140 Years Ago - 1885

Twenty-four years ago Richard Wolf of Haverstraw said when the next Democratic President was elected he would walk to Washington to see the inauguration. In accordance with the pledge, he started at 1 p.m. last Saturday and expects to reach Washington March 3.

The telephone is developing wonderfully. Gentlemen in New York City the other night chatted successfully with prominent citizens of Chicago. The distance between New York and Chicago by telephone wire is 931 miles. This is probably the most satisfactory long distance telephone test ever made.

Sometime ago there was talk of starting a creamery in Jeffersonville but for some cause it gradually died out and no more creamery talk has been heard since.

“A creamery in this place,” a farmer said the other day, “would be a money-making institution for the farmers in this vicinity.”

To our knowledge, every house in Jeffersonville is occupied. There are no less than three families looking in vain for a room to live in. If somebody would erect several good large tenement houses, it would be a good deal of convenience to a number of people, and the proprietors could certainly get enough rent to equal 15 percent interest on their investment.

Mongaup Valley – Are we to have a railroad? Our people here talk railroad every day. Why don’t you Jeffersonville fellows stir up the question and get the railroad started before warm weather comes?

130 Years Ago - 1895

One of the worst blizzards we ever had struck this vicinity this week. All travel was simply out of the question, with the single exception of our blizzard-proof milkman, James Robisch of the Beechwoods. Although the snow was piled up in the road nearly all the way, in many places over a man’s head, and the wind blowing a perfect hurricane, he remained not at his fireside as everyone expected, but started out as usual, braving one snowdrift after another, until he had completed his route. Schools were closed, stores are opened only to keep things from freezing, the creamery was idle for want of milk, and mail lines were dropped for the remainder of the week.

Callicoon Depot — The snowstorm was one of the severest seen here in years. The Erie was completely blocked, not a train moving in either direction for 48 hours. The Jeffersonville stage did not get through until Monday. W.J. Gaebel, who carries the mail from this place, got here Friday after freezing his face, and was obliged to remain until Monday.

Crows are becoming rather tame this winter, through starvation very likely. They come right in the village and eat the frozen apples on the trees. 

One of the most serious features of the blizzard was the inability of the doctors to attend to their patients, which are very numerous at present.

120 Years Ago - 1905

The family of Feliz L. Manny of Youngsville has been sorely afflicted by the death of his wife, Louisa Sturm, who died of heart trouble last Friday at the age of 56 years. Mrs. Manny was a daughter of the late Christian Sturm, a shoemaker who came from Germany and settled on a farm in Youngsville.

Ludwig Behr, a well-known resident of Birch Ridge in the town of Bethel, died Monday at a ripe old age. The only survivor is a son, John L., on the homestead.

Mrs. Valentine Mages of Liberty, who had a delicate operation performed at her home by Drs. Sullivan and Webster on February 4, is recovering nicely.

Frank J. Mason of New York, a son in law of Philip Bernhardt of Kenoza Lake, has just recovered from an attack of appendicitis, after an operation.

Theodore A. Cook, the Hortonville creamery man and woodworker is now making a number of special sledges for the Ziegler relief expedition in the Arctic regions, and has orders to spare no labor or costs in their manufacture.

Callicoon Depot had another fire scare last Saturday forenoon when about 11:30 the Globe Hotel of Victor Persbacker caught fire from a flue and gave the fire department a hard fight before they put it out.

Thus far only two of the mail routes running from Jeffersonville have been let for the next four years beginning from next July. Peter Mootz who  is now running the route to Callicoon was the successful bidder. He will receive $308 per year.

Senator Alids of this district has introduced a bill in the Senate authorizing the building by the state of a dike along the Delaware River for the protection of the people of Cochecton and appropriating $10,000 for the work.

110 Years Ago - 1915

Carl Meyers and Miss Lois Ferguson of Lake Huntington were married at the Kenoza Lake parsonage February 14.

Clarence Huth, 12-year-old son of Jacob Huth of North Branch, came near having his right arm shot off February 13 when he came from the house to shoot a crow. Slipping on the ice, he fell and dropped his gun. As he reached for the gun it slipped farther away from him down a little incline, the muzzle of the gun pointed toward him. The gun struck some obstruction and was discharged. The charge tore a piece from the bottom of his right forearm.

Peter Kutger, 14, son of John Kutger of Tennanah Lake, had a bad accident while coasting down hill by moonlight Thursday night. He ran into a barbed wire fence, tearing his lower lip from the gums and received a deep gash down each side of his cheek and several other wounds about the face.

Skidding on a curve near Monticello Monday, a Ford car containing Attorneys Ellsworth Baker and Guernsey Cross of Hurleyville and William Birmingham of Liberty, overturned, but the occupants escaped injury.

The new officers of Jeffersonville Tent, Knights of the Macabees, were installed by District Deputy Davis of Newburgh Friday night.

100 Years Ago - 1925

Four hundred and sixty two thousand New York state cows do not produce enough butterfat to pay their board bill, says Professor Hopper of Cornell. Yet, he continues, they add enough to the total production of milk and cream to depress market prices on the product of the 938,000 good cows in our state.

Our January thaw came this year in February, and it was some thaw. After a week of splendid moderate weather this week started in with fogs and rains and the hills are now almost bare of snow.

Protection Hose Co. will hold their fourth annual ball and supper at the Grange Hall. The firemen have engaged two orchestras – bplanalp’s of Youngsville and Goercke’s of Liberty – to play for the dancers so that there will be no intermission. The committee in charge is Fred Siebert, Harold Leave and Wm. VonBerg.

90 Years Ago - 1935

Mrs. Amanda Stewart has been appointed postmaster at North Branch to succeed William J. Schonger, whose term expired last July. Mrs. Stewart has been acting postmaster for several months.

Miss Libby Short, on coming downstairs Monday, got a dizzy spell and fell on the kitchen floor, and broke her right hip. Miss Short is 81 years old.

The Parent-Teachers Association celebrated Founder’s Day at its meeting at the school. Mrs. Harry Weber had charge of the celebration program and was assisted by several other members.

William J. Durr, who runs a grocery on Hall Avenue in the Bronx, left last Thursday for Florida and will stay away until Mayor LaGuardia gets the snow and ice shoveled away from his place. Mr. Durr is a native of Jeffersonville.

During the past week the Town of Callicoon’s new tractor and snowplow has been clearing up the side roads. Besides operating much cheaper on fuel oil, an additional saving to the town will be in the gasoline that was stolen from the other tractor. No one will steal fuel oil.

The Rev. Vincent G. Burns, pastor of an undenominational church at Palisades, N.J., who created a sensation at the Hauptman trial on Tuesday by declaring that another man had come to him and confessed the crime, is the same Burns who lectured in Jeffersonville a couple of years ago on his brother, Robert Elliot Burns, who escaped from a Georgia chain gang.

Henry Knack, aged 76, native of North Branch, died at his late home on the old Mootz farm at White Sulphur Springs February 19, after a year’s illness.

Elmer L. Gettel, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Gettel of Callicoon, and Anna V. Fischer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Fischer, were married February 10th at Callicoon.

80 Years Ago - 1945

The ice jam which held fast in the Delaware from last Tuesday evening went out about 2:30 Sunday afternoon. Flood waters which threatened serious damage in Callicoon village abated immediately and the flood danger, from ice at least, is over another year.

Another of our historic landmarks is gone due to the heavy snow during the past winter. The little white schoolhouse in the pines in “Heirsville” – uptown Cochecton – was crushed under the weight of the snow.

Arthur Hassis might be called a new version of the Pied Piper. So far this winter he has trapped 102 rats in the vicinity.

The trapping of the beaver will be permitted in nine of the so-called Adirondack beaver crop counties March 15 through 31. Beaver pelts will be worth approximately $35 for large size.

For an evening of fun attend the old-fashioned box party and dance at the hall at Fremont Center Saturday night, March 10.

70 Years Ago - 1955

Charles S. Hick of Jeff, retired school superintendent and historian for the Town of Callicoon, was named County Historian by the Board of Supervisors last Monday.

Arthur Seyffert, 74, a retired butcher, died at his home on the Beechwoods Road Monday morning of a heart condition. He had been ill several months.

The Presbyterian Manse was the scene of a quiet wedding Monday afternoon when Mary Leila Hilligman of Brooklyn became the bride of Peter Yonchik.

Dr. Martin Goldstein of Roscoe delivered a one-pound seven-ounce baby, born three months prematurely at home during a snowstorm. Dr. Goldstein rushed the baby to Maimonides Hospital with the assistance of Troopers Alan Newkirk and Cass Kujawski of the Roscoe substation.

Mrs. Fran Hess of the North Branch Road was seriously injured when a car driven by her brother Charles Stewart, crashed into a tree at the bottom of a hill on the Briscoe Road.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Robisch will leave on Monday for a six weeks vacation trip to Florida, stopping en route to visit friends and relatives. After fifty years of marriage and many years of hard work on the farm and running a boarding house, they deserve a pleasant vacation.

Mr. and Mrs. George Winkelstern on the Jeffersonville-Callicoon Road near Kenoza Lake, have offered to share their two springs with any of the town’s people wishing to obtain clear water. Please bring your own jug.

60 Years Ago - 1965

Selection of a jury in the first degree murder trial of Frank Scaramuzzo, 25, of Monticello for the alleged axe slaying of two people at Smallwood January 1, 1964 was started before County Judge Benjamin Newberg at Monticello Monday.

Mr. and Mrs. Warren Sausmikat were given a surprise housewarming on Saturday evening, February 27. Forty-five neighbors and friends were in attendance. 

Frederick Bye, a retired assistant superintendent of the Sullivan County Highway Dept., died Friday, February 26, 1965, in Eustis, Fla., at the age of 71.

Kenneth Werlau and Chris Long left Sunday by jet from Newark Airport for St. Louis, Mo., where they were entertained at the Ralston-Purina Research Farm. They returned home Tuesday evening, reporting a very interesting trip and fine experience.

As G.W. Schuler was leaving Samuel Zieres’ place, where he is employed by Kenneth Zieres, he fell on the ice and cracked a bone in his left shoulder. Bud says he is glad it was his left shoulder if this had to be.

Henry D. Bennett, 73, owner of the Bennett Pharmacy at Roscoe for 50 years, died Monday, March 1, 1965, at his home in Roscoe.

50 years ago - 1975

Ida “Skippy” Frankel, popular and ebullient incumbent village of Liberty trustee, has tossed her familiar knitted hat in the ring and is going after the mayoralty, intent upon becoming the first woman in Liberty’s history to gain that post and the second in county history.

Volunteers from four fire companies responded to a blaze at Camp Gila in Swan Lake on Thursday that burned out the third and fourth floors of the main building.

Governor Hugh Carey will be the principal speaker at the annual Jeffersonian Day Dinner to be held June 5 at Grossinger’s.

40 Years Ago - 1985

As of February 27, John Giangiacomo has opened a new Food King market in the village of Jeffersonville. Mayor Frederick Schadt Sr. was on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The Monticello High School gymnastic team is about to complete another successful season. Last weekend, Monticello captured their second consecutive Section 9 team title in only their second year of competition. Rachel Burday, Elizabeth Baum, Renee Vandermark and Tammy Reynolds will represent Section 9 at the state meet this weekend at Long Island.

Susan Smith, daughter of Patricia Smith and the late Emerson Smith of Honesdale, Pa., became the bride of Roland Wahl, son of Vernon Wahl and the late Helen Wahl of Callicoon on December 22 at the Central Methodist Church in Honesdale, Pa.

Edson J. Tegeler, the owner of Tegeler Realty in Jeffersonville, died Monday at the Community General Hospital, Grover Hermann Division in Callicoon, at the age of 76. He was a charter member of the Jeffersonville Lions Club.

Miss Sullivan County Teenager, Torill Hunspedt of Burlingham,  was crowned Snow Queen of the Holiday Mountain Winter Carnival Friday night in Bridgeville.

A spring or early summer completion date is the goal of the building of a new firehouse and community center in Loch Sheldrake. The facility will house the equipment of the Loch Sheldrake Volunteer Fire Department, provide meeting rooms and a meeting place for community activities.

At a fundraiser for the benefit for Mercy Hospital in Port Jervis, more than $4,000 was raised at a dance held at the Eldred Preserve, attended by more than 150 music lovers. The dance-a-thon was sponsored by the town of Highland Lions Club.

The Monticello Kennel Club will present its Seventh Annual All-Breed Dog Show and Obedience Trial at the Monticello Raceway March 2.

30 Years Ago - 1995

The Oneida Nation came to Monticello Wednesday bearing promises to restore the economic vitality of Sullivan County through the development of a casino at the Monticello Raceway. Promising to pump $5 million into capital improvements of the racetrack itself, they promised an additional $5 million per year into the town and county coffers provided Gov. Pataki concurs with the proposal. The Oneida Nation seeks to have five acres of raceway property deeded over to become tribal land in order to apply for a casino gambling hall construction on the site. The Oneida Nation already runs a successful gambling casino in the Town of Vernon and has promised to channel $2.5 million annually for 10 years into a Community Development Fund for the Village of Monticello, in addition to the $5 million targeted for the track rehabilitation. Over 300 persons jammed the Government Center Thursday afternoon in support of the casino proposal.

The Monticello Kennel Club, founded in 1969, hosted its 18th annual All-Breed Dog Show and Obedience Trail on Saturday at the Monticello Raceway with 132 breed categories being judged. A crowd of about 4,000 attended the event. In the past 14 years, 19 high school scholarships have been awarded, each in the amount of $1,500, by the club.

The Lady Eagles captured their first Section IX Class D title when they defeated Tuxedo 43-33.

Sullivan County Community College defeated Suffolk Community College to capture the Region XV - Division III title for the fourth straight year. In three of the last four years, Suffolk has been the opposing team which SCCC had to beat.

The Monticello Lady Panthers made a comeback to defeat Saugerties, 62-60 for the Girls Class B title.

20 Years Ago - 2005

Robert Michell, a 1998 graduate of Narrowsburg Central School, is in Fairbanks, Alaska where he and a team of other scientists are working on a rocket to study the aurora borealis, or Northern Lights. He is the son of Kathy Michell of Narrowsburg and Peter Michell of Oakland, California.

Cornell Cooperative Extension held its annual Dairy Day Thursday at the Jeff Inn in Jeffersonville.

Krysta Kelly of Ferndale has been recommended to represent the United States in an international competition as a People to People Sports Ambassador to the Youth Friendship Games in Australia. A fifth-grade student at Liberty Central School, Krysta is the daughter of Jim and Jean Kelly.

10 Years Ago - 2015

A century-old sheep barn belonging to the late John Quirk of Kenoza Lake – believed to be one of the oldest if not oldest barn in Sullivan County – collapsed in February under the weight of this season’s snowfall. J. Hughson Excavating of Jeffersonville was contracted to push the side of the barn back so that it is no longer leaning over Route 52. Town of Delaware Code Enforcement Officer Jim McElroy said the structure will be demolished as soon as the weather clears sometime in April. The Department of Transportation will then install a new guardrail when the ground softens.

Producer Franklin Trapp is thrilled to announce that the Forestburgh Playhouse’s summer production of “Driving Miss Daisy” will star Loretta Swit of M.A.S.H. television fame. Ms. Swit has graced the stage of the Forestburgh Playhouse before, and is thrilled to return as Miss Daisy in one of the most beloved dramas of the American theatre.