130 Years Ago - 1895

A new law in this state went into effect Sunday, which requires secrecy to be maintained by all who handle telephone messages. Under its provisions any telephone or telegraph employee who improperly reveals a message may be fined $1,000.

Mrs. Lizzie Haliday, who about two years ago killed her husband and two women in Burlingham, Sullivan County, now an inmate at Matteawan, made a murderous assault on an attendant last Friday.

The soldier’s monument, just erected in Court House Square, Monticello, under the auspices of the Board of Supervisors, was unveiled with pleasing ceremonies yesterday.

The Lafayette Gilbert iron foundry in Livingston Manor, which has lain idle since the death of Mr. Gilbert, has been started up under the name of Livingston Manor Iron Works. J. F. Sherwood is manager and Romaine Hinkley foreman.

A community of summer boarders in Hurleyville, Sullivan County, has been riding to and from the city on tickets for which they paid $2.50 although the regular rate is $4.79 and S. Joseph Blank has been arrested for receiving these tickets from one or more dishonest conductors. The charge is larceny.

“Yank” Vonarz brought a couple of specimens of ore in town last week from his farm near Briscoe. He thinks there is coal in it: I don’t think there is anything but stone in it.

Eli Starr, Livingston Manor’s battle-scarred veteran, has deposited with the assessors of the Town of Rockland an affidavit that his house and lot in Livingston Manor were purchased with pension money and has forbidden them to assess the property.

120 Years Ago - 1905

 Henry J. Ferber and Caroline, daughter of Peter Werlau of Hortonville, were married at that place September 6th.

Carrie Nation will lecture in Liberty on September 23.

A Monticello correspondent has informed, on good authority, that a great many law suits will emanate from the Hotel Arlington fire at White Lake. Already several actions have been commenced to recover for personal property lost. Among the heaviest losers in the fire was Mrs. Joseph, an actress who lost diamonds valued at $7,000 to $10,000.

The late Oliver Hofer had the surveying of two new roads in hand here at the time of his death. One was a new short cut road to Youngsville which, it is said, will make the distances a mile nearer. The new section will go through the lands of W.H. Lixfield, George Yager, Wm. LeRoy and E.J. Sheridan to the highway near Ed Fagin’s house.

A daughter was born to Anton Bossley Jr. and wife on September 5.

A novel situation – The Albany Argus says that Dr. Draper recently received a letter from School Commissioner H.J. Knoll of Livingston Manor, telling him that school district No. 10 at Fallsburg had a population of Jewish immigrants who had settled here during the past eighteen months. As it was not possible to form a school district organization in the absence of legal voters in the district, he wanted to know how to proceed to maintain a school there. Officials can find no precedent for the case.

People consider Elihu Root such a great man that some of them expected him to bring the North Pole back under his arm when he returned from the far North.

Never before in the history of the United States has the chief executive been faced with such a number of prosecutions for irregularities in the government service.

110 Years Ago - 1915

The exhibits of horses and cattle at the Jeffersonville Fair Monday were nothing to brag of but the display of automobiles was greater than ever. Unless the management can get more spirit for an agricultural fair it would be better to make it an automobile show.

Sol Cohen of New York, a young man stopping at Rosenzweig’s Waterfalls House, below the village of Jeff, sustained a severe concussion of the brain in being thrown from a wagon headfirst against the highway fender in Kenoza Lake Friday afternoon.

About 400 people were at McKane’s Union Park movies last night to see Otto Hillig’s pictures of the Ellenville flood, the Jeffersonville ball game and the Liberty coaching parade. The tent was not large enough to hold the crowd.

John Borg and Miss Mary Belle Puerschner, two estimable young people of this community, were united in marriage at the Presbyterian parsonage by Rev. Stadelmann last Thursday evening.

While Will Lawrence was driving his car between North Branch and Hortonville Sunday afternoon, one of the steering knuckles broke near Petersburg and the car ran into the bank with great force.

Work has been started on the foundation for J.G. Staib’s new bungalow on West End Avenue. The building will be of cement blocks, furnished by H.U. Krenrich. It is expected to be completed this fall.

Perhaps the most interesting and exciting ballgame ever played here was that on Sunday afternoon between Callicoon and Jeffersonville, when the latter, tying the score, won out in the tenth 7 to 6.

100 Years Ago - 1925

The report was circulated around here on Sunday that the Bear Mountain bridge had collapsed and forty-two cars had gone down with it. The story was false. It is believed that the report was deliberately circulated by persons interested in diverting the heavy holiday traffic from the bridge.

Forty alien residents of Sullivan County were admitted to citizenship at Monticello Tuesday. Among the number were Jacob Yager and Jacob Taberoff of Jeffersonville and Mrs. Julia Mrozek of Fosterdale.

William O. Schaefer of Hancock is teaching the Upper Beechwoods school, his first charge. Mr. Schaefer is a son of Oscar Schaefer, who was born on the John Wilfert place here.

John W. VanSchoick, lumberman and building contractor of Jeff, is dead of gangrenous appendicitis at the Deerpark Sanitarium in Port Jervis, where he was taken Sunday morning to undergo an immediate operation.

Personal Notes — Mrs. Susanna Potsch gave a surprise party to her eldest daughter, Susan, on September 6, in honor of her sixteen anniversary. Eighteen girls attended.

Assistant District Attorney and Mrs. Owen Bohen of New York are at the Voegtl farm for a couple of weeks. Mr. Bohen says the odds are heavy in favor of Walker winning over Hylan for the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York City.

Rev. and Mrs. B. Bohrer of Scranton are at the home of his father-in-law, Charles Schmidt, for a few weeks. Mr. Bohrer still uses crutches as a result of broken ankle bones, sustained in a Sunday School picnic ball game a few weeks ago.

90 Years Ago - 1935

The notorious disorderly resort known as Cherry Lane and Farm Rest on Liberty Road two miles outside of Monticello, was the scene of a holdup by bandits and a raid by the authorities last Sunday night, and the leader of the holdup gang, George Kline, was shot and killed by Sgt. Thomas J. Mangan of the state police at Liberty.

Charles Benedict, aged 57, farmer living near Taylor’s Crossing at Ferndale, accidentally shot himself through the head last Friday at noon, when he apparently stumbled on a flight of steps in the barnyard.

Frederick Weaver of Deposit, commercial teacher in the Callicoon school, was injured in an automobile accident Tuesday evening.

Miss Anne Driscoll of Kauneonga Lake has accepted the position of principal of the school there to succeed Joseph Willis who comes to the Jeffersonville school faculty.

The marriage of Arthur W. Wilfert of Jeffersonville and Miss Margaret Meader of Forest Hills, L.I., took place at the Lutheran Church of Our Savior in Rego Park on Sunday, September 1.

James Archer, aged 30, of Arlington, N.J., one of the bandits who held up the Farmers Bank at Deposit on August 21st and got away with over $5,900 in cash was captured on the sidewalk in New York City last Thursday after he made an appointment with a woman friend by telephone, which the police were tipped off to.

Personal Notes – Nathan Bodenstein and family are moving from the Schneidman building to the Metzger bungalow on Terrace Avenue and Attorney H.C. Levine will occupy the rooms vacated by the Bodensteins. The Levines have been honeymooning all summer at her home in Parksville.

Our former well known townsman, Frank Laufersweiler, who is now living with the Thomas F. Burkes at Amityville, is keeping far ahead of old Father Time in his daily life and is outstepping many a younger man. Recently he made his second flight up into the stratosphere and enjoyed the experience so much that he is looking forward to future flights above the clouds. Frank is 88.

80 Years Ago - 1945

Harry Goldstein, who bought the former Tonissen White House about nine years ago, sold it yesterday to Morris Kaplan of New York, who will take possession October 20th. Mr. Kaplan is a painter and decorator and expects to ply his trade here in addition to keeping roomers as did Goldstein.

We note by a statement of the Bay Ridge Savings Bank of Brooklyn that the president is Robert S. Darbee, descendant of the Rockland Darbees. The vice president is Colin D. Mawer, native of Liberty and an assistant vice president and real estate officer is Harry Kraut, Jeffersonville boy.

Mrs. Lena Faubel moved into her new fabricated bungalow last week — rebuilt from the ice house in the rear of the Dolly Madison Shoppe.

Allen O. Segar, in the Army for a year and a half, for most of that time a military policeman at Buffalo, has been discharged and returned to his home this past week.

Events of the past week would indicate that the much heralded building boom which is predicted to sweep throughout the country,  has begun at Lake Briscoe in a small way, where two dwellings were started last week. Mr. and Mrs. Ted Wyam and Mr. and Mrs. William Danzer have started the ball rolling.

Industrial Notes — August Lott of the Ace Garage, who with James Holmes recently closed war contracts, is now experimenting in his shop with the view of turning out gear blanks, non-government work, and if successful will employ several men. Si Sattinger is turning out wire baskets at his garage but for hotels and restaurants instead of war needs.

Garageman Chellis was called to East Branch to pick up the Pontiac of Mr. Lenzer of Astoria which had received a disabling bump in the rear from a trailer truck when Lenzer made a left turn into a place where he was stopping while training two coon puppies.

Fred Fehling, graduate of Jeffersonville High School, living at Kenoza Lake and former physical director of the Eldred and Callicoon schools, has moved from Syracuse where he was training air cadets, during the war, to Spring Valley, where he will take up physical education work at the central school.

70 Years Ago - 1955

Edwin A. Brand, in his 88th year and son of one of the early settlers of Jeffersonville, died at Liberty Loomis Hospital, Liberty, Tuesday, September 6.

Robert Dowitsch of North Branch and Miss Jean Plumley of Minerva were united in marriage at the home of the bride on August 27th.

Mrs. Anne Schminke, daughter of Principal and Mrs. Erwin L. Baker of Jeffersonville, who graduated recently from State Teachers College and Library of Science at Geneseo, will be librarian in the Liberty Junior and Senior High School.

There are 511 students enrolled at the Jeffersonville Central School for the 1955-56 school year compared with 534 students registered last year, a decrease of 23 students is shown.

Enrollment at Our Lady of the Angels School has reached 74 according to Mother Cecelia Marie, O.S.F. Sister Joanita, O.S.F. will teach the first and second grades, while Sister Elaine Michael will join the school staff replacing Sister Frances Caprini in the third and fourth grades.

Mr. and Mrs. Gottfried Carson of Shandelee announce the engagement of their daughter, Bernice, to Eugene Weissman, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Weissman of Callicoon Center.

Joan Stecker, 12-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Stecker of Kohlertown, was taken Sunday to Horton Hospital in Middletown with polio. It is understood that her case is non-paralytic.

Mr. and Mrs. Al Tonjes of Beechwoods are the parents of a son, Mark, born at the Callicoon Hospital on Monday afternoon, September 5. This is their third child.

Thomas Moran entered Broome Co. Technical Institute at Binghamton on Tuesday.

A daughter, Barbara Helen, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Jess Abel of Jeff on Thursday, September 8.

60 Years Ago - 1965

Well in excess of 100 shots were exchanged between State Police and two men at Wylie’s Resort near Lake Huntington early Sunday morning before the two men gave up, it was reported Tuesday by Ferndale State Police.

A good Labor Day weekend was experienced throughout Sullivan County. Area hotels were full to the brim for the last big weekend of the year. No highway deaths were reported in Sullivan County, but a major shooting spree of several hours during early Sunday marred western Sullivan’s holiday.

Autumn will come early to Sullivan County this year – so far as the foliage is concerned. The heavy frosts Monday and Tuesday mornings of last week turned many of the trees to reds and browns in the higher altitudes of the county.

David DeGraff and his daughter, Nancy, of Williamstown escaped injury on Monday when Mr. DeGraff landed his plane near the Fred Denman farm at Livingston Manor.

More than $100 has been recovered in the theft of a money box from the Delaware Youth Center pool at Callicoon. The theft was perpetrated by two 12- or 13-year-old boys on Monday.

50 Years Ago - 1975

The famous Narrowsburg Century Hotel, built in 1840 and operating continuously since, has been sold to new owners, Mary and Paul Pinna of Fairlawn, N.J., who plan to continue operation of the hotel. They will change the name of the structure back to its original name, the Raftsmen’s Inn, commemorating the days of rafting on the Delaware.

Veteran firemen Valleau Curtis, Floyd Schultz and Howard Bullis of the Callicoon Volunteer Fire Department were honored Sunday at the firemen’s annual clambake where the fifty year volunteers were presented with retirement badges and lapel pins. A special award was given to Floyd Schultz who is still an active fireman, Mack truck centennial decanter as well as an enlarged copy, framed, of the minutes of the meeting at which he was accepted into membership in 1925.

Residents of Liberty will have the opportunity to honor the memory of Francis “Stretch” Hanofee their late supervisor and friend, this Sunday at the dedication of a park named in his honor. Formerly known as Dixie Lake, the park will be known as the Hanofee Memorial Park. 

A break-in at John Eschenberg’s shop in Hortonville on Labor Day night resulted in the theft of ten chainsaws valued at $2500 and the contents of a change drawer valued at about $30 in silver.

Lt. and Mrs. John Vannatta (the former Carolyn Bonhard) are the proud parents of a daughter, Stefanie Lauren, born August 27, 1975. He is a naval aviator currently stationed at Brunswick Naval Air Station in Maine.

The Cochecton Ladies Softball Team has taken first place in the local league, losing one game to Long Eddy out of ten games played. The sluggers are Dorothy Schultz, Mary Ann White, Lynne Freda, Wanda Winglovitz, Denise Johnson, Sue Freda, Joan Gabriel, Betty Blaine, Linda Kurtz, Debbie Johnson, Vicki White, Sue VandeLinde and Joyce Crawford.

40 Years Ago - 1985

Myron “Mike” Friedman was honored by the Livingston Manor Chamber of Commerce in a mini-roast Saturday evening as a tribute to his continued loyal support of his hometown. Mr. Friedman is an attorney with offices in Liberty.

Fred G. Pranger of the Beechwoods displayed an enormous 2 lb. 4 oz. potato which he dug in his garden. He said he has many potatoes nearly this size.

Town of Fremont Republicans have chosen Walter G. Sipple of Mileses to run for town supervisor. Born in the small western Sullivan County village he has served as town justice and been involved in the township’s politics for the past 22 years.

Members and friends of the First Church of Monticello Presbyterian gathered Sunday to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the church. The occasion included dedication of new Chancel Cloths and a new organ.

About 950 members of the U.S. Army’s 83rd Infantry Division, the Thunderbolts as they are known, gathered at the Pines Hotel in South Fallsburg in their annual reunion Wednesday night to relive their combat memories and to make new ones. The 83rd  Infantry Division was the most decorated unit in World War II. The night was enhanced by a speech by General William Westmoreland whose 82nd Airborne Division was relieved by the 83rd at Normandy.  There was a side trip to West Point where the 3200 deceased members of the division were honored in a memorial service.

30 Years Ago - 1995

The new George Ross Mackenzie Elementary School in Glen Spey had a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday before accepting its first students the next day. About 150 people attended.

The Fourth Sullivan County Senior Games will be held next week in various locations in Monticello, Monday through Thursday. It will conclude with a luncheon and announces the winners of the various games. Thursday will end with the playing of bingo.

William “Bill” Neill celebrated his 95th birthday along with his daughter, Doris Bierstine who was observing her 70th at a family gathering at the latter’s home on Catskill Mt. Campground. Bill recalls running to the main road to see his first automobile. He lives alone and enjoys driving his sporty red 1996 car.

Seventy-five balloons were released recently by the children of the Liberty Baptist Church. It is hoped that someone will find a balloon and report back to them. Recently contact was made from someone who found a balloon released in a similar program two years ago.

20 Years Ago - 2005

Perhaps it was the hands of angels, or maybe the hearts of hundreds of local residents that lifted 11-year-old Kerry Horton back up from a 30-foot fall. In June, the Cooks Falls girl’s brand new bicycle caught on the decaying wood of the old O&W railroad bridge and John and Mary Jo Horton’s little girl went over the edge, landing on her right side in the ravine some 30 feet below. The Cooks Falls and Roscoe community has rallied around to help the girl and her family since the accident, and Kerry is now almost fully recovered.

Roseann Barone Balow, executrix of the estate of Theresa Barone (which owns the Wurtsboro Airport), recently spoke for the first time about her attempt to sell the property to developer Shalom Lamm and Town of Mamakating Supervisor Charles Penna’s efforts to take the land by eminent domain. Balow said she was upset with the amount of rumors and half-truths circulating around town. Her father, Anthony, and mother, Theresa, worked 24/7 to “make a business, a profit ... so their children would have a better life than them.”

Even Sullivan County is deploying its “troops” to the disaster zone of the Gulf Coast. Glen Wild Animal Rescue founder Liz Keller and Town of Liberty Dog Control Officer Joanne Gerow left Monday with Gerow’s horse trailer in tow, filled with supplies for the four-legged victims of Hurricane Katrina. [Ed. Note: Keller was called in because her shelter was then a member of the Mayor’s Alliance for New York City’s Animals.] Because animals are still running loose, dog control officers are needed to round them up and provide care at the makeshift shelters that have popped up across the region.

The ninth annual Hendrickson family reunion was held August 21 at the home of Beatrice Schoch in Mongaup Valley. The event was hosted by Carol and Dale Roosevelt, and assisted by Rhoda Tompkins. The oldest member attending was Beatrice Schoch who was six days short of celebrating her 82nd birthday. The youngest was Morgan Van Keuren, a 5-year-old, whose first reunion was in 2000 at three weeks old.

10 Years Ago - 2015

Former longtime Parksville resident Omar Valdes, 102, fulfilled a dream by taking a three-day trip to Washington, DC last month, in a sort of “Honor Flight” – except that the trip took place in a car. Pastor Kenneth Bascom of North Branch drove the Army veteran to the capital and served as his guide so he could visit the various monuments to veterans. Currently living in Hancock, Omar is a member of Pastor Bascom’s Calvary Fellowship on the Upper Delaware River. Omar was born  in Cuba and later, after coming to the United States and becoming a citizen, enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served with the 40th Division in Korea and saw action in many battles during his service from 1951-53. Omar operated an animal shelter in Parksville until he retired at the age of 85.

Trina Pilonero of Silver Heights Farm Nursery made her last trip to Union Square in New York City this past Wednesday, where she’s sold her certified organic, heirloom and unusual herbs and vegetables for years. On her second-to-last day at the Union Square Greenmarket, Pilonero said she’s closing up her Cochecton Center operation to head to West Virginia, where her daughter runs a farm.