News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
The Switzerland County School Endowment Corporation approved a plan Tuesday night that will lead to county landowners paying less property taxes next year than originally set. The endowment corporation approved paying up to $713,615 in school debt service in the 2003 school budget. This would remove approximately 31 cents in taxes for landowners.
The Vevay Town Council gave final approval for the sale of the former U.S. Shoe Factory building to BESI Manufacturing Monday night. The move completes a relationship between the town and the company of more than two years.
Jack and Juanita Brown of Westport, Indiana, will mark their 50th wedding anniversary on Friday, October 25th
20 YEARS AGO
The Belle of Louisville sounded its steam whistle as it passed by Vevay Monday afternoon, heading home fro the Tall Stacks celebration in Cincinnati.
An Election Forum, with all local candidates invited to participate, will be held Monday night, October 26th, starting at 7 o’clock in the Hoosier Theater. The public is encouraged to attend. Sponsoring the event is the Switzerland County Chamber of Commerce.
David Wagner, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert R. Wagner, 511 West Main Street, Vevay, has completed his 15 weeks of Marine Corps basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina. After his 10-day leave he will go to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina for more training.
A 50th anniversary open house was held for Mr. and Mrs. Harold Smith of Cross Plains at the home of their daughter, Mr. and Mrs. William E. Hankins. It was also Mrs. Smith’s birthday.
30 YEARS AGO
After 29 years on the Indiana State Police Force, First Sergeant John Scudder announced his retirement from Law Enforcement last Friday morning at the Versailles State Police Post following the Fall Inspection of the Troopers.
Veteran Indiana tobacco man and farmer Edward S. Furnish, of Vevay, is retiring as a district director of the Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative Association, after serving in that post 31 years. He is being succeeded by Roy Elliott, farmer, of Rising Sun.
40 YEARS AGO
Switzerland County’s tobacco farmers may enjoy one of their finest years ever this Fall. Right now, almost everyone is optimistic that the 1972 crop will bring extremely healthy prices – some say as much as $10 a pound. That would be an extremely high price, of course. Last year’s average market price for burley was 81 cents a pound, and that was the highest ever by far.
Ralph Tilley of Vevay, president of the Vevay Deposit Bank, was elected secretary of the newly-formed Independent Bankers Association of Indiana at a recent organizational meeting in Indianapolis.
Mrs. Gertrude Lohide, 83 of East Enterprise, died October 9th at King’s Daughters’ Hospital in Madison.
Harry Slack, Jr., has been transferred to the Franklin district of the United Telephone Company and will move with his family to that area soon. Mr. Slack is married to the former Norma Lee Rayls of Vevay. He has been serving as district plant supervisor in the company’s Lawrenceburg district. He will have the same title at Franklin.
50 YEARS AGO
Some 44 persons, including a Congressman and Congressional candidate and Kentucky and Indiana highway officials, met in Vevay Friday to discuss the possibility of a bridge over Markland Dam.
Jerry Gullion, Vevay appliance dealer, announced this week that he has purchased the Main Street business building previously occupied by Hand’s Department Store.
Newly elected officers of Vevay High School’s chapter of Future Farmers of America include Larry Ellegood, vice president; Terry Criswell, sentinel; Jimmy Liter, president; Kenny Miller, treasurer; Leon Gray, reporter; and Everett Burnett, secretary.
Switzerland County Little Leaguers will be honored Saturday as Vevay Kiwanis Club presents its annual Pancake Day at Jefferson-Craig Elementary School cafeteria.
60 YEARS AGO
Bryan Fitzgerald of near Bennington was painfully injured last Tuesday morning at his farm home when he was pawed in the face by a horse.
Arsenate of lead poisoning which was eaten by a herd of beef cattle on the farm of Luther Penick on Red Hog Pike resulted in the death of eight cows Sunday and the critical illness of two others. The source of the poison was traced to a corn crib where a sack of spray material had burst and spilled out.
The editor of this newspaper belatedly acknowledges with appreciation the recent gift of a fine box of tomatoes from the garden of Clarence Holdcraft of Craig Township.
Lloyd Farrar of Farrar’s Grocery, Walter Gumpp of Vevay Silgas Inc., Eugene Waldropp of Deming’s Variety Store, and Joe Ricketts, one of the local jewelers, were inducted into the Vevay Kiwanis Club Wednesday evening, October 15th, by Jack Sullivan, Jr., Governor-elect of Indiana District of Kiwanis, in a very appropriate ceremony.
70 YEARS AGO
Private William R. Tirey, son of Dr. R. N. Tirey, former superintendent of schools in Vevay, was fatally injured in England last week when struck by a train shortly after he debarked from a transport.
Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Hamilton celebrated their golden wedding anniversary Sunday.
Miss Eleanor Burton, of the staff of the University of Illinois Research Hospital, has enlisted in the Army for overseas duty, and has been commissioned a second Lieutenant.
80 YEARS AGO
Stephen A. Simmons, 77, a Madison livestock buyer, who was well known in Switzerland County, died suddenly of a heart attack Monday morning at the home of Hosea Brooks on Dry Fork near Moorefield.
Mrs. Eva Jackson of Mansfield, Illinois, passed away at her home there October 12th, after a lingering illness of many months. Mrs. Jackson was born in Vevay and spent her early life in the Bennington community.
Dr. Dawson W. Bakes, formerly of this county, and Miss Eleanor Hayes of Springfield, Kentucky, were married Saturday, October 8th, in that city.
Mrs. Dan McCreary died at her home near Vevay Thursday. She had been in ill health for several years, but was able to be active around the house until the day before her death.
90 YEARS AGO
Dorothy Cotton, adopted daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clare Cotton of near Moorefield, died Saturday morning. The deceased, who was 28 years of age, had been in ill health for some time.
Mrs. Lucinda Silvers died Tuesday morning at her home in Bennington. Mrs. Silvers, who was 85 years out, suffered a stroke of paralysis about two weeks ago which resulted in her death.
Mrs. Tom Day died Friday, October 12th, at her home in Vevay, having been in ill health for some time.
100 YEARS AGO
Vevay boys are now gathering their treasures of walnuts and the lad who isn’t adorned with a pair of ebony hands is either sick or lazy.
Counterfeit silver dollars are now in circulation about Lawrenceburg.
Loren Peters and wife of above Vevay will leave shortly for Canada where they expect to enter claim on a homestead.
120 YEARS AGO
Last Friday night a fine horse and good buggy were stolen from Mrs. Rhoda E. Jackson of near Sugar Branch. Saturday morning a man giving the name of Charles Brown of Cincinnati was arrested while driving the rig near Greensburg. He claims to have purchased the outfit.
W. G. Pink, the well-known artist of Risng Sun, will soon come to Vevay and teach a class in painting and drawing.
Died in Vevay Thursday, October 13th, Miss Mattie M. Kelley in the 33rd year of her age. For several years she had been engaged in the millinery business in Vevay.
140 YEARS AGO
While on a visit to Minnesota about two weeks ago, John F. McCreary of York Township met with an accident. While he and several others were hunting, a gun accidentally discharged, the load entering his arm near the shoulder. The muscles are so badly lacerated that it is feared that he will not be able to use his arm again.
Last Sunday as the mother-in-law of Reverend McBride, pastor of the Moorefield Church, was getting into a spring wagon, she slipped and fell and broke her limb.
One day recently Ben Malcolm climbed a big hickory tree to shake nuts and lost his balance, falling a distance of 56 feet, breaking his arm, dislocating his shoulder and receiving severe bruises.
150 YEARS AGO
Civil War news: There has been a great battle near Perryville, Kentucky, between the forces under Union General Buell and Confederate General Bragg. The news indicates that the Union troops were victorious, although our loss was very severe. We have about 2,300 wounded in and around Perryville. Rebel prisoners report their loss at 1,300 killed and 2,000 wounded. Our troops suffer greatly for water and Perryville is entirely exhausted of provisions. Houses and churches were riddled by the fire of artillery. It is located 15 miles southeast of Bardstown.
The annual election passed off rather quietly in this county. The Union candidates received a large majority in the county. Cotton Towmship was the banner township as she gave about 70 majority for the Union. Jefferson Township gave about 60 majority.
Died in Covington, Kentucky, October 11th, Mrs. Margaret Eggleston and mother-in-law of the editor of this newspaper, F.J. Waldo.
The proceedings of the Long Run Baptist Association held at Spring Branch Church September 20th, 21st, 22nd are printed in this issue. Elder Joshua D. Griffith was elected moderator and David Henry, Clerk. It is expected that each church will furnish Elder Jeptha Lewis a history of their own church and he will review and compile the whole. At a Sunday School convention held on Friday David H. Blunk was elected president and John Lewis, secretary.