News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
Grace Aldred of Vevay will celebrate her 100th birthday Friday, December 29th. She has heard some rumors about the possibility of Willard Scott wishing her a happy birthday on television. She proudly displays a birthday card she received from President Clinton, and fusses over a Christmas poinsettia she was given at Christmas. She figures she’s still good for at least a year more or better.
David McFadden was congratulated by town board members Pete Furnish, Catherine Deems, and Hilbert Scudder following his appointment as the new town marshal for the town of Vevay.
15 YEARS AGO
Yvon Bordet of Vevey, Switzerland, noted last week that his very pleased with the “massive support from the local population” in support of the proposed Swiss cheese factory and exposition center. He was in Vevay to work on his project, which he plans to call the “Swiss Center”. He said that officials back home in Vevey were also very impressed with the project.
Switzerland County Junior High School band members Jessica Browning and Patty Holt were selected recently to perform with the Southeast Indiana All-Region Junior High Honor Band. The band consists of over 70 students from the southeastern section of the state. The band presented a special concert at Seymour Middle School on November 18th. The band members were chosen on a merit basis.
Kimberly Hendrix, daughter of Kenneth and Kelly Hendrix, has been selected from an audition tape for the 1991 Indiana All State Children’s Honor Choir. She is a student at Jefferson-Craig Elementary School.
20 YEARS AGO
Lewis and Lucille Konkle of Lamb will be honored at a reception in celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary on Sunday, December 29th, at the Union Baptist Church in Lamb.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gregory of Switzerland County announce the engagement and approaching marriage of their daughter, Sherri, to Steve Whitham. Steve is the son of Mrs. Mildred Whitham and the late Bill Whitham.
30 YEARS AGO
Fire that may have been caused by Christmas Tree lights destroyed the Posey Township home of the Carl Redleaf family on Friday night. The home, a modular-type residence only four and a half months old, was valued at $55,000, and was a total loss. The Redleaf home was located on North Branch Road, northwest of Patriot.
Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Aldred of Mount Sterling will celebrate their Golden Wedding anniversary on Sunday with an open house at the Mount Sterling Baptist Church. Mr. and Mrs. Aldred were married on December 31st, 1925, in the Schenck Mansion in Vevay, which at that time was the home of Mrs. Aldred’s pastor, the Reverend C.J. Casey.
Vevay attorney Ron Hocker has joined a Madison law firm that will maintain offices in both Madison and Vevay. Ron Hocker, who has operated his own law practice in Vevay since moving her two years ago, is now associated with the firm of Hensley, Todd, Hocker, and Castor.
When “Pepi”, a year-old Chihuahua, comes to town, he comes in style, and warmth, too. His owner, Marjorie Hoskins of Plum Creek, bought a bright red sweater and cap outfit for her favorite pet, who enjoys other human-like comforts too, such as drinking coffee out of a cup and orange juice out of a glass.
A Rising Sun native who rose through the ranks of rivermen from “mud boy” to steamboat captain died last week in Jeffersonville. Captain Charles H, Brasher, captain of the “Delta Queen” in the 1950s and at the time of his death, chief officer of the “Belle of Louisville”, died Thursday at Clark County Memorial Hospital at the age of 68.
Tobacco prices averaged $109.67 per hundred-weight at Carrollton and $98.26 at Madison Thursday in the last day of burley sales before the market closed for the Christmas break. The markets will resume sales on Monday, January 5th. So far, warehouse officials estimate that about 60 percent of this year’s crop has been sold.
35 YEARS AGO
Santa Claus will land in Vevay again Saturday for another visit with Switzerland County’s small fry to learn all he needs to know about the little ones’ Christmas dreams.
U.S. Army Specialist 4 Jeffrey K. Lothridge, son of Mr. and Mrs. Keith Lothridge of route 3, Madison, recently received the Good Conduct Medal during ceremonies near Aschaffenburg, Germany.
The proposed bridge over Markland Dam will be among topics to be taken up at 9 a.m. Saturday during a public meeting on 1971 Indiana legislative prospects, according to state representative-elect Ed Goble.
40 YEARS AGO
Lloyd S. Harris of near Vevay has accepted an executive position, effective January 3rd, at Madison Bank and Trust Company. He is a former employee of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
Mr. and Mrs. H.K. Satterfield of Vevay will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Sunday with an open house from 2 until 4 in the afternoon.
A welcome-home supper was held last Wednesday evening in honor of A-2C Harry R. Tapp at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Tapp in Vevay.
45 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Whitham will observe their Golden Wedding anniversary on Saturday, December 31st.
Arthur V. Danner of Darien, Connecticut, recently was named president of the new operating division for the Mobil Oil Company. To those who find the name familiar, Mr. Danner is the brother of Emmett Danner of Vevay.
Mr. and Mrs. Clinton Cole, formerly of Vevay and now of Waldron, Indiana, will celebrate their 57th wedding anniversary on Friday, December 23rd. They were married here in 1903.
Allensville’s writing bug is Mrs. Lauretta Borgman. When there’s news to be had she’s on the spot pronto. Mrs. Borgman has been loyal to this newspaper since 1940.
55 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. Hiram D. Kinman, formerly of Switzerland County, will observe their Golden Wedding anniversary at their home in Indianapolis with an open house on Sunday, December 24th.
The Ohio River is again back within its banks and on Wednesday the stage at U.S. Lock 39 near Florence was 22.5 feet. The water continues to fall at the rate of one-tenth of a foot per hour and all danger of a prolonged flood has been ended.
Denver Markland of Vevay has purchased the grocery store which is operated by Mrs. Ella Jarvis on West Main Street. Possession will be given early in January.
65 YEARS AGO
Major Edward S. Furnish left Sunday for Fort Knox, Kentucky, for a year’s active duty as a reserve officer.
Eight Switzerland County students are registered at Indiana University this semester.
Mr. and Mrs. A.W. Hyde welcomed nearly 70 friends, relatives, and neighbors to their home in East Enterprise Sunday to help them celebrate their 16th wedding anniversary.
75 YEARS AGO
Arlington O’Neal, formerly an operator of a flour mill in Markland, died in a hospital in Denver, Colorado, on Monday from the effects of an operation.
The citizens of Craig Township have been greatly concerned during the past few days over the number of mad dogs in their community.
Switzerland County had its first taste of bank robbery last Friday when the Florence Deposit Bank was held up by two young men and robbed of $750. Within a half hour’s time they had been apprehended near Patriot and were lodged in the Vevay jail.
Neighbors, friends, and relatives numbering 65 gathered at the Clayton Bunger woods near Quercus Grove Wednesday, and with two teams, two cut-off saws, and two trucks, spent the day cutting wood for Dilver Cochran, who has been ill for about two years. They hauled in 14 truck loads of firewood. Lunch was served by the ladies in the wareroom kindly loaned by Mr. and Mrs. Harry Rochat.
80 YEARS AGO
The townboat “Aliquippa”, southbound with a tow of steel, tin plate, and coal, grounded at Vevay Thursday on a sand ridge, thrown up by the dredge of C.B. Harris last summer.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Couch of Patriot, a son, James Sherman.
Miss Barbara Sharp passed away at her home near Five Points on Friday, aged 84 years.
85 YEARS AGO
Vevay defeated Scottsburg for the second time this season, by a score of 27-17.
Clifford Lee, 25, was instantly killed in an explosion at the government quarry back of Madison.
Stephen L. Rogers, a native of this county, has been appointed postmaster at Greensburg and if confirmed by the Senate will take office about January 1st.
90 YEARS AGO
Clyde Whitham and Miss Emma Keith, both of Cotton Township, were married by Reverend F. D. Wharton at his residence in Vevay Christmas Day.
Walter E. Gaudin and Miss Rena Montooth were married Friday in the house which they had furnished in Vevay, the ceremony being performed by Reverend Frank Hammel.
Born, December 16th, a daughter to Wheatly Brock and wife of Markland.
Leslie Littlefield has received his appointment as rural carrier on Vevay Route 2 and will take charge of his position January 3rd. He has purchased an automobile to be used in delivering the mail.
95 YEARS AGO
Cards have been received here announcing the marriage of Miss Effie Heath, a former resident, to Mr. Coy Barnard, December 21st, at her home in Lamar, Colorado.
Winter seems to have come to stay. Thermometers registered from near zero to 10 above Monday.
Born Sunday, December 18th, to Mr. and Mrs. Albert Stone of Patriot, a son.
Mrs. Mary Carver, aged 78 years, died at the home of her nephew, Clem Beach, at Mount Sterling Monday, December 5th.
110 YEARS AGO
Harry Dupraz was badly power-burned by the explosion of a toy cannon last Tuesday.
Three horses and a buggy were taken from the stable of Ed Sanders of near East enterprise early Friday morning but the thieves, fearing arrest, left them in Aurora and bought tickets at the Lawrenceburg Junction for Batesville. On Thursday night the store of C. O. Potter in East Enterprise was entered and about $125 was taken. Five men had recently been camping in the woods near East Enterprise and it is thought they are the thieves.
Born Saturday, a son to Mr. and Mrs. George Everett of Antioch.
the “New Wrinkle”, made by Adolph Mayer of Cincinnati, continues to be the leading 5 cent cigar in Vevay.
115 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel White of Center Square recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Aunt Polly Munger, aged about 72 years, died at her home near Center Square Saturday.
Married December 3rd, Miss Mamie Taylor and James Riley of Patriot.
Licensed to marry: Absolem Furnish and Emma Wilhoite; John J. McIntire and Mary S. Williamson; William Moore and Mamie Smith.
135 YEARS AGO
Bledsoe and Beymer Krutz and son and David Wright of Florence sent flatboats of produce south last week.
Samuel Curry, William Lampkin and J. M. Froman have the contract for building the Log Lick and East Enterprise turnpike.
William Hulley, residing near Moorefield, has received a copy of the Scotchman, a paper printed in Edinburg, Scotland.
Married December 2nd at the home of Taylor Stepleton by John H. McHenry, Esquire — Miss Mary Louise Stepleton and Joseph Marion Leintz.
Married at the bride’s residence December 13th, by Reverend M. D. Steen — Mrs. Sarah Clements to Elliott Driver of Milo, Illinois.
140 YEARS AGO
We learn that some lots of freight for Vevay were lost off the steamer C. T. Dumont at the time of the collision at Big Bone last Thursday night. F. J. Waldo, Ferry Street grocer, lost a barrel of coal oil and a barrel of molasses.
The rebel general, Sterling Price, has forwarded his application to be allowed to return to the United States and to be pardoned.
At a meeting of the Agricultural Society the following officers were elected: F.L. Grisard, President; E. T. Ogle, Vice President; Thomas H. Downey, Secretary; Benjamin F. Schenck, Treasurer.
147 YEARS AGO
We are informed that a gentleman has been lecturing against Free Masonry in this county. He had a large audience in Moorefield.
We notice that a cotillion party is to be given on the steamer Kentucky today. One great objection to these steamboat parties is that too much whiskey is consumed by the young men.
Married November 25th, by Wade H. Jack, Esquire, Miss Eliza Sheets and John Cushard.
Married on November 21st by Martin Higgins, Esquire, Miss Susan Hines and Noah Sharp.