News compiled by Ginny Leap from past
issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
Belterra Casino Resort has been growing in popularity with gambling customers over the past months, and that popularity has led the resort to unveil plans to expand the hotel by 300 rooms while adding other facilities. Those plans have now been approved by the Area Planning commission, and were also given the go-ahead at Monday’s meeting of the Switzerland County Commissioners. Ground is expected to be officially broken on February 21st for an expansion of the hotel and conference room facilities.
The Indiana Department of Transportation has announced that it will hold a public meeting regarding State Road 101 and its possible extension north to State Road 50.
Two students from Switzerland County have earned degrees from Indiana Wesleyan University. The degrees were conferred during graduation ceremonies held on December 14th. Graduating were Karen Denise Staples of Patriot, who earned an associate’s degree in business; and Cheryl Lynn Conley of Bethel Ridge, who also earned an associate’s degree in business.
20 YEARS AGO
Sharon Ray purchased the first Elvis stamp at the Vevay Post Office from Postmaster Gerri Lynn Dickerson at one minute past noon on Friday, January 8th.
John Kniola, son of Phyllis Kniola of Kiel, Wisconsin, and Toni Hollender, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Griswold, Michigan City, were married Tuesday, December 29th, at the Jefferson County Courthouse by Judge Fred Hoying.
Molli Bovard of Vevay is the winner of the 1993 American Dream Calendar Girl Challenger, a pageant competition held Saturday at the convention Center in Cincinnati, sponsored by English Leather. Among other prizes Molli won a trip to the Bahamas, where she will compete in the American Dream Girl Festival Challenge. She will also appear in the Cincinnati Reds’ Opening Day Parade in April. Molli is employed in the office of Vevay optometrist Chris Sieglitz.
30 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Ball of Vevay will observe their 50th Wedding Anniversary January 23rd with an open house at the Center Square Baptist Church beginning at 2:30 p.m.
During the recent annual Christmas luncheon conducted by the local Randall/Textron Division Company, several employees were honored with “Years of Service” award pins. Receiving 15 year pins were Kay O’Neal, Barbara Peelman, Audrey Harmon, Barry Valentine, James Webber, and Kenny Bright. Receiving 10 year pins were Janet Middleton, Sharon McClure, Janet Shaver, Harold Scranton, Alois Stephan and William G. Barnes.
40 YEARS AGO
Well-known local resident Russell Pickett died Tuesday at King’s Daughters’ Hospital in Madison. He was 69 years old. Mr. Pickett retired as president of the Vevay Deposit Bank on June 21st, 1971, after serving with the bank since 1924. Mr. Pickett served as president of the bank from 1967 to 1971 after serving several years as executive vice president under the late president Harold Chittenden.
Happy Birthday, Mrs. Hattie Jackson! The oldest resident of Switzerland County – she’s lived all but a few months of her life here – Mrs. Jackson was 104 years old last Saturday. And she celebrated in fine style, enjoying congratulatory messages from more than 100 friends and relatives – and President Richard Nixon and Governor-elect Otis Bowen, as well. She resides with her daughter, Mrs. Gladys Moreillon, in Vevay.
Sheriff Thomas McKay is back in the hospital again – the third time since October he’s been hospitalized. He suffered breathing difficulties at about 9 Wednesday morning in the living quarters of the sheriff’s office. Deputy Lomon Hornsby observed McKay’s condition and called for an ambulance.
50 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. H. Ross Jackson of Pendleton, Indiana, Mr. and Mrs. Dale Seymour of Dillsboro, and Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Christman of Pleasant were supper guests Friday evening of Mrs. Gladys Moreillon and Mrs. Hattie Jackson. The supper was in honor of Mrs. Jackson who celebrated her 94th birthday Sunday, January 6th.
James H. Herring, a 41-year-old Pleasant Township farmer, was killed instantly Tuesday at 11:15 a.m. in a tractor accident on the Bennington-Fairview Road near Bennington.
60 YEARS AGO
Frank Snyder, 79, prominent resident of Florence, is near death in King’s Daughters’ Hospital in Madison, where he is receiving treatment for third degree burns over the lower half of his body, which he received when his clothing caught fire in his workshop Tuesday morning. Mr. Snyder is widely known in Switzerland County. He was employed at U.S. Lock 39 for many years. He also gained nationwide recognition by the exhibition of his scale model of the dam, which was perfect in every detail down to the wickets, lock chamber, bear trap and their mechanism.
Funeral rites for Sylvester James, 90, one of Switzerland County’s oldest and most respected citizens, were held December 31st at Quercus Grove. He died on December 29th.
Switzerland County was visited by another stark tragedy about noon Sunday when the bodies of Chester Tindle, 55, his brother, Lee Tindle, 43, and his son, Harold Tindle, 24, were found in their car just inside the Means farm lane at the east end of the upper Indian Creek bridge.
70 YEARS AGO
Mrs. Bernice Deming, chairman of the County Red Cross, has announced that a large shipment of locally made garments is being sent to the general warehouse in St. Louis.
Cadet Lieutenant Dumont Wright will graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, Tuesday, January 19th.
Samuel Allen, who formerly operated a barber shop in Vevay, died at his home in Indianapolis Saturday following a heart attack.
The ferry boat at Vevay, Warsaw, and Lamb are again running after having been tied up because of high water.
Private First Class Robert Cook of this county, now stationed in Miami Beach, Florida, and Miss Dorothy Hughes of Sellersburg, were married Friday evening, January 8th.
80 YEARS AGO
The Hotel Earl at Carrollton was destroyed by fire Thursday evening with a loss of some $20,000.
Mrs. Frances Goode Eggleston, widow of Edward Eggleston, author of The Hoosier Schoolmaster, died at her home in Madison Wednesday after a brief illness of pneumonia.
Fire of undetermined origin destroyed the huge Jones Tobacco Warehouse, a two story residence and a portion of the Madison Lumber Company, all at Madison, Saturday night.
The Bledsoe barber shop in Vevay was opened today for business with Phillip Courtney and Woodrow Scudder in charge.
Mrs. James F. McKay of Brooksburg, route 2, has an orange in her possession which was 40 years old this Christmas and was given to her by Ben McKay, her school teacher, as a Christmas treat. The orange is dark in color, about the same color as a walnut, and is very light in weight.
90 YEARS AGO
Archie Leep., 72, Craig Township farmer, was found dead in bed at his home last Friday morning by Charlie Day, a neighbor. He had been in ill health for four weeks.
While standing in the Gus Bladen grocery store at Florence Saturday night, George Turner, aged about 43 years, was stricken with heart trouble, fell to the floor, and died a few minutes later.
L. W. Golay, aged 74 years, died suddenly at the home of Mrs. Susie Lamson, east of Vevay, Friday afternoon as the result of a heart attack.
100 YEARS AGO
Death has reaped a remarkable harvest in Switzerland County within the last 10 days. From every corner of the county comes the news of the bereavement of various households.
John W. Morris, resident of Vevay, died here January 3rd of paralysis. Mr. Morris was 75 years of age and a veteran of the Civil War.
Henry Stewart, aged 94 years, died at the home of his son, James Stewart, at Vineyard, January 4th of pneumonia.
Joseph Patterson, aged resident of York township, died January 3rd of heart trouble at the age of 80 years.
Alexander Scudder of York Township died January 3rd at his home in Florence of cancer. His age was 71 years.
120 YEARS AGO
Yesterday morning when the mercury registered about zero, Benjamin Waldenmaier, aged 18, was at the river walking on ice, when it suddenly gave way and he was thrown into the water. His cries for help attracted John Graham, who seized a skiff oar and made his way, but by clinging to the oar the two managed to make their way to shore.
The boys have taught the dog of Captain John Patton to chew tobacco. F. P. Dupraz has a colt that pumps water when it wants a drink.
The fortunate people who own sleighs and sleds are having lots of fun right now.
Captain William Culbertson of Moorefield died Monday from an attack of pneumonia at the age of 85 years.
John Cunningham has purchased an auto bus and in the very near future will start a bus line from Fairview to Madison, making the round trip daily.
140 YEARS AGO
A fine team of horses belonging to Nat Mathews of Moorefield became frightened and ran away. The wagon was wrecked and the horses severely injured.
A new iron bridge has been erected over Long Run in Craig Township.
December 27th the distillery of W. F. Pate and Company at Patriot was wrecked by an explosion. No one was injured. The work of clearing away the rubbish was started at once and repairs were started. The mill will resume its business as soon as possible.
Oliver McCreary, living on Log Lick Creek, placed some powder in a stump on Christmas Day and struck a match to it. It exploded and blew a piece of wood against Mr. McCreary’s jaw, dislocating it and otherwise injuring his head.