130 Years Ago - 1896

Conrad Maus of Tennanah Lake purchased ten pounds of Western oats last spring and sowed them. He harvested from that amount of seed fifteen bushels of oats. The stalks grew five feet high and many of the heads were eighteen inches long.

The agricultural fair held at North Branch on Monday was a huge success. The fair grounds are on Louis Bauernfeind’s premises. The horse trot was held on Main Street. The entries for the trot were Charles Schmidt of North Branch and W.C. Brand and C.B. Charlick of Jeffersonville. Schmidt took first money and Brand second. The judges on horses were John W. Peters, Joseph O. Layman and Henry Baker, on cattle, Peter Knack, John Mootz and Ed Knise; on produce, Charles Knise, Joseph Cramer and Fred Stengel.

Invitations have been sent out for the marriage of Miss Carrie L., daughter of Louis Hemmer of North Branch, to Policeman Philip Schmidt of New York on October 11.

Charles Fries of Liberty and Katie Miller of Youngsville were married by Rev. S. Meury at Hortonville, October 5.

James F. Wood of Fremont was unanimously named at the Democratic convention at Monticello Saturday for Member of Assembly. He is the owner of Lakewood Farm (formerly Round Pond), a large summer resort near Roscoe, and is a strong advocate of good roads. Edward C. Neiger of Delaware, has been named Democratic school commissioner for the First District of Sullivan.

120 Years Ago - 1906

Val Scheidell, the local agent, recently sold a Maxwell tourabout to Grant Palmer of Liberty, and while the latter was on his way home from Tarrytown with the machine, he was run into by a large car, his machine wrecked and his arm broken. The accident happened near Tarrytown.

George H. Neumann of Livingston Manor has bought the Hotel Main at that place of John Winslow and will take possession  November 1.

Henry J. Helck, a grandson of the late John M. Helck of Callicoon, walked to Roscoe from his home in New York, arriving at the former place last Thursday at 11 a.m.

Right Rev. Monsignor Edwards of the Archdiocese of New York has purchased about 50 acres of land lying in the rear of St. Aloysius Church in Livingston Manor. This is one of the most valuable properties in that village and will be used for church purposes.

Charles D.A. Schmidt and Miss Carline Dorrer of North Branch were married at Hortonville on September 26th by Rev. S. Meury.

William Bollenbach, the enterprising miller, has built a new stone bridge 22 feet wide across his mill race on the Silver Heights Road, and also walled the race on both sides from the bridge to the mill.

Miss Kate Scheidell returned recently from Scranton where she had her eyes treated and fitted with glasses.

A fishing party, consisting of Theodore A. Grasmuck and wife and L.A. Huebsch and wife of New York, and Charles Homer and John P. Huff of Jeffersonville, went to Stevensville Lake Tuesday and after a delightful day’s sport, returned with a catch of about seventy pickerel and catfish.

110 Years Ago - 1916

The break between the farmers and the milk companies, which has been threatened for some time, occurred Sunday, October 1, as scheduled. According to a notice served on all distributing companies previous to October 1, by the Dairymen’s League, to the effect that all delivery of milk would stop until their demands were met, namely that the farmer’s should receive a higher rate per quart for his product, and that all contracts should be made through the league instead of an individual contract with each farmer. The strike of the farmers affect about all the creameries in this section.

A marriage license was issued to Henry C. Wagner and Mrs. Wilhelmina Homer, both of Jeffersonville, by Town Clerk Edward Homer on Monday.

The members of the First Lutheran Church of Jeffersonville, formerly the Reformed Church, tendered a reception to their new pastor, Rev. George J.V. Schorling, and wife, at the church last night.

William B.  Hartung, son of Gus Hartung of Callicoon, arrived home Saturday from military duty on the Mexican border where he had been stationed all summer as a member of a Rochester company.

Rev. and Mrs. Conrad E. Metzger of Oak Hill, Greene County, are visiting relatives in this vicinity.

Vacant houses are in great demand in Jeffersonville now on account of the married men who have come to work on the state road repair through here.

The Riemenschneider family closed their farm home on the Briscoe Road and have returned to Union  Hill.

Potatoes are now selling for $1 a bushel here and it is said they will go higher.

100 Years Ago - 1926

George DeLap, formerly of Kenoza Lake, whose marriage was noted last week in the Record, has bought the gas station, house and lot at the corner of Fourth Street and First Avenue in Pelham.

Oscar Hoeper and family of White Sulphur Springs have moved into the new house in  Delaware built by Jacob Maslow and John J. Schmidt.

The high school senior class will have a dance at the Grange Hall Friday night, October 15, for everybody who wants to have a good time.

Harry Layman of Jeffersonville has been elected second vice-commander of the Liberty post of the American Legion. George W. Seibert of Callicoon is first vice-commander and Robert Keller of Liberty is the commander.

Over 5,000 admission tickets were sold at the Grahamsville Fair, postponed from Wednesday to Friday of last week on account of rain, and these did not include the hundreds of exhibitors.

The Ku Klux Klan had a county meeting Thursday night with outside speakers and a large attendance and concluded with a spread at the M.E. Church.

Political pie hunters like any kind but lemon.

Elizabeth Huebner, wife of Charles Kehrley, died at her home in Jeff October 5. She was born in New York in 1869 and first came here as a summer boarder more than 20 years ago.

Sarah Rose, wife of Balser Hauser of Callicoon, died in Binghamton September 29, in her 70th year.

Joel C. Fiske, Civil War veteran and at some time special county judge, died at his home in Liberty Tuesday, aged in the eighties.

90 Years Ago - 1936

Roy Page, Johnson City attorney and former  Fosterdale boy, has won the Republican nomination for state senator in the Broome-Cortland-Chenango district.

The new post office building in Liberty will be opened today for business, with Postmaster Ben R. Gerow in charge. All lock boxes have keys instead of combination locks.

The Roosevelt-Lehman volunteers, pledged to work for the re-election of President Roosevelt and Governor Lehman, held a meeting at Otto Hillig’s studio in Liberty last Thursday evening with over 100 attending from every corner of the county.

Surrogate Cooke on Tuesday came over to the Beechwoods to investigate the damage done in the woods of Andrew Glassel by fire which spread from the John R. Davies farm, adjoining, over three years ago. Mr. Glassel filed a claim in Surrogate’s Court for $500 against the Davies estate. Judge Cooke was accompanied by Attorney Frederick W.V. Schadt of Attorney William Deckelman’s office.

Frosts visited some places in these parts during the past week.

Hostesses for the Presbyterian ladies Aid meeting next Wednesday will be Mesdames A. VonBergen, Beck, Beiling, Bollenbach and Buddenhagen.

Ed Schwalbe, Jeffersonville photographer, had the thrill of his life last Sunday evening when he hauled a 5 1/4 lb. bass out of the Hust’s Pond at Kenoza Lake.  He used a sucker for bait and had no more than thrown in his hook when the bass grabbed it. The excited fisherman passed through a severe nervous strain before he finally landed the fighting fish. It was the largest bass caught there this season.

80 Years Ago - 1946

Mr. and Mrs. Charles J.  Maas of Cochecton announced the marriage of their daughter, Martha Zymett, to Master Sgt. Robert E. Williams, son of Raymond Williams of Dallas, Tex. The marriage took place on September 28th.

Mr. and Mrs. Raymond A. Kohler of Richmond Hill are spending ten days at the Charles Robisch farm in the Beechwoods.

Judge and Mrs. Owen W. Bohan of Brooklyn were guests at the Mansion House this weekend. Judge Bohan, an old-time sojourner here, presides in the Court of General Sessions in New York.

A son, Howard, their first child, was born to Irving and Adele Feigenbaum of Jeffersonville, at the Liberty Hospital on September 26. The mother is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Abe Roth of Jeffersonville.

A daughter, Linda Lee, was born to Harold and Gladys Stecker of Jeffersonville, at the Liberty Hospital, September 28. This is their second child.

The first practice was held Tuesday night in the school gym for the newly formed town basketball team. Those present were Henry Knack, Al Crandall, Warren Ruppert, Warren Myers, William Forsbach, Paul Schwartz, Tom Burns, Linnie Dwyer, Melvin Soule, Irving Feigenbaum, John Wunderlin, Jack Swords, John Hemmer and Jess Abel.

70 Years Ago - 1956

Miss Jean Bogert, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Burton Bogert of Callicoon Center, became the bride of John Andreassen of Swan Lake at the First Lutheran Church of Jeffersonville on Sunday, September 30th.

St. Paul’s Reformed Church in Callicoon Center celebrated its centennial with a weekend of special programs. The church was founded in 1856 by local groups of Dutch Reformed and Lutherans, neither of whom had enough money to build a church. They combined and the church was organized as the German Evangelical Church of Thumansville, the name by which Callicoon Center was known at that time. First trustees were Peter Wolf, John Weyrauch, Ludwig, Dantzer, Henry Becker and Valentine Hessinger. The land was deeded by Christopher and Margaretha Kastner for $1 on October  6, 1856. John Wilfert laid the foundation and Christopher and Andrew Kastner did the building.

Youngsville Boy Scouts and Explorers and leaders, John Dunnigan, Cecil Bryan, Albert Berberich and Herbert Harder, drove to West Point Military Academy on Saturday and enjoyed the dress parade and football game.

About 250 guests filled the Lake Jeff Hotel for the annual dinner and dance of the Town of Callicoon Democratic Club and paid roaring tribute to Fred Schadt, Democratic nominee for Special County Judge and Surrogate.

Roy Sattinger is now on duty at Navy Weather Central on the island of Guam.

60 Years Ago - 1966

Mrs. Toni Lou Boatwright and Charles M. Esolen were united in marriage on September 10 before Justice Walter Sipple at Mileses.

Capt. Terrence R. Roche, now serving in Vietnam, has been named assistant deputy post commander at Phu Loi, about 15 miles north of Saigon.

Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Skinner of  Youngsville observed their 50th wedding anniversary on September 10 at a party given by their children and grandchildren.

Mrs. Mary M. Wagner, 89, of Callicoon passed away on September 26 at the Callicoon Hospital.

Thomas Sykes, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward C. Sykes, Hankins, is currently vying for the guard position on the  East Stroudsburg State College football team.

Assemblyman John S. McBride addressed the Delaware Valley Central School PTA and advised voting against the New York State Lottery.

The children and grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. John May of Goulds are holding an open house in honor of their 50th anniversary on October 2.

Nellie C. Stabbert, president of the Callicoon W.S.C.S., was honored by the members on September 21 with a floral arrangement and monetary gift on her forthcoming marriage to Herbert C. Persbacker.

Miss Ruth Freidenstine of Fremont Center became the bride of Arthur Burr Brown on September 24 at the Fremont Center Methodist Church.

50 Years Ago - 1976

The Franklin (Delaware County) American Legion captured first prize with their re-creation of the flag raising at Iwo Jima at the Livingston Manor Rotary Parade, highlight of last Sunday’s Bicentennial Week celebration in Livingston Manor.

The amount of damage to the United National Bank building in Sparrow Bush has been estimated at $35,000, nearly  14 times the $2,600 the robbers got away with last week.

Jon Danchak of Bethel caught a 7 1/2 lb. large mouth bass in Hunter Lake on September 19, at 6 p.m.

Dr. J. Arthur Riesenberg, Liberty, is attending the 28th Annual Scientific assembly of the American Academy of Family Physicians in Boston, Mass.

Catherine Shook was honored on her 90th birthday with a party at the Cochecton Presbyterian Church Hall Thursday.

Miss Kathy Sue Kespert of  Youngsville and Michael M. Orr were married Saturday, September 18 at the Youngsville Community Reformed Church.

Linda Gail Frazier and Glenn S. Borstelmann were married September 11 at St. Anthony’s Church in Yulan.

40 Years Ago - 1986

Liberty firemen battled three major fires over the weekend. A barn was destroyed, a camp worker at Camp Shane was killed in a mobile home fire and two families lost their home on North Main Street in a house owned by Charles Buchal. Two firemen suffered injuries: John Nichols suffered a half-inch gash on his right wrist and Bob Lavelle suffered minor smoke inhalation. Lavelle recovered at the scene and later returned to the interior of the smoke-filled building for fire fighting duties. No one was at home when the North Main  Street fire occurred.

A 30-foot waterfall in the Neversink Gorge is part of the brook which was re-named Sunday in honor of Edward Ringwood Hewitt. Mr.  Hewitt lived much of his life in Neversink where he built a fish hatchery and made many significant contributions in the area of trout culture and management. He studied breeding habits, water temperatures and feeding habits of the trout and developed different types of flies for flycasting.

Arthur “Ike” Friend, 65, well-known Liberty businessman, politician and banker, died Monday at the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown following a long illness. He was a director of the United National Bank in Callicoon and the retired owner of the Gerow Ford Lincoln-Mercury automobile agency in Liberty.  He was one of the first businessmen to open a discount cut-rate gas station in Sullivan County and was also a former part-owner of the Liberty Motel and a former part-owner of the Triangle Diner, both in Liberty.

A recent meeting at the Delaware Valley Central School was well attended by valley residents who want to keep the local Grover M. Hermann hospital open. From all reports, it sounds as though their efforts will be rewarded. The Sullivan County Health Advisory Council gave their support at a Monday meeting in a proposal to establish a medical clinic for indigent county residents. The  Hudson Valley Health Systems Agency has also stated its favorable support to that end.

30 Years Ago - 1996

The county seat, Monticello, played host to an unwelcome visitor on Saturday night as a tornado touched down several times. Only one personal injury has been confirmed but thousands of dollars in property damage was caused by the violent storm.

Cardinal O’Connor celebrated a Mass for Evangelization before 350 county residents Monday evening at St. Peter’s Church in Monticello.

Members of the Happy Footers square dance group celebrated their 25th anniversary at the Eldred Preserve on Sunday. 

Two Liberty High School students, Devin Sokolowski and Andrew Michaels, have been named semi-finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program.

Rose Raimond was honored as Monticello Kiwanian of the Year.

Lester Wallman, a resident of Callicoon, and a member of the Sullivan County Bar Association, served as a judge in this year’s Charles W. Froessel Moot Court Competition held at New York Law School in Manhattan in September.

Harry Rhulen, 32, vice president of Frontier Insurance Group in Rock Hill, received the Sullivan County Child Care Council’s Advocate of the Year Award, which was presented by the council’s president Robyn Gerry-Jardine. Rhulen credited his wife, Jennifer, and other relatives and friends for their assistance in establishing the after-school and summer program for Monticello-area kids at the Foothills Community Center.

20 Years Ago - 2006

The third annual Sullivan County CROP Walk was held Saturday at the White Sulphur Springs’ Firemen’s Park, raising more than $6,000.

The Liberty Central School Class of 1946 met at Cobbler’s on North Main Street in Liberty Wednesday to celebrate their 60th anniversary.

Marie Zalesky of Callicoon got her first motorcycle ride recently courtesy of Philip Long and his Harley Davidson with sidecar. The occasion was Marie’s 99th birthday. (Editor’s Note: see the front page of the Sept. 20, 2016 issue of the Democrat for a photo of Marie celebrating her 109th birthday, albeit without a motorcycle ride.)

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Lt. Deming Lindsley has been named the 2006 Sportsman of the Year by the Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs of Sullivan County.

10 Years Ago - 2016

Virginia and Charles Grant celebrated 66 years of marriage together this past Saturday afternoon, surrounded by family and friends at the Roscoe Community Nursing Home, where they now both reside.

The “Foodstock” fundraiser took place Saturday, September 24 and WJFF Station Manager Adam Weinreich reported that the event was a “tremendous success,” with “more than 300 guests tasting samples and shopping with local vendors (who all donated 10 percent of their sales to the station.” The first-ever Pig Roast was completely sold out.

The Jeffersonville JEMS were faced with weather challenges for their first annual Festival of Balloons, but the field behind Dick’s Auto Sales remained busy through- out Saturday. Kicking off with a balloon launch in the early morning hours, the event included informational sessions on the age-old practice and of course some spectacular balloons.