110 Years Ago - 1912

The boys are having great sport catching suckers lately, which are quite plentiful.

The White Sulphur Springs House is being cleaned and renovated prior to its opening for the season.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. W.I. Rubin, a daughter on Sunday night, at Callicoon.

W.H. Hill has rented rooms in the old bank building and on June 1 will open a photo gallery.

Mrs. Nettie C. Dodge of Liberty, District Deputy of the 12th Eastern Star District, composing of Delaware and Sullivan counties, will pay her official visit to St. Tammany Chapter in Callicoon on May 24.

Callicoon Meat Market, Henry L. Maus, proprietor, advertises home cured bacon at 18¢ per pound… At the Callicoon Cash Store, C.H. Young, proprietor, you can buy four pounds German lentils, four pounds split peas, four pounds whole rice, one pound cocoa, three pounds prunes or one pound good coffee at 25¢; granulated sugar at 6¢ a pound.

100 Years Ago - 1922

George I. Treyz of Cooks Falls purchased last week of the Luzon Chemical Co., the acid factory at Fishs Eddy and Arkville and 3,500 acres of woodland connected with the two plants. A week ago he purchased from the same company its plant at Horton.

Hyman Greenspan, who formerly conducted a boarding house at Hurleyville, and his brother-in-law, William Hauser, now both of Brooklyn, purchased on Thursday the Liberty House at Liberty of George Rockwell for a price that is reliably reported to have been $70,000. Possession is to be given June 1. The New Liberty House, as it was originally called, was erected by the late Thos. J. Hollihan, a generation ago. Later, it was purchased by Fred Lohman, who was killed at the Callicoon crossing in the summer of 1913. George Rockwell, former proprietor of The Rockwell at Monticello, which was destroyed in the great fire of 1909, then acquired it.

With a bid of $110 John Worden of White Sulphur Springs bought the old M.E. Church building in that village. Built more than 60 years ago at a cost of $2,000, the building was damaged by a heavy storm in April so that it was decided to build a new edifice.

Louis Sauer of East Cochecton, who is still on jury duty, came home Friday to spend a few days with his family. He returned to Monticello Monday.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hocker of Milanville, Pa., are rejoicing over the birth of a daughter born May 16.

90 Years Ago - 1932

First Holy Communion was administered to five pupils of Holy Cross School last Sunday. Glenn Walsh, Jean Fisher, Shirley Tobin, Joy Fox and Jane Walsh. Mrs. Lawrence Milk sang an appropriate communion hymn with violin accompaniment by one of the students of the Seminary.

Miss Mary Dwyer will be the queen who will crown the Blessed Virgin at the Crowning of Mary next Sunday.

Dr. Wm. F. Fluhrer, retired physician who was summoned at the time President McKinley was shot, died on Saturday at his home at Mountaindale at the age of 85. Dr. Fluhrer, who was chief surgeon at Bellevue Hospital at the time of its organization, was called but was unable to reach Buffalo in time, even though a special train had been sent from Middletown.

Frank, 8-month-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Earl of Callicoon RFD 2, died at the Horton Memorial Hospital May 20, after an illness of pneumonia.

Four Sullivan County students passed the New York State Bar examination this week. They are: Herman Machson and Angelo DeAndrea of Monticello, Moses L. Kove of Loch Sheldrake and Hyman Mintz of South Fallsburg.

80 Years Ago - 1942

Torrential rains on Saturday, May 23, left residents in Long Eddy, Honesdale, Pa., Hawley, Pa., and many other surrounding areas in complete destruction. At Long Eddy, the Pea Brook and Hoolihan creeks went wild from the rains which had fallen since Wednesday, but coming harder than ever on Friday evening, and overflowed their banks, tearing houses from their foundations, destroying the water, light and telephone systems and causing damage well in excess of $50,000 to the Erie Railroad. Two Long Eddy homes were swept away – that of Norman Rhodes which was completely demolished and the home of John P. Kenney which was swept from its foundation. The Long Eddy Acid Factory also suffered considerable damage.

In the village of Long Eddy, the home of Miles Bishop, also located on Hoolihan Brook, was completely demolished. Charles Milk’s lumber mill and yard and piles of lumber were scattered throughout the town, clogging sluices and culverts, thus forcing the flood water to spread all over the town. The flood waters swept through the basement windows of the Methodist Church from the upper side and flowed out through the windows on the lower side.

Hortonville firemen worked nearly twelve hours pumping out cellars of business places, private homes and churches.

In Stalker, Pa., considerable damage was caused with water rising two feet in the post office building. The barn belonging to Miss L.G. Barnes and the main bridge in the village were both swept away. The highway entering the village was washed away, leaving a drop of fifteen feet to the creek bed.

At Honesdale, Pa., damage estimated at more than two million was caused when water in the Seelyville dam, three miles above the village, rose higher than the spillway and cut around the end. As each of the six bridges in town gave way, the water rose higher and higher until the bridge across the river in the lower end of town near the Hermann garage was piled with trees and rubbish to a height of thirty feet above normal water level. When this steel structure gave way, the entire length of Delaware Street was washed away, leaving only two houses, both badly wrecked. Twenty-one volunteer firemen from Callicoon joined Chief Herbert C. Persbacker in Honesdale to help the stricken village. Fifteen in the area are known dead.

At the Callicoon Hospital, it was a baby boy, May 23, to Mr. and Mrs. William L. Bergner of Callicoon; a girl, born Wednesday, May 27, to Mr. and Mrs. Allan Segar of Jeffersonville. Mr. and Mrs. Warren Young of Narrowsburg became parents of a baby boy on May 24.

70 Years Ago - 1952

Miss Phyllis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Milk, Callicoon, became the bride of Eugene Hahn, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Hahn of Youngsville, at the Holy Cross Church in Callicoon.

A carrier pigeon came to the home of Mr. and Mrs. R.J. Bennett, Callicoon, yesterday. It appears exhausted and has chosen to stay around.

Invitations have been received for the wedding of Richard Albee Reynolds, son of Dr. and Mrs. C.H. Reynolds, and Ann Verona, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Verona, all of Roscoe. The wedding will take place June 14 at the United Church in Roscoe.

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Kissen­bertel of Roscoe became the parents of a son, born Sunday at the Callicoon Hospital.

In a brief ceremony in Fallsburg yesterday afternoon, Supervisor Mortimer Mich­aels cut a ribbon which opened the new highway bridge which replaced a two-arch stone bridge, built in 1919, and which was torn down only after several surveys showed it to be inadequate for modern traffic.

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Tucker of Cochecton who were married last Saturday. Miss Nellie Marony and Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Comstock attended the wedding.

A son was born May 14 to Mr. and Mrs. John Fish, the former Gwendolyn Milk of Goulds. They live in Hancock.

60 Years Ago - 1962

Mr. and Mrs. Howard Hermann of Callicoon were honored at a surprise 30th wedding anniversary party on May 19. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Hermann hosted the party.

The northern approach of the new interstate Delaware River bridge was blacktopped and put into use last Friday.

Bruce Peake and Natalie Reichmann were named King and Queen at the Polynesian Paradise Junior Prom at DVCS last week.

New York State, for the first time, leads the nation in production of maple syrup.

Thirty-three members of the staff and their families honored Mrs. Barbara Ryan on her retirement after thirteen years on staff at the Callicoon Hospital at a party held at the Village Inn in Hortonville on May 16.

A tragic hunting accident May 19 claimed the life of Frederick Oestrich, 17, of Hortonville. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Oestrich and would have graduated from DVCS in June.

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Van­Keuren of Liberty celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Sunday.

50 Years Ago - 1972

The 24 pages contained in this issue of the Democrat makes it the largest in our 78 years of publication history.
Sheriff Joseph Wasser was guest speaker at the May 9 meeting of the Delaware Valley Senior Citizens, speaking on drugs.

A flagpole dedication to those who have served their country will be officially presented to the Grover M. Hermann Hospital on May 28. Contributions were made by the local VFW and American Legion posts and will be located on the front lawn of the hospital.

Leon A. Harrold, mathematics instructor at Liberty High School, was elected treasurer of the Association of Mathematics Teachers of New York State at that organization’s convention held earlier this month.

Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Alberti of Liberty became parents of a baby girl May 3 at the Liberty-Loomis Hospital.

A Teenie Weenie Beauty Contest was held in conjunction with the Flower Mart on May 21. Deborah Minckler of Long Eddy was named queen with Audra Hahl named 1st runner-up and Jill Ferber 2nd runner-up. Huge stuffed animals were the treasured prize.

More than 200 turned out for a farewell banquet in honor of Liberty Fire Chief Leon Killian last Thursday at Grossinger’s on his retirement.

Bob Sandlas and Cathy Hassis were named Prom King and Queen in Jeffersonville on May 1.

Victoria Lillian Edge became the bride of Robert William Ruppert Jr. on May 13 at a ceremony performed at the First Lutheran Church in Jeffersonville.

The Class of 1932 held a 40th reunion get-together with ten members and class advisor Mrs. Norma T. Stengel attending. There were 18 who graduated in that class.

40 Years Ago - 1982

Doris VanNostrand, who was honored this month as Sullivan County Senior Citizen of the Year, died Friday, May 21, at the Community General Hospital in Harris. She was 72.

Ralph Neer of Callicoon Center took over the lead in the Democrat’s Spring Turkey Contest when he brought in a 22 pounder. His daughter, Ginger, hunting with her father, brought down a 15 pound, 12 ounce turkey.

The engagement of Vonabelle Roocke, former “Miss Sullivan County - 1978” and Steven Sherman of East Rockaway has been announced. Miss Roocke went on to earn the title of Miss NY-USA in 1979 and is the New York State Lotto Hostess on Statewide television. An August wedding is planned.

Margaret Soller of Narrowsburg was guest of honor at a surprise 90th birthday party on Monday. Among the guests was her 95-year-old sister-in-law, Ethel Sollis of Suffern.

Bea Bender of Liberty will lead a beautification project at Community General Hospital in which local garden clubs will participate. Flowers and shrubs from the “wild” will be used as much as possible.

The Delaware Valley track team took its first Section 9 championship in nine years when it toppled Livingston Manor in a meet Wednesday afternoon. Outstanding performances were recorded by the team when it took all events with the exception of the 1600… The Monticello boys took the Class B Section 9 title Saturday, defeating their Orange County League rival, Washingtonville, which finished third.

Max and Mary Gold of Monticello celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary at a surprise party attended by 200 members of the Monticello Senior Citizens Club.

30 Years Ago - 1992

When the Village of Woodridge kicks off its Diamond Jubilee Anniversary this Sunday, Mayor Bruce Gerson is hoping that folks from all around will turn out to help mark the occasion. The 75th anniversary actually marks the occasion of Woodridge becoming Wood­ridge, Gerson said. The village was incorporated in 1911 as Centreville Station and became known as Woodridge in 1917 to end postal confusion with the Sullivan County village and a similarly named town in neighboring Orange County.

The 108th annual Memorial Day parade will be held in Fremont Center with a theme of “50 years – Pearl Harbor.” Elmer and Ruth Hess will be parade marshals.

Walter Sipple, supervisor of the Town of Fremont and chairman of the board of supervisors, was released from John Hopkins Medical Center where he had surgery for a herniated disc. Sheriff Joseph Wasser was also recovering satisfactorily from a triple bypass heart operation at the beginning of May.

The Eldred Preserve observed its 25th anniversary in business with a party and a cake which featured a trout jumping out of the confectionary. An estimated 300 well-wishers attended the open house. Bill Ruppel has been general manager of the facility for the past 20 years.
Tom Schick, an employee at Roche’s Garage in Callicoon, has been awarded the prestigious Pontiac Master Craftsman trophy, for the third year in a row, in recognition of his ability to achieve and maintain a stringent criteria. This type of dedication and attention to detail is how Roche’s maintains a 98 to 100 percent satisfaction rating with their customers.

The new building of the Upper Delaware Volunteer Ambulance Corps is nearing completion at its location on the Kellam’s Bridge Road, between Hankins and Long Eddy. An open house is planned for the near future (hopefully in August).

Billy Parker Jr. joins 26 over reinsman in the 4000th Win Club as the result of driving Rookie of the Year to a victory on May 18 at the Monticello Raceway. The perennial leader at the MR, Parker has 76 victories this season and has won five driving titles since 1984.

Sullivan County Republicans have endorsed Richard I. Coombe of Grahamsville over encumbent Charles Cook to run for the 40th Senatorial District seat.

The Class of 1992 of State University of New York at Binghamton took to the Delaware River Thursday for their annual trek down the Delaware to Narrowsburg. This has become an annual outing for nearly 700 students each year over the past 11 years.

The 26th Annual New York State Vocational Industrial Clubs of American (VICA) Conference and Skills Olympics were held last week at the Concord Hotel in Kiamesha Lake.

More than 3,000 high school students from through­out new York competed in the event.

Paul Wilkowski of Glen Spey caught a 19 lb. brown trout in Lake Huntington recently.

20 Years Ago - 2002

The Sullivan County Retired and Senior Volunteer (RSVP) Program held its 29th annual recognition day luncheon at the Villa Roma in Callicoon, honoring the following for their dedication to the community. Named the Senior Volunteer of the Year for the county was Louis Taub. RSVP volunteers named were: Bethel: Mildred Wlodarski; Callicoon: Joseph Coady; Cochecton: John McMonagle; Delaware: Mary Cade; Fallsburg: Sunny Samuels; Forestburgh: Margaret Abdoo; Fremont: Mary Butremuk; Highland: Therese McGowan; Liberty: Evelyn Haas; Lumberland: Catherine Sterling; Mamakating: Esther Levine; Neversink: Mary Jane Donelli; Rockland: Shirley Wood; Thompson: Louis Taub; and Tusten: Ralph P. Huebner.

Sullivan County Legislative Chair Rusty Pomeroy is resigning, effective May 31, so that he can take a job with Beveridge and Diamond, a Washington, D.C.-based environmental law firm. Pomeroy will work out of the New York City office.

On Sunday, May 5, two local properties were declared historic landmarks: The Ulster Heights synagogue, Congregation Knesset Israel, just across the Sullivan-Ulster county line, and the Levitz Family Farm in Grahamsville.

BIRTHS at Horton Medical Center in Middletown recently: a boy, Ean Andrew, was born May 9, 2002 to Barbara and Mitchell Blank in Liberty; a boy, Joseph Paul, was born May 11, 2002 to Victoria and Paul Priest of Bloomingburg; and a boy, Luke Rodney, was born May 13, 2002 to Faith and Roger Bowden of Wurtsboro.

10 Years Ago - 2012

For 128 years, Fremont Center has paid tribute to our fallen heroes, and they couldn't do it without members of the local VFW posts and their auxiliaries. Veterans from the Emmet Turner, H. Russell Kenyon, and Allan Milk posts were all part of the parade line-up yesterday.

Dr. Nancy Hackett and her husband John were welcomed this month at the Sullivan West school board meeting, where the board unanimously (minus an absent Ken Cohen) appointed her as retiring Supt. Ken Hilton’s replacement. Relocating from Rochester, the couple has already found a place to live in the district, and Dr. Hackett will officially begin her tenure on July 1.

Don Hamilton, Natural Resource Specialist, was recently promoted to the position of Chief of Resource Management at Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River. Don has worked as a Natural Resource Specialist with the Resource Management Division at Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River since 1993.

The Eldred Yellowjackets girls and boys’ track and field teams took first in the Section IX-Class D Track Championships on Thursday, May 24, at Middletown High School. Christine Donnelly led the Lady Yellowjackets with three individual wins: the 800 (2:22.83), the 1500 (5:12.62) and 3000 (11:25.38). She also took part in the 1600 relay which took first and included Savanna Finck, Lauren Frey and Sarah Malzahn. The three scored a time of 4:27.49.