Week of October 31
October 30, 1875 – 150 YEARS AGO
Rockland County Journal
AROUND HOME
☞ Protracted meetings are being held in Strawtown, one mile east of New City. Mr. Pentz is working hard, and his labors have been rewarded by over fifty converts.
☞ The goods and chattels of Carl Weitzel, the absconding New City shoemaker, were sold at public auction, to satisfy his creditors, on Tuesday. Weitzel still remains <ital>non est<ital>.
☞ At the fall meeting at Goshen Park, on Tuesday, J. E. Haring’s DEUCALION distanced Fleetwood in the first heat in 2.38. It is probably the last race that this fine stallion will ever trot.
☞ Somebody whispers in our ear, that several of our young men who “travel” on their good looks are in the habit of getting “drunker’n a biled owl” when they go out of an evening. They should remember that “beauty is as beauty does.”
☞ The pastor of the Presbyterian Church, Nyack, proposes to renew his discourses upon Old Testament characters next Sunday evening. There will be given some important testimony from the Syrian monuments concerning the Flood, which are of recent discovery.
☞ Two men broke into the stables of the Fairview Hotel, at Spring Valley, on Sunday morning last, but were discovered and fled. Constable Bilyeu afterward arrested one of the men at Pearl River and subsequently lodged him in New City jail. The man lives in Elizabeth, N.J., when at home.
☞ The social hop given at the Opera house, last Monday evening, by Enigkeit Mannie, No. 50, D. O. H., passed off very pleasantly and satisfactorily. There were about ninety couples present, and all conducted themselves in a manner becoming true ladies and gentlemen. There was not a single occurrence during the evening to mar the pleasure of any. The supper was prepared by experienced persons, and was all that the heart could wish. A neat little sum was realized by the Society.
October 29, 1925 – 100 YEARS AGO
Pearl River News
BREAKS WAY INTO JAIL — LONELY WANDERER, DESTITUTE, SEEKS ENTRANCE TO WARMTH, FOOD AND SHELTER IN A NOVEL WAY
About 4 o’clock Wednesday afternoon, October 28th, a man about 50 years old walked into the Palace Restaurant and ordered a cup of coffee. When he was finished he called the proprietor and told him to call the Judge and tell him that he would not pay for the coffee. Mr. Bradford replied that if he was down and out and had no money they would gladly give him another cup and a square meal without any charge.
The hobo replied, “That it wasn’t the coffee that he wanted, but he would like to have a warm place to sleep,” and out he went. About a half hour later a stone was thrown through the window of Oakley Brothers in the Hadeler Building. When investigation was made to find out who threw the stone, they found the same man standing on a corner of Central Avenue and Main Street and when asked why he broke the window he replied that he wanted a winter’s lodging.
An officer was called and he was taken before Justice Haughey who sentenced him to 30 days in the New City jail.
October 31, 1975 – 50 YEARS AGO
The Journal News
HALLOWEEN FUN HAS ITS ROOTS IN PAGAN RITUAL
Children, costumed as spooks, hobgoblins and late model monsters, will parade from house to house tonight in search of treats, probably unaware they are celebrating a ritual with roots in the pagan religions of pre-Christian Britain.
Today Halloween is a time of fun and games celebrated in many nations by many people. But to the pagans it was a solemn occasion with several meanings.
Most traces of the ancient Druid faith in Britain were lost in pre-Medieval times when its believers were won over to Christianity or put to the sword. However, it is known that Oct. 31 was a special day to the Celtic peoples.
The Celts celebrated two major festivals annually, according to established research. Beltane (later, May Day) was held at the beginning of summer and Samhain (Halloween) at the end of summer.
Samhain was the eve of the Celtic new year and one of five ancient fire festivals. It was connected with the return of the herds from summer pasture and the return of the souls of the dead to their homes.
November ushers in the darkest, most barren time of the year, so the autumnal festival took on a sinister significance. It became the day of the year to enlist the aid of the devil and to placate powerful dark spirits.
It was also the most favorable night of the year for divinations on topics from marriage to death.
The Scots also take credit for the modern symbol of Halloween, the jack o’lantern. However, the Scots carved their masks from turnips. Pumpkins were not used for this purpose until the Scots and Irish immigrated to the U.S.
The name jack o’lantern was probably derived from a night watchman, Jack of the Lantern.
It is ironic that the Christians, who tried so hard to wipe out all traces of pagan faiths, usurped the autumnal festival in the ninth century when they designated Nov. 1 as All Hallows, making Oct. 31 All Hallows Eve.
The mischief and pranks of Halloween were apparently brought to the U.S. by the Irish in the late 19th century. The Irish belief that the “little people” played pranks on that night spurred young men and boys to do the same.
This Week in Rockland (#FBF Flashback Friday) is prepared by Clare Sheridan for the Historical Society of Rockland County. © 2025 by The Historical Society of Rockland County. #FBF Flashback Friday may be reprinted only with written permission from the HSRC. To learn about the HSRC’s mission, upcoming events or programs, visit www.RocklandHistory.org or call (845) 634-9629.
