130 Years Ago - 1895

The 14-year-old son of Alfred Akerly of the Six Thousand Acre Tract, near Briscoe, is entitled to the distinction of shooting three coons at one shot, although he was materially assisted in the act by his father. 

Rock-a-bye-Baby: Excise Commissioner Charles Kautz of Callicoon is rejoicing over the advent of an heiress. Seth Hathaway, our Monticello mailman, had an increase in his family recently.

The house occupied by Andrew Wilson, north of Livingston Manor, burned to the ground January 1st.

This is good weather for the grippe. Look a little out!

Liberty has challenged Jeffersonville to a series at bowling. Before accepting our boys desire to have satisfactorily settled the important question – “Is suicide a sin?”

120 Years Ago - 1905

The files for this issue are missing. (Editor’s note: If any copies of the Sullivan County Record from 1905 are still around, they’re in very short supply.)

110 Years Ago - 1915

Stevensville — While Melvin Soule, a farmer residing about two miles west of this village, was at work in the woods Monday afternoon with his two sons, he was caught by a falling tree which inflicted injuries that proved fatal. Mr. Soule was about 58 years old, a good neighbor and citizen and respected by all who knew him.

Charles Homer, the former well-known proprietor of Eagle Hotel for many years, died at his home in the village of Jeffersonville Monday morning. He was 62 years old.

Since the installation of the street lighting system in Jeff, the public has been generally dissatisfied with the early hour at which the lights are turned off, 11 o’clock being entirely too early to meet their convenience.

The two-story, 12-room house on the Pigeonne Hauser farm on the hill a couple miles north of Jeffersonville, and owned by Philip J. Hust, who lives on the opposite side of the road, was burned Saturday.

George H. Raum, merchant of Kenoza Lake, on Monday received official notice of his appointment as postmaster at that place to succeed Wirt N. Moulthrop. The office is fourth class.

John W. Armbrust of Kenoza Lake broke his right wrist while cranking his Ford car Monday. The engine kicked back before he could let go of the crank.

The tax collector, the ever-unwelcomed visitor, was here yesterday.

The eighteen or twenty young people from Jeff who went to surprise Fred Glassel at his home in Beechwoods Wednesday night, did not get back home until 9 o’clock Thursday morning. The heavy rain that night made traveling so icy and dangerous that they were easily persuaded to take lodging at Villa Eden for the night.

Clarence A. Royce of Jeffersonville, who was in his second year at the Williams School of Expression at Ithaca on January 9 won another scholarship in the school, making it the third he has carried off.

Floyd P. Hust has been crippled for over a week as a result of getting a gash in the foot one day last week when the axe he was using glanced from a sappling and struck him.

100 Years Ago - 1925

The Board of Trustees of the incorporated village of Jeffersonville Monday night appointed John Becker village policeman. Mr. Becker is a retired police lieutenant of the New York City police department.

The tax rate for the town this year is $8.29 on each $1,000, which is 45 cents higher than last year.

While New York City was in the throes of a blizzard with ten inches of snow last Friday night, Jeffersonville was calm and comfortable with a snowfall of only about two inches.

Percy W. Kohler and bride (nee Miss Katherine Hill of White Sulphur Springs) returned from a short wedding trip to New York City, and are now domiciled in their new house in Delaware, where they were serenaded on Monday night with the usual skimmelton.

After a short illness, Jacob Yager, an old settler in Jeffersonville, died January 3 at the home of his son-in-law, Michael F. Ernst on Sixteen, aged 83 years.

Briscoe: Andrew Abplanalp got his hand against a buzz saw while sawing wood Tuesday and the middle finger especially was quite badly chewed.

90 Years Ago - 1935

Governor Lehman has appointed Harry S. Shirick, Democratic leader at Kingston, to the Supreme Court Judgeship vacancy for this district. It was hoped here that the governor would appoint county Judge George L. Cooke of Monticello because he was the best equipped man for the position in point of legal and judicial ability and experience.

William B. Taylor, operator of a woodworking plant near Neversink, has instituted action for damage against Montgomery Ward order house as a result of an accident September 8 when an abrasive wheel exploded, causing Mr. Taylor the loss of his left eye. Mr. Taylor claims the wheel was defective.

Mrs. Catherine Yager, aged 84, died at her home on Chapel St. of Jeff on Friday, Jan. 4.

Rachel A. Gildersleeve, aged 85 and mother of supervisor Bryon J. Grant, died January 7 at the home of her daughter, Mrs. M.A. Wright at Dansville, Livingston County.

Louis Sipple, born in the town of Fremont about 83 years ago, died at his home in Glendale, Calif. Mr. Sipple was a member of the well-known family who were engaged in the cooperage business in the town of Fremont many years ago. Louis removed to Rockland where he operated a cooperage and later he conducted a general store in Roscoe.

Rev. Adam Scheidell, native of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and distant relative of the Jeffersonville Scheidells, died January 1 at Buffalo where he was pastor of Holy Name of Jesus Church the past 32 years. He was 58 years old.

Officers of the Wilken Court 133, Order of the Amaranth of Monticello, were installed January 4 by Charles O. Wilkin of Jeffersonville, assisted by William Knell and Anna Walker.

A Middletown man simplified matters by leaving his estate to his lawyers in the first place.

80 Years Ago - 1945

The new Board of Supervisors was organized with the selection of Karl Reinshagen of Bethel as chairman to succeed Emil Motl of Thompson, who was elected county clerk last fall. Blake Washington, Democrat, was retained as clerk of the board. The new highway committee consists of Edward Bisland of Lumberland, chairman; Walter Weiss of Callicoon, Mortimer Michaels of Fallsburg and Lawrence Milk of Delaware.

A son, Edward John, was born December 28 to Cpl. and Mrs. Alfred G. Wahl of Jeffersonville.

The parents of former days issued orders. Later many of them gave advice. Still later, a good many afforded a suggestion, while now a lot of them are told to “shut up.”

70 Years Ago - 1955

On Saturday afternoon, January 8, at the First Presbyterian Church of Jeffersonville, Miss Carol Howard, a teacher at the central school here, became the bride of Allan Newkirk of Swan Lake. The ceremony was performed by Rev. LeRoy Hertzog, pastor of the church.

Raleigh, N.C. – Joshua Toefield, 11 1/2-year-old son of Rabbi and Mrs. Aaron J. Toefield (the former Annette Krongel, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Krongel of Jeffersonville) was notified by his sponsor, Mecklenburg Rep. Arthur Goodman, of his appointment as page in the House of Representatives.

Mrs. Joseph Martucci of Palornia, Calif., the former Sylvia Stephenson of Jeff, is scheduled to appear on the “Queen for a Day” radio program January 14. Sylvia’s friends here will be able to hear her and can root for her success.

Fred Zieres of the Tegeler Real Estate and Insurance Agency, reports the sale of Harry and Anna Mathern’s residential property on lower Main Street, Jeffersonville, to Charles and Minnie Waldron of Fosterdale.

Schenectady has its own Paul Revere in Simon Shermerhorn who, though wounded, rode the 14 miles from Schenectady to Albany in the zero weather of February 18, 1690, to warn settlers of an Indian raid.

Miss Dolores Caniveri, who lived for several years with Mrs. Ella Schmidt and Mrs. Violet Mase here, was married to Brooks Philips in Middletown, December 21. The bride is employed in Middletown state hospital.

The annual hen party was held New Year’s Eve at the Stratton home north of Jeffersonville where Mrs. W.R. Stratton and sister, Miss Katherine H. Scheidell, were hostesses. A few of the guests came in costume of ancient and characteristic pattern, which created considerable merriment.

60 Years Ago - 1965

John H. Maulick, 87 of Roscoe, a retired farmer, died at the Roscoe Community Hospital Saturday after being struck by a car on Route 17 in Roscoe.

Two local young people were featured in a concert program presented by students of the Ithaca College School of Music on January 10. They were Miss Susan Jones, daughter of Principal and Mrs. William Jones of Roscoe, and Harold Roeder, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Roeder of Hortonville.

Arthur Keesler has been promoted to the position of Assistant Cashier of the First National Bank of Jeffersonville.

Raymond Moran, 54, of Jeffersonville, died January 14 at his home.

Jacob Schumacher, a native of Beechwoods, died January 17 in Morristown, N.J. . . Selma Bernitt, 74, died at her Callicoon home on January 15. . . J. Frank McCormack, 72, of Callicoon, died January 16 at his home. He was a retired stone cutter.

Sullivan County had the coldest weekend of the winter, with the official thermometer at 20 degrees below zero.

Marine Private First Class Joseph E. Davis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Davis of Milanville, Pa., was recently selected as “Outstanding Member” of his platoon and promoted to his present rank during graduation ceremonies.

John Litzenbauer of Callicoon will have the exclusive use of the prefix “Binki” in naming all Registered Holstein dairy animals bred in that herd.

Esther Northrop of Analomin, Pa., and Roland Jackson Jr. of Tyler Hill, Pa., were married January 15.

Pamela Poley, 17, of Hortonville; Linda Kimmes, 16, of Youngsville; Barbara Barber, 18, of Swan Lake; Starr Rager, 16, of Livingston Manor; and Karen Kingsley, 17, of Roscoe, are among the fourteen girls entering the first White Lake Sno-Queen contest. The girls are sponsored by their local fire companies.

50 years ago - 1975

Asphalt, which had run down from the Erie tracks onto River Road from one of the tank cars derailed last week opposite Equinunk, Pa., created a gooey mess before the County of Delaware Highway Department pushed it to the side of the road.

On Monday the last four cars and caboose of the eastbound Santa Fe 100 freight left the tracks near Tusten Station and flipped over on their sides. There was no interruption of service because there are two tracks at the location. The derailment reported last week to be cleaned up by Thursday was actually not accomplished until last Saturday night.

The first Allis-Chalmers Dealers Expo, hosted by Marshall Machinery of Beach Lake, Pa., was held January 16 and was well attended.

Mr. and Mrs. James Santos of Callicoon announce the engagement of their daughter, Janey, to Jack Diehl, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Diehl, also of Callicoon.

A dinner meeting of the newly organized Lions Club of Monticello was held at the House of Lyons. Martin S. Miller has been elected president.

John Craig Jr. has been installed as master of the Masonic Lodge in Monticello. Harold Knapp, son of Mrs. Clara Knapp of Hortonville, has been installed senior warden.

Vivianna Augusta Schurch from Traiquen, Chile, S.A., will be spending the next ten weeks at the home of Mr. and Mrs. George Rohrmann, as the guest of Gloria Rohrmann. She is 16 years old and has studied English for about seven years. The Rohrmanns live in Lake Huntington and Vivianna will be attending Narrowsburg Central School.

40 Years Ago - 1985

Robert A. Nearing Sr. of Lake Huntington, the retired owner of Cochecton Mills in the town of Cochecton, died Tuesday, January 15, 1985, at the Community General Hospital in Harris, at the age of 70.

Firefighters from Monticello, Fallsburg and Liberty answered a three-alarm fire Monday at Maxie’s Restaurant that left the Broadway establishment a “complete loss.” It is speculated that the blaze was the result of a re-kindle of a wall fire that occurred earlier in the morning which left only slight smoke damage to the building at that time.

Kenneth Niven of Monticello has recently been elected president of the Sullivan County Audubon Society.

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce C. Deppa of Parksville announce the engagement of their daughter, Valerie Ann, to James Sandlas, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry J. Sandlas III of North Branch . . . Mr. and Mrs. Norman H. Sutherland of Barryville announce the engagement of their daughter, Darlene, to George Haas, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry G. Haas of Eldred.

30 Years Ago - 1995

Dairy farmers who supplied regulated milk dealers (handlers) under the New York-New Jersey marketing orders during December 1994 will be paid by handlers on the basis of a uniform price of $12.83 per hundred-weight of 27.6 cents per quart. The price for the corresponding month last year was $13.48 per hundred weight. In November 1994, the price was $13.03. The uniformed price is based on milk containing 3.5 percent butterfat.

Another derailment on the Erie tracks occurred Wednesday night, due to a rock slide onto the tracks near Pond Eddy. A boom has been secured to prevent 800 gallons of diesel fuel from spilling from the derailed eastbound train into the Delaware River. Of the two-locomotive trains, one derailed after striking a huge rock on the tracks, tearing up the west-bound track and being diverted toward the river. The conductor was in the Port Jervis hospital but the engineer was okay.

The new dining room and lounge of Gaetano’s Cafe in Mongaup Valley will officially open for dining on January 27.

A U.S. Honor Guard from West Point offered tribute to Herbert Dyer, a World War I veteran of North Branch at burial services held at the Methodist Cemetery in Jeff. An artillery captain during the war, he retired from the Army Reserves in 1938 as a lieutenant colonel and had requested these services for his funeral. He was 98 years of age. There are two other World War I veterans living in Sullivan County – Joseph Rosky, 95, of Livingston Manor and Isidor Gold, 101, who resides at the Skilled Nursing Unit at Community General Hospital in Harris.

Marietta P. Baker, a former 40-year resident of Jeffersonville, celebrated her 98th birthday at her residence in a nursing home in Chandler, Arizona.

The first LPN class of Sullivan County BOCES received their caps in a ceremony held December 21. There are 19 students in the class.

The Monticello Fire Department has instituted a Totfinder Locator Program within its fire district. A reflective Totfinder sticker is positioned in a window to alert firefighters of a child’s room.

It took approximately 100 firefighters Tuesday to fight and contain a blaze at an apartment house located at 103 South Main Street in Liberty from spreading to adjacent downtown connected buildings. A faulty stovepipe was fingered as the cause of the fire.

Russian figure skating champion Dmitri Gromov will be the feature exhibitionist at the 16th Annual Livingston Manor Rotary Ice Carnival which has been rescheduled to be held January 29. He was the Russian silver and bronze medalist in the late 1980s and competed in the World and European Figure Skating Championships and won a silver medal in the World Professional Figure Skating Championship held in Jaka, Spain, in 1990.

The Tri-Valley Bears defeated the Delaware Valley Eagles 65-63 to take over the first place lead in the Western Sullivan League. Both coaches were unhappy with the playing but as Andy Taggart, coach of the Bears, said, “It’s a W and we’ll take it.”

20 Years Ago - 2005

A hotly contested Democratic primary will take place today from noon to 9 p.m. at the Neighborhood Facility between Gordon Jenkins and Jeff Sternberg for an open trustee seat on the Village of Monticello Board.

Although it wasn’t quite the blizzard they were predicting, the snowstorm that hit the county Saturday and Sunday was still a good reason to clear the roads. Highway crews spent much of the two days trying to keep up with the wind gusts that blew the snow right back out onto the paths they had cleared.

The Learning Channel (TLC) ran the first of six episodes of its newest show, “Town Haul,” in its prime time 10 p.m. slot Saturday, offering Jeffersonville its 15 minutes of fame four times over.

In Sullivan County, the foster grandmothers are helping to make school a welcoming place for children, a home away from home. Through a federal- and state-funded program begun while President Lyndon B. Johnson was still in office, elderly residents of six counties in New York are finding new purpose as members of their local school systems. In Sullivan County, there are 34 “grandparents” doling out hugs and morning snacks. The kids love them, and Helen Hinchey, area field supervisor for the program, says “her” seniors are among the most active she’s ever seen.

10 Years Ago - 2015

Art Peck took to heart that old admonition to “never stop learning” – and crafted a fulfilling “retirement” that can serve as a model to others. He built cars and boats, wooden clocks and rocking chairs, and was generous in sharing his knowledge with others. The founder, with wife Beth, of the grocery store chain that bears his name died on January 20 at age 82. Peck grew up in Damascus and Beach Lake, PA.  Peck was long known for building sailboats by hand and by himself in his garage at home in the Narrowsburg “Flats.” 

The Tuesday night when life changed for the Rogerson family was just like any other. And then the phone rang. It was a pediatric nurse familiar with little Bryce’s congenital heart condition. After nearly three years on the transplant list, there was a heart waiting for Bryce. That was January 14, the night Bryce’s mom Nicole packed her kids into the car to fly over the roads to Children’s Hospital at Columbia Presbyterian in New York City. Bryce’s biggest worry was “how am I going to turn in my homework?” Bryce’s mom told him, “your teacher isn’t going to worry about your writing assignment.”