News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
Lauren Nicole Haskell was honored as the first baby born at King’s Daughters’ Hospital in the New Year of 1996. She was born at 10:48 a.m. on January 1st, and is the daughter of Eddie and Cindy Haskell of near Vevay. Lauren weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces at birth, and was 20 inches long. He has a big brother, Matthew Lucas Haskell, age 2. Lauren’s grandparents are Charlie and Betty Haskell of near Vevay, and Webb and Gladys Lucas of near Mount Sterling.
W. Gregory Coy of near Vevay has announced his intention to seek the office of judge of the Ohio-Switzerland Superior Court. He will be a candidate in the May primary on the Democratic ticket, opposing John Mitchell, the current superior court judge.
Switzerland County basketball fans are used to the Pacers participating in a holiday tournament in early January, but this year the Jefferson County invitational Tournament has been replaced by a brand new tourney that will take place here in the Pacer gym. The Rivertown Classic will be a four-team affair that will include conference foes Rising Sun and Madison Shawe with newcomer South Decatur.
15 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Lewis celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on November 22nd with a large family gathering at their home. they are the parents of two daughters, Mary Archer and Ethel Althoff, who hosted the 60th anniversary celebration.
Newly elected officials were sworn in during ceremonies held Tuesday, January 1st, at the temporary courthouse in Vevay. Those sworn in included: Ivan Green, Posey Township Trustee; Deborah Stewart, York Township Trustee; Superior Court Judge John Mitchell; Mike Jones, County Council District 4; Guy Townsend, Prosecuting Attorney; Donald Covington, County Council District 3; Lonny Harris, County Sheriff; Bob Bovard, County Commissioner District 3; Charlotte May, Craig Township Trustee; Kim Robinson, Circuit Court Clerk; Joan Armstrong, County Assessor; Kenny Griffin, County Council District 1; Carolyn Griffin, Pleasant Township Trustee; and Chester James, County Council District 2.
20 YEARS AGO
The Switzerland County School Board voted to construct an addition and renovate Jefferson-Craig Elementary School which is over 30 years old and is sorely in need of additional space.
A reception honoring Dilver and Elizabeth Cole will be held on January 12th at the Center Square Baptist Church. The reception will honor the Coles on the celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary.
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Althoff wish to announce the engagement of their daughter Amy Leigh to Michael Davies, son of Mr. and Mrs. Tommy Davies of route 1, Dillsboro. No date has been set for the wedding.
Word has been received from the office of Ninth District Congressman Lee Hamilton that the town of Patriot has been granted a loan by the Farmer’s Home Administration for the upgrading of the town’s water system. The project will be for a well, distribution lines, two ground level water storage tanks, and for rebuilding equipment in the two booster stations.
30 YEARS AGO
It was a rumor last week, but this week it was officially confirmed — Switzerland County is under consideration as the future location of a power plant. An official of the Indianapolis Power & Light Company said Monday that a “site in Switzerland County” is among “a number of sites along the Ohio River in Indiana” being studied by IPALCO as the future home of its power plant.
Roy Branham was elected president of the Vevay Town Board Monday night as the new board held its first meeting. Dwight McKenzie was named superintendent of the town’s waterworks and sewer systems, succeeding Grover Thompson, who retired at the end of last year.
Tobacco markets opened Monday after a 17-day break for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, and after slumping in the pre-Christmas sales season, prices were up. They weren’t up enough to satisfy burley growers, but they were up, on an average of five cents per pound over price levels on most markets when pre-holiday sales closed.
Switzerland County’s Pacers will go all the way up to East Central , instead of Lawrenceburg, to play in this season’s sectional basketball tournament. So will all but one of the teams that have for the last 10 years played in the Lawrenceburg sectional, which was switched to East Central by the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) in a move officially announced Monday in Indianapolis.
40 YEARS AGO
Joseph Krummel, retired Vevay grocer-butcher, died early Thursday morning in King’s Daughters’ Hospital in Madison following a heart attack suffered Wednesday at his home.
Norvin Breeck, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Breeck of 405 Tell Street, Vevay, has won an all-expenses-paid week’s trip to Las Vegas, Nevada, as winner of statewide Fred Astaire Dance Studio dance competition in Ohio.
Captain John W. Spencer of the United States Air Force recently graduated from the rotary wing experimental flight test course at Empire Test Pilot School in Farnborough, England. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Spencer of Vevay.
Norman Houze of East Enterprise and Robert Woodfill of Lawrenceburg took a hunting trip into Canada last week, hunting moose in 35-degree-below-zero weather and in 3 and 1/2 inches of snow. On Wednesday they killed a moose which their guide estimated to weigh 1,300 to 1,400 pounds.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Sullivan of Columbus are parents of a 7-pound baby girl born Christmas Day in Columbus Hospital. The little girl has been named Dana Lynn. Paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Sullivan. Maternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Whitham.
50 YEARS AGO
Lucian Elwood Emery, son of Mr. and Mrs. Shelton Emery of Rising Sun, and Miss Ruth Louise Brown, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James H. Brown of Vevay, were united in marriage at the Methodist Parsonage Saturday, December 31st, by Reverend H.G. Ramsey.
Miss Fanney White, aged 81 years, passed away at her home in Patriot Monday morning after a long illness. The deceased was the last of her family. Miss Fanney was a teacher by profession and devoted her entire life to her work. She taught in the schools of Patriot and Posey Township. Besides general studies she gave her pupils instructions in music and art.
Local school authorities have been notified that the sectional basketball tournament will be played in Vevay. Vevay will play host to nine schools, six from Dearborn, one from Ohio and two from Switzerland.
Phillip Courtney, of Vevay, route 4, has won a 1956 Chevrolet automobile from the Ray M. Baker Insurance Agency, North Vernon., Mr. Courtney, a salesman for the agency, sold more dollars worth of insurance, over a year period, than any other salesman in the company.
60 YEARS AGO
A son was born Sunday, January 6th, to Mrs. Virginia Briggs (nee Virginia Rose) at Christ Hospital, Cincinnati. The baby’s father is stationed at Santa Ana, California.
Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Farrar of Rising Sun, until recently residents of Patriot, have been notified by the Navy that their son, Lieutenant Robert Lee Farrar, who was reported missing on November 25th, 1944, has now been officially declared dead.
Miss Amy Johnson, Superintendent of the Switzerland County Library for the past 15 years, tendered her resignation as Librarian to the Board at its meeting Tuesday evening. Mrs. Flora Humphrey, present assistant, has been named acting librarian.
Miss Elizabeth Manuel and Woodrow M. Adams, both of this county, were married in Versailles recently.
Mrs. Mary Schroeder has sold the walnut tree at her home on Front Street in Patriot. It was one of Patriot’s landmarks, being over 100 years old.
the McKay Brothers have their ferry in operation at Lamb after installing a new diesel motor.
Born, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Davies of Bear Branch.
Born, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Leatherbury of Bennington.
70 YEARS AGO
Gene, little son of Mr. and Mrs. Warren Elsrod, was seriously burned when he fell into a kettle of hot lard.
George Broadwell of Patriot was seriously injured when he fell on the ice at his home.
Mrs. H. M. Thiebaud is recovering from the bite of a spider on her hand.
Lee Elliot was installed as Master of the Masonic Lodge at Patriot.
Married in rising Sun, Mr. Powell Dibble and Miss Norma Hunter.
Married in Madison, Miss Mary McKay and Carroll Wentworth.
Married by Reverend Griffith, Miss Imogene Bate and John Barnhill of Rising Sun.
Married by Reverend Courtney, Miss Thelma Houston and Karl Bennett.
Married by Reverend Courtney, Robert Carlton and Viola Mitchell.
Married in Madison by Reverend Hargett, Miss Lucille Knox and Louis Konkle.
80 YEARS AGO
Miss Beatrice Harlow of Florence was recently married to Mr. Marion Robbins of Aurora.
The residence of Leonard Bennett on Plum Creek was recently destroyed by fire.
Tobacco is selling from $26 to $30 per hundred.
A red hot stove pipe caused a fire at the home of Mr. and Mrs. George Furnish on Main Street in Vevay,
J.P. curry of Vevay took a total of nine prizes at the State Poultry Show in Indianapolis.
New officials of Patriot were sworn into office as follows: Council, William Fletcher, Harry Edrington, Harold McHuron; Marshall, Eph Williamson.
90 YEARS AGO
The river is in flood stage here with the gauge at 47.2 feet.
Dr. L. H. Bear, County Health Officer, announced that there were 78 more births than deaths during the past year.
Harvey Ferguson will receive the M. M. degree in the Fairview Masonic Lodge.
Herb Archer of the Scotch Settlement got 10 cents per pound for his crop of tobacco.
100 YEARS AGO
Died in Pleasant, Guy Stanley Ryan, well known young school teacher, from a rifle wound inflicted by Jinnie Moody of Vevay.
Married at the Baptist Parsonage here by Reverend Langley, Miss Mary Joyce and Joseph Krummel, popular Vevay couple.
110 YEARS AGO
Married in Gratz, Kentucky, December 25th, Miss Myra A. Minish of that town and Edward Finley Smith, formerly of Vevay.
Married December 24th, by Reverend Seymour, Miss Lyda Heath and Reuben Crutcher, all of this county.
Married at Egypt Bottom, Mrs. Kate Steffen and Herman H. Bodey.
Elias R. Protsman received a telegram that his son, Dr. Albert Protsman, had been fatally injured in a cab crash in Philadelphia.
Married at Center Square January 1st, Miss Fanny M. Clevenger and Edward Lamson.
130 YEARS AGO
John H. Wright, formerly of Vevay, has started a newspaper at Carrollton called “The Independent.”
Belden and Bakes are grinding buckwheat at their mill on Indian Creek.
The new steam freight packet “U. P. Schenck” has arrived at Vevay. The boat is 250 feet long, 41 feet wide and cost $42,000.
Married at the Home Chapel Church on December 19th, by Reverend Kinnear, Miss Nancy Demaree and John H. Reed.
Married in Vevay, December 23rd, by Reverend R. D. Black, Miss Susie A. Rochat to Thomas Gordon.
Ghent has two broom factories.
Married at Fairview, December 29th, by Reverend Isaac Turner, Miss Julia L. Buttles to Bartlett Morrison.
Married in Jefferson Township, December 22nd, by Squire Americus Benedict, Miss Susan Bodle and George Kelleher.
Married in Cotton Township, December 29th by Elder R. A. P. Buchanan, Nancy Buttles of this county and Albert Sturm of Peoria, Illinois.
The store of James Gibbs at Fairview was robbed of about $500 worth of goods.
the big hay press barn of Elias H. Vandorin in Posey Township was destroyed by fire with a loss of $2,800.
Bedford Thiebaud and wife have a new son born in Vevay.
140 YEARS AGO
Married near Center Square December 20th, Miss Eliza Ogle and Reverend J. Craft of Kingsbury, Indiana.
Married December 20th in this county, Miss Clara Ogle and Charles Protsman.
Samuel Blodgett was severely injured when he was thrown against a post while passing through the toll gate.
150 YEARS AGO
Beginning January 1st all persons are required to pay postage in advance on all letters sent through the Post Office.
The Democratic ticket was elected in Vevay by an average majority of 20.
The river is full of ice and all navigation is suspended.
152 YEARS AGO
The Vevay school trustees have found the two small buildings in the West and East ends of town in very bad condition.
California has 43 newspapers.
T. W. Graham is building a steam ferry to be used between Vevay and Ghent.
Mary Campbell is opening a school in the White Hall here and Mrs. C.A. Henderson will begin a school at her residence on Market Street.
Julia L. Dumont will open her school on January 15th and Henrietta Harwood will open a school at the lower school house on that date.