140 Years Ago - 1880

The Presbyterians of Damascus are thinking of employing Rev. Mr. Hughsted of Liberty to take charge of their church.

The trustees of the Cochecton bridge have been making some repairs on it, strengthening the posts.

John Lieb, a popular young man of this village, has gone to New York having obtained a position in a blacksmith shop there.

The Wayne County Blacksmiths have had a meeting to fix uniform prices to correspond with the advance in iron.

Snowstorms seem to be as plenty in March as they were scarce in winter. The ground is again covered, much to the gratification of persons having any teaming to do.

Rockland — Mr. D. Sturdevant has sold his interest in the mill near Morsston and will soon go to Pennsylvania… Our German preacher (his name too much German for a spell) has a call in Canada. It is reported that he is offered $1400 a year… Shin Creek is awakening to the hopes of having its church repaired… Rev. Alexander Crispel, a former pastor here, does good work down the Beaverkill in regular service and quite frequently here in attending funerals. Very few local preachers are as acceptable in the pulpit as he.

Callicoon — Supervisor Hessinger is becoming quite an extensive landowner. In addition to a farm of 270 acres lately purchased, he has acquired another farm of 100 acres near Sand Pond upon which he contemplates settling his brother, George …John Ludwig intends to engage quite extensively in sheep raising on his farm.

Buck Brook — Last week our farmers made good use of the snow by drawing saw logs to Philip Huff's mill… Drovers have been in this vicinity buying cattle. John M Schmidt sold two cows to them for $70.… A.J. Backer's livestock is increasing rapidly. Last week one of his cows gave birth to two calves.

Hankins — School closed on Friday last. We understand that the teacher, H.C. Moot, will engage in “flag quarrying” near North Branch as soon as the weather permits. Miss Rebecca Hankins will teach the summer school, commencing the first Monday in April.

Long Eddy — The Hoy Brothers are said to have 2,800,000 feet of sawed lumber on the bank at Little Equinunk. It is seasoned lumber, principally, and has been drawn on wagons from their Duck Harbor property. Esq. Stimpson has sued the Railroad Company for the value of a cow killed by a train last fall.

North Branch — A.H. Smith has been painting a wagon house for C. Bauernfeind. Mr. S.proves himself a very good painter… A smoke house belonging to J.W. Peters was burned on Monday. The fire was discovered in time to save most of the meat, so that the loss is comparatively light.

130 Years Ago - 1890

There was a severe blizzard Saturday night in Jeffersonville. Snow fell to the depth of several inches in a short time. The roads for some time past have been in an almost impassable condition.

John Wehner, aged 40, died at Callicoon Center last week.

A good joke was played at Simon Knell Sr.'s at Youngsville recently, which is worth mentioning. Mrs. Knell requested to go to Fremont and, in order to catch the stage, had to rise early. Not having an alarm clock, she conceived the idea that a rooster may answer the purpose, and accordingly brought one into the house and tied him to a chair in the corner of the room. All of the family knew about the rooster, except Mr. Knell. At about two o'clock in the morning, “the alarm went off.” The shrieks frightened Mr. Knell so badly that he, as he explains, “jumped clear out of his hide.” It was some time before he recovered and could be made to understand that the “alarm” which caused real alarm, was nothing more than a rooster. Mrs. Knell, it is needless to say, was awakened early enough to catch the stage.

120 Years Ago - 1900

Alfred Sweeney and his son, Alfred L. Sweeney, have purchased the Liberty electric light plant, with the exception of a few shares of stock. They propose to add improvements to the plant and enlarge its capacity on the completion of the electric railroad, which had made a contract for power. The plant is one of the finest in the country and has 500 horsepower engines.

Ezra Hodge and wife of Livingston Manor were nearly asphyxiated one night recently by gas which escaped from the coal stove in their bedroom during the night.

Alfred Hollenbeck and Charles Jackson, while working in Tiffany's quarry at Roscoe the other day, were injured when a stick of dynamite, believed dead, went off while drilling was going on.

Daniel Radigan, proprietor of the Lyden House, Livingston Manor, has purchased the lot next to the iron bridge on the north side of the street, on which he will erect a brick hotel this spring.

John Fries has moved from Livingston Manor to his farm at Sand Pond. He will enlarge his farmhouse in the spring for the purpose of keeping summer boarders.

John Peter Huth, an old resident of Beechwoods, passed away peacefully Sunday night from old age. Had he lived until the 27th of this month, he would have been 81 years old. Mr. Huth was born in Germany and came to America in 1852. He lived one year in Rondout and two years at Callicoon Depot, after which he bought the farm where he died. A shoemaker by trade, for some years he combined that business with farming. He is survived by his wife who is 80 years old and the following children: John A., Jacob and Carrie, wife of William Wilson of “Sixteen,” William of Gutenberg, N.J., Henry at home; Minnie, wife of Robert H. Johnston of New York and Louise, wife of Charles Schaefer of Beechwoods. He had 21 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Sophia, wife of Henry Bogert of Youngsville, died March 14, aged 84 years and 5 months. She came from Germany with her husband over 50 years ago, residing in New York for a time, then removing to Sand Pond, in about 1849, and lived in that community ever since. Surviving besides her husband are George H. Mathues and Mrs. Dora Himmelreich of Youngsville, nephew and niece, who lost their parents when very young, and were adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Bogert.

Charles Kessler died at his home near Roscoe, March 11, aged 77 years. He was born in Bavaria, Germany, and came to the United States in 1851. Mrs. Kessler died fifteen years ago. The surviving children are Mrs. Conrad Fried and John C. of Roscoe, Mrs. Edward Rose of Callicoon and Anna C. at home.

Valentine Scheidell went to Grahamsville Tuesday to make contracts with the farmers of that vicinity to supply his creamery at that place with milk.

110 Years Ago - 1910

Mrs. M. Kohler is laid up with the grippe.

The state road is rapidly drying up and bicycles are coming out. Autos will soon be flying around.

Sergeant Harry Lieb of the U.S. Artillery at West Point, is spending a week with his parents here.

Henry Short, who recently sold his team of gray horses to Joseph Benton of Livingston Manor, has bought a fine 4-year-old colt of Bruce Ferguson of Pleasant Pond.

A team of veteran bowlers of Jeffersonville, to include Chris Sander, the one time invincible champion, Bill Miller, Johnny Hugg and Ed Homer, will be made up to bowl an old team from the Youngsville area in the near future.

The Sullivan County Dairy Co. and Scheidell and Schmidt, insurance agents, are moving their offices from the Masonic building to the Schmidt store building on the corner.

The Board of Supervisors, at a special meeting at Liberty yesterday, voted to purchase the rights and franchises in Sullivan County of the following turnpike companies for the following prices: The Fallsburg and Grahamsville Turnpike Co., $9,750; The Monticello and Fallsburg Turnpike Co., $9,750; the Monticello and Wurtsboro Turnpike Co., $1681.75. The total amount for these purchases is $22,631.75 to be financed by bonds at 4 percent interest. This act of the Board will abolish all the toll roads in the county, excepting that of the Monticello and White Lake Turnpike, 3 1/2 miles, in the town of Bethel, which the Board had arranged to buy for $550, but left out the purchase because the Bethel town board was opposed to buying it.

The action of the supervisors in abolishing the turnpikes is to be commended, as the toll roads are an abomination and a detriment to the progress of a community in this age.

Balser Brand last week sold his farm of nearly 100 acres at Hurd to Walter Townsend of Briscoe… S.H. Sherwood of Livingston Manor on Thursday sold his farm on East Hill to Fred Hubert of Ferndale for $4000.… E. Anderson has sold his farm in Beechwoods to a city party and bought the Charles Schluecke farm on the hill of Mr. Petty.

100 years Ago - 1920

In a game refereed by George Seibert, two "Bloomer" teams played an exciting game of basketball, before a large and enthusiastic audience, in the Jeff school auditorium last Friday night. The regular game ended in a tie at 19 points each, and went into overtime before the faculty maids beat the high school girls team, 23 to 21. For the teachers the team was Eleanor Glassel, Lillian Thorwelle, Helen Foley, Mamie Wilfert and Louise Griffiths. For the students, the team was Martha Hupke, Ethel Manny, Marion Scheidell, Evelyn Ranft, and Marie Soule. On the same night at Youngsville, Jeff seniors defeated their hosts 23 to 17. The Youngsville team was M. Menges, B. Ames, C. Menges, J. Menges, and A. Knack. For the Jeff seniors, the team was O. Goodman, D. Moran, H. Grishaber, W. Schmidt and M. Scheidell.

The vast field of ice over the Delaware River at Port Jervis began breaking up shortly before noon Saturday.

Miss Hazel Brand, who has been playing with one of the Schubert "Maytime" road companies, is home on a visit.

Attorney Wm. Deckelman of Jeff has been unable to get to the county seat to transact legal business before the county judge and Surrogate for several weeks, on account of the snow blocked roads and severe weather.

On March 10, a girl was delivered at the home of Lodi Boyd of White Sulphur Springs... On March 12, a boy took up his quarters at the Fred Schwartz home near Kenoza Lake... On March 15, Mr. Stork came near to floundering in delivering triplets at the home of Isaac Bailin of near Stevensville, all girls and weighing 3, 3 1/2, and 4 pounds. When Mr. Bailin, the father of several other children, recovers from the shock, there will be a triple Jewish christening and papa will undoubtedly place a joyful reliance in Faith, Hope and Charity.

The 20th anniversary of the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Smith of Jeffersonville was celebrated at their home on Main Street Saturday evening. They were married at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. Townsend, at Hurd on March 14, 1900.

90 Years Ago - 1930

Henry S. Esch, inventor of a device supposed to make automobile tires blowout proof, and who is alleged to have mulcted some $50,000 from gullible investors, has been indicted for grand larceny in New York City. All of Esch's "investors" were of German extraction, and he found his customers principally by advertising in German newspapers.

The Rosenswieg property, known as the Kenoza Lake Falls Hotel. was sold at foreclosure last Friday, in an auction brought by Edward Schroeder of Youngsville. The property was sold in three parcels. The first parcel, on the east or lower side of the state road and south of the Beechwoods Road, was knocked down by Referee Harry M. Beck of Liberty to Wm. Grishaber, plumber, for $5100. The third parcel, above the state road and north of the Beechwoods Road, was sold by Referee Henry Gardner of Callicoon, to the First National Bank of Jeffersonville for $3800. Wm. Deckelman was the attorney in all three actions.

For the second year, the Jeff high school boys have won the silver cup and championship by defeating Youngsville at Callicoon last Friday night by a score of 8 to 5.

A cross, the symbol of the KKK, was burned on the Wilfert Hill northeast of the village of Jeffersonville Saturday night. What the demonstration was meant for has not been learned.

Alpheus Townsend has broken ground for erection of a house on School Street, taken from the property of his father, John Townsend.

Emmett Turner Post of the American Legion had a big night here on Tuesday when they received the official visit of the county commander, George W. Seibert, of Narrowsburg.

80 Years Ago - 1940

The ice storm has finally been dissolved by the sun's rays and the electric service, which was much more disrupted than ever before, is now back to normal. Linemen worked 24 hours a day for over a week. Jeff village was least affected with service off only half a day, but other communities lacked service for 3 or 4 days as lines were down all over Western Sullivan County.

An extra panel of 20 jurors was drawn on Monday for the Supreme Court, now in session at Monticello. Among the new jurors are Anthony Fink of Hortonville, Henry M. Carlsen of Callicoon Center, and Harold Kellam of Fremont Center.

Mr. and Mrs. August Lott and Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Beiling of Jeffersonville and Mrs. and Mrs. Franklin Hahn of Callicoon spent last week in the city. We are advised the Miss Charlotte Beiling, who will complete a course in beauty culture in New York next month, will open a beauty shop in the village about May 15.

Mr. W.R. Stratton, Mrs. Katherine H. Scheidell and Mrs. Henrietta Scheidell attended the flower show in New York the fore part of this week.

George H. Smith was recently retired on pension from the New York police department after 25 years of service. He was born at Hurd in the town of Bethel, a son of Rufus H. Smith, now a resident of Jeffersonville. John and Howard Smith of Jeff are brothers. George married Ethel, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James J. Townsend of Hurd. They have four children and live at Richmond Hill, L.I.

Due to the efforts of Supervisor Peter C. Callahan of the Town of Highland, repairs have been made and the bridge across the Delaware RIver between Barryville and Shohola, Pa., which has been closed for several months while repairs were made, was reopened for traffic this week.

Margaret DuBois, wife of Benjamin Nathan Bell, died at her home in Kauneonga Lake, March 5, at the age of 67. Born in Bethel, a daughter of John DuBois, she was married 33 years ago, and leaves her husband, and a brother, George DuBois of West Bethel.

70 Years Ago - 1950

Sonya Henie officially dedicated the new skating rink at Grossinger's Saturday with all the traditional ceremony, including the cutting of a ribbon to the splash of champagne. Irving Jaffee, former Olympic speed star, is sports director.

Mr. and Mrs. Hyman Abel of Jeffersonville have announced the engagement of their daughter, harriet of Brooklyn, to Sol Lapidus, also of Brooklyn. A June wedding is planned. Mr. and Mrs. Maynard Holt have sold their farm in the Beechwoods, the former Henry Graff place, and will move to the Edward Duttweiler apartments in the upper end of the village on April 1st. Mrs. Holt is employed in the local telephone office. Alfred E. Adler, real estate broker of Kenoza Lake, has purchased the Shapiro building on Main Street, Jeffersonville, and will rebuild it into ten three-room apartments, with oil heat, individually controlled thermostats and two stores, one of which will be used by Mr. Adler for his office.

A bill has been introduced in the state legislature to prohibit damming or any other interference with the Beaverkill and Willowemoc, so as to prevent their use for New York City water supply purposes, an effort to preserve these famous streams for sportsmen.

Mrs. Flora Witherell Battey, mother of H. Caperon Battey, one of the publishers of the Livingston Manor Times, died in Binghamton March 7, at the age of 80. Mrs. Battey was a descendant of William Witherell, the first of his name to come to this country from England in 1640, who built the first house in Norton, Mass., in 1669, and was wounded in the Narragansett Swamp fight with the Indians in 1675.

Mrs. Laura Abplanalp has been elected president of the Rosary Society of St. Francis R.C. Church at Youngsville. Serving with her are Mrs. Arthur LeRoy as treasurer and Mrs. Lillian Martin as secretary.

60 Years Ago - 1960

Hunters in Sullivan County took 4817 deer in a season where a state total of 42,306 deer were taken throughout the state in the big game season last fall, according to figures announced by Conservation Commissioner Harold G. Wilm. In Sullivan, 2,799 antlered bucks, 2,018 antlerless deer for a deer total of 4,817, and 16 bears were taken.

George H. Fulton, Jeffersonville, a student at Delhi Technical Institute, has been named to the Dean's List at the college, where he is majoring in engineering. He is also a member of Tri-Atelier Fraternity. He was graduated from Jeffersonville-Youngsville last June.

Carl Eltz has been laid up at his home by a fall from the hay mow last Thursday.

James O. Comer of Livingston Manor died on March 12 in Middletown. He was 89.

Freda Kespert, while on her way to the all-day work session in the Presbyterian Aid room last Thursday, had he misfortune to fall and chip a bone in her wrist. The injured member is now in a cast.

Bradley Harder, elder son of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Harder, will leave this week for a college in California where he will pursue an engineering course. He has been employed in New Haven, Conn.

There were 18 Sullivan violators, paying at total of $547.50 in the Conservation Department list of November and December game law violations.

50 Years Ago - 1970

Harold Kramer, son of Mrs. Herbert Kramer of Hortonville, was the top graduate in the January class of 1970 of Sullivan County Community College. He accumulated an average of 3.64 while graduating from the Accounting Curriculum. He plans to further his studies in Accounting at Long Island University.

The Sullivan County Democrat is in receipt of a copy of the Jeffersonian Democrat, a weekly newspaper published at Monticello many years ago. The copy received has a dateline of Friday, August 10, 1860 -- 110 years ago -- and was made available through Charles Neitzer of Jamaica. Mr. Neitzer was pastor of the Jeffersonville Presbyterian Church in Jeffersonville from 1918 to 1922.

DVC's music department will present "Oliver" under the direction of Willard Slausenberg, at the school March 19 and 20. The lead role will be played by Joe White with Richard Bjorkland playing the role of Fagin and Dennis Bizzoco as the Artful Dodger.

40 Years Ago - 1980

Students at the Roscoe School received an unexpected four-day vacation last week and their beleaguered parents had to boil their drinking water for an equal amount of time, all thanks to a beaver dam which collapsed on Tuesday, sending tons of muck and rotted vegetation into the Rockland/Roscoe water system.

Democrat Louis Harmin, a political newcomer, defeated Republican Seymour Block for the position of mayor in the village of Monticello by a vote of 738 to 606. Sheldon Nevins and Louis Weisman were elected trustees. There was no mayoralty contest in the village of Liberty but a hotly contested race for two trustee seats put Democrats Thomas L. Nealon Jr. and Harry Wild into office. Howard Dallow was elected mayor in the village of Bloomingburg and Mary Lou Oates and Mary Watterson each received 45 votes for the trustee positions.

Announcement has been made of the engagement of Jennifer Lee Plain of Tyler Hill, Pa., and Stephen Motichka of Honesdale, Pa. No date has been set for the wedding.

A large chunk of Western Sullivan was "browned out" and then "blacked out" on Sunday afternoon when a 34,500 volt insulator blew up causing an hour and 45 minute interruption of service to an estimated 2,350 customers. (Ironically, as this column was being set Monday, March 19, 10 years later minus one day, the power went out in ares of western Sullivan County at 6:30 Monday morning and lights were out for 1 hour and 45 minutes.)

30 Years Ago - 1990

Having taken on five other tax-exempt religious organizations and won the right to tax them in court, the Town of Fallsburg announced Tuesday it has placed the Sidda Yoga Dham (SYDA) Foundation on tax rolls, too, and is negotiating a settlement with its owners. The SYDA Foundation owns at least $1.5 million worth of real estate in the Town of Fallsburg, including the former Gilbert and Brickman hotels.

The Town of Fallsburg has decided to give each of its three senior citizen clubs a $6,500 subsidy in 1990, but it will be keeping close tabs on how the money is spent. The director of parks and recreation said there will be a monthly meeting to review the clubs' expenditures for the previous month.

The Youngsville Firemen and Ladies Auxiliary are making plans to observe thier 60th anniversary on May 26. Organized May 12, 1930, the firehouse, next to St. Francis Church on Main Street, was built later that same year. Hoses and nozzles were purchased to be used with the hydrant system which were transported on a Reo truck, donated to the fire company.

A correction shows that there were 1,750 dogs entered in the recent dog show at the Monticello Raceway as opposed to the 7,750 reported last week.

20 Years Ago - 2000

Victoria Wilson of Long Eddy and New York City, has been appointed by President Clinton to serve on the United States Commission on Civil Rights. The commission investigates allegations relating to deprivations of rights because of color, race, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin, and advocates equal protection under the laws of the United States Constitution.

More than 100 state correction officers and their family members picketed in front of Assemblyman Jake Gunther's office, protesting the lack of a contract, which has lasted for almost a year (April 1, 1999).

Governor George Pataki ap­proved the formation of Sullivan West Central School District, which legally is Sullivan West Central School District at Callicoon/Jeffersonville/Youngsville/Narrowsburg, as state law re­quires a district's name include the nearest hamlet or hamlets in which the school is located.

Bertha Baker, 97, a retired teacher at the Jeffersonville-Youngsville School District died on March 20; Albert E. Thony, 76, a Jeffersonville farmer, died on March 21.

Liberty High School held a ping pong tournament in memory of former Athletic Director Ron Francisco, with 32 students competing against each other.

10 Years Ago - 2010

The members of Liberty Aglow met at the Youngsville Reformed Church to hold a Baby Shower for the Sullivan County Pregnacy Center. The ladies brought gifts for the pregnancy center to distribute to mothers who come to them for help. Kathy Lounsbury, Executive Director of the SCPC joined the ladies of Aglow for a breakfast meeting, a time of worship followed by a presentation detailing the history and present ministry of the pregnancy center.

The Sullivan County Democrat began a new column entitled “Long Ago…But near to heart” by Anne Foland, former Callicoon resident. Foland recalls her childhood days growing up in Sullivan County during the 1930s and 40s. A former school teacher, Foland is the daughter of Fred and Nellie Stabbert Sr., and her anecdotes include much of the surroundings of the newspaper office, including the many characters who entered its doors as well as a host of young pals who made growing up so interesting. Foland's column appears every Tuesday on our Opinions page.

Kiwanis Past Lieutenant Governor Jim Lawler presented the Kiwanis Club of Monticello with the Distinguished Club Award for the 2008-2009 year. Rose Raimond was presented with a Distinguished President Pin and Kathy Garlick was presented with a Distinguished Secretary Pin. Rose Raimond also received a Sponsored Youth Award for the Kiwanis Club of Monticello for the work done during her Presidency in 2008-2009.