130 Years Ago - 1895

The furniture and undertaking firm of  Brand and Co. contemplates opening a branch house in Liberty.

The water question is getting pretty serious when downtown people have to come uptown to get their water. Such is the case in Jeff now.

The school bell has a bad crack in its voice and its familiar tones are no longer heard in Jeffersonville. Someone hit it with a hammer last week.

The season has been so dry that the supply of water in the D&H Canal feeders in Sullivan County have been completely exhausted. Wolf, McKee and Fowlwood ponds have been drawn down to the lowest level and Yankee and Masten ponds are nearly dry. Never before in the history of the canal have the Sullivan County reservoirs been down as they are this season.

The Monticello high school opened with 252 pupils in attendance. Of these, 115 were in the primary department, 42 in the intermediate, 23 in the sub-academic and 72 in the academic.

Louis Voegtii is about to have a well drilled on  his farm near the village by Selleck Bros. of Monticello who are at present sinking wells at the sanitarium near Liberty. This is a mighty good time for our people to bore for water if they are short of this indispensable household article.

120 Years Ago - 1905

We understand that the Jeffersonville Supply Co. is negotiating for the store of E.C. Neiger and W.N. Moulthrop at Kenoza Lake, with the idea of establishing a branch of their business there.

Dr. Wilkin, the dentist, now located in Beck’s store, will have his office after October at his residence opposite the Catholic Church. Dr. Wilkin has been kept very busy since coming here to Jeff a couple months ago.

The large boarding house of Eben H. Lawrence at White Sulphur Springs caught fire from the chimney. The building and contents were consumed.

Eller and Many, lumber dealers, have bought all the lumber on the William Young farm between Liberty and Parksville, about 4,000,000 feet. A mill will soon be put in operation on the property.

Jacob Wilfert has his new house on Delaware Avenue rapidly nearing completion. It is a handsome structure and an improvement to the place.

Both Jim Hill and Jack Rockefeller insists that the opportunities for young men never before were so great as at present. That may be true, but as we understand it, there are already about as many life insurance companies in this country as we need.

We publish elsewhere in this issue an article from the Monticello Watchman concerning the refusal of Judge Smith of Monticello to be again a candidate for the office of county judge and surrogate. The people in this end of the county regret to hear the news.

110 Years Ago - 1915

John Cramer, about 45, a blacksmith at Cook’s Falls, was shot and killed by his son, Willie Cramer. The shooting followed a family quarrel in which the son took the part of his mother.

William Kohler, a Liberty plumber and former Jeffersonville boy, is lying ill of typhoid fever at the home of his father-in-law, Mr. Smith, in Liberty.

Work on the state road between White Sulphur Springs and Liberty is progressing remarkably slow. We have been informed that state inspectors sampled some of the stone and sent it to Albany where the department condemned it.

Miss Katherine Matthues, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George H. Matthues of Youngsville, and George Lickel of New York were married in Callicoon Center September 19.

George Hubbert, son of Adam Hubbert of Beechwoods, and Miss Augusta Bernhardt, daughter of Mrs. and the late Philip Bernhardt, were married at the home of the bride’s mother near Kenoza Lake.

While Chester G. Yager was returning from Monticello with a party of people from Wilson’s farm one of those hot days last week, he was overcome by the heat and fainted at the wheel. No one was injured.

The sixth White Sulphur Springs school meeting of the present year was held at Roth’s hall and, as has become the custom, adjourned for four weeks because of the fact that there was nothing else to do. It seems that no word regarding the appeal for consolidation has been received.

100 Years Ago - 1925

Harry C. Patterson, merchant and postmaster at Youngsville, was suddenly taken away by a heart affection, Tuesday morning, when he was thought to be recovering from an illness of ten days.

Oscar Will of Jeffersonville Meat Market has begun the erection of a 30 x 60 foot, two-story hollow tile building on his lot, which was formerly the site of the Goubleman millinery store, next to the Eagle Hotel, both of which were burned down. Mr. Will will occupy the lower floor for his market and the upper for his residence.

Didrik Hansen of Dahlia, who recently bought the lumber mill and residence of Elmer C. Knack of Callicoon Center, has moved there and taken possession. Mr. Hansen is a carpenter and cabinet maker.

John A. and Fred H. Portz have taken over the Tumble Inn garage at Callicoon Center and will operate it.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Leave, son Harold and daughter Ruth, will move shortly from here to Boston. Mr. Leave has been with the Shop Drug Store.

Erie railroad detectives last week recovered two crates of dressed poultry that had been stolen from the cars and hidden in the brush by the side of the railroad near Callicoon. The detectives believe that they are now on the right track to capturing the thieves.

Dr. J. Cameron Gain of Jeffersonville, the regular Republican nominee for coroner, has also received the Democratic nomination.

Louis Supera, who a few years ago bought The Delaware at Callicoon of George Sawyer, has sold the property to the Orth brothers of that place who will take possession in November. The purchasers say they will convert the building into stores using part of it for their automobile business.

90 Years Ago - 1935

Next Tuesday evening the Village of Jeffersonville will vote on the proposition to acquire lands and build a new water supply reservoir on the Seibert and Zopf farms above the present reservoir, at a cost to the village not to exceed $10,000 bonds of which are to be issued, payable $250 each year.

Scheidell and Schmidt, insurance agents of this place, bought the insurance business of Donald D. Curry at Callicoon and Mr. Curry has taken over an agency in Kingston.

Jeffersonville received another shock on Tuesday afternoon, September 17, when Mr. John Murray of the Murray Pharmacy was suddenly stricken.

Harry Roth of Jeffersonville sustained injuries to both hands and Mrs. Bessie Rubin, also of this place, had her right ear nearly severed last Sunday in a collision of cars in Bridgeville. The injured were treated at Monticello Hospital.

Miss Emily Louise Linke of Jeffersonville has been engaged as school nurse here in place of Miss Frances Washbourne of Liberty, and will divide her time between the Jeffersonville, Narrowsburg and Eldred schools.

Miss Frances Meyers, daughter of Mrs. Lena Meyers of Hankins, and Otto, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Wilke of Callicoon, were married at Holy Cross  Church, Callicoon, on September 12th.

Arthur W. Brandt, state highway commissioner, does not speak hopefully of repairing the Delaware River bridge at Hankins, which has been closed as unsafe. He understands the cost of repair would be all of $60,000 and then the job would only be a stop-gap.

80 Years Ago - 1945

Chicken thieves visited the roost of Mrs. Susan Potsch early Tuesday morning and removed eight fowl. The families along the southern ridge of this village seem to be especially chosen for the talents of the nocturnal foragers.

Edward Wolff this week completed the sale of his 60-acre farm at Kenoza Lake to Arthur C. Klevins and wife of Belle Harbor, L.I., and Edwin J. Urbach and wife of Brooklyn, who took the place on contract last spring and conducted a boarding house this summer.

Miss Ethel Louise Baumgardt, only daughter of John P. Baumgardt and the former Kate Bollenback, was married to PFC Allen C. Fowler of Binghamton on September 12.

Sgt. John Mages, who was sent overseas in November following his entering the service three years ago last May, and who saw action in Africa, Sicily and the great Anzio Campaign, France and Germany, returned home Monday after being discharged.

Ensign John J. Swords will be assigned to PT boat duty in the Pacific after completing his course at Melville, R.I.

Work is to be resumed soon on the reservoir at Neversink for the New York City water system. This dam will  cost over thirteen million dollars and will impound fifty million gallons of water. Work was suspended during the war.

The guaranteed minimum wage of seventy-five cents an hour is now bait being offered by those more interested in getting re-elected than they are in establishing sound economic conditions.

Discharged from the service this week were Earl Kohler and Philip Markson of Jeffersonville.

Samuel Bodenstein, employed in Jersey City the past couple of years, is in town for a few days. On December 1 he will take over his bowling alleys in Jeff, leased for the past two years to Victor Vincent.

70 Years Ago - 1955

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Vogeney of Jeff celebrated their silver wedding anniversary on September 16 with a surprise reception given by their children at the Roscoe House in Roscoe.

Rubin Barr, for three years editor of the Sullivan County Evening News at Monticello and the Liberty News and news editor of station WVOS, left last week to join the editorial staff of the Newark Evening News.

The Mothers’ Club of Our Lady of the Angels School will have an evening meeting on October 5th in the basement of St. George’s Church in Jeffersonville.

Roy Sattinger has enlisted in the United States Navy and is taking his recruit training at Great Lakes, Ill.

Mrs. Evelyn Keeler of Youngsville has been elected president of the Youngsville PTA. Mrs. Dorothy Patterson was elected vice president, Mrs. Olive Worden, secretary, and William Danzer, treasurer.

The N.Y. Telephone Co. has launched a million dollar project which will ultimately call for direct dialing by operators of long distance calls from Sullivan County points to New York City.

The marriage of Miss Lyal E. Ebert to Daniel R. Sherwood took place Sunday, September 18, at the North Branch Reformed Church.

60 Years Ago - 1965

The political campaign began shaping up in Sullivan County this week with hotly contested elections for supervisors in at least four townships.

The extremely warm weather makes it almost impossible to realize that the small game hunting season will be open in two weeks.

By a vote of 46 to 44,  White Sulphur Springs Water District residents have approved a six-inch water main along Mineral Springs Road. Construction costs are estimated at $8,230.

50 Years Ago - 1975

A bust of Dr. F.A. Cook was presented to the County Museum on Sunday by the Dr. F.A. Cook Society, President Russell W. Gibbons making the presentation.

Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Lohman Jr. of Narrowsburg announce the birth of a son, Bernard Michael, born September 18 at the Wayne  County Memorial Hospital in Honesdale. He joins a brother, Tommy, 2, at home.

Mr. and Mrs. F.W. English of Long Eddy observed their 50th wedding anniversary September 8 by taking a motor trip throughout northern New York State, Vermont and New Hampshire. They were honorees at a recent dinner of the Sullivan County Rural Letter Carriers’ Association.

40 Years Ago - 1985

Seventy-two members of the descendants of George and Annie Thone Daub held a 19th family reunion at the Delaware Youth Center Field in Callicoon recently.

Don “Lunker Don” Meckle, owner of the D&K Sport Shop in Callicoon, hauled in three bass, weighing exactly 10 pounds, to win the Orange Lake fishing tournament. He recently won a bass fishing tournament at Toronto Reservoir. Don is a member of the Sullivan  County 1st Bassmasters Fishing Club.

“Mother” Martha Finn has celebrated 50 years in church work. A former cook at the old Monticello Hamilton Avenue Hospital, she opened her home to many young people and started a church group in the early 1930s. The pastor of Bethlehem Temple Church, she celebrated her 90th birthday Monday night with a  testimonial in her honor.

The Village of Monticello’s $11 million sewage disposal plant is now in operation on Waverly Avenue. The plant is capable of considerable expansion to accept further anticipated village development.

Robert and Peggy Buckles of Monticello were married on Saturday, September 14. They chose to honeymoon in Acapulco and were in Mexico when an earthquake hit the area last Thursday. Fortunately they were able to escape unharmed. Teresa Gregory of Monticello, a senior at SUNY Brockport, arrived in Mexico about a week preceding the earthquake to study at a Mexican university forty miles south of Mexico City. The college had minimal damage, according to her father, Richard, who was contacted by Brockport after they had a message through a ham operator.

30 Years Ago - 1995

Nel Miros, a cosmetologist in Monticello, was presented with the SYDA Community Service Award before 400 business people, politicians and friends, in recognition of his great contribution to “Look Good. . . Feel Better” for those who are battling cancer. He counsels and assists people who experience hair loss and facial discoloration during their medical treatments and was one of the first cosmetologists in New York State to receive certification for his program. He received $2,500 in cash, a gold vase and a framed certificate in addition to a proclamation from U.S. Congressman Maurice Hinchey.

Richard Martinkovic won the primary for Liberty supervisor race by three votes.

The Youngsville School has now become home to alternative learning program offered by BOCES.

The Roscoe-Rockland Chamber of Commerce hosted a dinner to honor New York Daily News writer  Jerry Kenney who often highlights sportsmen’s activities  in the Roscoe area.

Landfield Synagogue in Monticello, founded more than 80 years ago and home to more than 200 members, welcomed Rabbi Ben Zion Chanowitz to lead the congregation into the future. He and his wife and their eight children moved to the area about two months ago. His goal is to increase membership among the younger people.

Morris Rosenbloom has been awarded the President’s Appreciation Award by the Monticello Kiwanis. Besides all of the work he has done for Kiwanis, Mr. Rosenbloom also has maintained a 40-year perfect attendance record at the club meetings.

Because of his work as a social studies and Chinese teacher at Monticello High School in which he developed meaningful social studies curricula, his involvement with student activities and his support of students when they have difficulties, Richard Shaw was chosen as one of eight mid-Hudson teachers to receive  the 1995 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching from the State University of New York at New Paltz. Because of his own interest in Chinese, he was inspired to develop and teach that language at the high school level.

20 Years Ago - 2005

The engagement of Sheridan Rae Robertson to Robert C. Counts Jr., both of Eldred, has been announced by her mother, Bonnie Robertson of Eldred. The bride-elect is also the daughter of the late Robert S. Robertson. Mary Karen and Robert Counts of Eldred are the parents of the intended groom.

Edythe Johnson of Callicoon celebrated her 102nd birthday on September 11 with about 25 friends and relatives who came to see Edythe take off on a motorcycle ride with Phil Long and his Jack Russell terrier, Scooter, and Edythe’s daughter, Joan. This year they rode up to the Villa Roma and about town so she could see the large banner across Main Street announcing the occasion.

Kirt and Jenny Phelps of Callicoon announce the birth of a son, Colin Jeffrey, on August 9, 2005. Reginald and Alberta Hillriegel of Callicoon are the proud maternal grandparents. Maternal great-grandparents are Arthur Hillriegel of Callicoon and the late Elizabeth “Betty” Hillriegel. Perry and Connie Miner of Adams and Gary and Binnie Phelps of Idar-Obstein, Germany, are the proud paternal grandparents. The paternal great-grandparents are Ken and Ann Browning of Woodville.

Lee and Alyson Cogswell announce the birth of a daughter, Alexandra Emily Cogswell, born June 1, 2005. She joins two brothers, Travis and Ethan. Maternal grandparents are Patrick and Karan Galloway of Liberty. Maternal great-grandparents are June Rhyne of Kauneonga Lake, Jerry Rhyne of Liberty and Rita Calloway of Ocala, Fla. Paternal grandparents are William and Jacqueline Cogswell of Liberty. Paternal great-grandmother is Evelyn Cogswell of Liberty.

10 Years Ago - 2015

Susan Busing woke up Saturday morning with what can only be described as Pope Francis-induced euphoria. Busing was one of dozens of Sullivan County people who on Friday either had tickets to the Pope’s Mass at Madison Square Garden or traveled into New York City for a glimpse of Pope Francis. She said a number of her Jewish and Protestant friends made the trek, attracted by the Pope’s gentle demeanor and the sense that “he has every human being’s best interest at heart.” Once in the doors of Madison Square Garden, Mass-goers were greeted with an unusual sight for the venue that typically hosts Knicks games and rock concerts: priests sat on folding chairs hearing the confessions of those who wished to participate in the sacrament of Penance. As he had done throughout his visit to New York, Pope Francis urged the crowd to “go out and meet others where they really are, not where we think they should be.”

James “JT” Steinberg III successfully achieved the rank of Eagle Scout this year. JT joins his father (James Steinberg Jr.), grandfather (James Steinberg Sr.) and uncle (William Steinberg) in receiving this honor, the third generation to do so in the Steinberg family. JT’s Eagle Scout project was a refurbishment of the old Forestburgh Town Hall. His family has called Forestburgh home for generations, so it was a fitting project – and one that had meaning to JT.