140 Years Ago - 1879

Adolphus Ruth and Clara Eleanor Beiling, both of Youngsville, were married on November 16, 1879, by Rev. A. Wetterstroem at the residence of Mr. Frederick Caeb at Youngs­ville.

Peter Scheuer, aged 69 years, died on November 13, at his residence near Hortonville.

Mr. Edward Sherwood of Fishkill in Dutchess County is visiting his brother, Mr. James D. Sherwood, at Jeffersonville.

Mr. Arthur Bird, Vice-Consul General of the United States at Haiti, will soon arrive in Jeffersonville on a visit to relatives.

Charles Endell, harness maker, has removed from the room in the basement of Lawrence's building and taken up his quarters in the Ranft building, next to the Eagle Hotel.

Mr. Henry Rhofel has perfected arrangements for giving a social hop on Thanksgiving evening. Music will be furnished in the Jeffersonville Reformed Brass Band's best style.

Mrs. Lizzie Kautz, wife of Charles Kautz Jr., died at her home in Hortonville, the 9th, aged 19 years, 5 months and 24 days. She was a daughter of Frederick and Ferena Fromm.

Pike Pond — Revival meetings commenced at the Hurd Settlement M.E. Church last Monday evening conducted by the pastor… Mr. Charles Winters suffered a badly bruised shoulder and head when he was recently thrown from his wagon… The Temperance people of Fosterdale and Cochecton Center are about to organize lodges of Good Templars.

Youngsville — During the last week or ten days, Mr. Crary has had 16 valuable sheep killed by dogs on his farm situated 2 miles north of Youngsville.

130 Years Ago - 1889

Livingston Manor, Nov. 18 — The roads are very rough in this vicinity… W.H. Clay is making some badly needed repairs on his hotel at this place … A.P. DuBois & Co. are having some more walks laid in front of their store.

White Lake — D.B. Kinne is building a new ice house and laundry buildings in connection with the Mansion House… Rev. Goff, the well-known temperance orator, delivered a lecture on the evils of strong drink at the chapel, to a large assemblage on Saturday evening, November 16th.

120 Years Ago - 1899

George S. Woolsey of Livingston Manor recently was elected as School Commissioner of Sullivan County. He is the youngest man ever to hold that office. He is 25 years of age, a Democrat who received great Republican support.

After a hard fight, the flames started by a chimney fire were put out at the residence of Avrie VanAken at Livingston Manor on Nov. 10. For two years the village has been without fire protection, the hydrants have been locked because Manor residents refused to pay. This was the first instance in that time where water was a necessity. The hydrant lock was broken and the water was used.

The piece of the famous Charter Oak sent some time ago to the Livingston Manor Manufacturing Company to be made into a gavel for the Daughters of the American Revolution, has been completed and is a very handsome implement. Mr. Merklin did the turning and it was polished by Hiram Christie. The gavel is valued at $250.

A barrel factory will be erected on the new road between Livingston Manor and Youngsville.

110 Years Ago - 1909

Henry Schaefer is building a dam for a pond on his premises on the hill.

Rudolph Gute and wife left for Florida on Monday, where they will spend a few weeks for a change.

It is said that Charles Scheidell Jr., and Val P. Scheidell are negotiating for the purchase of their father's farm property and business interests.

Miss Lena Ferguson, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis K. Ferguson of Bethel, and Henry Hendrickson, a blacksmith at Lake Huntington, will be married at the home of the bride-elect's parents, November 24.

George Hemmer is doing butchering for farmers. George makes fine wurst.

Louis Hubbert killed a big raccoon last week.

Roy Hess has captured 12 skunks and is still out nightly with his lantern.

100 Years Ago - 1919

A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Eggler of Swiss Hill, November 23.

90 Years Ago - 1929

John Yaun, owner of a gas station near the railroad crossing on Chestnut Street, Liberty, was indicted for manslaughter by the Grand Jury last Friday. He is held accountable for the death of William Stanton, which the state contends resulted from a kick in the abdomen in a fight at the Yaun gas station on October 22. He suffered a ruptured intestine and died later at the Liberty hospital. Yaun insists that Stanton was intoxicated and that it became necessary to eject him from the gas station.

Vincent Mullally and Leonard Hess were rabbit hunting in the woods on the Mike Scott farm the other Saturday when they scared up a fox and shot it. The animal proved to be a female silver-gray from the fox farm of Roy Hess and Warren Mall on the North Branch road. The pelt has been returned to the owners.

According to reports from the county seat the old Board of Supervisors, with 10 of the 15 members present, established a precedent at a meeting Monday night by organizing the new board, which does not come into office until 1930. Supervisor Edson D. Knapp, Rep., of Mamakating, was elected chairman. The vote was unanimous. The new Board will have 8 Democrats and 7 Republicans. There has been talk of Clarence Baudendistel, Dem., of Fremont, becoming chairman. Any such hopes were dissipated Monday night. Mr. Baudendistel voted to remain with the bi-party group which has controlled the board during the past few years. The motion to elect Knapp was made by Supervisor Woods, Dem., of Forestburgh, seconded by Supervisor Bisland, Rep., of Lumberland.

Meredith Peters of Briscoe, a former student at the Jeffersonville High School, shot a young bear near Willowemoc recently, which weighed about 100 pounds.

Mrs. D.H. Clements of Liberty, Mrs. Wm. Dexter of Callicoon, and Miss Virginia Brewster, Home Demonstration Agent, Liberty, attended the State Federation Meeting of the Home Bureau Association in Syracuse last week.

Mary Elizabeth Winand, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Winand of Middletown and Arthur Henry Long of Middletown, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Long of Beechwoods, were married at St. Joseph's rectory by Rev. A.B. Bottle, pastor of St. Joe's Church, Middletown, November 17, 1929.

A barn on the Irving Dexter farm, situated above the Transit Co.'s former pumping station, and next door to the N. Meyer poultry farm, was completely destroyed by a fire early Monday morning of this week. — Cochecton corresp.

White Sulphur Springs, Nov. 18 — J. Bruce Lindsley, Edwin Roth and John Joyner furnished the music for dancing at the Bullock 50th anniversary held in Woodbourne last Tuesday evening… Last Saturday while Edward Peters of Briscoe and Wm. Steele of this place were hunting on the W.S.S. Rod and Gun Club tract near Willowemoc, the former shot a 200 lb. bear.

Hoffmann's Dry Goods store has received a large consignment of Christmas merchandise. Mr. and Mrs. Hoffmann spent a week in New York City recently selecting the goods which will be placed on display soon… Miss Freda Engert, who is employed as clerk in the Monticello Inn, spent Saturday here at the home of her parents… Employees of the Associated Gas and Electric Company are erecting new poles along the lower end of Main St. Several of the poles will be moved to better position for the accommodation of the businessmen along the street. — Callicoon Corresp.

It is said that Wm. Gerken of Milanville, Pa., recently landed a nine-pound pike from the foot of the falls.

George Wehner, aged 82, died at his home at Callicoon Center, November 14. He was born at Paterson in 1847, a son of Stephen Wehner and Anna Mider, natives of Germany. In 1855, the family moved to Callicoon Center locating on the farm now known as the Louis Weyrauch farm. Mr. Wehner was married to the former Susan Knack of Beechwoods at Hortonville. She died in July, 1918. Eleven of their 12 children are still living.

Helen Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ben R. Gerow of Liberty, and Ellington T. Bradford of Ellenville, an employee of the O&W Railroad in Liberty, were married November 9th at the Kingston city hospital where Mr. Bradford is recuperating from an appendicitis operation.

80 Years Ago - 1939

Mrs. Barbara M. Gilbert, widow of William Gilbert, a former resident of Callicoon Center, died at her home in Canada on October 30th. Mrs. Gilbert was born at Tennanah Lake on April 14, 1859, and was married to William Gilbert on July 4, 1883. He passed away last March 15 at the age of 80.

Mr. Gustave E. Rudolph, who first came to Jeffersonville with his brother, and later was engaged in the harness making business in Monticello for some time, died at his home in Walden, Orange County, this week. He was 78 years of age.

A daughter, Katherine Ann, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Allen Segar on November 21. The mother is the former Christine M. Sohl.

70 Years Ago - 1949

County Judge William Deckelman was honored by a testimonial dinner tendered to him by the Sullivan County Bar Association at Keener's Antrim Lodge at Roscoe on Monday evening, November 21. Approximately sixty lawyers and judges paid honor and tribute to the judge. Attorney Hyman C. Levine of Jeffersonville was toastmaster. Principal speaker was former County Judge George L. Cooke.

The second fatality of the hunting season in the Orange-Sullivan area was recorded in the town of Fallsburg on Friday afternoon when an 18-year-old Whitestone, L.I., lad was killed by a bullet from his own gun. Joseph Francis Gerber died instantly as a 30-30 bullet crashed into his left temple and emerged from the top of his head as he sat in his automobile in which he made the trip to Sullivan County with his brother, Edward, 24. He was sitting in the front seat with a Winchester rifle, loaded and cocked, against his left shoulder, the muzzle pointed to his head. Apparently in trying to move the rifle, he accidentally touched the trigger.

Paul H. Allen of Kenoza Lake has been appointed to a foreign service by the Economic Cooperative Administration. He will go to Korea early in December where he will have charge of agricultural training with the American Economic Mission in Korea.

Three bears and a wildcat were shot in this region. In the Cochecton section, Arthur Bossert shot a bear Saturday afternoon that weighed 354 pounds when dressed.

The Sullivan County Board of Supervisors is awaiting reaction from the State Welfare Board on a resolution adopted by an 8 to 6 vote, asking for approval of Loomis as a site for a welfare home. The resolution followed a report of three appraisers placing the value of Loomis at $300,000.

60 Years Ago - 1959

Last Thursday evening, the members of Lincoln Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, celebrated the 50th anniversary of their organization.

This week marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Amber's, Jeffersonville, and the first quarter of a century of being in business in Jeff for Sylvia and Nat Bodenstein. Sylvia's father, Isaac Amber, established the original store in 1934 in the building owned by Ben Yager and since purchased by Allen Segar for his Segar's Shoe Store. Sylvia and Nat came into Jeff to run the store and in the past quarter of a century they built one of the most successful retail establishments in the area.

In a simple and unpretentious ceremony, Miss Cheslyn Julia Lisecki was married to Francis Arthur “Stretch” Hanofee on Friday, November 6, by Justice of the Peace Kenneth F. Fisk of Liberty.

Good wishes for a speedy convalescence are extended to John Gorr, who was operated on at Liberty Loomis Hospital Monday morning. “Jack,” the red-headed printer's devil from Jefferson Ave., is now working at the “Register” in Liberty. With a quick recovery he may yet be able to do some deer hunting.

50 years ago - 1969

The total of single contributions and pledges to the Grover M. Hermann Hospital Fund Drive is $237,328.31 as of November 17.

Joan Redington of Jeffersonville brought down a fine 10-point buck on opening day at about 1:30 p.m. on the Redington homestead in the Town of Bethel.

A Monticello youth, Charles Decker, 17, of Rapp Road, was killed at about 5 p.m. Tuesday in a hunting accident near Thompsonville. William “Dick” Sammann of Youngsville was seriously injured in a hunting accident on the Krum farm located on the Behr Road in the town of Bethel.

Irving Shapiro, co-owner of Sullivan's in Liberty, has contributed two Scanlan-Morris water sterilizing units to the Sullivan County Community College. Water to be used in connection with injections into the human body must be carefully sterilized and these units donated by Shapiro will expend Sullivan County Community College's lab training program.

Miss Kathleen Komancheck became the bride of Ricardo Lopez at a very pretty wedding on Saturday, November 8, at Our Lady of the Lake Church in Lake Huntington.

Edward Durrell Stone & Associates have submitted an architectural drawing by Gazess of the new campus of the Sullivan County Community College to be built on a 405-acre tract of land in Loch Sheldrake.

A beautiful photo of the stone arch bridge at Kenoza Lake was one of the features of the travel section of Sunday's The New York Times.

At the Liberty-Loomis Hospital, it was a girl November 7 to Mr. and Mrs. Gary Shaver of Lew Beach; a boy, Kurt Jim, November 8, to Mr. and Mrs. Edward Twadell of Cooks Falls; and a son, Tyrone John, to Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Lauria of Neversink the same day; November 12, a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Norway Houghtaling of Neversink and a son to Mr. and Mrs. James Sennett of Livingston Manor.

40 Years Ago - 1979

Agatha Lane, 22, of South Fallsburg, was crowned Sunday night as Miss Sullivan County for 1980 at Kutsher's Country Club. Sixteen other contestants took part in the competition witnessed by about 400 spectators.

Famed singer and TV personality Tiny Tim made an appearance at the Monticello PBA benefit show last Friday.

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Lare of Jeffersonville have announced the engagement of their daughter, Kathy Lynn, to John F. Gaissert III of North Branch. A June wedding is planned.

At the annual meeting of the New York State Hotel & Motel Association, held September 9-12 at Grossinger's, Elaine Grossinger Etess, executive vice president of the Grossinger's Hotel, was unanimously elected first woman president of the Association.

Bill Brennan of J-YCS became the first Section 9 Class “C” cross-country champion in the history of his school. Doug Johnson placed 6th. Both boys were named to the All-Western Sullivan Cross Country League and qualified for the State Intersection Meet.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert McCor­mick of Westfield, NJ, hosted a 50th wedding anniversary party and dinner for his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred McCormick of Jeffersonville on October 20. Due to Mr. McCormick's ill health, the celebration of the September 14 event was postponed a month.

30 Years Ago - 1989

Mr. and Mrs. Ray Bauer of Hortonville were the guests of honor at a surprise 25th wedding anni­versary party given in their honor at the Fremont Center church hall. Marcia Bauer and Kathy Abram organized the party.

Barbara Smith of Livingston Manor recently returned from a six-day conference in Washington, D.C., at which she participated in a mock Congressional session. She was selected out of 256 Sullivan County students to be a member of the National Congressional Youth Leadership Council.

High winds, swirling snow and sub-zero weather Tuesday accom­panied the second winter storm to hit the county in less than a week… A tornado did considerable damage in the Livingston Manor area last week when the vicious twister dropped centuries-old shade trees and pines on houses and cars, tore part of the roof off a house on Hastings Drive, ripped the roof off a garage on Big Hollow Road and dropped it dozens of yards away on the road and broke many panes of glass in a greenhouse a few dozen feet from the school complex on Route 55. It missed the school itself.

Allison Decker, daughter of Austin and Victoria Decker of Swan Lake, and Steven Kikendall, son of Paul Kikendall of Albany and Monica Layton of Liberty, were married September 9 at the Valley View House in Kenoza Lake… Tammy L. Smith, daughter of George and Joan Pellam of Liberty, and Frank and Mary Gibson of Fallsburg, were married November 4 at the new home of the bridal couple in White Sulphur Springs. Both are employed at Schmidt's Wholesale in Monticello.

20 Years Ago - 1999

Frontier Insurance Group officials are expressing confidence in the viability of their company's future after a recently announced $175.8 million loss in the third quarter and a plummeting stock price. The loss, which is in sharp contrast to Frontier's net income of $14.2 million reported at this time last year, is being blamed by analysts on overly aggressive growth over the years and insufficient loss reserves in the area of medical malpractice claims, which have had to be fortified to ensure proper payments of claims.

The new Monticello ShopRite is now under construction.

A crowd of local officials, members of the Schadt family, friends and other community members gathered along East Main Street in Jeffersonville Saturday afternoon to formally dedicate a pedestrian bridge in memory of Frederick W.V. Schadt and Frederick W.V. Schadt Jr. Both men were attorneys and respected members of the Jeffersonville community.

Lisa Marie Brockner of Yonkers, daughter of Russell and Lois Brockner of North Branch, and Douglas Scott Ondreyko of Yonkers, son of Daniel and Rosemary Ondreyko of Owego, were united in marriage on September 18, 1999, with Rev. David Mc­Carthy of Liberty officiating.

10 Years Ago - 2009

The Town of Jeffersonville threw a farewell party for two of its favorite citizens. By Thanksgiving the Hahns plan to be settled into their new home in Connecticut closer to their daughter. George and Barbara Hahn were Callicoon Center and Jeffersonville natives, George being known to some as Doc for his nearly 40 years as the town's veterinarian. The Hahn's ran their animal hospital in Jeffersonville while Barbara was a nurse at the Liberty Loomis Hospital. George lobbied to save the handcrafted Stone Arch Bridge when the state moved to tear it down, Barbara rescued the old school bell and restored it to a place of honor. They were the parents of the Christmas-time Luminaires that spreads for miles beyond the village. The Hahn's were the forerunners of the JEMS Renaissance group. The Hahn's are imbedded in the town's history.

Marion Roche of Hortonville joined the ranks of the county's centenarians surrounded by her family at the house she's called home since 1945. Her parents bought the Franklin Hotel (later Davis' Inn and now Sidetracks in Callicoon). She married Jim Roche and they started the Callicoon auto dealership still run by her sons, where she worked as a bookeeper for decades.

The Callicoon and Narrowsburg United Methodist Churches welcome new minister Rev. Nelson Kalombo Ngoy and his family. He was a senior pastor of the UMC in the Democratic Republic of Congo for four years and for two years in Zimbabwe.