150 Years Ago - 1873

The Rev. F.A. Crane will supply the Presbyterian Church at Youngsville and Jeffersonville next Sabbath. Service at Youngsville 10:30 a.m. and at Jeffersonville 3 p.m.

Oranges, lemons, clams, oysters and halibut, all fresh and offered at Bogardus.

Wales of Pike Pond informs us that he has a complete file of the Daily Tribune since 1840. They are large enough to fill a small room.

Mr. Quinlan informs us that he will commence to canvas the county for his history about the first of April.

The Town of Callicoon gives the biggest Democratic majority of any town in the county and also contains more churches than any town in the county.

The Democrats in the Town of Delaware have nominated the following tickets: William H. Curtis for supervisor, Jacob Schumacher Jr. for town clerk, John Long for justice of the peace, John Baum for assessor, Michael Quinn for commissioner of highways, Nicholas Heidt for collector, Charles Fisher and Augustus Grouten for overseers of the poor, Adam Gorr and Jacob Winand for inspectors of elections, Nicholas Heidt, Truman Sutliff, James O. Gedney and Chas. Fisher for constables.

Democratic Town Tickets: Callicoon – Adolphus E. Wenzel for supervisor, Charles L. Pendell for town clerk, John G. Schindler for justice of the peace (long term), Christopher Bauernfeind for commissioner of highways, John Weyrauch and Louis Faubel for overseers of the poor, John Wingert for collector, John Wingert, George Fillweber, Philip Frey and Benjamin Mitteer for constables, Bernard H. Kratz, William G. DeWitt, Jacob Dietz and John C. Wagner for inspectors of election and John Heinroth for game constable. (Editor’s Note: The town meeting for electing town officers was held in March every two years. The law has since been changed to make it coincide with the general election in November.)

140 Years Ago - 1883

Sheriff and clerk’s account report expenses as follows: Town of Callicoon, John C. Mall, justice of the peace, $17.90; W.J. Harding, justice of the peace, $6; Nicholas Dycker, justice of the peace, $16; Abal P. Bush, justice of the peace, $16.50; C. Hofer, surveyor, $3; Chas. A. Ranft, town clerk, $45.56; John Euker, overseer of the poor, $10; Henry Homer, assessor, $36.60; Fred Hessinger, supervisor, $85.63.

Henry Bauernfeind and Miss Lizzie Kautz, both of Beechwoods, were married at Hortonville by Rev. Samuel Muery.

Sarah Moot and Hulda Annis of Robertsonville visited friends in this section last Saturday.

Samuel French, one of North Branch’s carpenters, has received a $1,000 present. It weighed eight pounds and looks like Sam.

Having decided to discontinue the mercantile business in Jeffersonville, I now offer my entire stock of goods, consisting of all things usually kept in a country store at greatly reduced prices. Will also offer my house and store for sale. A good chance for some enterprising man. Josiah Smith. (Editor’s note: [at a later time] This store is the building where Cameron Gain had his work shop. The house stands next to it.)

I offer for sale my farm of 79 acres located halfway between this village and Callicoon (Thumansville), I will sell cheap and give immediate possession. Ira Clute. (Editor’s Note: The above editor’s notes were made by the Sullivan County Record editor, from whose files the above is written.)

130 Years Ago - 1893

Frank Anderson of Binghamton, son of Capt. John F. Anderson of Callicoon Depot, passed a very creditable examination for admission to the bar at the General Term in session in Binghamton.

The question of a railroad from Fallsburg Station to the Neversink by Way of Woodbourne is again under agitation. $10,000 has been pledged.

Isaac Quinlan of Bushville has the finest hennery. He has 135 hens.

The snow is about five feet deep in the woods.

Doc Young and David Worden drove some fine oxen through White Sulphur Springs on Monday en route to Jeffersonville. We assume they were the property of Charles Scheidell of Jeff.

At the Democratic convention of the Town of Callicoon on Monday at Bauernfeind’s Hotel, North Branch, the following tickets were placed in the field: Supervisor Frederick Scheidell, Town Clerk Valentine Hessinger, Assessor C. Von Weisenfluh, Justice of the Peace, W.J. Harding, Commissioner of Highways W.H. Knemm, Collector Fred Wagner, Overseers of the Poor Valentine Wolff and Michael Fitzgerald, Constables F.B. Ward, Casper Girard, Charles Quick and Martin Eagin; Game Constable Philip Ebert, Commissioner of Excise Charles Kautz.

The Republican town caucus nominated Supervisor Spencer Hardenburg, Town Clerk L.P. Faubel, Assessor Sidney Brown, Justice of the Peace Henry Baker, Commissioner of Highways John Mootz, Collector William Short, Overseers of the Poor George Hust and Roland Hauschild, Constables Henry Lixfield, J. Euker, Charles Bury and Herman Gerken.

120 Years Ago - 1903

Alonzo Ostrom’s blacksmith shop and dwelling house narrowly escaped being destroyed by fire early Friday morning of last week. The rooms over the shop are occupied by Adam Homer. About two in the morning, Mrs. Homer was awakened by smoke in the room, but on investigation could find no fire and went back to bed. The increase in volume of smoke caused her to make another investigation and this time the fire was discovered in the shop below. Mr. Ostrom was aroused and the fire was soon extinguished, but not until a large hole had been burned through the floor.

The Obernburg brewery, recently started up by Joseph Mueller of New York, seems to be meeting with success. Mr. Mueller turns out and delivers to customers weekly.

Webb Harrison and William Teal of Middletown and Isaac Post of Liberty, all representatives of the O&W, were in Bethel last week. Mr. Harrison has arranged to rent the creamery of Mr. Walker, who owns it. Milk will be shipped and pot cheese made.

Charles P. Knapp of Knapp Bros., the Deposit bankers, was in town yesterday looking into the advisability of starting a banking institution here as a branch of the Deposit bank. It will, we understand, be started either here or at Callicoon. The Knapp Bros. are of a family of successful bankers, long established. They are also connected with the Binghamton Trust Co., a well established institution.

110 Years Ago - 1913

William Breiner of Youngsville, while working in the woods on February 18, was struck on the side of the head by a large bough, producing a concussion of the brain.

Anna Eggler, wife of J. Wolfgang Wilfert, died suddenly at her home on Saturday. She was born in Switzerland October 3, 1847, and came to America at the age of ten.

Hugh Pillion, hotelkeeper at Roscoe who pleaded guilty in the County Court at Monticello last week to assault in the third degree upon a state excise inspector last summer, was fined $300 by Judge Thornton. Pillion’s sons, Elmer and Ray, who were indicted on similar charges, were each fined $200.

Katherine Ebert celebrated her 81st birthday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. August Schmidt. There were 28 relatives present.

100 Years Ago - 1923

Elliott, the two-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Weiss of Jeffersonville, broke his left leg between the ankle and the knee Monday night while playing on the floor at his home with his father.

Elmer Winner, former sheriff of Sullivan County, died at his Liberty home Sunday morning at the age of 67. His father had been Sullivan County sheriff before him. Mr. Winner’s great-great-grandfather has been noted as a soldier in the Revolutionary War who lived to be 101.

Williams Knells, 19, was killed at a sawmill near Aden where he had gone for a load of saw dust. The pile of saw dust collapsed on him and buried him. When his body was recovered it was found that he had been seriously injured.

90 Years Ago - 1933

The members of the Emmitt Turner Post American Legion are planning on building a hall on a lot next to Charles M. Peterson’s blacksmith shop which Mr. Peterson will donate. At present the post meets in the Masonic Hall.

At the unofficial caucus at the firehouse Monday night, Mayor William L. Huff was again placed in nomination. Howard M. Smith was nominated in place of Abe Roth, whose term expires.

Miss Ruth Fitch is home from college this week.

The Kenoza Lake whipping case, an action brought by Grace Covart, 10-year-old, against Herbert Griffin, principal of the Kenoza Lake School, because of a whipping he gave the girl at school, was settled out of court. The settlement, according to the records, was $125, paid by the plaintiff.

Two children, aged 12 and 11, were burned to death when fire destroyed the shack in which they lived near DeBruce. E.K. Lobell was the father.

Mrs. Marguerite Pfeiffer, proprietor of a boarding house below Jeffersonville, and Roy Crandall, an automobile salesman of Roscoe, were married at Honesdale on Saturday.

Ott Ruth, formerly of Youngsville, died at the home of his son, Henry, at Liberty on February 23. He was 81 years of age and was born in Germany in 1852. He came to this country at the age of 14 and later was married to Anna M. Buchman.

80 Years Ago - 1943

Charles A. Thorwelle, aged 80, a former hotel man of Callicoon, died at his home. He conducted the Western Hotel for many years and was one of the most popular hotelmen along the Delaware. He is survived by his wife and a daughter, Lillian, wife of Frank Schweinfest.

Wm. H. Snyder, 83, died at Twin Pines Farm on Sunday. In 1913, he took over the big farm of his father-in-law, Martin A. Smith, a prominent Republican leader in New York State and former assemblyman from Sullivan County. He was married three times and is survived by his wife, Mary Holcomb of the well-known Holcomb family of Fremont.

Mrs. Henry Paul (Edith Gain) left the Callicoon Hospital and returned to her Livingston Manor home with her new daughter, Mary Margaret King – the latter being Grandmother Gain’s family name.

Albert T. Decker was nominated at the village caucus at Liberty for the office of mayor to succeed Harold Schue.

At the village caucus in Jeffersonville, Wm. H. LeRoy was nominated as mayor, Hugh E. McGee and Frederick W.V. Schadt as trustees.

Rose Brownstein, a teacher in the central school for the past five years, has joined the WACs.

School District Superintendent Charles E. Button is in a hospital in Ossining recovering from surgery.

Frank Mead, a grandson of Rollin Stoddard, pioneer, justice of the peace and school teacher of Jeffersonville, died in Middletown. He was a son of Isaac Mead, also a teacher, and Letitia Stoddard who lived near the Rollin Stoddard home.

Druggist Theodore Rittershausen returned home on Monday from Brooklyn where he had undergone an operation for kidney stones a couple of weeks ago.

Mrs. Anna Miller, 97, born a daughter of William and Charlotte Townsend, died in Bethel, this week. She was a member of the Hurd M.E. Church.

70 Years Ago - 1953

Mrs. Rose Greenfield, aged 70, died suddenly Tuesday in Florida where she went about three weeks ago to visit a son. She was born in Romania and she and her husband, who died four years ago, came to Jeffersonville about 25 years ago and acquired the former Wagner house and operated it under the name of Mountain Spring House.

Pvt. Russell M. VanLoan, son of Mrs. Permelia VanLoan of Livingston Manor, is participating in “Exercise Snow Show,” an Army winter training maneuver in Alaska.

Mrs. Kitty Bird and Mrs. Freda Flake left Jeffersonville on Tuesday with Sam Zieres and his son, Kenneth, for Florida.

Emil Motl, 66, clerk of Sullivan County, died at his Monticello home last Thursday. He had been in poor health since an operation about a year ago.

Judith Gute, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lester Gute, won first place in the 220 hard speed skating on Monday and was awarded a gold medal.

Tonight the Jeffersonville Music Club will have its February meeting at Nolde’s which will be devoted to Chopin. Leonard Reichmann will sing a few solos.

60 Years Ago - 1963

Death struck a double blow to Mr. and Mrs. John Milk of Rock Valley when their mothers, Mrs. William Milk and Mrs. John Anderson died within hours of each other on Sunday, February 10. Mrs. Milk was 93 and was born in Rock Valley. Mrs. Anderson, a native of Sweden, was 87 years of age. A double funeral was held on Wednesday.

The Post Office Department is seeking competitive bids to build and lease the new post office at Callicoon.

Voters of the Jeffersonville Fire District will ballot February 21 on a proposal to spend $6,000 for a 750-gallon pumper with accessories and equipment.

Monticello Raceway again ranked fifth in the nation in both total handles and attendance in 1962, according to final figures compiled by the United States Trotting Association.

An early Sunday morning fire completely destroyed the Mt. Cathalia Hotel on the Shawanga Mountain east of Ellenville early Sunday morning. The fire drove 100 guests from the hotel.

Ben Kaplan, executive secretary of the Sullivan County Hotel Association, appeared last week before a joint legislative committee on the Economy of New York State. In his presentation, Mr. Kaplan made a plea for a better relationship between the state and the resort industry and a more understanding attitude on the part of officials concerning the resort industry and its many varied problems.

Approval for the opening of a branch office of the Sullivan County National Bank at White Lake was announced today by President Joseph E. Fersch at the Liberty office.

50 years ago - 1973

Max Yasgur, the Bethel farmer who became known from coast to coast in 1969 for making the tumultuous Woodstock Festival possible by leasing his acreage to the promoters, died unexpectedly Friday at the age of 53 at the Fishermen’s Hospital in Marathon, Fla.

The Narrowsburg Central School Class of 1969, will launch a fundraising campaign to improve a park and playground in that area, dedicating the project to the memory of their classmate, A. Bruce Denny, who died about a month ago.

Eleven were left homeless on Saturday when a blaze, started by a plumber’s torch being used to thaw frozen pipes, resulted in very heavy damage to a residence at 117 Lake St., Liberty.

Harry M. Knight of RD 1, Long Eddy, is an alternate appointee to the West Point Military Academy and he has also been appointed to the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. Harry has not yet made up his mind as to which institute he will attend. To add to his confusion, Harry has also been accepted at Syracuse University and is being interviewed this week for an ROTC scholarship at Cornell.

The first annual Holiday Mountain Winter Carnival was a rousing evening and attracted more than 7,000 people to the Town of Thompson ski area during the three days of festivities which concluded Sunday afternoon.

At the Liberty-Loomis Hospital, it was a girl, February 3, to Mr. and Mrs. William Abplanalp of White Sulphur Springs, and a girl to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Puerschner of Jeffersonville; a girl, February 5, to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Winchell of Long Eddy and a girl to Mr. and Mrs. Philip Macken of Livingston Manor.

Ethel LeClere has announced the opening of a beauty shop in her new home between Hortonville and North Branch.

40 Years Ago - 1983

The opening of bids for contracts to construct a new maximum security correctional facility at Woodbourne, postponed because the opening conflicted with the scheduled date of the annual meeting of the Associated General Contractors of America, has been rescheduled for February 17.

The Special Olympics for the handicapped were held at the Concord Hotel February 8-10.

Mr. and Mrs. Lester Allen Sr. of Liberty recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with family and friends. He is the retired editor of the Boston Post newspaper.

Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Creamer of Narrowsburg have announced the engagement of their daughter, Elizabeth, to Robert S. Amenta of Scarsdale. A May 8, 1983 wedding is planned for the Chapel of Manhattanville College in Purchase.

Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Macchia of Liberty have announced the engagement of their daughter, Helen, to James S. Gordon, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Gordon of Mongaup Valley.

The Housing and Urban Development has announced a total of $332 thousand to be awarded to various projects in Sullivan County including $111,760 for housing rehabilitation in the Fairgrounds and Cold Springs roads sections in the Town of Thompson; $107,775 for housing rehabilitation in the Village of Bloomingburg; $58,100 for the Town of Liberty to build a senior citizen center; $2,025 to the Town of Tusten for election improvements in the town hall; and $38,500 in Livingston Manor for housing rehabilitation and sewer hookups to four homes in the Baldwin Road area.

30 Years Ago - 1993

Students at Sullivan County BOCES have taken on a new identity “Literacy Hills, 12754.” The school is the first in the county to initiate a program sponsored by the U.S. Postal Service called, “We Deliver: Stamp Out Illiteracy.” The goal is to encourage students to express themselves through written communication.

Unless it can convince the county that it will pay its past-due rent, build the fuel farm it promised and give the county its share of the money collected from fuel sales in the next few weeks, Bob Wells Aviation, the fixed base operator at Sullivan County International Airport, is on its way out.

Members of the Community Garden Club of Liberty met at Bogey’s in Liberty for their holiday get-together and to bid farewell to 30-year club member Marion Sandlas who, with her husband Jack, will relocate in Florida. During her membership, Mrs. Sandlas has been active in local, district, state, regional and national garden club organizations.

In the obituary column, the following were recorded: Paul Allen, a former county agricultural agents who also did rehabilitation and relief work abroad, died at the age of 91 on February 8 in Rhinebeck. He was a former resident of Kenoza Lake.… Helen M.T. Neuhaus, wife of former Bethel Supervisor George Neuhaus, died at the age of 76 on February 10 at the Westchester Medical Center… Millard H. Bury, a retired postmaster of Callicoon Center, died February 10 at his home. He was 79 years of age.

20 Years Ago - 2003

A girl, Brooklyn Ashley McCosco, was born December 5, 2002, to Senior Airman Ryan and Susan McCosco of the Charleston Air Force Base in Charleston, S.C. Darrell and Debbie McCosco of Liberty are the paternal grandparents and Ken and Sue Sherman of Oneonta are the maternal grandparents.

Kris and Annette Rasmussen of Youngsville announce the birth of a daughter, Danielle Ashley Rasmussen, born on February 19, 2003. The maternal grandparents are Michael & Elizabeth Jackowski and the paternal grandparents are Joyce Rasmussen of Youngs-ville and the late Lee Rasmussen.

10 Years Ago - 2013

The Hurleyville Fire Department was recently dispatched to a reported MVA. Chief Chris Gibson arrived on the scene to find that a vehicle had rolled over. It was on its roof and in the river flowing from Shaddock’s Pond located on County Route 104 next to the firehouse. Passengers were still inside the vehicle and Hurleyville firefighter Michael Spinelli was already waist-deep in the frozen water removing the first person. Gibson called the Sullivan County 911 Center and entered the river to assist. Spinelli had to slide through the side window of the vehicle to cut the seat belt that was holding the second passenger in. He was freed from his seat belt and two Fallsburg Police Officers, Dylan Dainack and Steve Kahn, entered the water and aided the firefighters. Both subjects were then transported to the firehouse to get warmed up and to await MobileMedic ambulances.

The Monticello Bagel Bakery recently changed the color scheme of its awning from yellow and blue, to mostly blue, giving it a much needed refreshed look. The old awning was badly damaged by tropical storm Sandy last year. Open almost 50 years, the eatery is a staple in the Village of Monticello, and the county as a whole. 

On October 5, 2012, the Narrowsburg Central School Class of 1957 celebrated its 55th [year] reunion at the Settler’s Inn, in Hawley, Pa. Those attending were Peggy (Burbank) McIntyre, Doris (Dexter) Roda, Joy (Taylor) and Earl Bertsch, James Robbins, Richard and Ann Gawenus, Richard and Fina Behling, Herbert and Brigette Steffens, Charles Wieland and Mildred (Niessen) Meyer. Those unable to attend were Judy (Brodsky) Golden, Jeanine (Johnson) Boffa, Frank DePasquale, Bill Friermuth, Allan Reith, Nancy (Sherger) Bates and Alfred Crosby.