News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
An early morning house fire Friday claimed the life of 22-year-old Joshua Morgan of Vevay. According to investigators, the fire apparently started at approximately 1:30 a.m. when Joshua Morgan put a pan of French fries on the kitchen stove to cook, and then apparently fell asleep in the living room of the house.
Switzerland County Elementary School will play host to over 170 students from schools all around the area this Saturday for the district History Day competition. Normally held at Indiana University Southeast in New Albany, the History Day event is being held here this year due to the efforts of teachers Kathy Williams and Helen Parks, who are organizing the competition. The theme of this year’s History Day is “Conflicts and Compromised in History,” with many of the projects dealing with the 50th anniversary of World War II.
Two county residents have retired from the Indiana-Kentucky Electric Corporation’s Clifty Creek Plant as of the end of 1994. They are Arthur Adams with more than 29 years of service and Eslie M. Alford with 38 years of service with the company.
The Switzerland County chapter of the American Red Cross has been rechartered. Under the direction of chairman David Johns and treasurer Lovena Jacobs, the local Red Cross chapter is capable of providing assistance to Switzerland County families who lose their possessions in single family fires.
20 YEARS AGO
Word has been received that the old iron bridge west of Vevay is scheduled to be replaced this spring. The bridge, located approximately 1 1/2 miles west of the intersection of Highways 56 and 129 on highway 56, is near the Whiskey Hollow dump site.
The drawing for the South Dearborn Sectional was held over the weekend in Indianapolis by the Indiana High School Athletic Association, and although there are only four teams in the Sectional, coach Otha Smith’s Switzerland County Pacers probably got the best seeding possible. Switzerland County drew the Rising Sun Shiners in the opening round of Sectional play, with host South Dearborn tangling with Lawrenceburg in the other contest.
30 YEARS AGO
A community project aimed at providing high quality housing at low cost for Switzerland County’s senior citizens was launched Monday night by a group of local men. The whole project would cost in the neighborhood of $625,000, with the Farmers Home Administration (FHA) to allocate federal funds for all but $6,250 of that amount. The $6,250 would be raised locally through contributions from local people and organizations.
David W. Gardner will celebrate his 88th birthday Sunday and his friends and members of his family are inviting Mr. Gardner’s friends to drop in at the Gardner residence on route 1, Bennington for informal visits between 2 and 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
John “Terry” Ackerman of Vevay has enlisted in the U.S. Navy at the Madison Recruiting Station for a period of six years. Ackerman will attend Advanced Electronic School located at Treasure Island, California. He attended Vevay High School and received a graduation diploma in 1966.
Now serving at Grifiss Air Force Base, New York, is Air Force Staff Sergeant Ronald L. Vanosdol of route 1, Vevay. Sergeant Vanosdol, an electric communications and cryptographic equipment repair specialist, was previously assigned at Eilson Air Force Base, Alaska. The sergeant is a 1966 graduate of Vevay High School.
Mr. and Mrs. Marion Sigmon celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary February 20th with a quiet celebration at their home they share with their daughter and her husband, Hilda and Roy Storie, north of Moorefield.
The First Baptist Church of Rising Sun was the setting for the lovely candlelight wedding of Miss Nancy Kay Burgess, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lillard Burgess, route 2, Rising Sun, to Terry Dale Jellison, of Decatur, son of Mr. and Mrs. Armond Jellison, of Portland, Saturday evening, January 25th.
Mr. and Mrs. William L. Carrigan of Columbus, Mississippi, announce the engagement of their daughter, Miss Wendy Lu Carrigan to James Lee McGraw, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Sullivan, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The bride-elect is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chester James, of Vevay and Henry Carrigan of Rising Sun. The wedding is scheduled for Saturday afternoon, in the chapel of the U.S. Air Force Base at Columbus.
40 YEARS AGO
Attending a meeting in Carrollton Monday night to organize a committee to seek an Ohio River bridge across Markland Dam were six community leaders. The are Harold C. “Red” Benedict of Vevay; Joe Cy Duvall, Carrollton; Charles Adams, Warsaw; Tom Harris, Carrollton; Edward S. Furnish of Vevay, an Indiana Highway Commission member; and Arthur Hughes, Carroll County Judge.
Carroll McKay, 75-year-old retired Vevay resident and World War I veteran, was burned to death early Sunday morning as fire swept his home at the corner of Seminary and Vineyard streets. Cause of the blaze man never be accurately determined but firemen and friends surmise a small kerosene lamp (the house had no electricity) may have overturned or exploded to start the fire.
Mrs. A.J. “Florence” Williams observed her 85th birthday February 16th and has many cards and gifts to remind her of the occasion. She is Vevay news correspondent for Vevay Newspapers. Her main interests are her great-grandchildren, the Raymond Osborn, Jr., children of Vevay and the Wagner children of Jasper.
50 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. John McKenzie of Vevay will quietly observe their 63rd wedding anniversary Sunday at their home in Vevay.
The Vevay Future Farmers of America Chapter was organized over 21 years ago. This FFA year the chapter has an active membership of 60 members.
Miss Arlene Curtis of Bennington, a student nurse in Jewish Hospital in Cincinnati, will receive a nurse’s cap in ceremonies to be held Friday evening, February 25th.
Joe Holdcroft of Vevay sustained the loss of one finger and a portion of another on his right hand Wednesday afternoon when his hand came in contact with a saw which he was using at the Gaudin Hardware and Lumber building on Main Street.
Gayle Lowe, Seaman, USN, son of Bryant Lowe of Vevay is aboard the battleship USS Iowa which arrived at Gibraltar for a three-month training and good-will cruise.
On Tuesday, March 1st, Mrs. Harriet (Gary) Welch will quietly observe her 93rd birthday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. E. S. Furnish and Mr. Furnish.
60 YEARS AGO
George Gullion, U.S. Navy, and Miss Betty Jo Scott of Louisville, Kentucky, were married in that city Thursday, February 15th.
The Vevay Conservation Club last week released two beavers on lower Indian Creek.
Lucian Lampton has purchased the interest of William Smock in the East End Service Station in Vevay and will be the sole owner and operator of the establishment
James K. Danglade, editor and publisher of this paper, has accepted a position with the American Red Cross as Assistant Field Director. After a training period, he will be sent overseas. During his absence, his wife, Helen Protsman Danglade, will assume responsibility for the newspaper.
Fred Thomas, 70, was killed almost instantly Thursday afternoon when he was struck by a falling tree on his farm near Bear Branch.
Technical Sergeant Paul D. Gullion of near Fairview and Miss Dorothy Blanspied, of Los Angeles, California, were married in the latter city Monday, February 19th.
70 YEARS AGO
Gerald Bruce, aged 22 year, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Bruce who reside near Vevay, died Friday in Christ Hospital, Cincinnati, following an operation for arthritis.
Born, Monday, a son, John Curtis, to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Konkle of Spring Branch.
Russell Bodey of Patriot and Miss Laura Scott of Florence were married Saturday in Lawrenceburg.
Miss Ruth Chase and Herman Marsh, both of Florence, were married February 16th by Reverend F.E. Hammel at his home here.
90 YEARS AGO
Detraz Brothers were making extensive repairs on their planing mill.
A house on the Archie Peak farm, near Patriot, and occupied by Finley Peters, was destroyed by fire early Tuesday morning. The house occupied by Charlie Brindley on the old Ben Miles place northwest of Vevay was destroyed by fire Thursday afternoon.
Harry Green of Patriot has opened a garage in the Slate building on Ferry Street, Vevay.
E.H. Brandt, Markland merchant, will sell the contents of his store at auction next Saturday and discontinue the business.
Professor Villanueva has started a dancing class in Vevay.
100 YEARS AGO
Detraz Brothers, prominent Vevay architects will build a new planing mill on Arch street here.
Ed Patton made his first trip as rural route carrier on Route 4 here.
Charles and Clara Tyler observed their 20th wedding anniversary at East Enterprise on February 18th.
110 YEARS AGO
Last Tuesday afternoon during the absence of the family someone entered the residence of Joseph Ballard on the Golay farm near Vevay and stole two suits of clothes, an overcoat and other articles.
The Ohio River at Patriot is 1760 feet wide from willow to willow. It was measured by the school boys.
140 YEARS AGO
With this issue, F.J. Waldo becomes connected with this paper as one of the editors and proprietors. The publication is now under the management of Mr. Waldo and W.J. Baird.
It is now established fact that a railroad will be built immediately from Cincinnati to Jeffersonville, following the north bank of the Ohio River. The question to be decided by the citizens of Vevay is whether they desire the road to pass through the town or a few miles back in the interior.
Civil War news: Columbia, the capital of Sorth Carolina, has been captured by General Sherman.
Died in a military hospital in Louisville, Kentucky, February 7th, Thomas Albert Brown, aged 14 years and 6 months. He was the youngest son of James and Deborah Brown of Jefferson Township, Switzerland County. He belonged to Company E, 144 Indiana.