News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
Members of the Switzerland County High School baseball team gathered recently for their season-ending awards banquet. Those who received top honors were Travis Chatham, Steve Withrow, Dave Nixon, Ryan Collier and Kent Works.
The River Road east of Vevay — Highway 156, from the four-way stoplight in Vevay to Highway 250 in Patriot — is about to get a million-dollar facelift, compliments of the Indiana Department of Transportation. The project is a normal resurfacing job. The road will not be closed to traffic as flagmen will be present to direct traffic during the work.
Four Switzerland County residents — Freda Skaggs of Patriot, Jonnie Hankins, Amy Hughes, and Angela Lock of Vevay — were among 57 students to earn dean’s list recognition for the spring semester at Ivy Tech State College.
20 YEARS AGO
Shelley Smith of Versailles has joined the staff of the Vevay Newspapers as the advertising manager, according to editor Past Lanman. Shelley is a 1985 graduate of Indiana University with a degree in advertising. She is the daughter of Marvin Smith of Hanover and Judy Transier of Versailles.
Switzerland County High School principal David Griffith submitted his resignation to the school board Monday night to accept the position as Superintendent of Schools in Gallatin County, Kentucky.
Mike Bennett of route 3, Vevay and Amy Slack of route 2, Vevay, both SCHS juniors, recently attended a four-day citizenship seminar at Franklin College under the sponsorship of the Indiana Farm Bureau, Inc.
Switzerland County has placed two players on the All-Conference squad of the Ohio River Valley Conference in baseball. Senior Bryan Hayes was named to the squad as an outfielder and Jeff Weales, a junior, was the catcher for the Pacers.
30 YEARS AGO
Drawing wave after wave of hearty applause following the premiere showing of “A Girl Named Sooner” Saturday night were Richard Crenna, Susan Deer and Suzanne Clauser — with little Susan showing off her own personal print of the film, a gift presented to her at the premiere on behalf of the entire Switzerland County community.
Greg and Kent Deaton, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Claude Deaton of Vevay, have been awarded partial scholarship grants by the athletic department of Georgetown College, Georgetown, Kentucky.
The Switzerland County School Board Monday night hired a new high school principal and took the first official steps toward organizing a girls interscholastic athletics program for the high school. The new principal at Switzerland County High School is Jarrell Wade McIntyre, who comes to SCHS from Bloomington North High School, where he served as assistant principal. Mr. McIntyre will start work here July 21st.
Mr. and Mrs. Everett Ashcraft will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary Sunday, June 22nd, at their home in East Enterprise.
40 YEARS AGO
Gerald F. Ramseyer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Ramseyer of rural route 4, Vevay, has enlisted in the U.S. Marines and will leave July 6th for training in San Diego, California. The 1965 Vevay High School graduate has enlisted for four years.
Sharon Mayo has been selected as one of nine girls to live in Twin Pines Co-Op House as she enters Purdue University this fall to major in home economics.
Over 120 Switzerland Countians paid tribute to “25 years of devoted service” with a surprise party Friday evening for Miss Ethelynn James who has served as county home demonstration agent since June, 1940.
Miss Margaret Ann Scudder, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Delmar Scudder, has entered Spencerian College in Louisville where she is enrolled in an automation accounting course. She is a 1965 graduate of Vevay High School.
Galen R. Barnes, son of Mr. and Mrs. Elvin Barnes, has been named as recipient of Kappa Kappa Kappa sorority’s state scholarship.
50 YEARS AGO
The Rising Sun Baptist Church was the setting of the candlelight ceremony when Miss Carolyn Wadsworth became the bride of Norris Wayne Works Thursday evening, June 9th.
Miss Alice McKay, who for the past eight years has been employed as a clerk in the Vevay Deposit Bank, has resigned her position there and she has been succeeded by her sister, Miss Jean McKay. On Friday Miss McKay, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dyer McKay of near Lamb, will be married to Perry Wheeler, son of Mrs. Fannie Wheeler of near Vevay.
Miss Mary Lou Dickason, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Dickason of Vevay, and Billy Konkle, son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Konkle of near Spring Branch, were married June 7th at the home of the bride’s parents.
60 YEARS AGO
Herald Marsh, prisoner of the Germans for ten months, returned to the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Marsh on McCreary’s Ridge, Monday after an absence of nearly three years.
Miss Eileen Dorsey and Private James Turner were married Tuesday evening, June 12th, at the Fairview Methodist Church by Reverend Lawrence Cooper.
Born, June 13th, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Gullion of Vevay.
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Montgomery suffered the loss of 150 five-week-old chicks at their home Saturday morning when the stove in the brooder house spewed burning oil over them.
Born Monday, a son to Reverend and Mrs. Claude Ragsdale of Fairview.
70 YEARS AGO
Edwin F. Downey has accepted a position as salesman at the new 5 and 10 cent store soon to open. Graham Furnish has been appointed in Mr. Downey’s place as substitute town mail carrier.
With the exception of a few debts, the affairs of the Florence Deposit Bank have been completely liquidated.
Born, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Albert Wiley of Florence.
Born, a son, Charles Vernon, to Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Bolden of Bethel Ridge.
Twins, Mildred Ruth and Noble Thomas, were born to Mr. and Mrs. William Mitchell of Picketts Corner. This is the second set of twins born to Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell.
Born, Sunday, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Churchill Scudder of East Enterprise.
80 YEARS AGO
Bert Ross, formerly of Vevay, has been appointed lockmaster at Dam 38.
The Vevay Commercial Club has completed arrangements for the reception of 75 car loads of Cincinnati businessmen who will be here Friday afternoon on a “good will” tour.
Born, June 6th, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Smith of Patriot.
Twin boys, William and Robert, were born Wednesday to Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Jaynes of Vevay.
A new bridge is being erected over Indian Creek at the Davis place.
90 YEARS AGO
Mrs. Emerson Rockfeller of Rising Sun was painfully injured when an automobile driven by her husband crashed into a telephone pole near Markland Sunday.
While Joe Danner, Vevay route 1 carrier, was carrying the mail on his rout last week, an automobile driven by a Jeffersonville man crashed into his buggy, demolishing the front wheels. No one was injured.
Reverend F. D. Wharton, pastor of the Vevay Christian Church, and Miss Minerva Taylor were married in Louisville Tuesday.
Bernard Seely, son of the Vevay Baptist minister, and a group of little boy companions went swimming in the church baptizing pool a few days ago.
George Osward of Warsaw, Kentucky has opened a barber shop at Dam 39 near Markland.
100 YEARS AGO
Lewis Peelman purchased a new house in Carrollton, Kentucky.
A black snake killed by Nat Cotton near the W.R. Protsman farm near Vevay was found to contain six baby chickens.
Edward Mead and wife are the proud parents of twins born June 12th here. One weighed 7 pounds and the other 7 1/2 pounds. Dr. Smith was in attendance. The twins have been named August and Ernest.
Misses Minerva Taylor, Pearl Wintizer and Ellogene Cole were baptized at the river here by Reverend E. W. Hammon, Sunday.
D. V. Seavers has purchased the Ghent News of Reverend Hugh F. Searcy and has assumed management.
William Lamson has had his fleet of 25 mussel boats hauled to the river and placed in the water.
George Turner of Vevay route 3 has marketed his cherry crop. He sold 50 bushels, averaging $1.00 per bushel.
After July 1st Vevay will have seven saloons.
The Weaver sawmill on Long Run has been sold and is being removed to Cross Plains.
110 YEARS AGO
Reverend Blackford of Ohio is preaching at the Universalist Church here.
Bert Van Dever has a contract to rebuild the Pleasant Grove Church.
J. M. Clements of Avonburg is attending a school of embalming in Cincinnati.
Licensed to marry: Robert Smiley to Louisa Burgess; James Harvey Hankins to Ella Joyce; George Kendall to Dora Lewis.
Born, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. T. D. Oakley of Vevay.
130 YEARS AGO
The dwelling of William Smith was entered last Saturday night and provisions including a cooked roast for Sunday dinner were stolen. On Sunday night canned fruit was stolen from the cellar of Alfred Shaw and a saddle was stolen from the stable of John Mielcher on Monday night.
The Baptist Sunday School of Vevay will go on an excursion up the Kentucky River on the steamer George Spangler.
Last Monday Lewis A. Clark of Center Square was admitted to the “legal bar” of Switzerland County.
140 YEARS AGO
Charles C. Doan has been appointed Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue for this county.
Married on Monday evening at the LeClerc House by Reverend H. P. Hizley, Mr. George H. Stoker to Miss Vic Deemong, both of Louisville.
Japan has sent a sample of sugar cane to Washington.
The old flag of the 22nd of which nothing is left but the staff and a few faded shreds, has been deposited in the State House in Indianapolis.
151 YEARS AGO
Cholera is prevailing to a considerable extent at Dupont in Jefferson County. It would be well for our citizens to prepare for the worst.
It is reported around that several “Know Nothing” societies are already in existence in this County. This order appears to be gaining ground fast and doing a wholesale business in the way of electing good men to office.
Won’t somebody bring some fresh meat to town? Our citizens are almost suffering for fresh meat: A kingdom for a butcher!
E. Barret has returned to his old stand on Ferry Street and again opened his bread and cake bakery.