140 Years Ago - 1879

Youngsville — The Stoddard cider mill is still busy grinding and pressing apples. Several thousand gallons of cider have been made at the mill this season.

Thanksgiving Day brought with it much pleasure and enjoyment and left many pleasant recollections. Services were held in the various churches in the morning. Henry Thoefel Jr. gave a ball and oyster supper at Eagle Hall in the evening which was well patronized.

On Thursday night of last week, the dwelling in Damascus, Pa., occupied by Wesley Coch­ran, son-in-law of Daniel Benne­dum of Hortonville, was destroyed by fire.

Pike Pond — The Rev. Thomas Lyon, formerly of Bethel, but now of Michigan, paid his friends a visit and on Sunday preached in the Hurd Settlement Church… Gideon Moulthrop is one of the most extensive dairy men in this region, having over 50 cows.

Peter Scheurer, aged 57 years, died November 13, near Hortonville; the same day Miss Alice C. Darling, aged 45 years, died near Bethel.

130 Years Ago - 1889

The residence of Herman Barber, two miles northwest of Barryville, was destroyed by fire on the 15th.

Among those confirmed by Bishop Potter in St. John's Church, Monticello, recently, was Henry White, editor of the Wurtsboro “Dispatch.” The class was the largest ever presented to the Bishop for confirmation in this parish.

The Town of Rockland has appealed from the verdict rendered against it in the case of T.D. Collins, who was given a heavy verdict for the loss of his horse which broke his leg in a hole in the bridge. The “Record” predicts that the town will lose again.

Mrs. Peter Bogert of Youngs­ville died at about 12 o'clock Monday. Her remains were interred at Youngsville Wednesday.

Judge Potts has gone to Albany.

Captain E.H. Pinney is at Binghamton on business.

“Ike” Post of Liberty was in town Monday. He came in after dark and slipped out before daylight.

ADV. — 100 live turkeys wanted at Meyer and Coventry's.

Charles Homer lost one of his stage horses last Sunday night.

Frank Neuberger has the “nac” for making good flour of Japanese buckwheat. He showed us several splendid specimens.

A report came to this office that three large black bears were recently seen in the wilds of the northwestern part of the Gulf. Here is a chance for the anxious hunters.

The Commercial Annex telegraph wires are in splendid condition.

Now that Thanksgiving is over, you can set your trap for a big Christmas turkey.

Mrs. Thomas Reagan won a watch in a recent contest at a church fair at Cochecton. She had sold $470 worth of votes.

W.F. Clay of Livingston Manor is doing an excellent business in the old Manor House, which he sold to Thomas Merritt last spring and bought back a couple of weeks ago.

120 Years Ago - 1899

It is feared that young Gussie Knack, the 12-year-old son of Conrad Knack of Roscoe, may lose the sight of an eye injured when he was hit by a ball while playing shinney on the school grounds on November 16.

George Lare of Livingston Manor fell through an opening in the Jacktown covered bridge at the Manor the other night, fracturing an arm and being severely bruised. The opening had been left by workmen. He fell to the stone pier below, a distance of 10 feet.

Edgar Clements has sold to Pierson Brothers his entire property on Chestnut and Clements Streets in Liberty, including the hardware, plumbing and tinning business.

Edgar C. Neiger of Kenoza Lake, who teaches in No. 4, town of Delaware, will succeed Jesse L. Perry, school commissioner-elect as principal of the Callicoon Depot School, the first of January.

It is stated by a Middletown party of fishermen that a 500-pound deer was recently killed at Wolf Pond. Game Protector Kidd is after the guilty hunter.

William W. Bennett of Youngsville has been appointed inspector of the G.A.R. posts in Sullivan County by the adjutant general. John Hamilton of DeBruce has sailed for Manilla. He is a member of Company B.

Charles C. Weber of Beaver Brook has enlisted in the U.S. Infantry.

George Heller, a well-known farmer of Callicoon, was accidentally killed when on last Friday he went up a hill behind his house to draw fire logs and a hand spike holding a log slipped. The log broke loose, rolled over him, causing injuries resulting in his death.

Grace A., daughter of J.H. Hill and Otis Olsen, were married at Fosterdale, November 23rd.

George Hust Jr. of North Branch and Miss Katie Bauernfeind of Beechwoods, were married by Rev. S. Muery at the parsonage at Hortonville on November 22nd.

110 Years Ago - 1909

Miss Edna Elizabeth Hill, formerly of Fosterdale and now of New York City, and John Henry Schutte of Lake Huntington, were married on November 17th at the Holy Trinity Church in New York. The bride is the youngest daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. James H. Hill of Fosterdale.

Mr. and Mrs. F. Werth have sold their boarding house on Maple Avenue to C. Gronauer, a young man from Brooklyn, for $6800. The Maple Grove House was formerly the Diehl House and was bought four years ago by the Werths.

Will Rau, the artist, returned home last week from New York, where he was engaged for several weeks in decorating the interior and exterior of White's Peacock Inn, a new restaurant on Fulton Street, said to be now the swellest place of the kind in lower New York.

Michael Leins of Callicoon Center and Miss Adeline Schloss of Youngsville were married at the Presbyterian Manse at Roscoe on November 17 by Rev. L.W. Hones. Their attendants were Edward Port and Miss Carrie Reinheimer.

Frank L. Wenzel died on November 14 in London, England, at the age of 51. He was a son of Henry Wenzel, late of the town of Callicoon, and a brother of Adolph E. Wenzel, deceased, who represented Callicoon several times on the Board of Supervisors and in the Assembly.

Charity Quick Townsend, widow of the late Stephen Townsend, died of paralysis at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Homer Bennett, at Livingston Manor, on November 7th at the age of 82. Burial was at Grahamsville.

The Monticello Masonic Lodge on Thursday laid the cornerstone of its new temple, which is being erected on the site of the one destroyed in the August fire. The lodge was organized in 1829.

100 Years Ago - 1919

The Board of Education of the Youngsville Central Union School District has appealed to the Commissioner of Education over the refusal of the school superintendent of this district, Charles S. Hick, to endorse the application of Miss Vida VanKeuren of Liberty for a temporary teacher's license. The Board hired her to teach primary grades. She holds a training class certificate which Supt. Hick says is insufficient. As a result of the disputes, since the present term started, two of the trustees, Jacob and Peter Menges, have resigned. Fred Jacobs and Willis Byron were appointed in their place. The other board members are George Clericus, Elmer Bryon and Charles H. Lorch.

Charles Reum, son of Mr. and Mrs. V. Reum of Beechwoods, and Mrs. Matilda Krantz Miller of Kenoza Lake, were married at the Lutheran parsonage in Jeffersonville on November 25. The bride is the widow of the late George Miller and a daughter of Mrs. John Krantz of Kenoza Lake.

Hugh Pillion, a former well-known hotelkeeper of Sullivan County, died of cancer in New York on November 16 at the age of 60. For a number of years he conducted a hotel at Long Eddy, and later ran the Link Hotel at North Branch, which he bought from George Fillweber. Later Mr. Pillion moved to Roscoe, where he owned and operated a large farm and boarding house. Then he leased the Faubel House in Roscoe for several years, after which he retired.

Clay Conklin of Willowemoc and Miss Mary Clark of Liberty were married at the Methodist parsonage in Liberty on November 15.

Real estate continues very active in the Jewish settlements of Sullivan County. Four farms at Ferndale and one at Livingston Manor have been sold to city parties. So have three hotels and boarding houses in the Monticello area.

Mrs. Emma Hembdt is stopping for a time with her son, Sheriff George N. Hembdt and family in Monticello.

90 Years Ago - 1929

Two mortgages, one for $16,000 and the other for $14,000 which John Werle of New York held on the summer boarding property of Fred Stickinger of DeBruce, were ordered annulled by Justice Staley in the Supreme Court in Monticello Wednesday, after a jury had reported Werle guilty of usury by exacting more than six percent interest in the form of bonuses. The case was on trial for three days.

A union Thanksgiving service will be held in the Lutheran church this morning in Jeffersonville. Pastor Foerster will conduct the service. Rev. McClure of the Presbyterian Church will preach the sermon and the Rev. Foxton of the Methodist Church will give the Scripture reading and prayer.

Ben R. Gerow of Liberty, sheriff-elect, has named his assistants who will go to office with him on January 1st. Walter Flynn, justice of Fallsburg, a former keeper at the county farm, will be undersheriff. Wm. B. Schenk, employed in the office in Mr. Gerow's garage in Liberty, will be deputy sheriff. Francis Huff of Hankins will be the new jailer. He is a son of butcher Fred P. Huff of Hankins.

Dr. William H. Hoar, aged 72, one of Sullivan county's most prominent and esteemed citizens, died at his home in Grahamsville on November 27. Active in politics, Dr. Hoar was treasurer of the Republican county committee for years. He was supervisor of the Town of Neversink for 14 years, serving six years as chairman of the board. He belonged to the Masonic Lodge at Jeffersonville, the Odd Fellows, the Maccabees and the Methodist Church.

Alfred C. Freyberger, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Freyberger of Hortonville, and former pitching ace on the Jeffersonville team, was married to Miss Edna Mieckel of Weehawken, N.J., on November 16 at the bride's home.

George W. Seibert, commander of the Sullivan County American Legion, has announced: “Such time between May 1, 1930, and October 31, 1933, as the Secretary of War may designate, Gold Star mothers and widows may make a pilgrimage to the cemeteries in Europe that now hold the remains of those members of the military or naval forces of the US., who died in the service between April 5, 1917, and July 1, 1921. The cost of the pilgrimage will be borne by the U.S. Government and those who are eligible to make the pilgrimage are the mothers, widows and stepmothers, through adoption of any woman who held the place of a mother to the deceased member of the military or naval forces, for one year prior to his entrance in the world war service, providing she has never made the pilgrimage. Only a widow who has not remarried is eligible to the privilege.

The celebration in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of St. Mary's Parish at Obernburg will be celebrated next Sunday, December 8.

Miss Mary, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Monington, Damascus, Pa., and George Kinsman of Honesdale, Pa., were married at the Honesdale Presbyterian Manse on November 27.

80 Years Ago - 1939

The wedding of Miss Dorothy Gottschalk of Hankins and Ralph Sipple of Mileses was solemnized on Thursday, November 30, in the chapel of St. Joseph's Seminary in Callicoon. Mr. and Mrs. James Gottschalk were honor attendants.

Mrs. Raymond Gloor and infant son of North Branch were discharged from the Callicoon Hospital.

The new Buddenhagen and Botsford residences in Callicoon are rapidly nearing completion.

A marriage license was issued at Honesdale, Pa., recently to Ethel A. Keim of Jeffersonville and Arthur A. Diehl of Kenoza Lake.

The Liberty Theatre, one of the largest and most modern playhouses in this section of the state, leased for the last five or six years by Joe Dealy and Fred H. Starck, this afternoon passed under control of Max Cohen and Louis Kutsher of Monticello, operators of the Rialto in Monticello and theatres in Livingston Manor and Roscoe.

Eugene Sheridan, aged 29, of Edgewater, NY, died in the Liberty Hospital Sunday night from a bullet wound through his liver, inflicted Saturday afternoon when the 44-caliber rifle of his hunting companion, Alfred Eichenauer, also of Edgewater, was accidentally discharged, while the owner was loading in the woods near Lew Beach above Roscoe.

A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. John Brockner of Jeffersonville at the Callicoon Hospital on November 24.

The Conservation Department has declared pickerel fishing through the ice open since last Saturday. There are six lakes in the county closed to ice fishing, Swan Lake being one of them.

Alice Ann McCormack, daughter of Dr. Edward P. McCormack, postmaster of Albany, and Lawrence H. Cooke, son of County Judge and Mrs. George L. Cooke of Monticello, were married in the Church of St. Vincent dePaul in Albany by Rev. Lawrence E. Ryan, November 25. A reception was held at the TenEyck Hotel. The bride attended Miss Quinn's School in Albany and is a graduate of the Academy of the Holy Name, Albany. Mr. Cooke is an attorney with offices in Monticello. He was graduated from Georgetown University and Albany Law School.

The wedding of Herbert W. Grishaber of Jeffersonville, and Miss Hilda Deckelman, daughter of Mrs. Theresa Deckelman of Obernburg, will take place at 10 o'clock this morning at St. Joseph's Seminary Chapel in Callicoon with Rev. Harold Blake, pastor of St. George's Roman Catholic Church in Jeffersonville, officiating. After dinner at the Hotel Claire in Youngsville, the couple will leave on a 10-day motoring trip. They will reside in the groom's home on Jefferson Avenue. Grishaber is a member of Grishaber & Mall, plumbing and hardware firm. Miss Deckelman is a sister of District Attorney William Deckelman.

Philip Bietz will reach his 80th birthday anniversary tomorrow, December 1st. He was born in the old Half-Way House below the village, which his father, Andrew Bietz, ran for a number of years.

70 Years Ago - 1949

Word was received here Tuesday of the death that morning of Julia Eggler Punzelt of near Scranton, Pa., who had undergone an operation on October 22. She was born in Ridgeway, Pa., about 1877, a daughter of John Casper Eggler of Jeffersonville and Caroline Sander of Youngsville.

A couple inches of snow fell on Sunday, November 27.

Mr. and Mrs. Walter Keesler of Narrowsburg have announced the engagement of their niece, Miss Alice Archibald of Narrowsburg, to Christopher J. Hartman of Torry, Pa. She is the daughter of William Archibald of that place.

Official notice has been received from the State Board of Social Welfare approving Loomis Sanitarium as a site for a county home. A 2/3 vote will be needed in the Board of Supervisors to establish the home there. The board resolution asking for approval from the State Board was only 8 to 6.

The Jeffersonville Pot, local ladies bowling team, are leading the league at Hortonville, with 31 wins and 13 losses. The team is composed of Martha Weiland, Louise Hassis, Elsie Mall, Signe Ahnstrom and Jeanne Brand.

Among those who shot bucks during the past week were Charles Mages, Al Townsend, Fritz Bernhardt, Leo Graham, Pat Bernhardt, Louis Mall and Don Chandler.

Mrs. Louis Korth passed away suddenly at her home in the Delaware section on November 25. She was 54 years old, born in North Branch, the daughter of William and Caroline Wagner Knack.

Tip-up fishermen went into action Friday of last week, providing they could find enough ice to fish through.

Nearly 30 members of the Scheidell clan and a few friends gathered at a banquet at the Presbyterian Church Thursday afternoon. The dinner was prepared under the direction of Mrs. Martha Stratton and sister, Miss Katherine H. Scheidell. The one to come farthest for the feast and gathering was Attorney Floyd T. Scheidell of Los Angeles.

60 Years Ago - 1959

A “grass roots” revolt seems to be stirring in connection with the 1960 proposed county budget's failure to include additional funds requested for expanding the county's publicity program. A hearing on the tentative budget will be held in the Supervisors' Room in the County Courthouse in Monticello, next Tuesday afternoon. At this time, while objections and protests seem certain on other phases of the budget, the indications are that the loudest howl will be in connection with the proposed budgets' publicity allow­andes.

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Michel on the birth of a son, 9 lbs., 6 oz. on Saturday at Liberty Loomis.

Solomon Danab, the man who never tried for political office before, and made an outstanding run for Supervisor of the Town of Mamakating, decided last week he would not put the township to the expense of another election that might result from a court action he had the right to start. Danab was defeated officially by Republican incumbent William J. Cairns, 868 to 866. This means the Board of Supervisors for 1960 will be 8 to 7 Democratic.

Frederick A. Krumpp Jr. of Youngsville, graduated Tuesday, November 17, from a 5-month SAGE (Semi-automatic Air Ground Environment) computer field engineering training course at Kingston. Mr. Krumpp has been assigned to a SAGE Air Defense sector installation at Madison, Wisc.

Frank Graf, a Youngsville resident for 18 years, died November 16 at his home there. He was 68, a retired butcher, born in Germany July 28, 1891.

Nov. 24 — The Western Sullivan League basketball season will get underway tonight when Jeff opens up at Delaware Valley, Roscoe greets Tri-Valley and Livingston Manor entertains Grahamsville. Delaware Valley enters the season the hot favorite, with a strong five on the floors.

50 years ago - 1969

William F. Gasko, son of Mr. and Mrs. William P. Gasko of Cochecton, has received a PhD in Physics.

Roger LaBar, 18, of Lookout, Pa., died instantly in a one-car accident Sunday morning, November 23, one mile west of Galilee, near the Donald Sherwood farm, after failing to negotiate a curve.

Miss Debbie Hess of Hortonville brought down a nice three-point buck, on her first time out as a hunter.

Army PFC George E. Medlar, 22, son of Mrs. Frances L. Medlar, Callicoon, was as­signed as a mortarman with the 25th infantry Division in Vietnam, October 22. Specialist Four David L. Decker, 21-year-old son of Lauren and Charles Decker of Cochecton, has recently graduated from the U.S. Army Signal Center and School after 6 weeks of intensive training.

A son, Michael Kent, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Messina of Narrowsburg on November 11 at the Community General Hospital, Harris.

Miss Elaine Rose Kraack of Cochecton and Daniel A. Rugar of Walden were united in marriage on Saturday, November 24, at the Lake Huntington Presbyterian Church.

Holiday gift and decorating ideas again highlighted the Annual Holiday Open House, sponsored by the Sullivan County Extension Service Home Economics Division, held at the Woodbourne Firehouse. Five hundred county members and friends braved the inclement weather to attend this all-day event.

40 Years Ago - 1979

Unseasonably warm weather and rain clouds produced showers and a flash flood Monday in Callicoon. A clogged drain behind the Western Hotel allowed water more than a foot deep to sweep down Main Street. By Tuesday, the temperature was in the 30s, the water had subsided and all was back to normal.

The Monticello law firm of Wiess, Ingber and Lagarene hosted an open house following the recent renovation of their office at 228-230 Broadway. The firm was originally founded in 1930 and the site of the business goes back prior to the great fire in 1908 in the village.

The Upper Delaware Citizens Advisory Council met last Friday. Included in the business was the presentation of a formula submitted by Supervisor Jean McCoach of the Town of Cochecton in which she suggested that the $250,000 government disbursement should not be divided as discussed at previous meetings where each river township gets $50,000. Mrs. McCoach suggested that the towns get money depending on 1/3 tourist attraction, 1/2 river mileage and 1/3 public access sites. Bob VanArsdale disagreed with the formula saying it was unfair as some towns lack public river access and tourist attractions, but were subject to littering by tourists and suffer great financial hardship when it comes to getting sanitation help in areas that are not easily reached. Frank Jones requested further study of the formula.

Thanksgiving brought sadness to the family of Assemblyman Richard Kisor when fire destroyed their Goshen home early that morning. According to reports, a spark from the chimney set a pile of wood chips at the rear of the house on fire, igniting the building.

Kathleen Kutger, daughter of Joe and Muriel Kutger of Youngsville, was married November 18 to Wayne Best of Florida at the Community Reformed Church in Youngsville.

August Ritterhausen received the sixty-year pin and certificate from Albert C. Stanton, District Deputy Grand Master of the Sullivan District at the October 14th meeting of the Callicoon Lodge, F.&A.M., in Jeffersonville. Dick Williams is master of the lodge.

Pat Johnson guessed the number of seeds in the “Big Pumpkin” grown by Dick Fitch, owner of Richard's Inn in Jeffersonville. Dick has donated the money for the past three years in memory of Oscar Will, former supervisor of the town of Callicoon, who had originally given Mr. Fitch the seed, to the Jeffersonville Volunteer First Aid Corps Inc. There were 672 seeds by count.

30 Years Ago - 1989

Three youths of Troop 187 Boy Scouts of America recently received Eagle Badges at Grahamsville. They are Dale P. Wynkoop, son of Richard and Elsie Wynkoop; Karl W. Haag, son of George and Mary Lee Haag, and Domenick A. DeMaria, son of Domenick and Rhea DeMaria. They became the 45th, 46th and 47th Eagle Scouts in the 20 year history of the troop.

Julie Ann Crain of Harris recently won six medals at a figure skating competition in Delaware. Crain took a gold in figures, giving her the championship in that category for 7-9 year olds. She is training at the University of Delaware as part of the College's Ice Skating Science and Development Center. Crain will compete in the South Atlantic Championships in December and then travel to Atlanta, Ga., with the Small Wonder Precision team to skate in the Eastern Championships.

A million dollar payroll is expected to be taken from Monticello within the next two and a half months. It will be the closing of the post office annex where nearly 70 men and women are employed. It is being transferred to Stewart Airport.

Charlotte Schwartz of South Fallsburg and Sylvia Schwartz of Rock Hill were among those who attended the recent dedication of a new wing at the B'nai B'rith Residential Treatment Center in Jerusalem for emotionally disturbed boys.

The Bloomingburg Restoration Committee is trying to raise $200,000 to refurbish the old Dutch Reformed Church in Bloomingburg.

The Rock Hill United Methodist Church recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. The Rev. Robert Pinto is the pastor.

The Kristt Company of Monticello, office supplies, equipment and furniture, recently opened a store at 840 Main St., Honesdale, Pa.

20 Years Ago - 1999

On Monday, November 22, William Banker, 34, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole by Judge Nicholas DeRosa for Banker's role in the murder of 3-year-old Christopher Gardner on April 1, 1998.

Students at the Delaware Valley Job Corps Center recently captured first place in the 1999 Region II Academic Olympics held at the Cassadaga Job Corps Center in Cassadaga, New York. Delaware Valley took the top honor over five other centers from New York and New Jersey.

DeWit Broadcasting Corp., a Honedale, Pennsylvania-based company, is starting an all-news radio station to serve Sullivan County and portions of Ulster and Orange counties in New York, and Pike and Wayne counties in Pennsylvania. The new station, WWHW at 102.1 FM, will have its main studios on Broadway in Monticello.

Isaac “Yits” Kantrowitz retired October 1 after serving for 28 years as a local justice of the court, first in the village of Woodridge, and then later in the town of Fallsburg.

10 Years Ago - 2009

Delaware Valley Oil LLC, recently opened its doors at the Curtis Building on Bridge Street in Callicoon. Apart from selling fuel oil and kerosene, full burning services are available.

Amy Lee Lebron of Jeffersonville and Joshua Aaron Arroyo of Accord were married on September 9, 2009 at the Duval County Courthouse in Jacksonville, FL. Amy is a graduate of Sullivan West Central School and Joshua is a graduate of Ellenville Central School and is presently serving in the U.S. Navy. The couple resides in Atlantic Beach, FL.

Brothers James “Mickey” Roche and Maurice “Rease” Roche were among 10 honorees as the Francis Mott New York State Amateur Softball Association (ASA) inducted 10 new members into its Hall of Fame during a ceremony and dinner at the Regency Hotel. The Roche brothers were honored for their meritorious service to the sport.

Gang violence forces Monticello music studio B.M.F.T.P. (Better Mentality for Teens Project) to close its doors. Founder Telly Bridges said, “This has been the worst year of my life.” Carl Williams, known in the studio as P.City, was murdered in June, his just launched career as a music producer cut short by a still-at-large assailant. Bridge's cousin, 21-year-old Arsenio Jacobs, was caught by police hiding in the studio's rafters, accused of being a member of the Crips gang and shooting at local Bloods. AJ, as Jacobs is known, was a regular at B.M.F.T.P. Bridge's plans to close the studio, “until everyone understands it's not a spot where you're going to cause trouble.”

The Jeffersonville-Youngsville Central School Class of 1964 gathered together for their 45th reunion at Mullally's in Jeffersonville.

More than 450 people showed to honor Associate Justice, Anthony T. Kane, on his retirement from the bench following 25 years of public service at a celebration sponsored by the Sullivan County Bar Association and held at the Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center in Callicoon.