News compiled by Ginny Leap from past
issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
The obituary on page 2 of today’s edition will report that Wilma James McClellan, age 92, passed away on Saturday, March 8th, at the Swiss Villa Living Center in Vevay. To some readers it is just a name – but for thousands of readers who check in each week to find out the comings and goings of the people in and around Switzerland County, one only needs to know that “Grandma Wilma” passed away, and tears begin to flow. Wilma McClellan has written the news from her home on Tapps Ridge since March 11th, 1976; and when she could no longer live at home, she relocated her reporting duties to the Swiss Villa Living Center in September of 1994, and no matter how she might be feeling physically, she always was ready with her words of wisdom and reports about friends and family. Wilma McClellan was more than a community correspondent for Vevay Newspapers – she was an institution in this community. Sitting down to read the Tapps Ridge news each week was like sitting in a porch swing with Grandma Wilma and having a wonderful conversation with the sweetest and most gentle person you can ever imagine.
20 YEARS AGO
Four months ago, there were two power plant projects proposed for Switzerland County’s near future. Three months ago there was one. Now there is none. On Monday, the Indianapolis Power & Light Company announced it has postponed the power plant it had considered building in the Mexico Bottom area of Switzerland County, two miles north of Patriot.
Corporal James Madison was among the Marines and other U.S. troops visited by President George Bush who stayed on the USS Tripoli, the Navy ship on which Corporal Madison has served since October. He is now in the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia. He is the son of Mary Ann and Mike Leap of Vevay and Mike Madison of Hanover.
An emergency warning siren is working again in Vevay. The siren on top of the Indiana Mercantile building has been repaired and as of Wednesday of last week was back in working order. Town Council member Pete Furnish said the siren will be tested at noon for seven days beginning Friday to be sure that it is working well. After that the siren will be sounded as a test on the first Monday of each month at noon. The siren is one of two emergency warning sirens in Vevay. The Town Council is considering repairing the other one, which is on top of the Courthouse.
In the yard of their home on Market Street in Vevay, George and Elaine Cole have what may be the biggest pecan tree in Indiana. That is what the Coles were told by a horticulturist from Indiana University, shortly after they bought their home and moved to Vevay. They bought the house from Clara Burroughs last fall. Built in 1862, it is known as the Dr. Bear House, after Dr. Lowary Hartford Bear, a longtime Vevay dentist who lived there.
30 YEARS AGO
Paul V. Sieglitz, 58, of Vevay, passed away Saturday morning at King’s Daughters’ Hospital in Madison. He was a third-generation to operate Sieglitz Jewelry Store in Vevay, having owned and operated the store with his mother until his untimely death.
Delmar Scudder, 68, of near Moorefield, passed away Sunday morning at Methodist Hospital in Louisville. He was a Switzerland County Councilman the pat 15 months.
Miss Pamela Kay Watkins, 15, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Glenn E. Watkins of Fairview, has been selected for competition in the 1983 Modern Miss state Finals.
40 YEARS AGO
Funeral services were held Tuesday from Patriot Baptist Church for Ernie Rider, 76, who died Sunday at his Patriot home following a one year illness.
Mattie Blanche Jackson, 89, of Patriot died Friday at the home of her son, Leo, in Patriot.
Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Ray and family have purchased the grocery business of Mr. and Mr. James Ellegood in Moorefield.
50 YEARS AGO
A multitudinous flock of 44 hearty Switzerland County female will set out Saturday to prove themselves better than their supposedly more rugged men folks. The 44 will begin a 25-mile hike from Vevay to Brooksburg and back to Vevay with $50 going to the winner and $25 to the runnerup.
With the sinking of the old power plant into the Ohio River on Monday morning, the last of the original U.S. Locks and Dam 39 structures at Markland was obliterated. All that remains to remind the community of the once familiar landmark are the brick houses which were constructed for dam employee families.
Mrs. Christie Scudder, 83, of Patriot is recovering from bites on her face inflicted by a dog owned by a neighbor, Bennie Minks, last week. Eight stitches were required to close the cuts on her face.
One basketball glory has come to Gary Kemper of Vevay. He was named his team’s most valuable player by Hanover College teammates for the second straight year and final statistics revealed the 5 foot, 11 inch guard as third leading scorer in the Hoosier College Conference.
Vevay’s Jim Stultz and Pat Collier have been named to the Ohio River Valley All-Conference basketball second team for the 1962-63 season.
60 YEARS AGO
John McKenzie of Vevay will observe his 85th birthday on next Tuesday, March 17th, Mr. and Mrs. McKenzie recently observed their 60th wedding anniversary.
Mrs. Mildred Turner has taken over the cream station formerly operated by Mr. and Mrs. John Banta on Main Street.
Mrs. Viola Barker of Vevay who is now residing at the Galbreath Inn in Rising Sun will observe her 90th birthday on Wednesday, March 18th.
Irvin R. Furnish, 61, well-known retired lockman of Ohio River dams, died in the King’s Daughters’ Hospital in Madison last Friday following an extended illness of heart trouble.
The Switzerland County Historical Society has finally acquired a permanent home here in the purchase of the old Baptist church located at the northwest corner of Pike and Union streets.
Harry Brown of Vevay is converting a garage at the rear of the home of Floyd Roland on Main Street into a modern laundromat and expects to have the concern ready for operation next week. Mr. Brown will install automatic washing machines, dryers and ironers which will be rented to housewives for use on the premises.
70 YEARS AGO
Miss Adah Koons, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clinton Koons of Patriot has enlisted in the WAAC and will leave this week for Florida to receive her training.
Miss Melvina Cole of Mount Sterling and Private Marvin L. Curry of near Vevay were united in marriage Friday evening at the home of the officiating minister Reverend Leland S. Courtney.
Jesse Tague died at his home in Vevay Wednesday morning following an illness of only a few weeks.
Marion F. Gardner, farmer of the Bennington neighborhood, passed away at his home Wednesday morning following an illness of only a few weeks.
Marion F. Gardener, farmer of the Bennington neighborhood, passed away at his home Wednesday morning after a period of ill health of several years.
Born March 14th, a son, Gordon Ray, to Mr. and Mrs. Carl Brown.
Born March 13th, a daughter, Lula Jeanette, to Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Leatherbury of Vevay.
80 YEARS AGO
The five banks in Switzerland County will probably resume normal business today as the bank holiday invoked by President Roosevelt ends.
Leonard Cole died at his home near Fairview March 98th after a prolonged illness of heart trouble. He was 69 years of age.
Mr. Elenora Lewis passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Sam Reed, in Vevay Sunday, having been ill for about 10 days.
Born, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Darrell Scott of Pleasant Ridge.
Born March 9th, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. James Boggs of Aberdeen.
Born, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Matt White of Jacksonville.
90 YEARS AGO
A new grocery store to be known as the Urma Store will be started by Clarence Robert next Saturday morning. Mr. Roberts has placed John Gullion in charge of the business.
Alex Bane, 55, shot during a quarrel Sunday morning by his brother, Jess, 52, died in an ambulance en route to the Madison hospital two hours later.
Announcement has been made of the marriage of Ezra Chapman of Patriot to Miss Louise Wade of Rising Sun.
Born to Fred Jester and wife of Five Points, twins, who have been named Harold and Hazel Marie.
Born, a son Wilbur, Jr., to Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Houze of East Enterprise.
Born, a daughter, Mary Alice, to Mr. and Mrs. Harley Reed of Moorefield.
Born, March 11th, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Earl Rutherford of Moorefield.
110 YEARS AGO
Frank Osborn, citizen of Pleasant Township, died at his home near Fairview Sunday night of septic meningitis. Mr. Osborn was 53 years old and his final illness was only one week’s duration.
Samuel Vance and wife, residents of route 2, Vevay, will leave today for Farmers City, Illinois, to make their home.
The greenhouse owned and operated by Mrs. Charles Peters ha been sold to William O. Jaynes.
Mrs. Olie M. Downey, widow of Albert Downey, and formerly of Vevay, died at her home in Pomona, California, last week at the age of 57 years.
120 YEARS AGO
Licenses to marry – John Wolf and Emma Adams; William R. Wagner and Angeline McCreary; William E. Stewart and Nannie B. Shaw; Benjamin A. Bersot and Mattie A. Taylor.
The saloon and hotel conducted by Thomas Joyce and John D. Brindley has ceased business and the National Hotel Building is not occupied.
Born, twins, a boy and a girl, to Mr. and Mrs. Enoch Adams of Craig Township.
The body of Daniel Sullivan who passed away at St. Joseph, Illinois, was returned to Vevay where burial services were held Friday.
Died in Vevay Friday, March 10th, Mrs. Anna Schroeder, widow of L. O. Schroeder. Death was due to diphtheria and Sunday morning her seven-year-old son, Louis, died of the same disease. Another son, Clarence, died September 25th, 1891, also of diphtheria. A little girl, age 5, is all that remains of the family.
Died in East Enterprise Sunday, March 12th, Sallie, widow of Michael Sedam.
Married March 12th at the home of the bride’s parents in Craig Township, Miss Nannie Shaw and William E. Stewart.
150 YEARS AGO
Stephen Stewart and Miss Ann Jackson were married March 10th at the home of Thomas Armstrong near Florence, Reverend D. A. Robertson officiating.
Mrs. Mary R. Gordon, aged 25 years, died in Vevay March 5th.
Civil War news: Daniel Jaynes of Company D, 93rd Indiana Regiment, has returned home. Allen Smith of the same company has arrived home, discharged on account of a wound. Young Bray of the same company died on the wharfboat at Vevay Tuesday. He was from Craig Township and had been sick for some time.