140 Years Ago - 1880

Over 36,000 emigrants have landed at Castle Garden during the present month.

On Tuesday the thermometer in this place rose to 92 degrees and on Wednesday it rose to 95 degrees in the shade.

Presiding Elder H. Kastendieck will preach in the German M.E. Church this Sunday.

Dr. Wm. A. Maltby has given his house a new roof, besides making other improvements.

Messrs. Harris, Vail and Pelton of Monticello have been buying cattle in this and neighboring towns this week. They bought about 150 head and started East with them on Tuesday.

On Friday of last week, while Mr. Philip Metzger was picking stones in his field, he came upon a large milk snake of over five feet in length, and a short distance from there he found its mate about the same size.

V. Champlin, Bruce Winner and Dr. A. Pease have been appointed census enumerators for the town of Liberty.

The North Branch grist mill has again exchanged hands to C. Bauern­feind, having bought the property from Andrew Schaible of Youngsville, together with sixty acres of land.

G.W. Sipple, the cooper from Hancock, passed through this place on Tuesday. He reports business “par excellence.”

Hankins — Erhardt Gebelein has sold his real estate at Milesville to Adam Grosshart for $1000 and has removed with his family to Jersey City… The church at this place is to be raised this week, Simon Kille is the builder.

Callicoon — Martin Weyrauch, our accommodating mail carrier, has just completed 81 feet in length of sidewalk. This added to what he already had makes over 160' of stone walk that he has caused to be laid in the village… Chris Yaudes of Blossburg, Pa., had the misfortune to lose his wife last week from typhoid fever after an illness of two weeks. She was buried here last Tuesday. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ugudes were formerly of this place.

130 Years Ago - 1890

Livingston Manor — The Grangers are hauling logs to Woolsey and Co.'s mill to be sawed into lumber for a new Grange store at this place… H.L. Sprague and Co. are at work remodeling his store so as to have more room… There are a few city people at this place now. They are fishermen and loads of them go up the Beaverkill nearly every day. Some of them make fine catches.

Buck Brook, May 26 — Charles and John Huff left for Slate Run, Pa., last week… The school at this place closed last Friday. It was taught by Miss M. Shaw of Liberty… L.B. Goodman purchased a bull of M.A. Smith of Fremont which weighed 2,000 lbs.… Charles Wenner and Peter Des­secker are working with Wm. Low. They are building a large barn for Joseph Bauerfeind of the Beechwoods.

Mrs. E.E. Wenzel of Brooklyn has gone to her summer residence at Callicoon. …John Hemmer lately of Terracotta, Kansas, arrived home last week. He will remain here for the summer.

Two of Victor Hofer's daughters, one from Mexico and one from Connecticut, arrived home today.

W.J. Gebhardt of North Branch is one of the census enumerators.

The pleasant weather during the past week is the cause of rather dull times in the village. Farmers are all busy getting in their crops.

Liberty already talks of celebrating the fourth.

The output of butter at the creamery this week will average 550 pounds daily.

The cigar factory at Callicoon Depot has been closed on account of financial difficulties.

The first platform dance of the season will be held at Inderlied's Grove at Youngsville on Saturday evening, June 7, 1890.

At a meeting of the town of Rockland Agricultural Association, held in the Masonic Hall at Livingston Manor the other day, Peter Millspaugh was chosen president; William H. McGrath, secretary; Stanley H. Sprague, treasurer.

120 Years Ago - 1900

The marriage of Miss Annie, daughter of Melchior Eggler of Jeffersonville, to William Felix of New York City, is announced to take place in that city on June 20.

Nelson Owen of Livingston Man­or and Laura Chute of Emmons­ville were married at the Congregational parsonage in Roscoe, May 22, by Rev. Mr. Carter.

Frank Deyoe and Miss Ina O'Brien of Lew Beach were married at the Methodist parsonage, Roscoe, by Rev. William Wilcocks on May 17.

Charles B. Smith, who left his home in Bloomingburg in 1858 with the late General C.H. VanWyck for Nebraska, and accumulated great wealth in that state, is visiting in the East. Mr. Smith served as an Indian scout during the Civil War, and afterwards had many exciting experiences under such famous Indian fighters as Generals Sully and Crook.

Bishop Worthington of Nebraska confirmed a class of 18 persons in the Church of the Holy Communion, Liberty, on May 15. The church membership has nearly tripled since the present rector, Rev. P.C. Creveling, entered on his duties.

Charles M. Beringer, formerly of Callicoon, who has been employed as a clerk in Pillon's hotel at Long Eddy for a number of years, opened a saloon at that place May 14 in the building formerly occupied by John P. Lyden.

Matt Decker and Co. of Willowemoc have sold the State of New York a tract of land in the town of Hardenburg, Ulster County, of 792 acres of hardwood timber, to be added to the forest preserve of that state.

Richard Christie has resigned as foreman of the Livingston Manor Mfg. after having served in that capacity for 22 years.

Rev. W.H. VanHoesen of Kenoza Lake delivered the address at Livingston Manor on Memorial Day and Rev. Dr. Mickle of Coxsackie delivered the address in Roscoe.

August Felski of the town of Delaware, a subject of Germany, was naturalized May 22nd.

Miss Mary Poley has returned to her home at Tennanah Lake for the summer after a winter spent in Brooklyn.

110 Years Ago - 1910

Carl Seelig has been engaged as clerk in Meyer's store.

Mrs. Arthur Lawrence opened her ice cream parlor on Saturday for the season.

Miss Hattie Wagner has returned home from the city.

Henry A. Meyer and wife expect to go to Ithaca next week to attend the graduation of their son, Henry, from the Conservatory of Music there.

The Presbyterian Willing Workers are rehearsing a rural comedy drama, “Oak Farm,” and expect to present it to the public in the near future.

Wm. F. Hofer has come home from the Maxwell automobile works at Tarrytown on account of blood poisoning in his hand.

Theron Potts, superintendent of schools on the island of Puerto Rico, arrived here last week, ac­companied by his wife. They will spend a couple of months with his parents, Judge and Mrs. Potts.

Miss Margaret Likel has re­turned from the city and opened her Colonial Brookside House for the season.

Town Superintendent Fred Wagner has made a fine road between Jeffersonville and North Branch by widening it all the way over the hill and grading it in places. This is an improvement that has been long needed.

A number of friends from the village gave a surprise party for Mrs. John Wagner of the Spring Mt. House on her 48th birthday on May 18.

Chas. Geibel has bought the old barn on the Gabel place and is putting it up to replace the one burned down.

Will Rau, the artist, is building a swell little bungalow of his own design on the Rau property at the east end of the village.

Philip Schmidt, Fred Bietz, Fred Yager and Herman Kraut, who have residences on West End Ave., are having a two-inch pipe laid from the Jeffersonville water main on Terrace Ave., 1100 feet to their premises.

Mrs. Carrie Huff has returned home from Fallsburg, where she taught school. Miss Mary Wilfert has closed her school at Clary­ville and George Wilfert has finished a term teaching in Fremont.

100 Years Ago - 1920

Jeffersonville was quite enliven­ed with farmers and automobiles last Thursday afternoon, when a special meeting of the members of the Callicoon Cooperative Dairy Association was held at the Mansion House. This meeting was called upon the request of Wm. Kautz, Otto E. Tyler, Peter Graebner, Walter F. Hermann, W.S. Tyler, J. Davis, Walter Long, R.M. Ross, Peter Schmidt and Martin Hermann to amend the by-laws to change the principal office of the corporation from Jeffersonville to Callicoon, to change the annual meeting site from Jeff to Callicoon and to engage a new mana­ger.

Andrew vonBergen presided at the meeting. The members from around Callicoon and across the Delaware River turned out strong and carried the propositions 95 to 39. The meeting was quite spirited and the question was raised as to the legality of the whole business. The members of the association in the Jeffersonville section did not all attend. There are 300 members in the association. The five directors of the association met yesterday to discuss the legality of the proceedings. It was pointed out that the proceedings were void because they involved an amendment to the charters, which needs an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the entire membership, which was not obtained. Directors are Andrew vonBerger of Jeffersonville, Walter G. Scardefield of Kenoza Lake, Frank E. Knack of Hortonville, Grant Hawley of Lookout, Pa., and Millard Lord of Galilee, Pa.

Plans for establishing a summer colony of city people took shape last week to be located mid the pines on the Lawrence tract at Falls Mills, midway between Jeffersonville and Callicoon with the sale to Joe H. Krenrich of New York, a former Jeff boy, now a commission merchant in the city, by the heirs of Edwin R. Lawrence, of the 150 acre tract of woodland at Falls Mills, lying on the side hill east of the Callicoon Creek and the new Cochecton Turnpike. The purchase was made for the Wa-ha-no-no Corporation. The name is an Indian one, meaning “Peaceful Waters.” Associated with Mr. Krenrich in the venture is Fred Mayer of Jersey City. Plans are to turn the tract into an attractive park with rustic buildings.

90 Years Ago - 1930

Mary Ann, the three-week-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Schwartz, was christened by Rev. Father Gilbert after Mass at St. George's R.C. Church last Sunday morning. Sponsors were Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Leroy.

Ed. A. Brand and son, E. James of Jeffersonville, have taken the agency for the distribution of Richfield gasoline and oils in Sullivan County. They have arranged for a supply depot and switch on land bought of Wm. Young, alongside the O&W Railroad at Liberty. The company will operate under the name of Grandson Oil Co., Inc. Jim Brand will drive a 1,000 gallon delivery truck for the company.

The penalty of $500 has been assessed by the State Conservation Department against the Treyz acid factory at Livingston Manor for damages caused by the flow of acid into the Cattail Brook, a tributary of the Willowemoc River. Affidavits stated that thousands of fish, most of them trout, were killed when an acid vat overflowed into the creek.

Harry Segar of Jeffersonville and Fred Dowitsch of North Branch are among those drawn to serve as trial jurors at County Court, June 16.

Supervisor Fred Schadt was given a surprise party at his home Friday night, his birthday anniversary, by a number of his card-playing friends.

Louis P. Faubel has recovered after being laid up for a few days, very much indisposed because of a clogging up of his physical machinery. A lot of us yesteryear kids would feel better in the springtime if we still had our mothers to administer the old-fashioned sulphur and molasses treatment.

John Manion, 66, of Youngs­ville, died at Liberty Hospital on May 24. He was born March 27, 1864, on the farm at White Sulphur Springs cleared by his parents, Patrick Manion and Margaret Connor, who came from Ireland. They were among the first settlers of that community and built a log cabin for their first home. John succeeded his father in the ownership of the farm and made it one of the best in that section. Because of a weak heart, he sold it in 1920 and moved to Livingston Manor, where he lived until 3 years ago, when he came to Youngsville to the former Weissenfluh property he had bought some years ago. Surviving is his wife, the former Fannie Williams.

80 Years Ago - 1940

Bethel, May 28 — One of the saddest occasions in the history of the village was the double funeral this morning of Richard Emr, aged 24, and his wife, Sadie, aged 20, from the home of the former's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ladislav Emr, hotelkeepers here. They were killed in a head-on automobile crash below Monticello on Friday night. Richard was employed by his father as a salesman of beers in Sullivan County and was using a new Studebaker coupe his father bought for him only the day before to be used in making his rounds as a salesman. The collision took place when Richard swung out into the third lane to pass a truck and a car coming in the opposite direction did the same thing, resulting in the head-on collision, wrecking both cars. Mrs. Emr was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Zweck of Liberty. The marriage took place a little over a year ago, in March 1939. Richard was a member of the White Lake Fire Department, whose members attended the funeral in a body and were the pallbearers.

70 Years Ago - 1950

The largest crowd ever to watch the Memorial Day parade at Youngsville lined the state road Tuesday afternoon to watch the parade that started at Schoonmaker's barn at 2 o'clock and wound up on the school grounds where a memorial service was led by Michael J. Reddy. Main speaker for the affair was Francis A. Hanofee, supervisor of the Town of Liberty. Participating were veterans units from Jeffersonville, Liberty, Roscoe and Livingston Manor. Refreshments were served until 6 p.m. during which time a concert was given by the Liberty band. In the evening a dance was held at Tumble Inn, the music by Barney Erlwein's orchestra and Leonard Reichmann as caller.

An additional $93,000 bond issue for the new Callicoon school was recently defeated by a vote of 219 for to 204 against, a two-thirds vote being needed for passage. The additional amount was sought because of increased costs, an $800,000 bond issue having been approved, but bids when opened were in excess of that amount.

60 Years Ago - 1960

Mrs. Louise B. Hofer, sixth grade teacher in the Jeffersonville-Youngsville Central School, has been singly honored by an award of a United States Education grant. She was officially notified this week by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare in Washington, D.C., for her selection for this grant from the Board of Foreign Scholarships to participate in the International Educational Exchange Program of the Department of State.

Mrs. Harriet M. Messemer of North Branch died on May 23rd at Callicoon Hospital. She was 79.

Kathy Oleska of North Branch, who was hit by a stray bullet on Thursday evening and hospitalized at the Liberty-Loomis Hospital for a couple of days, was able to return to school Monday.

Mrs. Elizabeth Schuler enjoyed her 90th birthday celebration on May 20th.

Marcus Hinkley died this Monday, May 30, at his home in Narrowsburg. He was 70.

The evergreen shrubs recently placed in front of the Presbyterian Manse do much to enhance its beauty and makeup at least in part for the towering shade trees that had to be taken down because they were diseased. — Jeff Corresp.

One of the nicest things in the Memorial Day parade at Callicoon was the float built and manned by the Jeff Girl Scouts.

50 years ago - 1970

Proponents of the proposed $6.4 million 50 percent federally aided Sullivan County multi-purpose Cultural Convention Hall won one more round Tuesday when bids exceeded the estimated cost by close to $4 million. The center apparently felt the kiss of death in the county supervisors chambers Tuesday afternoon when bids exceeded the county and federal limit by more than 50 percent.

The Delaware Valley Eagles slaughtered Livingston Manor, 17 to 1, this past Monday to clinch the WSL baseball championship for the fourth consecutive year. The Eagles have a 26-league win streak.

Mary Rose Faille, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gerard Faille of Woodridge, died of carbon monoxide poisoning late last Wednesday evening near her home. Her 18-year-old brother and 20-year-old brother both required hospitalization. A faulty exhaust on the family car has been blamed for the death. Hospitalized in satisfactory condition were Celine and Gerard Jr.

An estimated crowd of 4,000 were on hand Saturday afternoon to see the famed #759 Iron Horse pull into Callicoon. The one hour coal stop at Callicoon afforded every steam railroad buff, young and old alike, an opportunity to inspect the famed #759 which is part of the Steamtown USA collection.

Mrs. Wilma Pollack of Liberty, class speaker of the Class of 1970, has been given a straight A average in her studies at Sullivan County Community College, the first in the history of the college. She is the wife of Liberty dentist Dr. Abraham Pollack.

Charles Hyde of Hankins won the 50-yard dash at the Junior Olympics at Somerville Field, Monticello, on May 23. Second was Robert Mann of Monticello and third was Louis Zayas of Liberty.

40 Years Ago - 1980

Mr. and Mrs. Walter Rinchisen of Jeffersonville announce the engagement of their daughter, Debra, to Troy Green, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jerald Green of White Sulphur Springs. A 1981 wedding is planned.

The Delaware Valley Job Corps Center, located at the site of the former St. Joseph's Seminary in Callicoon, will observe the first full-year anniversary of its operation with a weekend celebration June 13-15.

A referendum has been scheduled by the Delaware Town Board for June 11 on the proposed Town Sewer District in the Kohlertown area. Voting will take place at the Jeffersonville Reading Center.

Rep. Matthew F. McHugh (D-27) gave the main address at the 61st annual Jeffersonian Dinner at the Concord Hotel in Kiamesha Lake Wednesday evening. Fred W. Stabbert Jr. of Callicoon is the chairman of the Sullivan County Democratic Committee, sponsors of the dinner.

Sgt. William G. MacArthur, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph L. MacArthur of Bethel, has been decorated with the U.S. Air Force Commendation Medal at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Tucson, Ariz. He is a 1973 graduate of J-YCS.

Amy Schmidt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Maynard Schmidt of Jeffersonville, and William Bernhardt, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Bernhardt of Kenoza Lake, were married on May 24 at the Methodist Church in Kenoza Lake.

The Sullivan County Democrat named Tim Manzolillo and Alma Bischoff as 1st and 2nd place winners in the Spring Turkey Hunt. Tim's turkey weighed 21 1/2 lbs. and Alma's was a close 21 lbs. 2 oz.

Malven F. Heidt, a former mayor of Liberty and longtime businessman, died Friday at his home in the village. He was 81. Mr. Heidt was born in Mongaup Valley.

Douglas Sommer of North Branch and Thomas M. Arielly of Neversink were among the graduates of the first co-ed class of West Point Military Academy.

Father Linus John Mangini, OFM, will mark his 25th anniversary as a priest with a Concelebrated Mass of Thanksgiving in St. Peter's Church, Monticello, on June 15.

Mary Ann Dauch of Mongaup Valley spent three weeks of time and used 115 ounces of cotton as she crocheted a Betsy Ross flag to be presented to Fort Delaware in Narrowsburg. The finished work is twelve feet wide and six feet high and will hang over the fireplace in the gift shop.

A 1905 Cadillac and a 1908 Cadillac were among the oldest vehicles in last weekend's Antique Car Parade in Monticello.

Regina Petrocelli of Flushing and Richard Gabriel, son of Mr. and Mrs. Royden C. Gabriel, Swan Lake, were married May 3 in Tarrytown… Sheila Klein of South Fallsburg and Edward M. Anderman of Mountaindale were married May 24 at the Congregation Ezrheh Israel Synagogue in Ellenville.

30 Years Ago - 1990

Mercy Hospital in Port Jervis observed its 30th anniversary with a gathering at the Hotel Minisink in Port Jervis. Sue Taylor is the newly installed president.

Major Carl Colberg stood with State Police officers from his troop as Terrance Mullen of Wurtsboro, Michael P. Voss of the Pine Bush sub-station, Peter Scalia and Gregory S. Brewer of the Narrowsburg sub-station and Christopher Elg and Noel E. Sanchez of the Palisades Troop F station were recently decorated with heroism awards from Gov. Mario Cuomo.

Members of Sullivan County Chapter 315, Vietnam Veterans of America, marked Memorial Day weekend with a watch fire vigil on Wurtsboro Mountain and urged participants to remember those missing in action in Southeast Asia. They read the names of 144 men from New York State still unaccounted for in that war.… The 106th observance of Memorial Day was held in Fremont Center. The theme for the parade was “Peace in Our Land— The Civil War Ends!” marking the 125th anniversary of the end of America's Civil War. Parades and ceremonies were also held in Monticello, Wurtsboro, Liberty, and Livingston Manor.

Bids were opened Wednesday for a $900,000 water improvement project in Woodridge.

Ed Theodore of Port Jervis won an Isuzu in a drawing at the Sullivan County Monticello Raceway on May 20. He is a retired quilter and has been coming to the local oval on a regular basis since the late 1950s.

Antique autos filled Broadway in Monticello for the 27th Annual Antique Car Parade and Show. Among the relics was a Ford from 1910.

The Section IX qualifying track and field meet at Warwick found the Class D schools of Sullivan County taking a back seat to no one. Eldred, Livingston Manor and Jeff-Youngsville will each send a representative to Baldwinsville for the Friday-Saturday extravaganza while Monticello will send six athletes and Tri-Valley will have five. Heading the Sullivan County contingent was Katrina Mack of Monticello, who won three individual events and anchored her school in the 4x100 meter relay.

20 Years Ago - 2000

Melissa Perry of Youngsville and Tammy Gabriel of Swan Lake each received the Gold Award, the highest achievement in Girl Scouting, from the Sarah Wells Girl Scout Council in an award ceremony held Sunday.

William J. Steinberg became the fourth member of his family to earn Scouting's highest accolade Sunday afternoon. The 16-year-old joins his older brother James Jr., his father James, and uncle Ralph Steinberg in the select group of Eagle Scouts.

Carolee Glassel of Callicoon was chosen the 2000-2001 Sullivan County Dairy Princess at the annual banquet and pageant held recently.

Larry and Mary Ellen Hoell of North Sanford have announced the engagement of their daughter, Heather Ann Hoell, to Christian Ranaudo, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Ranaudo of Cochecton. Both teach at The Family School in Hancock. A July 14, 2001 wedding is planned.

William Maus, a Roscoe Central School school-to-work student, has been literally painting the town. He recently painted a canvas wall mural for the Roscoe Free Library which shows a fly-fisherman on the banks of a creek, reeling in “the big one.”

10 Years Ago - 2010

Virtually the entire Pre-k and first grade at Light and Life Christian School in Liberty took part in a Trike-A-Thon to raise money for St. Jude's Children's Hospital. In the last three years the children have raised over $3,000 for the well-known charity.

The first ever Thunder Country International Pageant was held at the Villa Roma Resort. Winners were Miss Teen Thunder Country International 2010 AnnaRose Mongiello, Mrs. Catskills International first runner-up Ann Marra, Miss Thunder Country International 2010 Stacey Minchin, Miss Sullivan County Pre-Teen 2010 Dara Schiff and Mrs. Thunder Country International 2010 Kathryn Miller.

The Villa Roma celebrates its 40th year of ownership by Marty Passante and Paul Carlucci. The Sullivan County Democrat published a 40th Anniversary special publication highlighting the Villa Roma's special qualities as well as tells the history of when Marty Passante, a Tropicana route driver by trade, changed his life and bought a small resort nestled, “in a small, simple little valley,” and over the course of four decades turned the Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center into the flagship of the Sullivan County hospitality industry and one of the best resorts in the Catskills.

A colorful and creative way to conserve thousands of gallons of water is on display throughout Sullivan County. The “Rain Barrel Connection,” a collaboration of almost 100 students from three schools, has created 30 painted rain barrels that will be auctioned off at the Livingston Manor Trout Parade. The barrels have the potential to save homeowners 1,300 gallons of water during peak summer months. The project was sponsored by Sullivan Renaissance, Sullivan County Division of Planning and Enviromental Management and the Delaware Highlands Conservancy.