130 Years Ago - 1896

Major W.M. Combs of Middletown, Deputy Grand Master of the 10th Masonic District, paid his official visit to Callicoon Lodge #521 in Jeffersonville on Saturday. Rev. E.E. Pinney was elected an honorary member of the lodge.

P.H. Woolsey & Co. of Livingston Manor are about to put ten or twelve lathes in their sash and blind factory and do turning on a large scale.

The completion of the standpipe last week finished up the construction of the Monticello water works system, the total cost of which is $27,237.

George Hiltz, a resident of the town of Callicoon for nearly fifty years, died at his home on Wednesday, less than a month before his 89th birthday.

The quiet little hamlet of Kenoza Lake rang with wedding music and revelry on Wednesday night when Miss Bertha, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Casper Fuhrer of Swiss Hill, and John Huggler, proprietor of the Kenoza Lake Hotel, were united in the holy bonds of matrimony.

120 Years Ago - 1906

John Wagner, who last week sold his farm and boarding house on the hill, has bought the lower lot of Herman Kraut on West End Avenue in this village, and has already contracted with Wm. Kohler for the erection of a new residence.

Delaware Lodge of Freemasons are kept busy taking in new members. At the last meeting Friday night three more were given the third degree – John C. Branning and W. Brand Courtright of Narrowsburg and Adam Metzger Jr. of Jeffersonville.

Youngsville — Louis Mall and wife and Mrs. B. Hess and son of Jeffersonville spent Sunday at John Wolff’s.

White Sulphur Springs — A tent at the Maccabees will be organized here next week by Deputy Defendorf, who is working up at the lodge. Fourteen candidates were examined Saturday night.

Advertisements — “General Upholstering – Carriage Cushions and Backs, Buggy Tops and Curtains — Adolph Yaeger, North Branch.” …“Get One of our Cutters — And Be Ready for Sleighing.” Anderson & Eickhoff, North Branch.

110 Years Ago - 1916

At a meeting of the Callicoon Town Board at Callicoon Center on Tuesday, Wm. H. Knemm of Callicoon Center and Sidney Brown of Youngsville were appointed town school directors.

There was a large turnout for the third annual entertainment, dance and supper of Jeffersonville Grange at the Mansion House last Thursday night. Music for dancing was by Roth, Bollenbach and Kohler. 

For the third consecutive year, Western Sullivan has taken the blue ribbons for the best ears of corn from this county exhibited at the State Agricultural College at Ithaca during Farmer’s Week. The awards went to Charles Geib of Beechwoods on flint or native corn, and Wm. Rittershausen of Youngsville on dent or western corn.

Fred Siebert, teaching school at Shinhopple, Delaware County, was home over Sunday and the holiday.

Some of the biggest and nicest logs hauled to the Kohler mill here this winter were brought by Ed Weber from his wood lot on the former Wormuth farm.

The barn on the Luchs place which stood like a sentinel silhouetted on the southern horizon, is no more to be seen. A strong wind last week blew it down the steep hill toward the road.

Stephen Wehner, aged 95 years, one of the oldest persons in Sullivan County, died Tuesday night at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Louis Weyrauch, near Callicoon Center.

100 Years Ago - 1926

Nine persons were burned to death early Monday morning when 37 weekend city guests were trapped by fire in the large 80-room three and four story Prairie Hotel of Samuel Shindler, located near Hurleyville on the  Hilldale Pike, leading to the Loch Sheldrake-Liberty state road.

Electric rates have been cut from 17 to 13 cents for year-round customers in this area served by the Livingston Manor Electric Company. Residents of the towns of Callicoon, Rockland and Delaware will benefit.

William Zieres has sold his house and lot of two acres above North Branch to William Snetlage of Acidalia.

The following postmasters were appointed in Sullivan County last week: Wirt N. Moulthrop in Kenoza Lake, Truman Y. Burr of Cochecton, Clarence B. Newhouse at Bloomingburg and Ella Babcock at Lake Huntington.

The Presbyterian ladies cleared about $175 at their bazaar yesterday.

The Boy Scouts took a sleighride to Ed Wolff’s farm at Kenoza Lake Saturday and they enjoyed skiing and lunch. Rev. Father Louis Farrell was the leader.

Luther Potts, rural carrier, now makes his trips in jig time with his snowmobile. Other winters it would take him a long day to get around with a horse or an ordinary car.

90 Years Ago - 1936

At a meeting of the Democratic County Committee held at Monticello under the chairmanship of James M. Kelly, Blake Washington of Monticello and Mrs. Mae R. Bourke of Livingston Manor were chosen candidates for members of the State Committee. Edward Homer of Youngsville was elected treasurer to succeed the late Valentine Scheidell of Jeffersonville.

Another snow fall on Friday added to drifted conditions in these parts. Farmers are for the most part able to get out only by use of their  horses. Twenty-two degrees below again this morning.

Louis Goodman shot an opossum the other day. It was up neighbor Brand’s tree, probably looking for spring.

A flock of wild ducks hovered over Jeffersonville Tuesday, apparently looking for a place to land on water. They’ll have to come again later. No robins and bluebirds have come back north as yet; if they have, they must be buried deep under the snow.

A special school meeting is called for Monday, March 2, at 8 p.m. at the schoolhouse to vote on the proposition to raise $2,000 in bonds for the purpose of buying lands from the John Townsend and John Hess properties adjoining the present school lot.

William Hessinger, an early resident of Jeff, died at his home near Callicoon Center, February 17, in his 87th year.

Fred Sator, aged 76, lifelong area resident of the Town of Fremont, died at his home in Obernburg, February 15.

80 Years Ago - 1946

Starting out with 81 members, the newly organized H. Russell Kenyon Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars elected the following officers: Commander Henry Peters of Jeffersonville, Senior Vice-Commander Joseph Boyle of Hortonville, Junior Vice-Commander Vincent Mullally of Jeffersonville, Adjutant George H. Raum of Kenoza Lake, Quartermaster John E. Mages of Jeffersonville, Judge Advocate Walter E. Scardefield Jr. of Jeffersonville, Chief of Staff Paul Hermann of Callicoon, Inspector Howard Fink of Hortonville and Chaplain Louis H. Baum of Jeffersonville.

Fourteen inches of snow followed by strong winds forced the Jeff school to close. Fred W. V. Schadt set out to pay an official visit to the Downsville Masonic Lodge but was turned back the other side of Roscoe by snowdrifts.

Elizabeth M. Merklin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William M. Merklin of Callicoon Center, was married on February 13 to S.N. 3/c James Robinson of Cleveland.

Marie Jeanette Bliss, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Adelbert Bliss of Morrisville, and William Lewis Schurer, formerly of Youngsville, were married on February 17th.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Knack have sold the former Carl Joergle house and lot across the Callicoon Creek to Mr. and Mrs. Victor Napoliello (Ethel Schwartz) of Kenoza Lake.

Claire Elsie Weber, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Weber of Jeffersonville, was married December 27 at the Glenville Air Base, Chicago, to Donald Wayne Hornback of the Navy.

70 Years Ago - 1956

Ted Rittershausen has bought the Oscar Will property adjoining his pharmacy, which will permit him to expand his business to about double size.

A committee consisting of Mrs. Arthur Steppich, Mrs. Arthur Roth, Mrs. Edward Krauss, Mrs. Carl Elt and Mrs. Prince was appointed by the P.T.A. of J-YCS to help inform the voters about the proposed purchase by the school district of the 40-acre Behnken property adjacent to the Jeffersonville Central School.

Arnold Sims, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Sims of Kenoza Lake, was married February 12th to Miss Eleanor Blackwell at the Community Congregational Church in New Hyde Park, L.I.

Miss Shirley Bauernfeind, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Bauernfeind of North Branch, was married on February 19th to August Schumacher.

Herbert H. Hassis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert A. Hassis of Jeffersonville, a junior at Clarkson College of Technology, was elected associate editor of the Clarkson Chapter of Chi Epsilon, Civil Engineering Honor Society.

August Seppi of Youngsville died on February 1st at Liberty Loomis Hospital at the age of 68.

Charles Schilling of Callicoon died on February 17th at the Odd Fellows Home in Ithaca. He was 89.

Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Eller of Callicoon left Sunday for Holly Hill, Fla., where they will spend some time with their daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Polster; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Fendt are also in Florida at Anna Marie Island.

Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Tremper of White Sulphur Springs celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary at a party given at their home by their daughter, Gail.

Phil Reum and Joseph Clifford are having wells drilled on their property by Seth Eltz.

Robert Clark is in Loomis Hospital due to an accident on the corner of Chestnut and Main Street in Liberty while on his way to work one morning.

60 years ago - 1966

Edward M. Cooke, elder son of Supreme Court Justice and Mrs. Lawrence Cooke of Monticello, has passed his bar exam it was announced Friday. Edward is working in the law office of former Special County Judge Frederick W. V. Schadt at Jeffersonville.

Miss Ethel Long of Callicoon and Rene LeClere of Hortonville were married Saturday at Holy Cross Church, Callicoon.

Mrs. Louise M. Bush, 94, a Damascus, Pa., resident for many years, died Sunday in Honesdale.

Mr. and Mrs. Joel Wagner of Callicoon, who have returned to make their home here, celebrated their 50th anniversary on February 14.

Gustave Frank Rosenberger of Hurleyville, a retired farmer, died Wednesday after a long illness. He was 88.

Miss Mary Jane Sipple of Hankins and Raymond F. Loudis Jr., were united in marriage at Sacred Heart Church in Hankins.

Delaware Valley Central School placed fourth out of ten county school systems in the New  York State Regents Scholarships to seniors.

50 Years Ago - 1976

The political pot began to bubble this week as Governor Hugh Carey placed in nomination Sullivan County Sheriff Joe Wasser for an executive position in the New York Department of Correctional Service, pending approval by the Senate. No difficulty in obtaining the go-ahead is anticipated. A new sheriff for Sullivan County will be appointed.

Conrail, the new U.S. planned northeaster railroad, will begin life on April first with federal money, new management and fewer unprofitable branch lines.

John Landsberg of Barryville became the first automobile accident fatality since 1974 in that part of Sullivan County covered by the State Police Narrowsburg sub-station.

Dennis J. Walker, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Walker of Callicoon, has been promoted to Airman First Class. He is a duplicating specialist with the U.S. Hometown News Center where he processes news stories about Air Force members for distribution to the civilian news media throughout the United States. Walker is stationed at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma.

Members of the Town of Liberty Volunteer Ambulance Corps are putting up partitions in their newly completed addition to the ambulance building on Mill Street, Liberty.

40 Years Ago - 1986

More than $26,000 was raised in a two-day 8th Annual Heart-a-Thon at Kutsher’s Country Club last Friday and Saturday.

The Monticello Police Department is investigating a suspicious blaze that extensively damaged the Newberg Law Office early Saturday morning. More than 50 Monticello firefighters fought the blaze for three hours when a 3:27 a.m. alarm found the three-story structure engulfed by flames.

Richard and Margaret DelFavero of Livingston Manor were guests of honor on January 19 when their honor attendants, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Sturdevant, surprised them with a 25th anniversary party at the Sturdevant home. About 50 guests enjoyed the social hour and hot buffet.

The engagement of Debbie Holmes and Peter Briggs has been announced with plans being made for a Fall wedding.

More than 450 former and current residents of Sullivan County gathered on February 10 for the 5th Annual Reunion at Crystal Lake Country Club in Pompano Beach, Fla. The arrangements committee consists of Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Feinberg, Mr. and Mrs. Clem Leffer, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Kaplan, Mr. and Mrs. David Rosen and Donald Hammond.

The Lumberland Fire Department celebrated its 35th anniversary.

More than 120 Boy Scouts from 12 patrols in Sullivan County tried to duplicate the chores of those pioneers in Alaska during Sunday’s Klondike Derby in Grahamsville at the Coombe farm.

30 Years Ago - 1996

Financial consultant Roy McMaster of Bernard P. Donegan, Inc. of Victor spelled it out as simply as he could – “If you merge, you get a $12 million building and if you don’t, you get nothing from the state.” McMaster was on hand in Callicoon at the joint meeting between the Delaware Valley and Narrowsburg Central School boards in another round of discussions leading up to the tentatively scheduled March 27 district merger vote in Callicoon.

Eighty kids gathered in Livingston Manor to participate in Round 3 of the Sullivan County Interacademic League - Junior Division entitled “Snow Scapades” minus the snow. Tri-Valley took home meet honors by capturing first place in the round. In overall Junior Division competition, Liberty kept its first place league standing with 547 points.

Delaware Valley Central School announced that Sarah Jensen has been named as the Class of ‘96 Valedictorian with a grade point average of 98.33 while Janel Benson has been named Class Salutatorian with a GPA of 97.83.

A daughter, Rachel Irene, was born January 13, 1996 at Horton Medical Center, Middletown, to Richard and Nancy Barnhart of Lew Beach.

A boy, Jackson Thomas, was born January 9, 1996, to David and Patricia Krebs of South Fallsburg.

On a day when less than 10 percent of the 638 entrants caught fish worth registering, Butch McBride won an unprecedented second “King of the Ice” fishing contest. The 11th annual Muriel Hupalo King of the Ice Fishing Tournament, held on Swinging Bridge Reservoir and sponsored by the Sullivan County Conservation Club, drew fishermen from as far afield as Connecticut.

Three Sullivan County residents, David Saunders of Monticello, Eugene Raponi of Forestburgh, and Donald Simkin of Livingston Manor, will be among 10,000 men and women who will carry the Olympic torch 15,000 miles back and forth across the United States to the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia this summer. 

20 Years Ago - 2006

Beth Cogswell of Liberty, the daughter of Merrilee Myers of Forest Hills and Kenneth Cogs­well of Liberty, was united in marriage with David Fisk on May 7, 2005. The bridegroom is the son of Mary Ellen Early and Robert Fisk of Miami, Fla.

Rose Fiddle of Parksville, the founder and proprietor of the Hi-Way Inn in Parksville, died February 14, 2005 at the Catskill Regional Medical Center at the age of 97.

WSUL General Manager Helena Manzione seemed on top of the world yesterday after confirming that the radio station’s annual Heart-a-thon had broken its previous fundraising record by more than $7,000. The total proceeds from Saturday’s 28th annual broadcast was a whopping $68,983.

Mike Houghtaling became the 2006 King of the Ice on Sunday afternoon at the Sullivan County Conservation Club’s 21st annual contest on White Lake. The winning fish was a pickerel weighing 5 lbs. 4 oz.

The village’s only grocery store, Peck’s in Jeffersonville, has expanded to include more registers, more food and more space.

Lucas and Theresa Arzilli announce the birth of a daughter, Lucy Frances, on January 18. Lucy was welcomed by her big brother, Lucas John, paternal grandmother Kaleope Arzilli, maternal grandparents George and Irene Just and maternal great-grandmother Frances Loughrey. 

10 Years Ago - 2016

The Liberty home donated to Begin Again Transitional Services (BATS) to house 8-10 homeless or transitioning veterans looks better than ever. Utilizing donations from supportive businesses, a small cadre of volunteers has, room by room, been repainting, reflooring and repairing every inch of this 2,800-square-foot home on Dixon Avenue. Schmidt’s Wholesale, the Liberty Trading Post, Home Depot, Electric Lighting Agencies, Anthony Divesti, Liberty Elks, the Liberty Sears, Black Bear Fuel Oil, CES, Yaun Company, and County Petroleum have all donated material and/or services. 

The 2016 Tri-Valley FFA (Future Farmers of America) looks much different than the chapter 65 years ago. Today’s chapter has 150 members from grades 6-12 with 70 percent female membership. The officer teams – junior officers are in grades 6-8 and senior officers are in grades 9-12 – are predominantly female as well. The population of members has changed and so has the coursework taught. The original program was based on the needs of the community – at that time those needs were agricultural mechanics, production of poultry, beef, and dairy, and general forestry services. The program [now] breeds and sells small animals, runs Tri-Valley Blooms Flower Shop, produces food for the community in the community garden and orchards, produces compost and grows and sells vegetables and annual plants, and teaches and promotes leadership during school-based workshops.