110 Years Ago - 1912

James Brandi, an Italian aged 16 years, and Julius Brooks, 12, were struck by an O&W coal train at the Strongtown crossing two miles south of Ferndale a week ago Saturday and received injuries from which the Brandi boy died in Thrall Hospital, Middletown, that night. The Brandi boy carried water for the laborers on the state roadwork between Monticello and Liberty. The Brooks boy will recover.

We have been authentically informed that the street railway in Honesdale, which was begun in 1905, will be built next spring. The route to be followed is about the same as that surveyed for the original Honesdale and Hawley trolley road which was later known as the Wayne Traction Company. The franchise calls for an extension north of the State bridge up Main St., to the Hartung bridge; also a spur down Eleventh St. to Industrial Point. Two switches are called for, one in front of the Union Depot and another in front of the Lyric Theatre.

Dressed turkeys in Honesdale market sell at 30 cents per pound, chicken 25 cents and ducks, 20 cents.

Miss Nellie Pollock of Rutledgedale and Sidney J. Tyler, the well-known photographer of Galilee, were married at the bride’s home October 30. They did not announce their marriage until last week when they left for their new home in Afton, Okla.

Mr. Hudson “Hud” Tyler and Miss Viola Ross, both of Wayne Co. were united in marriage on November 27th. Hud was a good ball player, being a member of the famous Red Star Club of this area some twenty-five years ago. Miss Ross is a descendant of the early pioneer settler family of the same name.

100 Years Ago - 1922

Cameron Meyer, 7-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Meyer, shot out his left eye with an air rifle Thursday. He was playing with his small rifle when the gun became clogged. After trying twice to fire it, he looked down the barrel. As he did so the gun was discharged and the shot entered his eye. He was taken to the Ear and Eye Hospital in New York where the eye was removed on Friday.

Mrs. Jas. Richardson of Glen Spey, wife of a former Sullivan County Farm Bureau manager, is to broadcast eight solos by radio from Bamberger’s store in Newark Saturday afternoon. She is a soloist of note.

Andrew Klein, 39, of Narrowsburg, was killed instantly Thursday afternoon when his Ford car overturned on the White Sulphur Springs road near Rufus Hill’s residence. Mr. Klein was an expert carpenter and at the time of his death was employed in the construction of Wm. C. Englemann’s new home.

Miss Estelle Orr of Milanville and Harold Maas of Endicott were united in marriage at the manse of the Union Presbyterian Church November 17.

A surprise party was given Miss Barbara Herbert Saturday evening in honor of her 16th birthday. — Hankins Corresp.

A daughter, Vivian Hall, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Elton Gillow of Equinunk, December 2.

90 Years Ago - 1932

Explaining that school discipline must be maintained Magistrate William J. Dirie of Hortonville exonerated Herbert C. Griffin, 26, principal of the Kenoza Lake School of an assault charge Saturday. The accusation resulted form punishment administered to Grace Covart, ten-year-old daughter of a World War veteran. Magistrate Dirie explained that evidence failed to indicate that bruises and cuts on the child were caused by corporal punishment.

Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Schultz of Cochecton are rejoicing over the birth of a daughter Mary Leah, born Saturday at the Callicoon Hospital.

Deputy Sheriff Hobart Hill, 59, for many years an official in town and county offices, died at his home on Bushnell Ave., Monticello, November 29, after an illness of two months.

On November 19, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Brey of Callicoon Center celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary. They have ten children and twelve grandchildren and all were present.

Printed greeting cards mailed in unsealed envelopes are chargeable with postage at the third class rate of one and one-half cents for each two ounces or fraction of. Printed Christmas and other greetings cards in sealed envelopes cost 3¢ each to mail.

Another building is being added to the Lone Pine in Callicoon Center which will contain bedrooms and a garage.

There will be a fresh roast ham supper at the Maple Grove House, Long Eddy, Wednesday night. Adults 35¢ and children, 25¢.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Greier returned to Obernburg Monday after a ten-day honeymoon trip to Bermuda.

Senator Thomas C. Desmond has started a movement to inaugurate a Sullivan County Planning Board and also an Orange County Planning Board. He is willing to contribute $250 for the initial work of the committee.

80 Years Ago - 1942

Elton Drumm of Hancock, hunting near Cannonsville, brought down a record deer with 18 points, weighing 220 lb. The right beam measured 26 inches and the left 26 1/4 inches. The five finest NY State heads recorded by the Conservation Department, three of which came from the Adirondacks, one from Chenango County and one from Orange County, give spreads of 23, 26, 20 3/4, 23 1/2 and 22 3/4.

Helen Tegeler, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Otto J.Tegeler of Hankins, became the bride of Edward T. Coleman of Woodhaven on November 28.

For the first time in Monticello bowling history, a 300 game was bowled. It was recorded Saturday night at the Monticello Recreation Alleys by Harry Dryer of Smallwood. It is believed that a perfect score was bowled only once before, twelve years ago at the old Liberty Alleys, by Peter Smith of Liberty.

Spotters began working at the Observation Post this morning at 7 a.m. This post will now be manned continually, probably for the duration of the war.

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Behling of Narrowsburg announce the engagement of their daughter, Ruth, to Sgt. Robert L. Brock, stationed at Seven Mile Camp, Spokane, Wash.

Mrs. Maud Miller was made postmistress at Hortonville last Friday. The office was moved from the Jones & Koons store to the Shainfeld building, adjoining the Miller residence. Robert Jones has been postmaster for several years.

A call to remember Pearl Harbor on its first anniversary, Monday, by contributing scrap metal, waste fats and silk or nylon stockings, was sounded this week by Joseph J. Romano, chairman of the Sullivan County Salvage Committee, who announced that since September Sullivan County has shipped to steel mills more than 2,500 gross tons of scrap.

The unique rolling store, operated by genial Bart Cargin of Mileses, has deserted us for the present. Bart passed through the countryside with his “store on wheels.” He will be greatly missed by the people he served in the surrounding area. The Cargin family are moving to Binghamton, where he has accepted employment with the Spaulding Bakery Co. as a bread salesman.

Harold, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bjorklund, Long Eddy, has been commissioned as Ensign in the Navy. . . Carl Peter Goldstein, son of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Goldstein, completed training in the Medical Administrative Corps Officer Candidate School and received a commission as a second lieutenant.

70 Years Ago - 1952

Harry E. Ohls, founder of the large chick hatchery at Callicoon, died November 23, after a long illness.

A son was born Thursday to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Mitchell of Damascus, Pa., at the Callicoon Hospital.

The wedding of Miss Helen Gehrig and Earl Shuman was held at the Equinunk, Pa., Methodist Church on November 22.

Joseph Kutger, chief lineman in Liberty, has completed 25 years of service with the New York State Electric and Gas Corp., and has become a member of the company’s Quarter Century Club.

Betty Ann Hector became the bride of James Card Jr. at a wedding ceremony solemnized at the Metho-dist parsonage in Honesdale.

The steelwork for the 420-foot long viaduct on Route 17 over the Neversink River at Bridgeville, just east of Monticello, is nearly up. The viaduct is expected to be open to traffic next summer.

Miss Lois Dunn of Honesdale became the bride of Donald Keesler of Callicoon on November 23 at the Beach Lake Methodist Church.

 One of the last of the Delaware River raftsmen, William Jaycox, 87, of Carcass Brook, near Harvard, died Friday at Binghamton. He made a dozen trips on the Delaware as a raftsman with G. W. Husted, who served as steersman.

60 Years Ago - 1962

Mrs. Lester Hillriegel was elected to the office of Advisory Committee Woman of Sullivan County for the Dairymen’s League.

Sister Mary Montfort of Callicoon, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Francis J. Freda, was featured recently in the New York Catholic News on November 18. She is serving with the Maryknoll Sisters at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Bacola, Philippines.

A daughter was born Monday to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Layton, Callicoon RD 2, at the Callicoon Hospital.

Land was donated by Katie Wilcox for the construction of a firehouse in Fremont Center.

Betty Bogert, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Burton Bogert of Youngsville, became the bride of Raymond Everett of Neversink on December 2, at the Community Reformed Church in Youngsville.

Frank M. Nearing of Long Eddy has completed his 58th year in business. He established a general store there on December 4, 1904. He will soon celebrate his 81st birthday,

50 Years Ago - 1972

Emil Cwerski of Mileses won a pocket camera as the first of six prizes being given to Christmas shoppers in Callicoon. Dorothy Decker of Fremont drew the number.

Jack J. Lavelle of the Liberty New York State Election and Gas Corporation District, was honored at a retirement dinner held at King’s Restaurant in Livingston Manor. More than 100 persons attended to congratulate Jack on his 37 years with the utility.

Also honored at a retirement dinner November 26, at the Youngsville Firehouse, was Karl Spielmann of  Youngsville after 26 years as custodian of the Youngsville school.

Airman Arthur W. Dirie, son of Mr. and Mrs. William H. Dirie of Hortonville, has graduated at Sheppard AFB, Texas, taking an aircraft mechanics course.

Thursday evening, December 21, Miss Linda Gabriel of Swan Lake will be officially crowned Sullivan County Dairy Princess.

At the Liberty-Loomis Hospital, it was a girl on November 23 to Mr. and Mrs. Del Nathan Williams of Liberty; a boy on November 24 to Mr. and Mrs. John Ward of Livingston Manor; a boy on November 25 to Mr. and Mrs. Victor Budd of Spring Glen; a girl on November 26 to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Curtis of Liberty; and a boy on November 30 to Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Finkle of Livingston Manor.

40 Years Ago - 1982

Five generations of the Glaab family of Narrowsburg gathered on Thanksgiving. They were Mary Glaab with her son, Arnold Glaab; his daughter Barbara Glaab Buddenhagen and her son Mark Buddenhagen with his son, two-week old Ryan.

Phyllis Natalie Asman of Monticello and Steven Joel Meltzer were married at the Concord in a ceremony performed by Rabbi Boruch Leibowitz on November 14.

Jeffersonville music students Donna DiGiovanni, Beth Weissman, Erika Von Ahnen and Alyssa Dais were recently selected to perform in the prestigious Northeast Music Festival in Burlington, Vt.

Dwayne Cabrera, 19, former outstanding Monticello Central School athlete, has recorded his second perfect 300 game in bowling in almost a one-year  span, at Kiamesha Lanes. According to spectators, he had 12 perfect 1-2 pocket hits.

Nine Sullivan County runners will be going to the Junior Olympics. Alex Pradere of Callicoon, competing in the Young Men’s Division, with his second trip to the nationals, will go to Cincinnati, Ohio, on December 11. Eight members of the Grahamsville Roadrunners Midget Girls cross-country team placed second at the TAC’s Region I Junior Olympic Meet last Saturday at Holmdel Park, N.J., to win a spot at the Junior Olympics.

Agnus Kortright and her daughter, Barbara Ruef, both of Neversink, brought down two turkeys weighing less than an ounce different in their weight. Agnus recorded a 10 pound 3 ounce turkey and Barbara’s weighed 10 lbs. 4 oz.

The New York State Council on the Arts has awarded a grant of $3,000 to the Catskill Art Society for a professional development program with a historical perspective during the summer of 1983. A series of workshops and seminars entitled “Creative Expression in the Arts” will bring experts in all media to Sullivan County to help professional artists develop their skills and improve the quality of their work.

Susan Gomez of Monticello and Lillie Weiss of White Lake were recently announced as winners in Avon Products’ President’s Sales Challenge. Their award is an all-expense paid trip to Hawaii.

30 Years Ago - 1992

V. Edward Curtis of Callicoon, manager of the Sullivan County International Airport for the past 11 years, has announced his intention to retire from the post effective December 28. He will also step down as chairman of the Sullivan County Airport Commission but will remain a member.

The Equinunk Historical Society will host an open house at the old Alexander Calder house in Equinunk, Pa., December 6. Friends are invited to share a cup of punch and Christmas goodies.

David Garbe of Narrowsburg has been selected to attend Presidential Classroom in Washington, D. C. He will be there for the inauguration of the president.

Annette Minckler was feted for 37 years in the banking industry at a party held at Bogey’s in Liberty. She began her career at the United National Bank in Callicoon and was in their employ during the transition to Norstar and finally to Fleet Bank.

With liquidation looming on the horizon, the long-empty Grossinger’s Hotel in Ferndale was sold for $5 million to Korean investor Son Kiy Min on Friday. He calls his agency The Grossinger Resort Corp. According to reports, himself an avid golfer, Min wanted the property primarily for the golf course. The deal includes the hotel and 300 acres which includes the golf course.

Dave Kuebler of Youngsville was the lucky winner of the truck raffle conducted by the Jeffersonville Area Chamber of Commerce at the Villa Roma Sunday afternoon. The popular raffle includes a party at the famous hotel resort in the Beechwoods.

20 years ago - 2002

On Sunday, the talk of the town was Christmas trees as the Sullivan County Historical Society presented their 16th annual Holiday Theme Tree Exhibit. 

Most of new Sullivan County Legislator Don Trotta’s first official day on the job was spent just learning the ropes. His first full day as a District 4 Legislator (representing most of the Town of Mamakating) took place on December 5. For this month, he will be on the same committees as predecessor Jonathan Rouis served on.

Werner and Irmgard Schroeder celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on December 7. They were guests of honor at a party hosted by their children, Darlene O’Dell, Diane Schroeder-Grabek, Wayne Schroeder, Janice Casterline and Mark Schroeder and their spouses, at the White Sulphur Springs firehouse.

Karen and Robert Stewart of Forestburgh announce the engagement of their daughter, Heather Ann Stewart, to Todd Steven Wolownik, son of Arden and Thomas Wolownik of Honeybrook, Pa.

Brian and Kelly Soller of Monticello announce the arrival of a daughter, Aubrey Briana, born November 12, 2002 at Orange Regional Hospital in Middletown. The proud grandparents are Ed and June Brown of Woodbourne and Joe and Nicki Soller of Monticello.

Tri-Valley overcame a 12-point first half deficit Sunday afternoon to earn a third-place finish in boys’ division of the Sulivan County Community College High School Tip-Off Classic. Led by senior guard Kyle Humphrey, who scored a game-high 28 points, T-V (1-1) rallied to post a 63-59 win over The Family School at Paul Gerry Fieldhouse.

DEATHS: Marie Gray, LPN, of Roscoe, 62, died December 11, 2002 at her home. She was a licensed practical nurse at the Roscoe Community Nursing Home.… Beatrice Weiss, 98, of Grahamsville died December 10, 2002 in Liberty. She was the retired co-owner of Weiss Motors in Monticello and the widow of Herbert Weiss.… George Moser Sr., 84, retired businessman, died December 3, 2002 in Charleston, S.C. He was born in Obernburg to the late Joseph and Amanda Muth Moser.

10 years ago - 2012

At an emergency meeting Friday afternoon, the Town of Thompson Board voted unanimously – and under a variety of stipulations – to temporarily take over the troublesome water system that serves the nearly 60 homes of the Melody Lake community. In July, the water system’s latest operator, White Knight Management, submitted a petition to the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) to abandon the aged and damaged water system. White Knight’s James Feeny estimated the cost of a much needed overhaul for the water system to cost upwards of $2 million. 

More than 32 community members attended the Callicoon Kiwanis Club’s Annual Holiday Party at the Villa Roma to honor community leaders who have dedicated themselves to helping others. Kiwanis Club President Jackie Robisch recognized Tess McBeath for her more than two decades of service to the Delaware Community Center. McBeath, who is retiring from the board but not from public service (she is still Delaware Town Clerk) gave credit to her cadre of volunteers and many supporters. Robisch also recognized the efforts of Herb and Florine Bauernfeind, who run the Interfaith Outreach United (IOU).

For the second straight year, the Sullivan County Democrat has named Liberty football coach, John Wilhelm as its Coach of the Year – this time sharing the recognition with Sullivan West coach Ron Bauer. In just four seasons as head coach of Liberty, Wilhelm and his staff have fostered a winning culture at the school. Taking over in 2009 after a miserable 2-7 2008 season, Wilhelm wasted no time in turning around the Indian’s football fortunes going 5-5 – after a 1-4 start. Liberty reached the Section IX Class C finals that year where they lost to Ellenville. In 2010 Wilhelm led the Indians to a 6-3 record and a second straight appearance in the Section IX Class C playoffs. Democrat Co-Coach of the Year Ron Bauer has been coaching football in some capacity since 1966. Bauer has amassed 150-plus victories – fourth most in Section IX history.