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Down the Decades

September 7, 2021 Edition

Compiled by Lee Hermann, Muse, & Ruth Huggler
Posted 9/7/21

110 Years Ago - 1911

The Monticello Watchman, last week, contained an article to the effect that Jim Hall was forbidden to serve as superintendent of schools in this district because Third …

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Down the Decades

September 7, 2021 Edition

Posted

110 Years Ago - 1911

The Monticello Watchman, last week, contained an article to the effect that Jim Hall was forbidden to serve as superintendent of schools in this district because Third Assistant Commissioner of Education Thomas O. Finnegan had come across a grievous error that he had given Hall his teacher’s certificate without the latter taking the examination for agricultural courses, thereby forbidding him, under the law, to become a school superintendent.

Mr. Jickajah Weise of Narrowsburg, at the age of 108, is the oldest living person in Sullivan County. The 108-year-old veteran is in fairly good health and only a short time ago came tottering up the main street in Narrowsburg without assistance. His residence is actually in Beaver Brook. The figures attesting to his age do not come from Mr. Weise alone, but from the government record from the time he entered the Army back in 1861.

Mr. and Mrs. George Miller of Kenoza Lake are the parents of a daughter born August 25.

On last Thursday night, the Junction House in White Sulphur Springs with all its contents burned to the ground. The family barely escaped in their night clothes.

100 Years Ago - 1921

Charles V. Newman, highway superintendent of the town of Fremont, while supervising the rebuilding of the Long Eddy highway, was severely injured Wednesday evening when his car ran off the Long Eddy-Hankins dugway as he was returning from work. Annoyed by a bumble bee, he lost control of the car and it went over the bank, overturning three times and pinning him underneath, the steering wheel holding him by the foot and the running board holding him down by his neck. It was found that Mr. Newman’s left arm was paralyzed and that he had suffered many bruises about his head and neck. The Ford escaped with a broken windshield, wheel and spring.

Percy Page, while working in the woods near the Pump Station this week, came upon a fine plump rattlesnake with seven rattles. The snake was four feet long and 2 1/2 inches thick.

Otto Pethick has a bumper crop of peaches.

The Callicoon High School will open September 6 with a new principal, Roy C. Ireland of Antwerp, at the helm. He will have eight teachers, with three new ones, on staff.

Saturday evening the large barn of Wm. Cramer was burned to the ground, together with a great quantity of crops. Cause of the fire is unknown but it is thought to have been due to overheating of the hay.

90 Years Ago - 1931

Plans for the establishment of a central rural school district at Long Eddy are rapidly taking shape after a meeting last Friday.

The sale of Otto Hillig’s trans-Atlantic airplane, Liberty, to Mrs. Geraldine Loffredo, Buffalo, aviatrix and parachute jumper, apparently has fallen through due to her inability to raise the $23,000 purchase price. The Liberty photographer is undecided at this time as to what he will do with the plane.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Fisher of Cochecton are rejoicing over the birth of a daughter, VIrginia Claire. Mrs. Fisher was formerly Gladys Ehrle of Mitchell Pond Road.

A mysterious fire on September 2 destroyed P.F. Dermody’s Delaware Valley House and all outbuildings and a small unoccupied house nearby, the property of Mrs. Selina Reily. Nothing could be saved.

A double wedding will occur at the Sullivan County Fairgrounds in the week of September 17. The details will be worked out satisfactorily by the couples to be married and the secretary of the fair who has the arrangements intact. Two couples have signified their willingness and desire to be married during fair week.

This section was shocked to learn Friday of the death of Benson Landon, 74, prominent Chicago attorney and landowner of a large tract of woodland and river flats in the town of Delaware.

According to an article printed in a county seat weekly of January 4, 1878, and again reprinted August 14, 1931, it is recorded that the Cochecton valley was noted for the scene of Fenimore Cooper’s novel, “The Last of the Mohicans.” Can any of our folks locate in their attics records of many years ago that this is actually a fact? Your discussion is invited.

80 Years Ago - 1941

Babies born at the Callicoon Hospital this past week were: a boy to Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Fulton of Kenoza Lake, early Tuesday a.m.; a girl to Mr. and Mrs. Harold Bryan of Youngsville, August 30; a boy to Mr. and Mrs. George Schaefer of Jeffersonville on September 1; a girl to Mr. and Mrs. Daniel LaBarr of Beaver Brook on September 2. Mrs. Fred Sadenwater and daughter and Mrs. Bernard Wolfe and her infant son of Cochecton were discharged.

Mrs. Sarah E. Weir of Mileses celebrated her 90th on August 30. During her lifetime, Mrs. Weir has had the distinct honor of seeing Abraham Lincoln as he lay in state. She was a member of the Methodist Church in Tottensville, Staten Island, and had attended the church 70 years before coming to Mileses to make her home with her niece, Mrs. Barton Cargin.

Miss Mamie Brining, daughter of Bert Brining of Equinunk, PA., and Thomas Day, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Day of Rileyville, PA., were united in marriage August 31 in the Baptist parsonage in Hancock… Miss Hilda Lucille Adams, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Adams of Equinunk, PA., was one of three prize-winning student nurses at the Meyer Memorial Hospital in Buffalo, where 38 student nurses were capped at exercises on completion of six months’ training. Her award was for greatest improvement in scholarship and effort.

White Bros., well-known horse dealers from Galilee, PA., have just brought to their farm one of the finest pair of horses to be found in this section. They are a beautiful team of sorrel geldings, weighing 3,400 pounds. The team took the championship in their class at the recent Syracuse Fair.

A large barn, owned by Melvin Stevenson, was completely destroyed by fire at Bethel early Friday morning. Several teams of horses were removed from the barn but one calf had to be shot after being badly burned.

Jack Benny and Kay Francis can be seen at the Park Theatre in Narrowsburg playing in “Charley’s Aunt.”

Malcolm Dexter, supervisor of the Town of Tusten, went to Allison, Ohio, on Friday to pick up his new plane, a deluxe Taylor Craft two-passenger cabin model. Mr. Dexter’s plane is at the Holbert Field, near Honesdale, PA. Very soon, however, the new field in Narrowsburg will be available. Mr. Dexter plans to build a hangar that will accommodate two or three crafts in addition to two runways, one 1800 feet long and the other 1700 feet in length.

70 Years Ago - 1951

A surprise stork shower and party was tendered Mrs. Dorothy Rumble of Callicoon last Sunday evening at Sky Top. Instead of the customary gifts, the guests were asked to make a donation to the Delaware Youth Center, Inc., one of the projects in which Mrs. Rumble is deeply interested. The donations totaled $432.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kuebler of Callicoon Center are the parents of a daughter, born Friday... Mr. and Mrs. Robert Rode of Roscoe are the parents of a son, born Sunday… Mr. and Mrs. Harold Martin of Damascus are the parents of a son, born Monday… Mr. and Mrs. Robert South of North Branch are the parents of a daughter, born Wednesday… all at the Callicoon Hospital.

Deborah Ann, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Hansen, Carrier St., Liberty, is the first baby to be born at the new Liberty Hospital at Loomis.

Refusal of three residents along the Little Beaverkill to sign releases, may hold up work of flood control, it was admitted last week by Supervisor Leonard Krupp of Livingston Manor. Most of the 51 releases have been signed, but only 10 more are needed before work can be started.

The old Armstrong Hotel at Long Eddy, known in recent years as the Maple Grove House, is undergoing some changes. Mrs. Sydney Miller, the present owner, has engaged Elmer C. Knack to tear down the 3-story portion of the hotel. The original structure will be retained and modernized for an up-to-date residence.

Gary Rosenberger, a member of the Hilltoppers Club, was the only boy of the club to attend the 4-H Fair at Livingston Manor Tuesday but he took high honors. He received a blue aware for having the best artificially bred heifer at the fair. The blue award paid $10 cash. Herbert Bauernfeind is leader of the group.

Miss Gladys Oellrich, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Oellrich of Narrowsburg, became the bride of John Moore of Dekalb on August 19 at Holy Cross Church, Callicoon.

Of the two persons who died and the 17 that were injured in the accident at the foot of Wurtsboro Mountain on July 8, two still remain in the hospital, one in Middletown Sanitarium and one in Monticello Hospital.

Invitations are out for the wedding of Miss Helen Kohler of Roscoe and Raymond White of Sidney on September 9.

Miss Ida Calkins, historian for the Town of Fremont, has resigned. Any resident interested in the appointment is asked to contact Supervisor John Kenney.

Miss Marilyn Meyer of Mileses entertained several little friends at her fifth birthday party on Thursday.

In the Washington Square Methodist Church in Hagerstown, MD., on August 27, Patricia A. Caffrey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Grant Caffrey of Equinunk, PA., became the bride of Lieut. Arnold R. Baum, son of Mr. and Mrs. Adam Baum of Callicoon. He is stationed at Stewart Air Force Base in Newburgh and she is on the nursing staff of Callicoon Hospital.

60 Years Ago - 1961

The American Broadcasting Company featured Narrowsburg’s campaign to get a doctor on its 10:30 pm. Editor’s Choice program Sunday night. Narrowsburg occupied most of the first 15 minutes of the half hour program. Featured were buildings and street scenes about the village and interviews with Dr. Howard C. VanKeuren, the village’s only physician and three members of the committee to get a doctor’s building for the village.

Miss Barbara Williams and Ronald Barnes were married Sunday, August 27, at the Jeffersonville Methodist Church.

Mr. and Mrs. Karl Kelting were surprised with a house warming at their home in Hortonville on Monday evening, August 28. They received a beautiful table lamp from the sixteen guests present.

Mr. and Mrs. Ira Ray and family, formerly of Hankins, have moved to Lisbon, N.H.

Beverly Ann Welton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. Preston Welton of Shandelee, won top honors at the Grahamsville Youth Fair Saturday with her Guernsey senior yearling which was judged Best of Breed. Beverly was judged Senior Champion Showman and Grand Champion Showman. In September, Beverly will show her yearling at the State Fair in Syracuse.

At the Callicoon Hospital, it was a son to Mr. and Mrs. Elvin Swendsen, Damascus, PA., on Saturday; a daughter, Saturday, to Mr. and Mrs. James Erk of Milanville, PA.; a daughter, Monday, to Mr. and Mrs. George Rutledge of Damascus, PA., and on Tuesday, a son to Mr. and Mrs. William Diehl of Seelyville, PA.

50 years ago - 1971

Hickory Ridge Farms in Mileses won all the Hereford classes in which they were entered at the Wayne County Fair in Honesdale, PA., on August 12. The Polled Hereford cattle were named Grand Champion Heifer and Grand Champion Bull. John Schultz owns the farm.

Miss Eileen Euker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Euker of Callicoon, was married on August 28 to Keith Martel of Williamstown, Mass. Following a wedding trip to Canada, they will live in Albany.

Town of Fallsburg Supervisor Milton Levine became the third Catskills area recipient of the B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation League’s “Torch of Liberty Award” during ceremonies held at Grossinger’s last Thursday.

Miss Patricia Wierzbowski and Lee W. Denman, both of Livingston Manor, were married August 14 at the Livingston Manor Presbyterian Church.

At the Liberty-Loomis Hospital, it was a boy, Shaun Michael, to Mr. and Mrs. James LeRoy of Liberty, August 23; a son, Darin Keith, August 24, to Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Kinney of Neversink, a girl, August 25, to Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Kurpil of Cold Spring Road, Liberty.

David Charles Bult, son of Rev. and Mrs. Peter Bult, Callicoon, has been awarded the master arts in education degree at summer commencement exercises at Western Carolina University.

40 Years Ago - 1981

Linda Marie Purcell and Barry Allen Fox, son of Dr. and Mrs. Morton Fox of Woodridge, were married at the Meadowbrook Lodge. A reception followed in the Cavalier Room. He is the manager of the Nevele Country Club in Ellenville. The newlyweds will reside in Spring Glen… Joann Marie Davis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Davis of Livingston Manor, and Mark B. Bowers of Roscoe were married August 1 at the Presbyterian Church in Livingston Manor… Beth Ellen Silverstein, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Silverstein of Monticello, and Laurence H. Shumann were married at the Temple Sholom in Monticello on August 16. A reception followed at Bernie’s Holiday Restaurant.

NYS Lt. Gov. Mario Cuomo will make an appearance October 6 at a dinner held to honor New York State Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals Lawrence Cooke. The dinner is the annual gathering of the Sullivan County Historical Society and will be held at Kutsher’s Resort and Country Club.

Lisa Erlich, Miss Sullivan County, finished as first runner-up to the Miss New York State Teenager Pageant held in Norwich. She is a student at Fallsburg Central School and was one of 1500 girls between the ages of 13-16 who competed.

An estimated $80,000 development plan for the Battle of Minisink Park was presented to the Highland Town Board by two county departments Monday night. The center will include restrooms and maintenance storage.

30 Years Ago - 1991

The five-man delegation of Japanese businessmen and government leaders completed a whirlwind tour of the county and its major governmental, business, education and scenic attractions which resulted in the planting of a flowering cherry tree on the lawn of the Sullivan County Government Center Tuesday. The men planted a similar tree on the lawn of the government Center in Kosugi, Japan, last year when Sullivan County officials visited their country last October.

Three firemen were overcome by heat and exhaustion while at the scene of a fire that destroyed the home of Luke and Gloria Milk in Long Eddy. The fire, discovered by a neighbor, gutted the inside of the old farm house. No one was home at the time.

Middle school students in Liberty will have their own building with the opening of school this week.

The Roche’s softball team, after two big wins this past week, is headed for Hialeah, FL., to play in ten 64-team, double-elimination National Softball Championship. Pitcher Pete Head gained his second consecutive Most Valuable Pitcher Award at the Neal B. Tufler Memorial Softball Tournament in Middletown this past weekend. He pitched one hitters in both games, winning 5-0 and 2-1.

Work is progressing on the new State Police barracks in Liberty which is to be ready for occupancy this fall.

A home-grown college education is more attractive than ever as 100 more Sullivan County students are enrolled at Sullivan County Community College for the fall semester than were registered last year. Tuition is $1,650 per semester, $300 more than last year.

The Huff House in Roscoe is a fourth generation operation. Started in 1889 by Eric and Mary Schleiermacher, their daughter, Wilhelmina and her husband, Joseph Huff, took over the business in 1914. In 1946, Elizabeth H. Huff and her husband, Andrew Forness, took over the reins. Their son, Joseph, was then six months old. After trying his hand at teaching a BOCES program in Florida, managing the Jockey Club in Miami, and a two-year stint at Cross Creek Club in Atlanta, he met his wife, Joanne, and they were married in 1974. They spent their summers in Huff House and wintered in Dublin, GA. By 1982 they were ready to take the hotel business seriously as mother and dad wanted to retire. The 188-acre property may very well be passed on to their sons, Huff Forness, now 12, and Gregory, 11, who already love to do chores around the hotel just as their dad did. Time will tell!

The annual Von Steuben Parade in Yulan is planned for September 21. Baron Von Steuben came from Germany and offered his services to George Washington during the Revolutionary War. His efforts to train the soldiers helped turn the tide of the war. The parade helps commemorate his birthday and to celebrate the area’s German heritage.

Nine children of Sullivan County left for Camp Iroquois in Pen Yan Sunday morning where they will spend a week at the facility sponsored entirely by the New York State Sheriff’s Association. Sullivan County Sheriff Joseph Wasser serves on the executive board of the association.

The Class of 1961 of the Jeffersonville-Youngsville Central School held its 30th reunion at TJ’s Catering House and Restaurant in Jeffersonville with 23 out of 41 members present.

The Frontier Insurance Group unveiled its new corporate headquarters in Rock Hill at a public hearing in the Sullivan County Government Center Tuesday and ran into a wall of opposition from residents of Lake Louise Marie and Emerald Green who feel it will threaten their quiet way of life. Frontier plans to move its Monticello operation to a three-story, 50,000 square foot building on 15 acres of woodland between the Quick­way and Lake Louise Marie Drive, a few hundred feet west of the Rock Hill Ambulance Corps building.

20 Years Ago - 2001

With the capture of 18-year-old Ronald Caruso of Callicoon, a suspect in the deaths of 30-year-old Gary Kays of Callicoon and 19-year-old Luke Leborgne of Quebec, the legal wheels have been set in motion in two different counties and amongst a host of law authorities. Caruso is suspected by police of having shot and killed Kays, a local firefighter and Caruso’s step-uncle, on Tuesday, August 28, after being AWOL from a Kansas Army base for nearly a week. ...Near Westport on the shore of Lake Champlain, he allegedly shot and killed Leborgne, a Quebec native, and stole his car, leaving Leborgne’s body inside the initial getaway vehicle.

The Catskills’ Institute held a “History of the Catskills” conference August 24-26 at Kutsher’s Hotel in Monticello.

The Congregation Ahavath Israel Sisterhood in Liberty is sponsoring the “Learn to Cook Like Your Bubbie” series. All ingredients will be kosher and you will be cooking in the kosher kitchen of the shul in Liberty. Prepare delicious foods and memories!

10 Years Ago - 2011

The Robert Green Chrysler Dodge Jeep Dealership in Monticello recently helped raise $910 for the Emma Chase Elementary School in Wurtsboro with Chrysler’s Drive for the Kids Program. The program offered the school a $10 contribution from Chrysler for every test drive in a Town & Country, the company’s award-winning minivan. Robert Green supplied the vehicles and Chase supplied 91 test drivers during the Anything on Wheels event, as Robert Green experts were on hand to help.

As part of the “Water Snapshot” program sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of the Interior - National Park Service, the 4th, 5th and 6th grade students at Roscoe Central School walked to Riverside Park in Roscoe to perform water quality tests on samples from the Willowemoc River. The program provides students with the opportunity to collect and evaluate the quality and safety of rivers in the Delaware River Watershed, while learning to be good stewards of our waterways and parks.

The 8,000-square-foot, eight-bay garage inside the new Lake Huntington firehouse on County Route 116 (next to the equally new Cochecton Town Hall) hosted a community celebration, with firefighters proudly relating that the structure’s near-$900,000 cost was entirely borne by donations and funds the Lake Huntington Fire Company and Cochecton Fire District already had on hand – meaning there was no tax impact. The firehouse will also accommodate the Cochecton Volunteer Ambulance Corps, which, like the fire department, is relocating from a more than 70-year-old building along Route 52.

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