The Catskill Chronicle

Story by Leni Santoro with Photos by Leni Santoro and Sharon Space-Bamberger

Johnny Caesar Cicero Darling was born in 1809. He wasn’t a very tall man, but he made up for it with his adventures and the “tall” tales he told about them. If he were alive today he would be 200 years old; same as Sullivan county and the Town of Rockland in which he resided. Some say he still wanders the woods around Livingston Manor waiting for an opportunity to tell one more tale.

On Saturday, July 18 a few of his friends and relatives threw a birthday party in his honor. Donors to the event included local artist Diane Atkins, whose Johnny Darling Coloring Book was created 20 years ago and has captured the minds and hearts of children ever since. Other donors were Ken and Carol Bloom of Bethel, Melvin and Jan Darling of Ilion, Domesticities and the Cutting Garden of Youngsville, George and Shirley Fulton, Mac and Marilyn Lamoreau, Dick and Mary Lanza, Sharon Jones, the Lazarre and Charlotte Kaplan Foundation, John Johnson, C. Joseph Koerner, the Livingston Manor (LM) Community Center, the LM Chamber of Commerce, the LM Lion’s Club, the LM Public Free Library, the LM Rotary Club, Dottie McNamee, RN, Terry Miller, Shirley Newman, Russel and Pat Olsen, Pro-Build of Liberty, Richard Robinson, the Roscoe/Rockland Chamber of Commerce, Leni Santoro Photography, Staples, Thunder 102’s Mike Sakell, Harold Van Aken – Webmaster Livingston Manor Home Page, Bud Wertheim and the Woodbourne Correctional Facility Print Shop.

The Johnny Darling Frolic was held under a tent on the Livingston Manor School grounds. Originally the island of Purvis, it is here that Johnny would hold sway for hours on end telling tales of his adventures up in Shandelee.

Mia Koerner has been researching Johnny Darling for over twenty years. It was when the LM PTSA was trying to raise funds to build the fitness court that lies on the grounds of LM school, that she approached Diane Atkins to create the original Johnny Darling Coloring Book. But she was not the first to discover the appeal of Johnny and his “marvelous adventures.” Out of print now is a book written by M. Jagendorf entitled, “The Marvelous Adventures of Johnny Darling written in 1940. Jagendorf, a researcher of folk tales and children’s stories, compiled an anthology of over twenty-seven stories told by Darling and remembered by friends and relatives at the time. He believed that Johnny Darling was in fact the model upon which the tales of Paul Bunyan were created. A copy of Jagendorf’s book can be seen in the Livingston Manor Public Free Library.

In addition to the vendors of quilts, pies and more, under the tent thanks to the Sullivan County Historical Society and Johnny Darling descendents Mimi Marion Darling Glancy  and Bridget Biggs from Arizona, visitors were able to peruse photographs and memorabilia of Johnny and his family collected over the years. Mimi and Bridget’s cousin Mel Darling from Ilion, NY was ill and could not make the trip, however the girls made sure he was included in the day’s adventures by having their photo taken with a cut-out of Mel which they sent to him.

A stage was also set-up, re-creating the facade of an old mountain cabin. Here the Kurpil Family Fiddlers, The Happy Footers of Youngsvile, Iris Gillingham – Scottish High Steppers, representatives from the MountainTones marching band and the Back Porch Gang performed throughout the afternoon.  Included in the performances was a play adapted from the Johnny Darling stories and presented by the LM Free Library Players directed Carol Montana of Big Sky Productions. John Deck also gave a performance as Abraham Lincoln. And, the Emcee for the afternoon was none other than the Honorable Lawrence Hall McAvoy. 

Johnny Darling makes rare appearances, but two places you can always catch a glimpse of him are the LM Trout Parade – where his likeness has been re-created by artist Bud Wertheim in a giant puppet that always rides down Main Street surrounded by his supporters and fans. Of course, everyone is encouraged to come back next year to the Johnny Darling Frolic. Meanwhile, to learn more about this remarkable folk hero check out the Livingston Manor Home Page. If you would like to see this event continue, or if you have any information on Johnny Darling, please E-mail: shandeleebrk@hvc.rr.com .

To see more photos from the Johnny Darling Frolic visit the Chronicle on Zenfolio.