News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
In the past, Switzerland County High School’s highly successful FFA chapter has produced state officers, district officers, and state qualifying judging teams. Now the chapter can boast a national qualifier in a proficiency area. Chad Hart, son of Mike and Cathy Hart of near Pleasant, has been notified that he is one of four national finalists in his proficiency area. He will compete with the other three to be recognized as national champion at the National FFA convention in November at Kansas City, Missouri.
On June 30th, Switzerland County became the first Indiana county to be turned down for a riverboat gambling license. But if the Switzerland County Council has its way, the county will next become the first county to obtain a gambling license on its second try.
The 1995 Swiss Wine Festival kicks off tonight (Thursday) with the crowning of the Edelweiss Princess, and many different events are planned throughout the weekend that make this year’s festival one of the most anticipated ever.
Sis and Harry Lamson, well-known around the Switzerland County area, will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary on Sunday, August 27th. The celebration will be held at the Vevay Methodist Church from 2-04 p.m. and is open to all friends and family who wish to attend. The Lamsons reside at 206 West Market Street in Vevay.
15 YEARS AGO
Angela Boles of Vevay, our Switzerland County Fair Queen, was third runner up in the State Fair Queen Contest held last Saturday. She is the daughter of Shafe and Judy Boles and is a Switzerland County High School graduate.
Mr. and Mrs. Fay Hart will observe their 50th wedding anniversary with an open house at the Ogle Haus in Vevay on Sunday, August 26th, from 1-3 p.m.
Howard R. Stow, 63, of route 1, Rising Sun, passed away Monday, August 13th, at Dearborn County Hospital in Lawrenceburg.
According to Congressman Lee Hamilton’s office, the Town of Patriot has been awarded a grant of $158,200 and a 40-year loan at five percent interest of $104,200 from Farmers Home Administration. The funds are for a sewage plant and system for town residents.
20 YEARS AGO
With the school year for Switzerland County now less than two weeks away, one man at the Switzerland County High School is busy settling into his new surroundings while at the same time preparing for the new year. New high school principal John Thomas has been a busy man these past few weeks since the school board named him to succeed David Griffith as the principal of the grades 7-12 facility and he has now gotten to the point where he feels that policies are now in place to make this coming year a successful one for both the students and the staff.
Three young men recently received their brown belts in ceremonies held on August 3rd at the sports center in Lexington. The boys have been working toward this goal for 1 1/2 years and were very excited at their accomplishment. They are Travis Miller, son of Norman and Karen Miller, Jonathon Sandidge, son of Ron and Jean Sandidge, and Vincent Valenzuela, son of Drs. Diego and Del Valenzuela.
Dedication ceremonies for the new Vevay Lodge [later named the Ogle Haus Inn] will be held on Tuesday, August 27th, at 1 p.m. at the site on Vevay’s west end. The building is being built through funding by the Vevay-Switzerland County Foundation and is scheduled to be completed by December 1st, 1985.
Mrs. Grace Lillian Griffith, 63, died on Wednesday, July 31st, of an extended illness at Reid Memorial Hospital in Richmond, Indiana. She was born in Switzerland County.
Polly J. Smith, 44, passed away on Sunday, August 11th, at the Scott County Hospital in Scottsburg. She resided on York Street in Vevay.
30 YEARS AGO
Ground breaking ceremonies officially marking the beginning of the construction of the bridge over Markland Dam are scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Kentucky end of the dam. Local supporters of the bridge project will attend the ceremony, including Red Benedict, Ed Furnish, and others, along with a number of Switzerland County Democrat Party leaders who plan to accompany Congressman Lee Hamilton back to Vevay for a get together on the Courthouse lawn.
An archway of lighted candles flanked by baskets of yellow gladioli and pale green carnations formed a background for the ceremony in which Vonda Lou Archibald and Ronald Joe Downing were married Sunday afternoon in Brushy Fork Baptist Church at Pleasant.
Reverend and Mrs. Thomas Manuel will celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, August 17th, with an open house at the “Slawson homestead”, one mile south of Bennington.
40 YEARS AGO
A bird owned by William McClure won first place in the Rising Sun Pigeon Club’s second young bird race this summer. The McClure pigeon was clocked at 1,221.50 yards per minute.
T.A. Danielson, president, United Telephone Company of Southern Indiana Inc., announced today that its subsidiary company, the Ohio River Telephone Company, Inc., was dissolved into the United Company on August 1st.
Mr. and Mrs. Rex Deiwert of route 1, Hope, have announced the engagement and approaching marriage of their daughter, Miss Sarah Annette Diewert, to Kenneth R. Archer, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. K. Archer of near Vevay.
Mr. and Mrs. Everett Carver of Vevay will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary August 25th.
50 YEARS AGO
The beautiful country home of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Brameier of near Patriot was the scene of a very pretty and impressive wedding ceremony Monday evening, August 8th, when Iva Lee Fox, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Riley Fox of Rising Sun, became the bride of Roy Brameier, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Brameier.
Seventy-eight years of married life, which will be attained on August 25th, by Mr. and Mrs. Francis Miller of near Pleasant, stands as a record in the United States; this newspaper believes.
60 YEARS AGO
The second plane crash in Switzerland County within six weeks occurred Friday afternoon about 4 o’clock when a P47 pursuit ship made a forced landing in a field near Patriot. The pilot, R. H. Delzell, who said his motor quit, was not hurt.
The end of World War II was observed in Switzerland County Tuesday night and Wednesday in much the same fashion as the rest of the world. Bells were rung, whistles blown and every sort of noise contrivance available was pressed into service. In Vevay, services of thanksgiving were held at the Methodist Church under the direction of the ministerial association.
Born, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Leon Sullivan of Center Square.
Born, Sunday, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Chester McCreary of East Enterprise.
Born, August 4th, to Mr. and Mrs. David Brown, a son, Donald Wayne.
70 YEARS AGO
Following a rather lively conference with Post Office officials in Washington August 8th, Congressman Eugene B. Crowe was able to announce that the rural route at Patriot will not be eliminated as heretofore ordered.
Clarence A. Detraz, well known architect and planning will proprietor, passed away at his home in Vevay Monday after a several month illness of heart trouble.
Mrs. Raymond Carnine has rented the store room on Main Street formerly occupied by the Rosenberger confectionery and will soon open a shop for the sale of used furniture.
The Heady Cafe held its opening in its newly decorated rooms on Main Street in Vevay.
Born, August 11th, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Peters on Hominy Ridge.
Born, Tuesday, a son, Allen L. to Mr. and Mrs. Lora Leatherbury of Hopewell.
80 YEARS AGO
The towboat “Plymouth” belonging to the Hatfield Coal Company ripped a hole 14 feet long in her hull and wrecked a fleet of barges when she struck a pile of sand and stone a few inches under the surface of the water.
A burglar at Moorefield Monday night stole some supplies for a Ford automobile from the Roy Clements garage.
The excursion steamer Washington arrived in Vevay several hours late last Friday on account of the fog. Regardless of the lateness of the hour about 150 Switzerland County people were passengers on the excursion to Louisville. The boat did not reach Vevay on the return trip until 6 o’clock Saturday morning.
Smith B. Redd, Rising Sun barber, who was well known in this county, died August 2nd after a long illness. He was a veteran of the Civil War.
Born, August 3rd, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Kent of Posey Township.
90 YEARS AGO
The public library was opened for the first time Monday evening. Ninety-four people took out cards of membership. Dr. L. H. Bear was the first person to sign a library card; Will H. Stevens was the first Vevay person to take a book out of the library; and Ralph Scudder was the first person in the county to borrow a book.
Mrs. Edna King and George Bliss, both of Tapps Ridge, were married in Vevay Saturday by Reverend F. E. Hammel.
Miss Dora Williamson and William Parker of Florence were married Thursday at the Baptist parsonage in Vevay by Reverend Seeley.
100 YEARS AGO
Charles V. Thiebaud, 54, well known Vevay grocer, died Saturday at his home on Main Street after a year’s illness.
The grocery business of the late C. V. Thiebaud will be continued under th firm name of C. V. Thiebaud and Company, and Charles Kiesel will have full charge.
A barge containing several thousand bushels of coal belonging to C. S. Culbertson & Company is under several feet of water on the lower grade. The steamer George Mattheson grounded the barge in landing it and a rise in the river submerged it.
The wedding of Miss Clara Bell Blodget to Curtis Ferguson, both of Bennington, will take place in September.
Miss Pearl Turner left Tuesday for Rossville, Indiana, to take charge of her school there.
The state board of agriculture has created a new department for the state fair which will be devoted to rural school work.
110 YEARS AGO
The Long Run Baptist Association was held at Markland last week and the attendance was unusually large.
Licensed to marry: Frederick Pavy and Nora Randall; Richard Brouro and Isabella Miller; Martin Levi Moore and Rosa E. McCormick; Tyron Anderson and Rose Spencer; John E. Snyder and Amanda Birkemeier, Joseph C. Reed and Annie Fisk.
Ed Shull shipped about 400 bales of hay to Louisville Friday.
Miss Fannie Shadday entertained the Shakespeare Club of Vevay at her home near Moorefield recently.
Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Schenck have issued invitations for a reception to be given Friday night for Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Mills.
Mr. and Mrs. C. V. Thiebaud received Tuesday evening at their handsome home on Main Street in honor of the Eggleston Club. Harry Conner, harpist of Cincinnati, furnished music for the occasion.
Reverend L. G. Adkinson, president of New Orleans University, is visiting relatives in the county.
130 YEARS AGO
Married in York Township, August 1st, by Reverend I. C. Smith, Miss Amanda Keith to Alfred C. Webb.
Dr. B. F. Graves of Florence is president of the Switzerland County Medical Society.
Alexander Lemon is building a house on Pike Street here.
Isaac Stevens has added foreign and domestic groceries to his store here.
An ad from Thiebaud & Teats: “Young man, if you intend to get married, you need a neat pair of boots.”
140 YEARS AGO
The streets in Vevay are being flooded with rain water with much damage to property.
There are two wharf boats at Ghent fighting each other for business.
Too much street fighting is going on in Vevay.
The Rising Sun Iron Foundry is advertising their screws and other attachments for the Mormon and other hay presses.