News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
Harold C. “Red” Benedict officially became the only person from Switzerland County to be inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame during a small ceremony held Tuesday afternoon at his home in Vevay. Indiana High School Athletic Association representative Ray Craft presented the plaque to Red Benedict.
Dorothy Ray was certainly surprised when on March 25th she went to the home of Jim and Sharon Ray to (as she thought) see the Mississippi Queen come up the river — and instead was presented with a surprise birthday party. Approximately 50 people gathered to honor her 80th birthday.
Last Friday evening’s opening of Josiah Mark Leatherbury’s show of his recent paintings attracted over 70 people. Included in the exhibit were landscapes, portraits and illustrative works. Small black and white prints were also shown and offered for sale as note cards.
20 YEARS AGO
Delegates to Boys and Girls State at Switzerland County High School have been named. They are: Darrin Gullion, Mike Rayles and Jeff Weales. Alternates are Greg Sloan and Troy Boyd. The girls are Barbara Firth and Kim Hutcherson. Chosen as alternates were Julie Johns, Amy Slack, and Noeline Galang.
Mr. and Mrs. William Mathews of Cross Plains will celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary with an open house at their home on Easter Sunday, April 7th.
Paul Ray, son of Mr. and Mrs. Doug Ray, route 2, Vevay, has been named by Representative Dave Cheatham as a page to the Indiana General Assembly currently meeting in Indianapolis.
Technical Sergeant Robert H. Riggs was retired from the U.S. Air Force on March 11th, 1985. Having served 21 years, seven months, and five days, he retired while stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Fairborn, Ohio. He is now again living in Vevay. He is the son of Marie B. Riggs of Vevay.
Kirk A. Works, a University of Evansville student from Vevay, was among 534 students named to the dean’s list for outstanding academic achievement during the winter quarter. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Tommie D. Works of route 2, Vevay.
30 YEARS AGO
Everybody remembers what happened a year ago today (April 3rd) a vicious tornado roared into Switzerland County and cut a path of destruction from Bennington to Bear Branch. And in the wake of that destruction and injury, the windstorm of April 3rd, 1974 left behind deeply-grounded fear and well-justified apprehension in Switzerland County.
Navy Air Controlman Second Class James R. Levell, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Levell of Bennington, has completed a personnel management and supervision course at the Naval Training Center, San Diego.
Mrs. Judith Dickerson Stivers, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Dickerson of Patriot, was one of seven honored Saturday, March 15th, at the Indiana University Alumni Banquet in the Georgian Room of the Memorial Union Building. She was awarded the Ruth Mary Griswold Scholarship in recognition of her professional interest and academic achievement. She will also be honored for having been elected to the leading honorary scholastic organization and for making an unusually high academic record.
Deborah L. Carpenter and Gaylen Rayls were united in marriage Saturday, March 22nd, at the Switzerland Baptist Church. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Rayls of Vevay and the bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Carpenter of near Mt. Sterling.
Jimmy Tague of near Mt. Sterling was the winner of a 700-pound Charolais heifer, raffled off by the Switzerland County JayCees as a benefit for the local low-cost rental housing project for senior citizens.
The raffle raised about $250 for the housing project.
40 YEARS AGO
Representing Vevay High School at American Legion Hoosier Boys’ State and Girls’ State programs in June at Indiana University are juniors.- Bob Park, Greg Briggs, and Nancy Williamson, while the Vevay Kiwanis Club is sponsoring Bob Park.
Hoover Dam was constructed with a major contribution being made by Switzerland County native Dr. Elwood Mead. The Colorado River plug is the highest concrete dam in the United States. The lake behind it, Lake Mead, is named after Dr. Mead and is the largest man-made lake in the western hemisphere.
John Garrett, Vevay High School senior, was one of area youths competing for honor scholarships at Wabash College in Crawfordsville. He was among 225 students from 16 states and Canada taking the exams with scholarships of a total value of $125,000 awarded on the basis of test results.
In Washington this week, seeking support for a Constitutional amendment on the state apportionment is Earl A. Bray, president of the Switzerland County Farm Bureau. He is among 78 of Indiana’s 92 county Farm Bureau presidents who flew to Washington for two days of orientation on pending farm legislation and visits with the Hoosier congressional delegation.
50 YEARS AGO
John Collier, basketball coach at Vevay High School, was selected as the “outstanding coach” of the Southeastern Indiana Conference at a meeting of the Southeastern Indiana Coaches, Officials and Principals Association which was held Monday night in Versailles.
Ralph Tilley, who has been employed by the Studebaker Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri, has resigned his position and with Mrs. Tilley and their young son, Stevie, came to the home of Mrs. Tilley’s parents in Scottsburg last week. Mr. Tilley has secured employment at the Vevay Deposit Bank and he will begin his new duties May 1st. He expects to more here with his family soon.
Mr. Ira L. North, one of the oldest and most alert people we ever knew, called our office on Saturday. Mr. North, who is 96, moves around like a 40 year old man and it was a pleasure to talk to him.
60 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Hollcroft celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a pitch-in dinner at their home near Vevay on Sunday, April 1st.
Tech. 5th Grade, Norman W. Earls of Vevay, was recently awarded the Bronze Star medal for his part in a heroic rescue for a group of litter patients marooned in an enemy held town in Germany. With six others he volunteered to take medical supplies to a company which had been cut off from their battalion for 36 hours and to evacuate the wounded.
Pvt. Francis E. Graves; who was wounded some time ago in the European war theater, has been returned to the United States and is a patient at Gardiner General Hospital, Chicago.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Ford announce the marriage of their daughter, Helen, to Robert K. Stewart, USNR, son of Mr. and Mrs. P.A. Stewart of Midland City, Ohio, March 5th in Vallejo, California.
70 YEARS AGO
John C. Heady and Jacob Peelman have been appointed as members of the County Alcoholic Beverage Board.
Married in Carrollton January 19th, Miss Marie Jenkins of Vevay to James Brown.
Married in Madison April 1st, Miss Lorena Mellon and Scott Carlton, both of this county.
A county Home Economics Club council has been organized.
The Crozier airport at North Madison donated 150 pine trees to be planted at the Vevay Cemetery.
Died in Rising Sun, Mrs. Grace Probst, a lifelong resident of this county.
Died near Spring Branch April 2nd, Mrs. Anna Dora Eads.
Died suddenly near Center Square, Thomas Fancher.
80 YEARS AGO
The completed receiving vault in the Vevay Cemetery has been presented to the city by the Julia L. Dumont Club, sponsors of the project.
George Krummel, Richard Henry, and Howard Montgomery, received the rank of Knight in the K. of P. Lodge here.
Reverend J.A. Gardner, formerly of Switzerland County, is now publishing the New Richmond Booster.
Mrs. Mildred Chamberlain Acre, formerly of this county, gave a recital in the Hotel Statler in Cleveland. She was a former student of Professor James K. Pleasants.
The home of Kirby May in Craig Township was destroyed by fire.
Married in Vevay by Reverend Hammel, Miss Grace Hopkins of Ghent to Willie Burns of near Bennington.
The big brick house at Lime Landing in Posey Township was destroyed by fire.
The Patriot Fire Company, with their new truck, gave an exhibition of their work at Quercus Grove.
90 YEARS AGO
The barn belonging to Mrs. Henry Simpson on lower Pike Street was burned. It was supposed to be the work of a fire-bug.
The City Council purchased 200 feet of new fire hose at 90 cents per foot.
David Dow of Craig Township was seriously injured when knocked down by a horse.
The Jerry Ellis home on Lost Fork was destroyed by fire.
Married in Vevay Thursday, Miss Bessie Montanye and Julius Robinson, both of this county.
Died near Antioch April 2nd, John W. Moore, aged 49.
Jacob Smith is building a new home on the east end of Patriot.
The home of Ed McKinley in Mexico Bottom was damaged by fire.
100 YEARS AGO
William O. Protsman received a Morris chair and a number of volumes on his 30th birthday.
Died near Markland March 31st, Mrs. Mort Scudder, aged 69 years.
Mrs. Mary Parker of near Florence observed her 82nd birthday.
Mrs. Omer Williamson has sold her household furniture and will join her husband in Peoria, Illinois.
Alonza Lostutter was seriously injured in the Schroeder tobacco barn in Posey Township.
110 YEARS AGO
Mrs. Milo Ogle was honored by many friends on her 37th birthday.
Clarence Bondurant and Oliver D. Cunningham were licensed to wed.
Died near Avonburg March 28th, Jacob Paulley, 32, of diphtheria.
Died in Vevay April 1st, little Allie Patton of heart failure after diphtheria.
130 YEARS AGO
Married March 31st by Reverend E.G. Seymour, Anna B. Byram to Frank R. Fish.
Married in Vevay April 6th by Reverend I.C. Smith, Mrs. Sarah Smithson and James Cookson.
Married April 1st by Reverend T. Warn Beagle, Miss Lizzie Paul and John Mitchell.