News compiled by Ginny Leap from past
issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
Switzerland County Schools have been seeing a large number of students absent this week due o the flu or other viruses. On Tuesday, more than 300 students were absent, and first attendance on Wednesday morning showed 250 students not at school. School superintendent Tracy Caddell said that most school corporations consider closing when the absentee rate reaches 20 percent – which would be about 400 students here.
Karl and Nancy Riley, former residents of Switzerland County who now live in New Castle, Indiana, will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary today (Thursday).
Work has begun in the main intersection of Vevay on a traffic light that will replace the current four-way red flashing light. Workers are now putting the poles in place that will secure the cables that will hold the light. The traffic signal could be up and operational this month.
20 YEARS AGO
Airman Matt May has graduated from Air Force basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He is the son of Mike and Kathy May.
The state accreditation status of Switzerland County Elementary School, which was placed on probation a year ago, has been continued for another year by the Indiana Department of Education.
Kenneth Dewayne Richards pled guilty Monday to charges of murder and child molesting in the slaying in Rising Sun last April 4th of his nine-year-old niece Stacy Renee Lowe, of Switzerland County.
John Haskell has resigned as chairman of the Switzerland County Republican Party, effective March 1st. He said he will continue to be involved in the party, but decided to turn the chairmanship over to someone who has more time than he does.
30 YEARS AGO
Roger Hilligoss, route 1, Florence, was one of three area students nominated for appointments to the United States service academies earlier this year by Ninth District Congressman Lee H. Hamilton. Hilligoss, a student at SCHS was nominated to both the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
The annual Easter Seal campaign to raise money for disabled children and adults gets underway February 21st and will continue through Easter Sunday, April 3rd.
The Vevay Town Board approved the hiring of a City Manager and heard comments from a local citizen about the current transportation problem of the Vevay Police Department during its regular meeting this past Saturday at Town Hall.
40 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Slack of Pleasant are parents of a baby daughter, Carrie Lynn, born January 25th at King’s Daughters’ Hospital in Madison. Grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Chauncey Slack of Pleasant and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Houchens of Dayton, Ohio.
Jerry Gross, son of Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Gross of near East Enterprise, has been named to the Dean’s List in recognition of his scholastic achievement at Southern Ohio Junior College in Cincinnati. Gross attained a 3.41 average of a possible 4.0 in the Fall quarter. He is working toward an associate degree in fashion retailing. He is also editor of the college newspaper and a member of the Gross Brothers music group.
Nancy Jane Mayo of route 1, Patriot, has been named to the elite Distinguished Student honor roll for the first semester of the 1972063 school year at Purdue University. Miss Mayo is majoring in home economics. To gain the Distinguished Student ranking Miss Mayo achieved a grade average of ore than 5.5 out of a possible 6.0.
Diane Osborn of Vevay has been elected corresponding secretary of the Sigma Kappa social sorority at Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky. Miss Osborn is a junior at Georgetown, majoring in elementary education. She is t he daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Osborn, Jr., of 702 West Market Street in Vevay.
50 YEARS AGO
Exploratory meetings were conducted in East Enterprise this week to interview engineers concerning possibilities of a water pipeline through northern Switzerland County.
Switzerland County has an excellent potential for recreational facilities and the coming of the Markland Dam offers an opportunity that potential. This was an opinion expressed by Bret McGinnis, state director of the Indiana State Board of Health, speaking before the Vevay Kiwanis Club last Wednesday night.
The Reverend Marion Garrett, recently installed minister of the Caledonia Presbyterian Church in Pleasant Township, has moved into the church manse at Moorefield and has begun his duties as pastor.
Jim Gridley, former Vevay resident, was one of five members of Indiana University’s 1940 national college basketball champions named to the silver anniversary Hoosier high school honor team. Gridley is the son of Mrs. Pearl Gridley, head of the Switzerland County Auto License Bureau. He graduated from Vevay High School in 1937.
60 YEARS AGO
August Mead, Vevay artist, received an award of honorable mention on his three wood-cut color prints which he entered in a competition at the Hoosier Art Station in Indianapolis.
Charles Scott, proprietor of the Hoosier Theater, entertained the basketball teams from the Vevay and Patriot schools Tuesday afternoon with a special showing of the movie “Harlem Globe Trotters.”
The Vevay Town Board, in agreement with the Trustees of Jefferson and Craig townships, are considering the joint purchase of a new fire truck that could be kept at the Vevay engine house and used wherever called in its area. The crew, like the Vevay company, would be on a volunteer basis with several who would qualify as drivers.
Howard Scott of this county, walked into this office Monday with a giant twist of tobacco measuring about five feet long and weighing more than three pounds. The twist was perfectly smooth. The three-year-old tobacco was grown on the Griffith home farm near Mount Sterling.
S. P. Boggs was the honored guest at a pitch-in supper at his home on Turnpike Street Sunday evening, the occasion being his 84th birthday. Those present included his sons, Edward and Russell Boggs, and their families. John Banta was a caller during the afternoon.
70 YEARS AGO
Shoe rationing, a move by the United States government to conserve the present and future leather supply for the duration of the war, went into effect Tuesday.
Amie R. Rous, one of Switzerland County’s oldest citizens, died Sunday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Scot Clements, in Morenci, Michigan. He had been in ill health for some months past due to the infirmities of his advanced age of more than 95 years.
During the pat few days, two merchants of Markland have sold out their general stores and will either retire or enter some other line of business. Thomas Ethridge, who has operated his store for many years, plans retirement. Ora Gullion is resorted to have purchased the Boyd milk route, which he will operate in the future.
Residents of Switzerland County were reminded today by the local War Price and Rationing Board to begin preparing for the rationing of canned foods which will begin March 1st.
Charles Brett has purchased the Art Chase store in Enterprise and will soon assume charge.
80 YEARS AGO
Mrs. Graydon Robinson, nee Pearl Keith, a native of Switzerland County, died at her home in Ohio County Sunday after an illness of tonsillitis and quinsy.
The barber shop of the late Everett Bledsoe was taken over Monday by Halden Adams of Connersville, a former Vevay boy.
Eli Anderson, aged 79 years, resident of Vevay, died in General Hospital, Cincinnati Wednesday morning. Mr. Anderson was visiting his daughter, Mrs. Tom McDonald, in Cincinnati when he became ill of heart trouble and pneumonia which resulted in his death.
Rudolph Schoffner, farmer of the Plum Creek neighborhood, passed away at his home there Thursday morning following a stroke of paralysis suffered the Friday previous.
90 YEARS AGO
Two ocean-going vessels passed Vevay shortly after noon Tuesday and were viewed by scores of people. The vessels, each 130 feet long and equipped with oil burners and screw propellers, were built in West Virginia and were en route to the Gulf of Mexico and from there will ply along the Atlantic Coast.
Mrs. Clarence Culbertson of Moorefield community died in a Cincinnati hospital early Tuesday following a long illness resulting in an operation performed two weeks ago.
Colonel J. L. McCulloch, 64, former Switzerland County resident, died in Chicago January 28th, following an operation.
Robert W. Glenn, farmer of the Caledonia neighborhood, died at his home last Friday morning of paralysis. He was 71 years of age and had been sick only a few days.
100 YEARS AGO
Harry H. Lamkn, an aged resident of the city, died last Friday as the result of a stroke of paralysis suffered two weeks ago.
Mrs. W. H. Demann passed away at her home in Vevay Friday morning following an illness of many months. She was 39 years of age.
Captain Daniel B. Jaynes died at his home in Vevay Monday, February 3rd, following a 10-day illness. Had he lived until February 14th he would have reached the age of 78 years.
Mrs. A. Parker, aged 82 years, died Saturday at the county Infirmary after an illness of but a few hours.
Married Wednesday, January 20th, Miss Goldie Smoot of near Bear Branch and Harry Osborn of Center Ridge.
120 YEARS AGO
The body of a man about 40 years of age was taken from the Ohio River at Vevay by Valney Peelman, Charles W. and Eugene Peelman.
Oliver Osborn of the Aaron neighborhood have gone to Illinois to make their future home.
Licensed to marry – Frank Grover and Lena Hampton, William H. Turner and Luticia Washer.
Born February 3rd, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. A. L. North of Patriot.
Born February 5th, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Scott of Patriot.
150 YEARS AGO
Captain William Patton is home recruiting for the eastern branch of the 3rd Indiana cavalry regiment. He has already enlisted quite a number.
John F. Doan, Assistant U.S. Assessor for Switzerland County, has kindly furnished us the total amount of taxes and duties assessed in the county and returned for collection. Duty on spirits distilled at the distillery at Patriot $5,398.90; tax on licenses, $1,405; advaloum duty on manufactured articles, $62.49; specific duty on slaughtered animals, $39.90; tax on carriages of all kinds, $110; total $7,025.29.
Died in Pleasant Township January 24th, Silas Woolly in his 76th year.
The Richmond Examiner of January 30th states from Charleston that the federal gunboat J. H. smith carrying 11 guns and 230 men surrendered to the rebels after a severe engagement at Stone River. Our loss was heavy. Another federal gunboat escaped in a crippled condition.