News compiled by Ginny Leap from past
issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
Christina Lynn Wiesmann and Keith Allen Hildebrand announce their engagement and upcoming wedding.
Switzerland County High School held its Junior-Senior Prom on Saturday night at General Butler State Park in Carrollton. Honored this year by being named as Queen and King of the Prom were Queen Leslie Green and King Caleb Hall.
The Academic Super Bowl Science Team from Switzerland County High School has advanced to the state competition, which will be held in Indianapolis on Saturday, May 8th. Team members include: Ron Paradise, Daniel, Clubb, Amanda Gray, and Myles Griffith. Bonnie Fancher is the team’s coach.
The comedy “Dearly Departed” was presented at the Historic Hoosier Theater in Vevay. Cast members included: John Kinman, Nancy Gilliland, Carol Conner, Dennis Kidwell, Cheryl Wheeles, Shane Jackson, Katie Collier, Del Percer and Gil Thompson.
20 YEARS AGO
Wayne Turner was named to the Patriot Town Council Monday night at a Switzerland County Democrat Party caucus. A new council member was needed following the resignation of Terry Mayfield.
The reelection of all three incumbents in Tuesday’s school board election was described by school board president Jim Phipps as a vote of confidence. John Haskell, first elected in 1982, will begin his fourth term in July. Kenny Briggs and Bill Roeschlein, first elected in 1986 will begin their third terms.
30 YEARS AGO
Tonia Scotti and Roger Smith were united in marriage on December 3rd, 1983, in Vevay United Methodist Church. Reverend Robert Winger conducted the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Tony Scotti, Madison and Geneva Scotti of Vevay. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Smith, Bennington.
Airman Troy C. Miller, son of James B. and Robert L. Miller of Vevay, has been assigned to Chanute Air Force Base, Illinois, after completing Air Force basic training. He is a 1983 graduate of Switzerland County High School, received training in organization, customs and human relations. He will leave for a tour in Japan this July where he will get special training in air craft maintenance field.
The Switzerland County cafetorium was the site of a variety show last weekend. A singing duo performed a Lionel Ritchie hit for the appreciative audience while Joelle Roberts and Debbie Thomas got together for a duet of the Debbie Boone classic, “You Light Up My Life.” There were 20 acts which performed during the show, sponsored by the Music and Drama departments at the high school. Band Director Bill Kindle, emceed the show.
40 YEARS AGO
Sandra Kay Banta, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Warren Banta, of Vevay, will graduate Saturday from the Vincennes University School of Nursing. She has accepted a position with Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, and plans to continue her studies toward a bachelor of science degree in nursing.
James Farrar, route 3, Vevay, will graduate May 11th in commencement exercises at Indiana State University in Terre Haute. Farrar, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Farrar, of route 3, Vevay, will be awarded a bachelor of science degree in recreation.
Kathleen Cord will graduate May 12th with a bachelor of science degree in education from Indiana University. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs William Cord, Route 1, Vevay, and a graduate of Switzerland County High School.
50 YEARS AGO
Today is the final day of mail service for Leslie Byram, as he resigns as Vevay postmaster, reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70 after 15 years with the service. Mrs. Ruth Hines will assume duties tomorrow as acting postmaster until such time a new postmaster is officially named.
Funeral services were held Friday afternoon and Masonic services Friday evening for Ray Morrison, 71, Vevay funeral director. He has been a partner in Haskell and Morrison Funeral home since 1930 and a funeral director there for the past 45 years. He died in Cincinnati’s Holmes Hospital following surgery.
Informal ground breaking ceremonies for Public Service Company of Indiana’s 81,000-kilowatt hydroelectric generating station at Markland Dam will be held at the plant site Monday.
60 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Gross (nee Emma Kathryn Curry) are the proud parents of twin boys born at the Madison hospital May 1st. They weighed 4 pounds, 7 ounces, and 4 pounds 10 ounces. They were named Jerry and Larry. Mrs. Lucy Gross and Mr. and Mrs. Landon Curry are grandparents of the twins.
Mrs. Ida Buchanan entertained with a family dinner Sunday in honor of the 62nd wedding anniversary of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Griswold of near Pleasant.
Mr. and Mrs Tom Jacobs of Spring Branch observed their 50th wedding anniversary Sunday, April 25th.
Mrs. Marshall Burnett is this week advertising the opening on Saturday of a new restaurant on Main Street which will be located in the room adjoining Ricketts Jewelry Store.
Ernest Coleman, 65, a native of Switzerland County and until 20 years ago a resident of the Lamb community, passed away Monday evening at his home in Madison.
Mr. and Mrs. Loren A. Jividen of Vevay route 2 are parents of a 7 pound, 4 ounce daughter who was born April 30th at the Madison hospital. She was named Cynthia Fay.
70 YEARS AGO
W.F. Valentine, a former resident of this county, died at the home of his son in Dayton, Ohio April 25th.
Mrs. Lola Webster, wife of William Webster, passed away at her home in Vevay Tuesday evening after an illness of several years.
Miss. Marie Detmer of Patriot and Harold Seiter of Brookville, Indiana were married Saturday, April 29th in Whicomb, Indiana by Reverend John Thompson.
Griffith Dickason, formerly of this county, died at his home in Philo, Illinois, on April 24th, following an illness of two days.
Funeral services were held last Tuesday for Edward G. Byram, 74, former resident of Switzerland County who died at his home in Greendale last Saturday after an illness of long duration.
Mrs. Nellie Bare Archer, wife of Tunis V. Archer formerly of this county, died last week in a hospital in Jacksonville, Illinois.
John Elmer Hufford of Patriot and Miss Williams Davis of Los Angeles, California were married March 11th.
Born April 14th, a daughter, Sharon Ann, to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Braden of Aaron.
80 YEARS AGO
Mrs. Alda Coleman died at her home near Aberdeen Tuesday after an illness of eight weeks, following an automobile accident.
Harry Berkemier of Tapps Ridge and Miss Bernice Krall of Plum Creek were married at the Baptist Parsonage in Madison Aprl 7th.
Thomas J. Vernon died at his home near Vernon Wednesday morning after a brief illness of three weeks.
John W. Heath and Mrs. Bessie Romans, both of vevay, were united in marriage Friday, April 7th, at the Baptist parsonage by Reverend Badgett.
Miss Alic Brown, formerly of Vevay, now residing in Pittsburgh, was united in marriage in that city April 28th to Mr. Edgar A. Beard.
James Franklin Gullion of Patriot and Miss Marjorie Elizabeth Peters of Plum Creek were married April 28th by Reverend Badgett.
E. W. Tilley last week tendered his resignation as Switzerland County Relief Chairman and J. T. Pritchard, also of Vevay, has been appointed to fill the vacancy. Mr. Tilley has had the chairmanship of all federal and state relief work in the county for the past four years, and with his committee relinquishes control with the respect and esteem of everyone.
Born, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. James Boggs of Aberdeen.
Dr. M.F. Daubenheyer, physician and surgeon of Worthington, Indiana, has located in Patriot.
The total precipitation for the month of April was only one inch, according to Captain Graham Bondurant, lockmaster at Dam 39.
90 YEARS AGO
Miss Catherine Davison, aged 50, who grew to young womanhood in Vevay, was killed in an automobile accident in New York City Monday.
The May term of the Switzerland Circuit Court will convene Monday and if the Grand Jury is called women will serve as jurors for the first time in county history. Mrs Lovina Bakes of near Mount Sterling and Mrs. Lou Palmer are the women whose names have been drawn for Grand Jury service. The name of Mrs. Dora Shaw of route 4, Vevay ha been drawn for service on the Petit Jury.
The Standard Oil Company has been negotiating the past week for a site for a warehouse to be erected here.
Mrs. Phoebe Peabody, aged 92, a former resident of Switzerland County, died April 28th in Lamar, Missouri, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. James Graham.
H.E. Cole and son Stacey have rented a room on Ferry Street and will move their restaurant there as soon as the work of remodeling is done.
Mrs. Cecilia Shievelbein, aged 76 years, died Saturday evening at her home on Tapps Ridge after a lingering illness caused by paralysis.
Max Bachrach, who has been operating The Leader Store in Vevay for more than a year, closed out the business Saturday at public auction and has left for his home in Michigan.
Ben Aldred, young farmer of near Vevay, died at his home Monday evening after an illness of less than a week of pneumonia and influenza.
K.L. Hastings, who recently took the Switzerland County agency for Ford cars, has purchased a lot on Ferry Street north of the First National Bank and will build a suitable garage for handling of the Ford business.
Born April 22nd, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. George English of Florence.
Sieglitz and Gaudin have ordered a tank of street oil which will be spread on Vevay streets in a few weeks.
100 YEARS AGO
Eugene Reeves of Vevay was instantly killed when he was thrown from a motorcycle in Varna, Illinois.
Died in Craig Township, April 24th, John Malcomson, aged 72 years.
Francis, 10-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Cole was painfully injured when he was impaled on an iron fence while picking tree blossoms.
Died in Walton, Kentucky, Jeff D. Greenwell, aged 43, formerly of Vevay.
John Kennett, well known banker of Cross Plains, died from injuries received while operating a saw mill at Jacksonville.
Miss Virginia Carver of Florence has been employed in the DuPlan store there.
The steamers Kentucky and Cincinnati have been put back in the Cincinnati-Louisville trade.
Died in Bear Branch, William Cutter, 44 years.
Isaac Pate has started the erection of a home near Bascom.
Died in Dillsboro, Indiana, Mrs. Marion Lostutter, formerly of Posey Township.
Andy Detmer sold his belongings at Patriot and will remove to Richmond Indiana.
110 YEARS AGO
Died near Vevay, May 4th, Phillip Romerill, member of a pioneer county family.
Died in Shelbyville, May 1st, Mrs. Kate Cox Lemmons, 47, a Vevay native.
Miss Anna Webb left this week to make her home in Terre Haute. She was given a farewell party by Miss Madge Fallis.
Graduates from the Vevay High School were Elma Culbertson, Madge Fallis, Anna Webb, Mabel Cotton, Carolena Haskell, Helen Mead, Dorothy Pleasants and Mabel Told.
Died in Canaan, M.E. Smith, well known teacher and newspaperman.
Married in Patriot, Mrs. Florence Sheldon, to Dr. J.S. Snodgrass.
George Moredock of Posey Township has accepted a position with the International Harvester Company in Chicago.
120 YEARS AGO
Doctors Geiger and Reed, dentists, have removed their office to the rooms formerly occupied by Dr. Woollen opposite the Court House on Main Street.
The LeClerc House was closed to the public las Tuesday evening, May 1st, after being successfully conducted for 60 years. This is the oldest hotel in the county and is closely associated with local history. In 1851, Mr. LeClerc built the present handsome three story building. He died July 22nd, 1856, after which his wife, Mrs. Julia LeClerc, took charge of the business and continued it until last Tuesday, when she closed the building as a hotel but occupies it as a family residence.
Died, April 20th, at her home in Sugar Branch, Rosa Marshall, wife of William Marshall.
Eliza Campbell Weaver, formerly of Switzerland County, died in Horton, Brown County, Kansas, March 29th, aged 78 years, 10 months and 19 days.
The Post Office in Center Square has been moved from J. H. Hitckens to O. Courtney’s store.