130 Years Ago - 1895

The Town of Fremont probably furnishes as many lawsuits as all the other towns in the county together.

The Seventh Day Adventists have moved from Monticello to Wurtsboro where they will pitch their tent and try to convert the people into the belief that Saturday and not Sunday is the day of rest.

The creamery here is now making an average of two thousand pounds of butter a week – about six hundred pounds less than at this time last year.

Dr. Wooley, one of Brooklyn’s ablest medical men who is summering at Liberty at Ye Lancashire Inn, came very close to losing his life by accidentally taking a dose of poison. He had that day purchased a bottle of oxalic acid with which to clean his hat. The doctor takes chloride ammonia as medicine. The bottles containing these drugs were sitting side by side and he took five grains of acid. Realizing his mistake he rushed to Dr. Witcomb where a stomach pump was applied.

The Port Jervis and Monticello Railroad contemplates extending its line from Summitville to Kingston, providing the right of way is given.

John Kamer, the merchant tailor from Monticello, has set up his shop in J.C. Abplanalp’s building, where he also has living rooms for himself and his wife.

120 Years Ago - 1905

Twelve members of the First Battery Rough Riders, under command of Lieut. Louis Wendel Jr., left New York last Wednesday for Jeffersonville, arriving here on Saturday evening before supper. They covered 140 miles on arrival at the Eagle Hotel, where they were saluted with the stars and stripes and a volley of cannon crackers that hung fire.

Births — A son was born to Edward Kohler and wife, and a daughter to Frank Dillmuth and wife on Sunday.

Callicoon Depot has had several cases of typhoid fever due, it is said, to opening the streets for the water system just completed there.

George M. Beebe last week sold the Mansion House at Monticello to a company composed of Andrew Dunbar, John Watson and George Smith, who bought it to keep it from falling into the hands of outside parties who would be considered undesirable residents and who were negotiating for the hotel.

The Monticello Driving Park Association will hold its opening meeting on Saturday. The half mile track is one of the finest, and many fast horses are booked for the event. The new grandstand, recently completed, will hold a thousand people, and nothing necessary to accommodate man and beast has been overlooked.

Miss Nell C. Barringer of Jeff has on exhibition in Bernhardt’s tonsorial parlor (barber shop) an oil painting 3 x 5 feet entitled “In Love’s Pathway.” The picture represents a maiden standing at a gateway about to be opened by cupid. Miss Barringer says the subject is entirely original and values it at $1,000.

110 Years Ago - 1915

The Board of Education of the Jeffersonville Union Free School has postponed organizing permanently pending the determination of the consolidation appeal. The temporary organization, however, has outlined a plan under which the school would be conducted next year, if the order of consolidation were set aside. The Board finds that it can maintain a select high school for its own resident pupils with four teachers, one of which would teach vocational agriculture, and could by such an organization save the taxpayers at least $600 a year or about $1 on each $100 of valuation.

George Wolfe, a former Callicoon boy, is climbing right up the ladder of success and honor in the customs service in New York. He just received another advancement to the position of special deputy appraiser.

Charles H. Lang Jr., who was arrested at Narrowsburg Monday on a charge of larceny while on his honeymoon and taken back to New York, waived examination in the Jeffersonville Market Court Tuesday and was held in $1,000 bail. His sister, Miss Carrie Lang, appeared against him.

A son was born recently to Mr. and Mrs. Edward W. Eggler of Swiss Hill.

Edward “Gunboat” Smith, the well-known heavy-weight pugilist and his wife, are stopping at Obernburg, in the Town of Fremont, where he worked on the Mosher farm before he entered the Navy and took up fistic art.

Otto Hillig, the moving picture photographer, missed a rare opportunity to secure a highly interesting film on Tuesday morning up at the creamery. While Abie Turetzsky was inside the creamery, his old horse either for want of exercise or something to drink or a bath, walked around the building and out into the creamery pond into some 5 feet of water, where it calmly rested. Abie was compelled to strip off his clothing, swim out to the wagon and drive the horse out through the willows, which lashed his barelegs, while Fred Schadt and Bill Scheidell, the creamery men, shed tears over the moving picture from life.

Rex, a 3-year-old Scotch collie, has the distinction of being the only dog in the world who plays the piano, according to his master. This musical canine and his master, Prof. Peter Bachenberg, are stopping at Ed. C. Neigers in Kenoza Lake and will play together at the “Farm Folks” entertainment.

100 Years Ago - 1925

Plans are now working toward the early completion of the lake dam in Jeffersonville. The company is offering for sale building lots around the proposed lake, to provide the required amount of money to finish the dam.

Edwin F. Manny has sold his blacksmith shop and business and his residence adjoining the shop in this village to Charles M. Peterson, late   of the state motor vehicle inspectors. Mr. Manny will now turn his attention to hotel keeping, having bought the hotel of John P. Durr at Youngsville.

Morris Raner, notorious auto theft ring leader and jail breaker who first came into the limelight here when Sgt. Hopkins of the Monticello state troopers’ headquarters arrested him for having two stolen cars in his possession on July 25, 1923, in Ferndale, and who with George Barchi, is wanted for the murder of policeman Edward Dollard, escaped from Sullivan County Jail by sawing the bars of their cells October 28, 1923, has been captured by the Detroit police and will be returned here.

Charles M. Peterson and Miss Emily C. Scheidell were married Wednesday, August 12, in St. John’s Episcopal Church parsonage at Cornwall. Mrs. Florence Wilson attended the bride and Sgt. Lawrence Hoban of the state motor vehicle bureau acted as best man.

The Ku Klux Klan held an open air meeting Monday night on the Schmidt field midway between here and Youngsville. A large cross, lighted by electricity, was displayed.

90 Years Ago - 1935

The Kellams Bridge over the Delaware River just above Hankins has been closed by the Interstate Bridge Commission who, after investigating, found the bridge to be unsafe for travel. This is causing a great deal of inconvenience to the people on the Pennsylvania side of the river.

The Beaver Brook Casino, at one time one of the finest popular resorts in that section, was destroyed by a fire of unknown origin early last Thursday.

Sheriff Walter J. Flynn and deputy Francis V. Huff, with State Troopers Metcalf and Leins, raided the Edgemere Casino at Kenoza Lake Friday night and confiscated a gambling device. Benjamin Wolitzky of Brooklyn was arrested and taken before Justice Fred A. Hust of Kenoza Lake, who fined him $15, after he pleaded guilty to gambling in a public place and outraging public decency.”

Arthur Wagner, son of Adolph Wagner of North Branch and Madeline Hartz of Hortonville were married July 28 at Hurleyville.

The sixth annual reunion of the Eltz-Gabel families was held on the Charles Gabel farm at Lava on Sunday, August 4. After all had arrived a bountiful picnic was enjoyed.

The famous bearded baseball team, the original House of David, will play in Jeffersonville under the powerful flood lights furnished by the New York Company. They will oppose the Jeffersonville team.

Elmer Hahn of Callicoon Center fell from a load of hay recently and sustained injuries necessitating his removal to the Callicoon Hospital.

80 Years Ago - 1945

Miss Evelyn Weber, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry W. Weber, left on Monday to take a position as dietitian at the University of Chicago.

Rev. Aaron Tolfield, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Krongel of this village, writes that he met our Jesse Abel in France — the first time they had ever met, that is, long enough to get acquainted as Mr. Tolfield did not make his home here. He is an Army chaplain and Jesse is a pharmacist’s mate.

John Demar of Kenoza Lake, who has been in at the Benson Nursing Home in Liberty for some time, is in very poor condition following three strokes during the past week. He was 90 years old on August 7 and a native of this community.

The executive committee of Sullivan County Farm Bureau has hired Herbert W. Clark of Saratoga as County Agriculture Agent. He will start his new position on September 1st. He succeeds James Q. Foster.

William Stratton, in failing health the past few months, died at his home in Jeff August 8, at the age of 76.

Everyone knows that mayonnaise and soap products are scarce, and it makes the storekeepers smile up their sleeves when outsiders come in and ask for these things and feign that they don’t know they are scarce. The “hicks” are not all in the country. A lot of them come from the city.

70 Years Ago - 1955

The “Old Firehouse” property at the corner of Broadway and Prince Street, opposite the post office in Monticello, was sold at public auction for $51,000. The high bidder was Jack Morantz, proprietor of Jack’s Meat Market.

A surprise farewell party was tendered to the Sy Sattinger family on Sunday, August 7, at the Lake Jefferson Hotel. Entirely unknown to them approximately 75 of their close friends and neighbors arranged the entire affair. A sumptuous meal with good music, sprinkled with flowery toasts made the evening a gala occasion. A very beautiful inscribed silver fruit bowl was presented to the Sattingers by the assemblage.

St. Lucy’s Church in Cochecton was the scene of a beautiful summer wedding on Saturday, August 5th, when Miss Mary Leah Schult of that parish and Arnold J. Koenig of Glendale, L.I., were united in holy matrimony by the Rev. Leonard Kelly, O.F.M., at eleven a.m.

Little Joey Wolf blasted a home run, a double and single to lead his team in a tight game against Callicoon 4-2 on August 3. His pitching was also great, giving up only two hits.

Polio vaccine has recently been released to complete the school vaccination program which was started last spring.

The summer ROTC Artillery Camp closed Friday, August 5, and Jay Epstein, son of Dr. Max Epstein of this village returned home after six weeks of intensive training at Fort Sill, the Artillery and Guided Missile Center.

Rev. Cassian J. Kirk, O.F.M. of St. Joseph’s Seminary, informs us of some interesting weather facts concerning the recent hot spell, as observed from the Seminary weather station at Callicoon. It shows a trifle over an inch of rain fell in July 1955; and that during that month, on 16 days the temperature was 90 degrees or more.

The auction sponsored by the Jeffersonville Unit of the Liberty-Loomis Hospital Auxiliary, held at the firehouse, was a gratifying success, giving the unit over $300 for its treasury.

June Ebert, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John W. Ebert of North Branch, received a highest honor diploma in secretarial science at the graduate exercises of Albany Business College on June 29.

60 Years Ago - 1965

In strong unity of action, all major Northeast dairy cooperatives have joined together in a request for emergency price relief for drought-afflicted dairy farmers. The groups are asking for an increase of 44 cents a hundred-weight in the price of fluid milk under three federal milk marketing orders.

The Mills Bros., a three ring circus, is coming to Callicoon for afternoon and evening performances under the big top on Friday. The circus is being sponsored here by the Callicoon Kiwanis Club.

Prices at area markets: chuck steak, 45¢ lb.; baby food, 9¢ a jar; cream cheese, 3 oz. pkg., 9¢; ham, 45 a lb.; peaches, 11¢ a pound; canning jars, 12 quart jars, $1.37; and lids, 2 dozen for 31 cents.

One guest is dead and two are missing as a result of an early morning fire at the Prospect Inn near Parksville. More than 150 firemen answered the call. County equipment was moved to the site of the fire to begin the task of searching the wreckage for the missing guests.

50 Years Ago - 1975

Dr. Sherwood Tucker of Honesdale, Pa., has announced plans to resume the dental practice of the late Dr. Arnold Bennett and will relocate in Callicoon and Narrowsburg within two weeks.

The play “1776,” co-sponsored by the Bicentennial Commissions of the Towns of Delaware and Tusten, will be presented at DVCS September 5 and 6 and at Narrowsburg Central School September 9 and 10. Richard Bjorklund of Callicoon has designed the posters and programs and will appear as a courier in the presentation. Willard Slausenberg, who has directed many Broadway plays in his position as music director of DVCS, will direct the play.

The Seventh Annual Horse show, sponsored by the Callicoon Center Fire Dept., was held Sunday, August 10th, at the Firemen’s Field. Kim Turner was named Reserve Champion with Heather Beldon being named Equitation Champion.

Nancy Karen Baim, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Elwood Baim of Youngsville, became the bride of James L. Kester on July 18 at a ceremony performed at the Hamburg Presbyterian Church. The couple will live in Hamburg.

Sharon Lee Bertholf and Gary Lee Kortright were married August 9 in St. Peter’s R.C. Church, Liberty. A wedding reception followed at the Woodbourne Fire Hall. Mr. and Mrs. Leo Bertholf of Liberty and Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Kortright of Neversink are the parents of the bridal couple.

The Amber Lake Road, near Livingston Manor, suffered considerable damage by flooding as water escaped from a collapsed dam at Lincoln Farm Camp.

Morgan’s Rifle Corps, a recreated regiment from the American Revolutionary War, will stage an encampment at Fort Delaware on Sunday, August 24.

40 Years Ago - 1985

Every tent of the Hudson-Delaware Council remained standing throughout the winds of Hurricane Bob which swept through the 75th anniversary National Scout Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia. Hundreds of tents fell like dominos, said Tom Miller Jr. of Woodbourne. Eighty boys of the Hudson-Delaware Council spent ten days at the Jamboree which was visited by Mrs. Nancy Reagan.

James W. and Claire Rennison celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on July 16 with about 75 relatives and friends in attendance at their home. Included in the guests were two bridesmaids, Linda Evron of California and Janice DePace of Harris.

A proposal to build a $1 million dollar building to house the county Cooperative Extension Service passed one of its first hurdles Monday as the Sullivan County Board of Supervisors agreed to issue bonds for the cost of construction.

Laurie Stabbert, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Stabbert of Callicoon, became the bride of Richard Sanford on August 3, at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Glen Joseph in Stamford. Mr. Sanford is the president of the Catskill Mountain Publishing Corporation in Margaretville, which publishes four weekly newspapers.

Charlie Levine and Debbie Kantrowitz planned to get married on August 18. But Levine, a competitor in the Sullivan County Democrat’s Match-Play, Better-Ball Golf Tournament, which he deems to be “one of the best tournaments in the area,” found that the 18th was the date of the scheduled tournament. After hectic phone calls and much planning, the couple were married August 3 with 275 people attending the Sunday afternoon wedding at the firemen’s pavilion in Rock Hill. The article relaying this information contained a paragraph at the end of the story with “for those planning to get married, next year’s Democrat Tourney will be August 15, 16 and 17.” P.S. — Charlie and his partner, Charlie Johnston, were beaten in the first round of the championship flight and were again knocked off in the 1st Flight, opening round by Jack Jordan and Richard Farquar.

30 Years Ago - 1995

A Sullivan County Chapter of the  Sons of Italy was instituted last weekend at the Villa Roma Country Club. It will be named for Major Marie Rossi, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Rossi. She was the first woman pilot to lose her life during the Gulf War when she flew into an unlighted tower and was killed. The Order of Sons of Italy of America was organized 100 years ago.

Amanda Short of Liberty is heading for Norwich where she will compete in the Miss New York State Teenage Pageant. She won the Sullivan County title and is the daughter of Cindy and Donald Short.

Melissa Garcia, a uniformed police officer at the Fallsburg Police Department, was recently promoted to the rank of sergeant. She is an excellent police officer and she was just now given the position. She earned it,” said Police Chief Brent Lawrence.

“Build it and they will come,” was carved into a piece of rock at the Woodstock Festival site by John Purcell and Harold Bush of California during a summer visit last year. They returned to be a part of the unofficial 26th reunion and were pleased to see that their message was still there. By the weekend at least one large water tank had been dropped off at the site as well as a few porta-johns for the expected faithful who still come each year to celebrate the 1969 event.

20 Years Ago - 2005

Four generations of the Calkin family recently got together, celebrating the arrival of the fourth generation. Great-grandmother Terry Calkin of Youngsville, Jennifer Johnston and Debbie Hubbert shared a moment together with little Riley Katherine Johnston, Jennifer’s daughter. Jennifer and her mother, Debbie, live locally as well.

Former South Fallsburg residents Walter and Melinda Karell recently celebrated their golden anniversary aboard the General Jackson Showboat on a trip to Nashville, Tenn. They were married June 11, 1955 in Monticello.

A 78-year-old man was killed Friday when his plane crashed in an open field on Shore Road in White Sulphur Springs’ Firemen’s Park. John F. Raftery of Woodridge was killed on impact when he crashed his 1975 Cessna.

The Sullivan County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) had an unusual application on Tuesday: somebody who wants to pay taxes. The Gerry Foundation, represented by Jonathan Drapkin, was looking to formalize its payment of taxes – even though it could take advantage of its tax-exempt status as a not-for-profit organization. According to Drapkin, the move formalized the foundation’s desire to keep the affected municipalities whole while still being treated as a tax-exempt entity. For years, the foundation has been paying taxes for its Bethel Woods Center for the Arts to the county, Town of Bethel, Monticello Central Schools and also for a small portion of its property which is in the Sullivan West School District.

Past District 3 Commander Al Etkin had the opportunity to meet National Commander Thomas Cadmus at a recent American Legion Conference.

10 Years Ago - 2015

Monticello Police K-9 “Rocco” was retired on August 13 after 6½ years of dedicated service with the Village of Monticello Police Department. Rocco is a 9 year-old German shepherd. Rocco was formally trained for his patrol service duties and illegal narcotics scent detection through the New York State Police Canine training program at Cooperstown.

The week of Sunday, August 9 was filled with great highs and deep lows. Learning, on the 9th, of Grace Johansen’s passing was certainly the lowest point of the week. It was because of Grace that [Narrowsburg] enjoys a library and the Tusten Historical Society.—Narrowsburg correspondent 

DEATHS: Valentine “Val” Hessinger, a retired teacher for Delaware Valley and Jeffersonville Central School Districts, died August 14, 2015. He was a 70-year member of the Callicoon Center Fire Department... Charles “Buck” E. McAdams of Liberty, a retired miner, “sandhog” with Local # 147 in New York City, died  August 16, 2015. He was the son of the late Charlie J. and Ruby Gorr McAdams... Joseph John Jarfas died August 15, 2015. He moved to the United States in 1961. Joe was an avid genealogist and records historian. He used his knowledge of German, English and Hungarian to provide document translation for other researchers. He had many friends across the globe through his internet research.