140 Years Ago - 1880

Mr. Seth C. Strong moved his family and household goods to Cochecton Center on Saturday of last week. Mr. Young will go west soon. Kierstad & Co., the Mongaup Valley tanners, propose when it becomes necessary to abandon the manufacture of leather, to put in machinery for the manufacture of excelsior, a material made from wood which is used extensively for packing furniture and other articles.

Charles Homer, late of Cochecton, took possession of the Eagle Hotel in Jeffersonville on Wednesday last.

A portion of the wall and roof of Madison Square Garden, New York, fell Wednesday night of last week while the fair for the benefit of the Johneman Hospital was in progress, killing four persons and injuring twenty-two more.

North Branch — George Kortright and Joseph Messler have taken Greeley's advice and gone west. They left on Train 3 from Callicoon Depot Saturday night… H. Inderlied started for New York City on Monday to buy his stock of spring goods… Since the tanneries of the North Branch Creek have been abandoned, we notice that fish of all kinds are more abundant.

130 Years Ago - 1890

Livingston Manor — Edward Wilson moved into one of R.W. Edwards' houses last Tuesday and on Wednesday night the house was destroyed by fire with all of Mr. Wilson's goods. Mr. Wilson is a poor man and his loss is great… The roads are getting quite dry and dusty at this place. M.E. Finch has his new house finished and will move into it in a few days.

A team of spirited horses be­longing to Henry Miller of Hurd Settlement ran away Thursday. Mr. Miller's son, John, left the horses hitched to a heavy wagon standing by the wagon-house while he went in the building after a bag of oats, and when he came out the horses had taken French leave and were making rapid progress towards Stephen Fayerweather's. On they sped, keeping on the road till they arrived at the summit of the hill near Mr. Norris, where they went through an opening in the field. They ran around and attempted to enter the road again, jumping a stone wall. The horses went over the wall and piled up in a heap and the wagon remained on the opposite side of the wall. In this condition, the horses were caught and extricated. The horses were somewhat scratched and the harness was somewhat broken.

Charles Ranft and wife were in Monticello Tuesday.

A little daughter of Charles Wilfert is very sick with pneumonia.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Himmel­reich and little daughter of Youngs­ville were in town Sunday afternoon.

Harry Smith, Sergeant of Co. K. of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, who is spending a six months furlough with his parents at Youngsville, was a caller at the Record office Monday.

Charles Schmidt of Jeffersonville, who spent the last year at Oakland, Calif., arrived home last week. The look of Charles is good evidence that the climate out there agreed with him.

120 Years Ago - 1900

B.E. Misner has been appointed Liberty town clerk.

Mrs. Ida Fagan of Liberty has located in the Attila building on East Main St. and will do dressmaking.

The Rathskeller orchestra of Jeffersonville is forming a small brass band: Cornets - Philip Bietz and Theo. Bollenbach; Altos - Wm. A. Lixfield and Wm. Hess; Trombone - Fred Jacobs.

Barrett Post GAR of Liberty will observe Memorial Day with Rev. Father Cronin delivering the oration. The Livingston Manor Brass Band and the East Mountaindale Drum Corps have been engaged.

The contract for the new Presbyterian parsonage in Bethel has been awarded and ground was broken last week.

George Weyrauch of Callicoon has the contract of building a fifty-room cottage for H.M. Weyrauch of Liberty.

During the high gale wind of Monday afternoon the large barn of Valentine Mauer at Callicoon was blown down.

The farm of the late George Heller at Callicoon was sold at foreclosure sale on Friday. The place was bought by Lena Garte of New York for $2015.

Advices were received here from the New York parties that the Liberty-Jeffersonville electric road will be built and that construction will commence next Monday.

Mary, daughter of Adam Hubbert of Beechwoods, and Valentine Maus of Tennanah Lake were married at the bride's home, April 28.

Oscar B. Wilson of Rockland and Miss Emma Brown of Liberty were married at Downsville on April 25.

Chris Beringer has sold his horses to the Durr Bros., who run the Eagle Hotel livery.

110 Years Ago - 1910

At a meeting of the Hudson Presbytery in Middletown last week a committee was appointed to arrange for the organization of the Lake Huntington Church as a Presbyterian society. George Henry and H. Hordhausen presented the application from the church people to the Presbytery.

North Branch — Wm Kille has sold his hotel property and has bought the Chas. Miller farm on the Obernburg Road.… Herman Bauerfeind has sold some of his property to Theodore Hust of Ferndale who has also bought Chas. Kratz's cottage.

Henry Conrad Kappes died suddenly of pneumonia at his home near Tennanah Lake, April 20, age 59. He was married to Eva Knack.

John Klein of North Branch died of pneumonia April 27, aged 82. Both Mr. Kappes and Mr. Klein were natives of Germany.

100 Years Ago - 1920

Clara Marie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. Hoos, of LIberty, and Robert Mauer, son of Mrs. Louisa Mauer of Beechwoods, were married Monday evening at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Liberty.

Jacob Huth of North Branch sold his farm to Louis Mootz and has bought a house in Binghamton.

Four business places and one residence, with their contents, were burned to the ground at Lake Huntington last Sunday morning by fires that started in two distant places and are strongly suspected to have been the work of an incendiary. The properties were: Richard Schwabe's Central Hotel and Casino; Robert Fleischer's Bonton Store and residence; Wm. C. Curtis' small connecting buildings which he used in the summer for a restaurant and shooting gallery. The total loss is estimated between $40-59 thousand dollars. The laundry building in the rear of the hotel, as well as a small building behind the Fleischer store for making ice cream, were saved by the bucket brigade. The large maple trees in the Keesler grove were scorched. Fifty-four boats belonging to Terry McMurray of White Lake, stored under the casino, were burned.

The Arlington Hotel changed hands this week when Otto Unke purchased the property from Albert Meyers. This is the second time the place has been sold since it was built by J.G. Guthiel about six months after the Narrowsburg fire of December 27, 1893. The new hotel was completed in August 1894.

The new Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church at Lake Huntington will be dedicated on August 15. The building measures 110x40 feet and is being constructed under the direction of John Lowe of Hortonville. The church will be ready for services on the first Sunday in July and will cost approximately $10,000.

Miss Evelyn Price, teacher of the “Hill” school, resumed teaching Monday after a long vacation caused by the prevalence of scarlet fever. Only one home remains to be fumigated, that of Frank Lockwood. The 30 days having expired since the onset of the last case, the quarantine will not be lifted. — Lookout Corresp.

Callicoon's Chatauqua Festival committee reports that the festival will be held three days, beginning July 25, and the program is so arranged that each day will be a feature day, with plenty of music and an appropriate worthwhile lecture. First Day: the Clever Versatilians with a program of musical, singing and costume numbers. In the evening, Dr. Frederic Poole with a lecture, “The March of the Yellow Millions,” ...a story of the unknown East. Second day: the DeMarco Entertainers in the afternoon and Brush the Great at night. Third Day: Lecture, “Feds and Extremes” by George P. Bible. The National Male Quartet will provide the musical portion of the program.

90 Years Ago - 1930

William Stadler Jr. and Miss Irene Beachington of Susquehanna were married at the home of the bride's parents on April 24. After a wedding supper, the happy pair left for their home in Narrowsburg where he is employed by the Big Eddy Telephone Co.

Miss Catherine Maroney, daughter of Mrs. Lena Maroney, became the bride of William F. Kille of Narrowsburg on April 22 at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Chapel.

Seventeen prisoners now in the Sullivan County Jail must do their reading and writing during the day for in the future they will observe the old rule of Sullivan County prisoners of retiring to rest at nine o'clock at night, according to Sheriff Ben Gerow. “We are going to cut the electric light bill of the county to a minimum and the custom of turning off the lights at ten and eleven o'clock will be discontinued. Time is not so valuable to those in the jail, but that necessary reading can be done before night.”

Otto Hillig, Liberty photographer who sued the Graf Zeppelin Co. for $100,000 damages be­cause they issued him a ticket and then refused to allow him to board the Graf Zeppelin on the round-the-world trip last year, has settled the case for $20,000.

The district grand committee of Odd Fellows at Livingston Manor recommended the appointment of Frank Simpson of Manor as district deputy grand master. At the meeting of the district committee of Rebekahs at the Manor, Mrs. Florence Bennett of Roscoe, was recommended for the appointment of district deputy.

The following members of the Jeff High School's senior class with Christine Sohl as chaperone, are on the O&W Eastern Excursion to Washington, D.C.; Leo Wolff, Harold Duttweiler, May Eggler, Ana Neff, Ethel Schwartz, Regina Zipkin and Hazel Townsend.

Harland B. Calkins, recently appointed on the NYC Police force, and Miss Carrie Merkenschlager, both of Lake Huntington, were married April 15 at the Cochecton Presbyterian Church.

August Merkenschlager and Mildred Kraack were honor attendants.

80 Years Ago - 1940

Friday evening, May 17, has been chosen by the Board of Education for the dedication of the new $430,000 central school building in Jeffersonville, which was completed last year in time for the commencement exercises in June. The new term of school opened in the new building last September, but with a lot of work and details to be still attended to, the board deferred the dedication to this year.

Norbert Mullally, who took the census in the Jeffersonville corporation is now completing the census also in the North Branch and Callicoon Center district.

A gorgeously appointed swimming pool has just been completed in the basement of the palatial mansion of our former townsman, Benjamin Yeager of Liberty, who has made a fortune in oil and gas. Adjoining the pool is a card room and bar grill, where the Yeagers are expected to entertain lavishly. The date for the opening of the swimming pool has not been set. It will no doubt be a very wet affair - both for the outer and the inner man.

Winifred Hessinger of Callicoon Center is putting a new front on the upper side of his Jeffersonville house block in the village to match the lower side fixed up last year.

Mary Neagele, aged 73, wife of Richard H. Seager, died at her home between Jeffersonville and Callicoon Center. She was born in Hankins in 1867, the daughter of Casper Neagele, native of Switzerland, and Elizabeth Weyman of Kingston.

70 Years Ago - 1950

A daughter was born May 2 to Mr. and Mrs. Irving Kratz of Beechwoods at the Callicoon Hospital.

The search sponsored by the Maple Theatre in Jeffersonville for the largest family in the area has ended. The winners are Mr. and Mrs. William Schaefer of near Jeffersonville, with 11 children. The Theatre will play host to the family Sunday evening.

Bucky's Inn has been sold by Mr. and Mrs. Wm. H. Baum to George, Joan and John Redington.

Frank Hogencamp, aged nearly 70, died Wednesday in Orange County. He was a native of the town of Callicoon.

Pvt. First Class Hans W. Lux of Kenoza Lake was presented a beautiful bronze trophy recently for being the outstanding member of the crack Headquarters and Service Co. basketball team, which won the Eta Jima School Command Championship in Japan, where he is stationed with the 8th Army.

Jack Schadt of Jeffersonville is attending the annual communication of the Grand Lodge of Freemasons in New York this week as master of Callicoon Lodge of Jeffersonville.

60 Years Ago - 1960

Plans for the town of Rockland to have what will be the largest ski center in the Sullivan County and western Catskills areas, were announced this week with the final purchase of property by two local men, Emerson Bouton of Livingston Manor and Frederick Rogers of Beaverkill.

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Gieger of Jeffersonville have announced the marriage of their daughter, Vilma, to Ronald Goetting, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Goetting of Callicoon.

Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Hanofee are the proud parents of a daughter born at Maimonides Hospital in Liberty, Wednesday night, April 20. Mr. Hanofee is the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors.

A record-breaking vote of almost 2200 residents in the Liberty Central School District last Monday night, April 25, saw approval given for purchase of a site for a new junior-senior high school by a 5 to 2 margin. The voters also picked the Champlin-Misner Kilwood tract by a vote of 2 to 1. The approval given for the site was hailed by Joseph Heller, president of the Board of Education, as a “victory for the children of Liberty.”

Come next Tuesday, those citizens who care about what goes on in their schools, will go to the annual meetings of the school district and vote on the budget for the next school year, and in some cases to ballot upon whom they want for a member of the Board of Education. For the most part, there is little that is sensational in the budgets in Livingston Manor, Roscoe, Jeff-Youngsville and Liberty.

A contract for sale of the Hortonville Alleys was signed this week by the sellers, Mr. and Mrs. George Drusch, and the purchasers, Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Dirie. The property consists of a hotel, bar and four bowling alleys.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry “Red” Pippo have announced this week that their restaurant and bar in Hortonville has been sold to Mr. and Mrs. Ralph “Babe” Fisk, of Jeffersonville. The establishment, once known as Fisher's Crystal Shower, was founded by Mr. Charles J. Fisher, Mrs. Pippo and Mrs. Fisk's father, in 1929.

50 years ago - 1970

Anna Kitson of North Branch has been chosen VFW Loyalty Day Queen to represent VFW Post 5808 at the judging of a Sull­ivan County VFW Loyalty Day Queen at a ball to be held May 2, at Temple's Inn, Shandelee.

The purchase of Fort Delaware at Narrowsburg by the county for $32,000 was authorized Monday night by the county supervisors over objection of Fallsburg Supervisor Mortimer Michaels.

Marty Reisner of Livingston Manor set the all-time record in the New York State Bowling Association Championship Tournament presently in progress in Kingston. Marty' nine game total with handicap was 2,067 pins, which beat a record that had stood for 32 years. He rolled a 762 triple in the singles, 685 in the doubles and a 620 in the team event for an average of 229 plus per game.

A surprise retirement party was given Harold E. Ebert upon his retirement from the A&P. Mr. Ebert began his service with the company in 1930 at the Callicoon store. He was transferred to the Liberty store in 1943 and has served there since.

Babies arriving at the Liberty-Loomis Hospital this week were: April 19, a girl, Debra Marie, to Mr. and Mrs. Leo Fields of Liberty; April 21, a boy, Craig Charles, to Mr. and Mrs. Lester Hummel Jr. of Loch Sheldrake; a girl, Cheryl June to Mr. and Mrs. James Brooks of Grahamsville; a girl, April 22, to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Russo of Monticello; a girl to Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Stefanski of Callicoon Center; a boy, April 23, to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Bury of Jeffersonville; and a boy to Dr. and Mrs. William Fischer of Newark, N.J. and Jeffersonville.

Mr. and Mrs. George Widman of Callicoon were the surprised guests of honor at a dinner party Saturday, April 25, at the Youngsville Fire House, in honor of their 30th wedding anniversary.

40 Years Ago - 1980

A 135th anniversary communion service of the Jeffersonville Presbyterian Church will be held on May 4, at 11 a.m. The Rev. J. Lawrence Ainsworth of Charleston, W. Va., a former pastor, will be speaker.

The moment that harness-track enthusiasts in general — and 350 employees in particular — after a long, dreary horseless winter — will arrive at 8 p.m. tonight (May 1) when Monticello Raceway reopens for its 23rd year of racing. The 144-program meet will run through October 5th.

Mickey Barnett of Bethel provided the musical entertainment with a strong guitar and “big band” music for the American Cancer Society Hee Haw Dance held Saturday at the Woodbourne Firehouse.

Jeri Louise Anderson of Sacramento, Calif., and Charles G. Martinek, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Martinek of Monticello, were married at the MGM Grand Hotel in Reno, Nev., on April 11… Francine Ferrante of Long Island became the bride of Michael Kelly, son of Philip and Mary Kelly of Monticello, on April 19, at St. Peter's Church in Monticello. A reception followed at the Chateau Restaurant.

The 12th annual fashion show, presented by Court Father Raphael #1542, Catholic Daughters of the Americas, was held at the Villa Roma Monday evening with a record crowd of 500 enjoying the fashions and refreshments. Linda Roche was chairman.

Announcement has been made of the engagement of Deborah Ann Setren and Lester Robert Newell, both of Monticello. A July 1980 wedding is planned.

Lewis “Mendy” Greenspan, a 20-year veteran of the Town of Fallsburg Police Department, proudly welcomed his son, Ricky, as a member of the police department on April 25. It is believed they are one of the few, if not the only, father-and-son police officers in Sullivan County.

30 Years Ago - 1990

A new 200-bed jail built next to a core service area, capable of processing up to twice as many prisoners, and priced in the $12 to 15 million range, emerged Wednesday as Sullivan County's latest attempt to deal with those who are accused and convicted of breaking the law within its border. The concept of a scaled-down jail with a minimum security rehabilitation center and sheriff's patrol department next to it somewhere within 20 miles of Monticello developed during a special meeting of the Public Safety Committee involving the full Board of Supervisors. The meeting had been called by the chairman to find an alternative to their other proposals: one, to build a 350-bed, $22 million facility; the second, to bring the existing jail in Monticello up to minimum state standards for $3 to 5 million; and the third, to build a 40-bed facility apart from the old jail to house sentenced prisoners who would work on county chores. That would have cost roughly $10 million.

Terry Mullen of Wurtsboro was presented with a plaque as Sullivan County Fireman of the Year in recognition of the rescue he made of three youths from Yankee Lake last December after their boat capsized. Harry Kronenberg, Sullivan County Fire Coordinator, made the presentation at the Sullivan County Firemen's Association dinner held in Livingston Manor Sunday night.

Mrs. Lil Gabriel was honored at the 1989 Leader Recognition dinner of the 4-H for her 30 years of 4-H Club leadership.

Visitors at Fort Delaware will see a new attraction this summer. A replica of a Lenni Lenape bark home has been located just outside the gate of the fort.

Richard “Dick” Hein, manager at Sullivan County Wholesale, Inc. in Liberty, was guest of honor at a retirement dinner held at Bogey's on Sunday. He had 44 years of employment with the company.

Congressman Ben Gilman announced his re-election bid for a tenth term in Monticello Sunday.

The Sullivan County Council, Veterans of Foreign Wars, hosted a Loyalty Day Parade in Callicoon on Sunday.Former Sullivan County District Attorney Joseph Jaffe was the parade marshal and speaker at the activities held at the Delaware Community Center following the parade. J-YCS junior Elizabeth Ridley presided as Loyalty Day Queen.

Monticello Raceway Publicity Director John Manzi was named president of the United States Harness Writers Association at the organization's 42nd annual awards dinner held at the Pegasus Dining Room at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J. In addition, Manzi was presented with a Congressional Achievement Award by Congressman Ben Gilman.

The 18th anniversary of the founding of the Delaware Valley Senior Citizens was celebrated with a dinner served by the Culinary Department of the Delaware Valley Job Corps Center at the Delaware Community Center. The club has grown to over 200 at the present time.

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Wild of Liberty celebrated their 55th anniversary with a party given by family and friends in West­chester. She is a 1934 graduate of Liberty High School and he graduated from Monticello High School in 1930.

20 Years Ago - 2000

Over $10,000 was raised in the March of Dimes' WalkAmerica 2000 held at Sullivan County Community College last Saturday.

Among the honorees at the Upper Delaware Council's annual banquet and awards night was Laurene McKenna, who received the Robin M. Daniels Memorial Lifesaving Award. Last August 28, McKenna, who is a teacher at Jeff-Youngsville Central School and a summertime seasonal ranger for the local National Park Service office, saved the life of a 65-year-old man who was swimming in the river near the Zane Grey access site in Lackawaxen, Pa. The man fell through an inner tube and was pushed under the water several times before McKenna rushed to his aid and got him to shore.

The Sullivan County Board of Cooperative Educational Services will honor Otto Hoos, founding member of the BOCES Board of Education, at its Golden Anniversary celebration this May 13.

10 Years Ago - 2010

Liberty native, Sam Miller finished his book of memories of what it was like growing up working class and Jewish in postwar Liberty as well as detailing his brother's life and good works in the community, titled “Arnie's Life - The Story of a Mensch.” The death of his older brother Arnold spurred Miller to pen the book detailing his life but also capturing voices and photographs of Liberty's past during their childhood.

The Tri-Valley Lions held their annual Journey For Sight Walk at the Grahamsville Fairgrounds. A gorgeous day weather wise and 15 walkers turned out. Concurrent with the Sight Walk, the annual Tag Day was also held. Donations collected for the day totaled over $3,600.

The Beaver Brook Rod and Gun Club held the 5th annual John Palis Memorial Youth Fishing Derby at Koch's Pond in Beaver Brook. The event hosted over 100 children plus their parents and chaperones. Everyone who fished at the event was treated to a BBQ provided by the Beaver Brook Rod and Gun Club members.

Thanks to the Sullivan County YMCA and Lochmor Golf Course, several local youngsters are learning about the game of golf through The Sullivan County YMCA Golf Academy. Five boys ages 5 to 9 and ten youngsters ages 10 to 13 learned about golf from Lochmor Golf Course Professional Mike Decker once a week.