoza Lake.

Shirley Schwartz and Mary Fried were the big winners in the recent Rotary Club raffle in Livingston Manor. Proceeds from the raffle help the youth program of the Rotarians.

Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Don Starner has recently started a Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program in several Sullivan County schools. Students take 16 weeks of one-hour per week instruction to complete the course and are rewarded with a graduation exercise at the end of the time.

Miss Sullivan County Teenager Elizabeth Farrell placed second in the NYS Teenager Pageant held August 25-27 in Norwich.

20 Years Ago - 2003

According to reports, a fair portion of Sullivan County saw the snow fly last Thursday afternoon, October 2. By the 1 p.m. hour, snow showers and sleet were making their way across the area. This is the earliest record of snow since a snowstorm hit the area on October 2, 1987.

Alfred J. “Allie” McCoyd of Richmond, Va., a former 38-year resident of Sullivan County, died September 28, 2003 in Richmond at the age of 81. With wife Helen, the daughter of Frank Kilcoin, Allie was co-proprietor of the former Krum’s feedmill in Swan Lake, dubbed Kilcoin’s Tavern, and renowned as the place to be for nearly four decades.

Nancy George is the new superintendent of the Tri-Valley Central School District.

Mr. and Mrs. Sandy Nystrom of Jeffersonville announce the engagement of their daughter, Nadine, to Adam Bassney, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd L. Bassney of Bethel. A May 2005 wedding is planned.

Bloomingburg Fire Department welcomed a new 2003 Pierce Enforcer pumper truck capable of holding 1,000 gallons of water. It can empty its load in less than a minute, as the truck is able to spray 1,500 gallons per minute. It replaced a 1986 truck.

A celebration in honor of the 91st birthday of Agnes Spielmann of Youngsville was attended by her sisters, all in their 90s – Bertha Milk, Dot Gottschalk and Florence Bauer.

10 Years Ago - 2013

One of the unsung heroes of the civil rights movement – a man whose life spanned nearly a century of pain and progress – passed away last week here in Sullivan County. Emmett Bassett was born in Virginia and traveled the world, but he lived much of his later life in a mountainside home above Grahamsville.It was there that he died on September 29, at the age of 92.

The Livingston Manor Fire Department’s Hoos Truck Co. No. 2 celebrated its 90th anniversary this year with a mid-August parade and a mid-September dinner. On August 18, Livingston Manor’s Main Street was full of spectators cheering the host department, led by Chief Dan Roser, as well as guest departments from Jeffersonville, Hurleyville, Beaverkill, Swan Lake, Liberty, Roscoe, Youngstown, White Sulphur Springs, and Hortonville.

Many have seen the sign announcing the future home of the Ethelbert B. Crawford Public Library posted at the now closed Cohen’s Bakery building on Broadway in Monticello. This new space will be almost three times the size of the current library and will provide ample parking and full accessibility. The service area of the library includes over 18,000 people who will be far better served in this location. Construction will begin before the end of 2013.