News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
The Swiss Wine Festival held its Prince and Princess contest Sunday night in the Center Stage Showroom at Belterra. Miss Congeniality is Holly Jackson. Mr. Congeniality is Corey Dunaway who is also the second runner up. Princess is Amanda Roberts and Prince is Mitchell Williams. First runner up is Elizabeth Hon and Shane Griffin. Second runner up is Dru Morgan. Third runner up is Lindsay Hankins and Zack Brogan. Fourth runner up is Leslie Green and Jerry Fisher.
Kristi Asbury recently graduated from Indiana State University in Terre Haute with a bachelor of science degree in athletic training.
Family and friends are invited to an open house reception on Saturday, August 14th, in honor of newlyweds Janet Otter and Wayne Strimple.
Amy Jessup and Chad Combs have announced their engagement. She is the daughter of Garry and Rosemary Jessup of near Pleasant. He is the son of Carol Combs of Reynolds, Indiana, and Charles Combs of Buffalo, Indiana. No date has been set for the wedding.
Vevay town officer John Pritchard was recently honored by the Indiana State Police for his heroic actions in using an automatic emergency defibrillator while on duty that helped save the life of Marion Lloyd.
20 YEARS AGO
The 1994 Swiss Wine Festival kicks off next Thursday evening with the Edelweiss princess contest on the festival’s main stage. The contest has attracted 16 entrants vying for the honor of reigning over this year’s events; which will be held for the following three days downtown. The contest will begin at 7 p.m.
Vevay’s own Rita Sullivan has been installed as the Ninth District President of the American Legion Auxiliary. She was elected at the recent State Convention of the American Legion Auxiliary held at French Lick Resort. She will direct 25 Auxiliary units from all around southern Indiana.
The familiar sounds of school buses and lunch bells will fill the air again next week as Switzerland County returns to school for the 1994-95 year.
Ten Switzerland County residents have been honored by the Hoxworth Blood Center for reaching new gallon donation levels during the past year. To give a gallon of blood, a donor must make eight donations. Those honored were: Floyd “Squeaky” Knaus, four gallons; Evelyn Covington, three gallons; Pete Furnish, Carol Raffel, and John Scudder, two gallons; and Lovena Jacobs, David Johns, Woodie Reeves, Kim Turner and Danny Wagner, one gallon.
30 YEARS AGO
The court of the 1984 Edelweiss princess contest is Kimberly Hutcherson, 1984 princess; Pamela Watkins, first runner-up; and Stephanie Sublett, second runner-up.
Switzerland County was well represented on the field as the Switzerland County Marching Pacer Band performed for the pre-game crowd. Another highlight was the performance of the Litle Swiss Polka Dancers on the field before the game. Vevay’s Bud Shuler had the honor of catching the first pitch at last week’s Ohio-Switzerland County Night at Riverfront Stadium. Throwing out the first pitch was Rising Sun coach Mike Wilson. Rising Sun native Roger Webb sang the national anthem. To top off the evening the Reds beat the San Francisco Giants.
40 YEARS AGO
The filming of “A Girl Names Sooner” has wound to a close and Hollywood’s stay here was some four days longer than originally scheduled – and those four extra days mean an extra production cost of somewhere around $50,000 for the 20th Century Fox Film Corporation. As things stand now, the movie will probably be brought back to Switzerland county for the premiere a few weeks before “Sooner” goes on national prime time television on January 31st, 1975.
Cheryl Diane Osborne, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Osborne, Jr., of Market Street, Vevay, and Mr. Jeffrey Louis Pitstick, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Pitstick, of Cedarville, Ohio, were married Saturday afternoon, August 3rd, in t he most Sorrowful Mother of God Catholic Church in Vevay. Father Richard Lawler performed the double-ring ceremony.
Raymond Dance celebrated his 65th birthday Sunday with a family reunion at his home on Parks Ridge – with all of the family all together for the first time in 12 years.
Dr. Robert Stout of Versailles, Kentucky, spent Saturday night with his mother and brother, Mrs. Cora Stout and Carlysle and on Saturday took them to the home of Mrs. Stout’s granddaughter, Kathy and Glenn Mackie at Versailles, Kentucky, for her 84th birthday celebration with all of Mrs. Stout’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren attending.
50 YEARS AGO
Appointment of Mrs. Cogley (Gretchen) Cole, Sr., prominent Vevay attorney, as state parlimentarian, Indiana Federation of Clubs, has been announced by Mrs. David W. Martin.
Patriot water system developers are busy this week in efforts to collect unpaid fees on 52 contracts committed to the soon-to-be initiated project. With an August 12th deadline, the contracts are committed and must be paid. Developers are proceeding on the assumption water rates can be reduced with the more contracts paid.
Leon (Dutch) Buschman of Vevay is going to the birds for his personal enjoyment this summer, finding pigeon racing an intriguing and worthwhile hobby. Dutch is just getting started in pigeon racing and plans to enter four pigeons in his first competition, a 100-mile flight Saturday.
In a candid letter of resignation, Harvey Bastin, Jr., resigned Friday as Vevay High School principal in Switzerland County School Corporation.
Wilbur Houze loaded his mail car Friday morning for the last time as he retires after a tour of duty with the postal service just one month and three days short of 30 years. Serving rural route 2, Vevay, full time he is now a widower and has one son.
60 YEARS AGO
Miss Patricia Ann Bliss, daughter of Mrs. Ada Lock of Vevay and Harold Bliss of Francesville, Indiana, and Charles Neal, son of Mr. and Mrs. Luther Neal of Vevay were married Saturday at Milan, at the home of the Justice of the Peace who used the double-ring ceremony.
Miss Carolyn Scott, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Luther Scott of Florence, and Wilbur Lowe, son of Bryant Lowe of Vevay, were united in marriage Saturday evening at the home of Reverend Harold Fogle in Aurora.
Ralph Tilley of South Bend spent Friday night in Vevay before leaving on Saturday with Mrs. Tilley and their son, Stevie, for Kansas City, Missouri, to make their future home. Mr. Tilley, who has been employed at the Studebaker Company plant, since his return last year from military service in Japan, has been promoted as a car distributor for the recently merged Studebaker Packard Company and will have charge of the Kansas City office.
70 YEARS AGO
Staff Sergeant Vernon L. Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Smith of route 1, Vevay, has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He is a ball turret gunner on a B-24 Liberator bomber currently active in the widespread attacks on Europe.
Technician Herald Marsh, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Marsh, of Cotton Township, has been reported “missing in action” according to a War Department telegram received by his parents last week.
All Switzerland County got a big “lift” this week when it was learned that Corporal Thomas L. Gammon, previously reported to have died in action was alive and is now receiving treatment in a hospital in England.
Frank Overton Hartman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fay Hartman, of Pleasant Township, was killed in action July 11th on the fighting front in France.
Mrs. John Ray of near Canaan received notice that her son, Technical Sergeant Edward R. Wallace, was killed in action in France on July 19th.
Born, a son, to Mr. and Mrs. Gabe Waller of Bear Branch.
80 YEARS AGO
Melvin Hammel of Vevay and Miss Tootsie Tevis of Brooksburg were united in marriage Tuesday evening at the home of the groom’s father, Reverend Frank Hammel, who officiated at the ceremony.
John W. Wrigh, another of our Civil War veterans, died Monday evening at the home of his son, Edward, in Craig Township. He had been in ill health for the past two years.
Russell Pickett of Vevay and Miss Ramona Norris of Rushville, Indiana were united in marriage Sunday afternoon at the bride’s home in Rushville by Reverend Shake of the Rushville Methodist Church.
From August 1st until Wednesday afternoon, 3.94 inches of rain fell.
The Dibble Meat Market, which has been operated for the past 12 years by Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Dibble, has been closed for the remainder of the summer.
90 YEARS AGO
Fire which caused approximately $1,000,000 damage, practically wiped out the business section of Patriot last Saturday morning. Five people were injured or overcome by smoke and 16 buildings were destroyed. Five automobiles, two township school automobile trucks and one school wagon were burned. The fire originated in the M.E. Stewart Garage on the corner of Front Street from an unknown cause.
The 10th annual Chautrauqua is drawing large crowds of people to Vevay this week and up to date each number has been entirely satisfactory.
A cigarette or cigar stub, thrown from the second floor of the Williams Furniture Store, burned a large hole in the top of A. J. Williams’ sedan one day last week.
Heart disease and a spider bite were the two factors that caused the death of Oscar W. Mennett, 67, resident of Fresno, California, who died suddenly Tuesday while driving his car to Santa Cruz. Mr. Mennett was born in Vevay but had lived in California for the past 35 years.
100 YEARS AGO
Dumont Grisard resigned his position at Dam 39 to enter a hospital in Louisville for an appendicitis operation.
Dwight Smith has resigned as mayor of Vevay.
Fred May, an employee at Dam 39, sustained a fractured skull when he fell from a coffer dam into a barge.
The following were nominated on the Democratic ticket for county offices: Clerk, J. P. Curry; Sheriff; John Heady; Treasurer, John Cunningham; Assessor, J. D. Miller; Commissioners, J. Kinder and William Lostutter.
A prize design in embroidery was stolen from Mrs. Jacob Wahl while she was visiting in Chicago.
Byron Tilley has gone to Chicago where he has employment.
Lee Bascom ran a thorn through his hand.
Clarence Otter is pitching baseball for Madison.
Halden Adams has gone to Connersville, where he has employment.
Hugh Cole has accepted a position with the Vevay Flour Mills.
A.B.Y.P.U. was organized at Palmetto Church with William White as president.
Tom Kent’s colt ran away, smashing the buggy and painfully injuring Mr. Kent.
110 YEARS AGO
Edwin Lamson of below Vevay was painfully injured when his foot was caught in a hay press.
James Shaw of Craig Township, prominent citizen, observed his 90th birthday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. E.W. Shaw.
J.E. Brown and sons of Patriot have installed a big refrigerator in their store.
120 YEARS AGO
Mr. L. M. Seavers and sons, below Vevay, last Friday morning caught over 40 pounds of fish on their lines, one of which was a catfish weighing 24 pounds.
Professor Edward B. T. Spencer of John Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, and Miss Lulu Belle Ward will be married at the family residence of Colonel and Mrs. Ward today at high noon.
The post office building at Bennington, a one story frame, burned last Tuesday night about midnight.
On Captain VanOsdol’s farm near Pleasant yesterday, sparks from a threshing machine engine set fire to a lot of straw. Everything was dry as powder and in a short time a threshing machine, 150 bushels of wheat and a lot of straw was licked up by the fiery element.
Captain John Lancaster, native of Craig Township, died at Austin, Missouri, July 25th. At one time he owned and commanded the Madison packet, Nate Williams.
Born, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Miles, of Aaron.
140 YEARS AGO
Rising Sun has a $19,000 debt.
The Vevay Baptist Church has called Reverend T. Warn Beagle.
The County Medical Society elected Dr. B. J. Graves of Florence as president and Dr. T. J. Griffith as secretary.
John Mullen bought the red Finnup house on Seminary Street here.
Married in York Township by Reverend Smith, Alfred C. Weble and Miss Anna Keith.
Lewis Downey of Aberdeen and Miss Azora Bascom of East Enterprise were married July 29th at Hartford, Indiana.
Last Tuesday night Walter Lock, living about four miles from Vevay, lost four stacks of grain by fire. Samuel Leap of the same neighborhood had one stack of wheat burned. It is thought to be the work of an arsonist.
The steamer, Pat Rogers, was burning this morning near Aurora. The boat and cargo are a total loss. The fire started in some bales of cotton and it is thought a deck-hand might have dropped sparks from a pipe into the cotton. About 100 people were on board but the actual loss of life is not yet known.
$117.80 was collected at the toll gate near Vevay during the month of August.
Thomas, son of Crooms and Elizabeth Cotton, died August 4th of a tumor in the stomach.
150 YEARS AGO
Augustus Welch will be a candidae before the Union convention at East Enterprise for the nomination of Representative to the Legislature for the county of Switzerland. He has served his country faithfully in the army for the past three years and certainly has a strong claim to the nomination.
Died of typhoid fever, Baron, 17-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. U.H. Stow of East Enterprise.
General Grant is knocking at the front door and General Sherman at the back door of the Confederacy.