90 Years Ago - 1933

In 1919 Kenoza Lake changed its school site and bought a new site from Wilmot Moulthrop. In 1932 LeRoy Busing bought a lot next to the schoolhouse for a site on which to build a home. A surveyor employed by Mr. Busing to mark the lines of the new site found one line ran through the center of the Kenoza Lake schoolhouse. The error was made when the schoolhouse site was sold. Everything was settled in a friendly way.”

150 Years Ago -  1873

Pigeons are again flocking over the county. Several flocks have been seen at different points.

Owing to considerable opposition, it is doubtful if Monticello’s school house will ever be built.

Mass was performed in St. George’s Church, Jeffersonville, last Sunday and well attended. Father Huntman officiated. These services are now held regularly once a month.

Working the iron deposits at Callicoon has been suspended for a short time owing to the illness of Mr. Goodman, the superintendent. He has put down 11 shafts in different places to test the quantity and quality of ore and met with a gratifying success. Ore is found at a depth of from 8 to 20 feet.

Wagon makers: Any good workman with a set of tools will obtain a good place in my shop. John Klein, Pike Pond, N.Y.

The wagon making business of Gardner and Fromm wish to employ a good wagon maker. Any such man will have a steady job in our shop in Hortonville.

140 Years Ago - 1883

The following list were awarded premiums at the Town Fair at the Halfway House on Monday of this week: best single horse, Phillip Hembdt; best gentleman’s road horse, C. Stanton; best road horse, H.  Homer; best business horse, J. Bietz; best teaming horses, J. Welch; best matched team, J. Bossley; best farm horse, G. Lahm; best breeding mare, P. Mathern; best four-year-old colt, F. Justine; best three-year-old steers, J. Schaefer; best two-year-old heifer, P. Hembdt; best road wagon, William Winters. Judges: E.H. Pinney, Charles Stanton and Henry Homer.

Jeffersonville Spring Fair will be held Monday, May 7, 1883, at the fairgrounds and promises to exceed all others. The following premiums will be paid to successful exhibitors. The Jeffersonville Concert Band will furnish fine music to enliven the occasion. During the afternoon and evening, the dancing public will have abundant opportunity for enjoyment at the Eagle Hall and the Jeffersonville House, the music at the former will be furnished by the Jeffersonville Brass and String Band, assisted by Mr. Parmatier of East Branch and Wasim’s Full String Band will play at the latter.

Premiums - Horses

Best trotter - $2.50; best matched team - $2; best stallion - $1.75; best breeding mare, $1.75; best single horse - $1.50; best 3-year-old colt - $1.25; best 2-year-old colt - $1; best year-old colt- 75¢

Cattle

Best yoke of oxen - $2.25; best 4-year-old steers - $2; best 3-year-old steers, $1.60; best cow - $1.25; best bull - $1; best 2-year-old steers - $1.60; best year-old heifer - 50¢; best calf - 30¢. By order of committee.

130 Years Ago - 1893

John Breiner of Callicoon has bought the Peter Knack hotel at North Branch. Price $2,900. Will take possession May 1.

The annual meeting of the Liberty and White Lake Turnpike Co. was held at the law offices of George H. Carpenter, Liberty. Officers were elected: Pres. J.C. Young, Secretary and Treasurer George H. Carpenter, Directors W.C. Kinne, Thad Hurd, H.M. Stoddard, H.J. Sarles, J.C. Lennon, Edward Champlain and J.C. Young.

The case of Mrs. Adelaide Joscelyn of Beaverkill for snaring 28 partridges was tried at Delhi last week. The case started in 1891 when a package was offered at the Rockland Depot for shipment. Jas. Fitzgerald, the agent, asked what the box contained. The answer was unsatisfactory and the game protector, Snyder, was notified. The box was opened and found to contain 28 partridges. These were skinned in the presence of Dr. J.A. Miller, Elva Kinch and Wm. Keener. Marks on the neck clearly showed that they had been snared.

120 Years Ago - 1903

Theo. A. Cook of Hortonville, on Wednesday last week, shipped 63 sleds of his manufacture to be used on Arctic exploring expeditions. He furnished some for the last Baldwin-Siegler expedition and they proved so serviceable that more were ordered of him. C.E. Relyea, an officiating connected with this exploration, was here last week to inspect and accept the sleds.

Philip Hembdt recently sold his Halfway House to Abe Feinberg of New York City. The place will be managed by his brother-in-law, Harry Berger. A chef from the city has been engaged for the summer.

A daughter was born to William Pless and wife (nee Lottie Hofer) on April 9 in New York.

110 Years Ago - 1913

Steinhauser’s Hall was packed to the doors last Friday night when talent produced the four act rural play under the auspices of and for the benefit of the school. The receipts amounted to over $70.

The tenth annual outing of the Sullivan County Social Club will be held at Fuhrer’s Park Jackson Ave. and 25th St., Elmhurst, L.I., on Sunday, May 18.

Howard and John Smith of Briscoe, who take possession of the Scheidell farm this week, have taken rooms in the Jeffersonville House. The Smith brothers will erect a double house on the Scheidell farm this fall.

100 Years Ago - 1923

The marriage of James M. Holmes and Miss Minnie Brownlee, both of Jeffersonville, will take place at noon Saturday, April 28, at the home of the sister of the bride-elect, Mrs. Harvey Martin. Rev. Edwin Garitty of St. George’s Church will officiate. The honeymoon will be a trip to Canada.

Rev. G.H. Huntman who, as a young priest, supplied the Catholic Church in Jeffersonville from Callicoon where he was stationed, celebrated his silver and golden anniversary at St. Joseph’s Church, West 125th St. He had been ordained a priest 50 years ago and has been pastor of St. Joseph’s for 25 years.

Austin Borden has sold his farm of 38 acres to George Ellmauer of Liberty. Mr. and Mrs. Borden expect to retire.

90 Years Ago - 1933

In 1919 Kenoza Lake changed its school site and bought a new site from Wilmot Moulthrop. In 1932 LeRoy Busing bought a lot next to the schoolhouse for a site on which to build a home. A surveyor employed by Mr. Busing to mark the lines of the new site found one line ran through the center of the Kenoza Lake schoolhouse. The error was made when the schoolhouse site was sold. Everything was settled in a friendly way. Mr. Moulthrop wants the school to have the land it thought it bought. A school meeting on May 2 will seek to authorize the acquisition and exchange of land to make the correction.

Irving Markowsky and Abraham Harrison have joined to form a new corporation to distribute Fairmont Creamery products.

Eleanor Roemer was graduated as a nurse from Lenox Hill Hospital. Emmy Lou Lindke will be graduated May 17.

The First National Bank of Jeffersonville, closed since March 4, has now complied with all requirements and is expected to open for regular business.

Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Linke of Summit, N.J., formerly of Jeffersonville, have announced the engagement of their daughter, Harriet Virginia, to Walter Granville Prince. Miss Linke is a teacher in the Jeffersonville School.

80 Years Ago - 1943

Miss Patricia Berry, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Larry Berry of Obernburg, has been engaged to teach English in the Narrowsburg Central School next year. She will graduate in June from teacher’s college in Albany.

Wm. J. Grishaber, 63, a prominent and lifelong citizen and businessman of Jeffersonville, suffered a severe heart attack last Thursday night.

Mrs. Anna Thoeni Abplanalp left an estate of $14,500 to three cousins, Michael, William and Edward F. Kohler.

The will of Miss Christine Elbert, a native of Jeffersonville, who died in Middletown in February, was probated at Goshen on Monday. Her estate, valued at $25,000 in personal property, saw $200 left to the Lutheran Church and the remainder to individuals. Miss Elbert was the last of the family of Philip Elbert who first settled in Beechwoods and later moved on the place now owned by Mrs. Moran.

Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Abram-czyk, commercial artists of New York City, have bought the former John F. Royce farm of Fred Roemer, who has moved to Deposit.

70 Years Ago - 1953

Fred J. Weiss, 54, died Monday, April 20, at his home. He had been in poor health the past five years and was born at Callicoon Center, the son of Jacob and Mary Gilbert Weiss.

Cameron Gain — our own Laddie Gain — has been busy in his shop finishing equipment for the Childcraft Equipment  Co. of New York City. This he boxed and shipped to Detroit, Mich., to be used in schools of that city.

William Wunderlin of the U.S. Navy, who has been in a school for special training near Chicago, has been ordered to report to Norfolk, Va., to board the U.S.S. Allen Sumner, to go to the war area around Korea for escort service.

Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Bodenstein flew to Chicago last Thursday to attend the wedding of a relative. They motored to LaGuardia Field and boarded a plane there. They returned to Jeff on Monday.

John Nystrom, retired New York City policeman, is visiting his son and wife who are the new owners of the Zbaren farm.

With only about $2,500 contributed in a year toward a $50,000 Youth Center for the Village of Liberty, the project was dropped last week and the money was returned to the contributors.

60 Years Ago - 1963

Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Walker, who have a son of their own, read in a church periodical of a desperate need to keep a family of nine children together. The story touched their hearts and turned them to sober reflection and prayer on the problem. At last the answer came to them. They would adopt the nine children and make a home for them. Their dream came true as the final adoption took place last week. Their neighbors and friends salute the Walkers for “courage above and beyond the call of duty.”

On April 7, the North Branch Methodist Church was the scene of the baptismal of the ten children of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Tuttle. At the same time, Mr. and Mrs. Tuttle became members of the church.

John Bullock was elected to his 37th year as Loch Sheldrake’s fire chief at the annual meeting Tuesday night.

50 Years Ago - 1973

Thieves entered the main office of the United National Bank at Callicoon late Tuesday evening or early Wednesday morning and made off with booty amounting to about $5,600. The robbery was first noted by Mrs. Mary Ellen Fisk as she entered the bank shortly after 8 a.m. Wednesday. The money taken was all coins and was removed from the several coin lockers under each teller’s window.

Matthew Israel of Mileses, a student at Brooklyn College who was named that institution’s Outstanding Athlete for 1973, is currently in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as a competitor in the 16-member United States Fencing Team which is seeking to gain the “under 20” Junior World Championships.

Plans are underway to create a new County Agricultural District consisting of 7,000 acres, primarily in the Beechwoods.

Edward A. Barley, who at 95 years of age was undoubtedly the oldest public employee in New York State and very possibly the nation, died last week at his Monticello home while serving as Chief Custodian of County Buildings.

Miss Peggy Roemer became the bride of Jeff Sattler, both of Hortonville, at the Holy Cross Church in Callicoon on April 7.

Mr. and Mrs. Edwin L. Moore of Galilee, Pa., will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary at Unity Grange, Galilee, Pa., on April 28, with an open house.

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Rasulo of Long Eddy have announced the engagement of their daughter, Kathryn, to Richard, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Widmann of Callicoon. A summer wedding is planned.

Patti Lou Muller of Monticello, has been awarded a $3,700 scholarship by the College of New Rochelle, in the field of special education. The scholarship is renewable each year and covers the expense of tuition, books, room and board.

40 Years Ago - 1983

Dorothy Perez, town clerk for the Town of Highland, died unexpectedly on Monday, April 11, at Mercy Community Hospital in Port Jervis. She was 64 years of age.  A scholarship has been set up in her name at the Eldred Central School.

Erica VonAhnen and Theresa Boyd have been named valedictorian and salutatorian at the Jeffersonville-Youngsville Central School.

Sister Catherine Thomas, a native of Monticello, was honored this past Sunday by members of St. Peter’s Parish in observance of her 50th anniversary as a nun. Born in Monticello, she graduated from Monticello High School and now is Mother Superior of the Discalced Carmelite Nuns in Oklahoma City.

Community General Hospital will allocate funding for the start of a nursing program to be offered at Sullivan County Community College. Academic approval for SCCC’s nursing program plans have been given by the State University of New York.

Saturday, April 23, is moving day for the Jeffersonville-Youngsville Memorial Library. Florence Mercer, the librarian, said that the whole ten thousand item collection will be moved with six teams of volunteer helpers from the present quarters in Kohlertown to the new building on Center Street without closing the services of the library for a single day. Bingo is held every Tuesday until June to raise funds for the library.

30 Years Ago - 1993

Joseph B. White, son of Mary White of Callicoon and former Democrat editor Tom White of Odessa, Tex., and his colleague have been awarded journalism’s highest honor, a Pulitzer Prize for Best Writing, for an exposé they wrote on the management turmoil at General Motors Corp. for the Wall Street Journal, marking the 15th time the Journal has been honored with Pulitzer awards. White is a 1975 graduate of Delaware Valley Central School in Callicoon and entered Harvard that fall. In his first year at Harvard, White joined the writing staff for the college newspaper, “The Crimson.”

The Eldred Lions Club will honor Jeffrey Haas as “Citizen of the Year” and Don Haas as “Lion of the Year” at the Eldred Preserve on April 30. Karl Ebers will be master of ceremonies at the dinner.

Charlie Crist of Monticello, a newsman, writer, and humanitarian, died Sunday, April 18. A native of Orange County, he was a columnist for the Democrat, and spent most of his life in Sullivan County. Mr. Crist also published a book, “Charlie’s Day” in which he recounted  the days of his youth on the farm. He was also an active volunteer in many organizations, including firematic units, and had been active in the formation of the Firemen’s Burn Center. He was an honorary fireman of at least a dozen units in Sullivan County.

Anticipating approval of a temporary certification of occupancy by Sullivan County, the Frontier Insurance Co. was in the process Monday of moving all 250 of its staff into its new headquarters in Rock Hill.

Briana Santos of Jeffersonville was named 1993 Young Miss Sullivan County in Sunday’s pageant at the Days Inn in Liberty. Runners up were, Melissa Harrison of Monticello and Nicole Gaebel of Kenoza Lake. Briana was also named Miss Photogenic.

20 years ago - 2003

A mini miracle took place last week when a yellow balloon and its accompanying laminated tags landed in Evelyn Heinrichs’ yard in Swan Lake, asking the finder to pray for the safe return of POW soldiers who had been battling Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq. Each tag listed the name of a soldier taken prisoner, sent out by the people of Waterloo, New York. Telling about her find the next day at the First Presbyterian Church of Jeffersonville, the entire congregation joined her in prayer for the servicemen. Returning home after church, Heinrichs turned on the television and soon learned that the men had been found.

The Tired Iron Tractor Show is about to make its second production. Last year was a super day for the Lava Volunteer Fire Department for their biggest fundraiser of the year, with a wonderful turnout of 51 entries of various shapes, sizes and models.

DEATHS: Martin Schneider, 94, a 25-year resident of Hurleyville, died April 18, 2003 in Liberty... Edgar W. Hulse of Cochecton, 81, formerly of Parsippany, NJ, died April 17, 2003 in Honesdale, Pa. He was born in Lake Huntington to the late Edgar Hulse Sr. and Anna Undriener Heinle Hulse.

The early name on an old map from “Town of Bethel #1,” a plan for a development of the Smallwood area, called “Monticello Lake Development Subdivision Property of Monticello Mountain Lakes, Inc.” The lake was planned and drawn in, and named Lake Monticello. H. B. Stratton and Company were the agents, and the filing took place on July 30, 1926. Lester Jackson came up with this name, as he has the same map I saw filed in the Deeds Department in Monticello. All of this, of course, occurred before Mr. Smallwood began to plan his community. Harry Eldridge told me, to the best of his recollection, a Mr. Souther built the dam to make the lake for the Mountain Lake Estates Development. According to Harry, small cabins began to appear on what we now know as Sullivan Place and Ruthway. Mr. Smallwood then bought the property, retained the Mountain Lake Estates name and the name of the lake as Mountain Lake, and began to build and develop the area. Through the years, Mountain Lake Estates has become known as Smallwood, in honor of the man whose dream was begun in 1928. — Smallwood correspondent.

10 Years Ago - 2013

Fourteen-year-old Sara Ellis does not intend to make a living via her pen – or computer. “Writing’s just a hobby of mine,” said a deadpan Ellis, adding, “I want to go to law school.” Yes, she’s really a published author. Available on Amazon, “Love Me Always” was released on March 26 by publisher Create Space Independent. A period piece, Sara’s book is set in 1960s Sullivan County, with a good portion of it centered on a nearly century-old abandoned house on the corner of Anawana and Frasier Roads just outside Monticello. Sara got schooled on Sullivan County history through Sullivan County Museum and Historical Society volunteer, author, and confessed history buff Myron Gittell. Since her own book was set in the ’60s, reading Gittell’s “Woodstock 69: Three Days of Love, Peace and Medical Care” helped her get a good feel for what it must have been like in Sullivan County during that tumultuous period.

More than 50 cars were slated to compete in Saturday and Sunday’s National Auto Sport Association (NASA) Empire State Performance Rally (ESPR) Tarmac event as 2013 race hosts, the Rock Hill Fire Department, held a “Ceremonial Start” event at the Rock Hill Firehouse. They later moved the show to Rock Hill Drive. Zsanett Fabian and Greg Roumiantsev of Hungary raced their Mitsubishi EVO X to a first-place finish during the weekend.