News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
The Switzerland County Commissioners and the County Council have authorized Sheriff John Johnson to check into the cost of having a feasibility study completed that could lead to the construction of a new jail here.
The “generation gap” is being happily bridged these days in Switzerland County, as young children and their elderly elders have become “pen pals,” writing and exchanging letters with each other. They’ve become good friends. The residents of Swiss Villa Living Center and Deb Archer’s second grade class at Jeff-Craig Elementary School have become pen pals and have been writing to each other for the past few months. The kids got to get acquainted with their pen pals recently when they made a trip to Swiss Villa.
Switzerland County senior Jason Wiesmann moved a step closer to competing at the state level last Saturday when he won the slam dunk competition at the South Dearborn sectional.
Pam Acton of Columbus, Indiana is the new executive director of the Switzerland County Welcome Center. She replaces Prestine Chapman who resigned earlier this year to accept a teaching position in South Carolina.
15 YEARS AGO
Ryan Redmon and B. J. Watkins, students at Switzerland County High School, won first place in the Marian College High School Scene Contest Saturday, March 2nd. this was the first time they competed in the contest. They won in the comedy division, performing a scene from last summer’s production of “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde. They received a plaque for their efforts.
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Farrington of route 3, Madison, will celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary Sunday, March 10th. Elmer and the former Janice Middleton were married March 10th, 1956, in Richmond.
Three students from the Switzerland County area have been named to the Indiana University Dean’s List for the first semester. They are William James Hill and Carol Lynn Tilley, both of Vevay, and Larry Dale Cain of route 3, Madison.
20 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Getz of Vevay announce the upcoming wedding of their daughter, Glenda Sue, to Christopher Wayne Young, son of Mr. and Mrs. Monte Young of Louisville. The wedding will be on Saturday, March 15th, at Our Sorrowful Mother of God Catholic Church in Vevay.
Greg Sloan went to the State Solo Contest on March 1st. He played his tuba and won a Division II rating, receiving a silver medal. He is the son of Carroll and Genevieve Sloan of Vevay.
30 YEARS AGO
Sondra Denise Osborn of Vevay has been chosen the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen for 1976 by the faculty and members of the senior class at Switzerland County High School. She is the daughter of Raymond and Pat Osborn of Vevay.
Two Mexico Bottom landowners who oppose coming of the planned power plant to their area recently made their second refusal of the power company’s overtures. Carroll Detmer and Charles Tillotson were asked by agent of the Indianapolis Power & Light Company to meet with company officials to discuss the possible purchase of their land. Mr. Detmer and Mr. Tillotson declined to discuss the meeting.
Tentative plans for a new consolidated grade school in Switzerland County drew a small crowd and a chilly reception in Vevay Monday night. The meeting to present the preliminary consolidated plans was called by the Switzerland County School Board to hear public reaction to them. A reaction was heard, all right, mainly from a group of folks from Pleasant Township — and they made it clear they want nothing to do with any new consolidated grade school. They like their school the way it is.
40 YEARS AGO
Mrs. Jeannette B. Furnish, Switzerland County’s oldest citizen at 103, died last Thursday at her home after she had been in ill health for the past 20 years.
John R. Collier, former Vevay High School basketball coach, has been named head basketball coach of Hanover College, John E. Horner, Hanover president, has announced. Collier, graduating from Hanover in 1951, had coached at Brookville since 1956 after he coached five years at Vevay where he directed sectional tournament winners in 1955 and 1956.
Raymond L. Schanding has resigned his position as county agricultural agent of Switzerland County’s Purdue University extension office and has accepted a similar position in Washington County.
50 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. James H. McNary of Indianapolis are the parents of a baby daughter born March 12th at the Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis. The little girl weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces and has been named Taunia Lynn. Grandparents of the baby are Mr. and Mrs. O. H. McNary of Vevay and Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Courtney of near Lamb.
60 YEARS AGO
The old Dunning homestead near Quercus Grove and occupied by Mrs. Alberta May Jones was entirely destroyed by fire Wednesday of last week.
Ermon Brown, native of this county, died at the Miami County Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, March 6th, as the result of injuries sustained in a truck-train collision on March 5th.
Born, Wednesday, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Bladen of Vevay.
Miss Grace Lillian Leep and Earl S. Griffith were married Saturday evening at the home of Reverend Leland S. Courtney.
The newly organized Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars will hold institution services in Vevay Sunday afternoon.
Born, March 7th, a son to Reverend and Mrs. R. C. Briggs.
Dan Peelman and Russell Tyler, two Cotton Township war veterans, have leased the Dailey Brown garage in East Enterprise and will conduct the business in the future.
Joe Wakefield, son of a former Switzerland County family, has opened a salvage yard at the brick building on lower Ferry Street.
Born, a daughter, June, to Mr. and Mrs. Orville O’Day.
Born, Thursday, a daughter, Patricia Jane, to Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Beard.
70 YEARS AGO
Dean Adams and his “String Strutters” will broadcast over station WCPO in Cincinnati Sunday, March 15th.
D. H. Bliss sold his garage at the intersection of Pike and Liberty streets Thursday to Herman Lorch of Vevay who will take possession immediately.
Herbert Scudder of East Enterprise and Miss Lucille Evans, of North’s Landing were united in marriage by Reverend Smith at his residence in Warsaw, Kentucky February 27th.
John Smith and Mrs. Bessie Kinnet of Posey Township were married at the home of Reverend Lowe one day last week.
Basiel Drake and Armeda Scudder of Long Run were married in Madison Saturday evening.
Lee Browning and Dorothy Mae Gray, both of this county, were married by Reverend Victor B. Hargett in Madison Saturday.
Born, Saturday, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Bowin.
80 YEARS AGO
S. Davis Hughes, proprietor of the Carrollton-Lamb ferry boat last week purchased a steamboat at Paducah, Kentucky, which will carry 16 automobiles at one trip.
Riley Land, proprietor of the Royal Theatre, Tuesday leased the business to the Lackman and Knau Amusement Company of Cincinnati for one year with the privilege of purchase.
W. L. Fisk last week moved his merchandise to the second floor of the Fisk building. The main store room has been rented to Mr. and Mrs. R. N. Fancher of Dillsboro who will open a variety and furniture store here about the first of April.
90 YEARS AGO
Miss Mamie Branham and Harvey Lester, both of this county, were married in Carrollton on Saturday.
Born, Saturday, March 11th, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. Baatz of Florence.
Born, March 12th, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred Stephenson of Florence.
Miss Blanche Armstrong of Park’s Ridge and Bruce Tevis were married in Madison last Wednesday.
Born, March 9th, a daughter, Dorothy May, to Walter Schnaitter and wife of Craig Township.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Chester Banta of Craig Township a son, Loren.
Mrs. Elizabeth Swaesey and daughter Miss Clara arrived in Vevay last week and will make their home with Mrs. Swaesey’s brother, E. M. Martin.
100 YEARS AGO
Last Saturday the Gem Drug Store stock of goods was sold to Montgomery Patton who bid it in at $550. Mr. Patton owns the building which housed the drug store.
The Ed Dickson farm of 60 acres lying on the hill just back of Vevay was sold to Harry Weales of Vevay for $2,400 Saturday at public auction.
Robert Davis of Antioch is attending law school in Indianapolis.
The body of William F. Pate who died March 14th in Garden City, Kansas, was brought to Patriot by his son, George Pate, for burial. He served as a second lieutenant in the 140 Indiana Regiment during the Civil War.
Mrs. Susan Peabody, 67, wife of Ira Peabody of Sugar Branch is attending Medical College in Louisville, Kentucky.
Wesley Hall of Allensville is attending medical college in Louisville.
Mrs. Jeannette Malcomson fell at her home on Greeley Avenue and dislocated her hip.
Licensed to marry: George W. Beatty and Lizzie May Courtney.
Dr. J. B. Walden has located in Mount Sterling.
H. P. Long, son of M. W. Long of Sugar Branch is attending medical school in Louisville, Kentucky.
A. H. Kennedy, hydraulic and electrical engineer, recently inspected Vevay’s new light and power plant and at the council meeting Monday night he reported it to be a superior plant.
110 YEARS AGO
Mr. Fred Binder has opened a carpenter shop in Vevay.
Licensed to marry: Francis M. Turner and Eliza Cooper Turner; Duncan Haskell and Lomena Brown; William Courtney and Lizzie Sauvain; Joseph Marksbay and Fannie Gross.
Captain J. E. Williams has taken a barge of hay up the Big Kanawha, and will bring back a load of coal.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Goddard of Quercus Grove, a daughter.
Born, a son to Charles Peak and wife of Quercus Grove.
130 YEARS AGO
James Moody of near Allensville was seriously wounded by a knife wielded by his brother-in-law, David Moulton, and is not expected to survive. The cutting was the result of a family quarrel.
Earl last Thursday, two frame houses, one occupied by James Murphy as a store, and the other by the family of Benjamin L. Simons in East Enterprise, were destroyed by fire.
The large flouring mill of McCreary and Land at Florence was consumed by fire last Wednesday night.
The severe cold weather has probably killed all the fruit. The heaviest snow of the season fell Sunday.
Colonel W.S. Ward has purchased a lot on Main Street and some time in the future will build a residence.
Dr. J. W. Thompson returned to Vevay from Europe last Saturday.
Sidney Dumont has commenced the erection of a house on Main Street.
Married in Vevay March 19th, by Reverend T. Warn Beagle, Mr. Samuel Lock and Miss Mary J. Lanham.
Married at the residence of the bride’s parents in Vevay, March 22nd, by Reverend I. C. Smith, Mr. John Lewis Teats and Miss Isabella Downey.
Married March 9th by Reverend S. Adkinson, Mr. David A. Brindley and Miss Rhoda A. Lauderbaugh, all of Craig Township.
Max Black, who has been attending a commercial school in New York City, returned home this week.
William Faulkner requests us to state that recently he has been greatly annoyed by boys ringing his door bell and that after this notice he will prosecute any boy that he catches ringing his bell.
140 YEARS AGO
Butter is selling for 40 cents per pound in Vevay.
Julius Blach of Vevay is offering his entire stock of clothing for sale.
The bad county roads are keeping many farmers away from Vevay.
152 YEARS AGO
Mrs. Woods will commence a select school in the White Hall in Vevay on April 3rd, to last 12 weeks. Courses will be from $2.50 to $3.50 each but daily vocal lessons will be free.
Among the list of patent claims issued from the United States Patent Office February 23rd, 1854, is one of John W. Chittenden and William C. Mead of Vevay for an improved machine for splitting hoofs.
On Saturday night as William Price, jailer, was building a fire at the jail a prisoner named Horton escaped out the door and locked it behind him.