News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
Switzerland County High School principal John Thomas will be named as the new superintendent of schools here when the school board meets for its regular meeting on Monday evening, September 16th. He will assume his duties as superintendent on Tuesday, September 17th.
Three years of work will culminate in a decision in about 24 hours as the Indiana Gaming Commission meets tomorrow morning (Friday) to award the fifth and final riverboat gambling license for the Ohio River. For both Switzerland and Crawford counties, it is a decision that is probably the biggest in their histories; and no matter what the decision is, it will have implications on both counties for a very long time.
The Switzerland County sheriff’s office located, confiscated, and destroyed 111 marijuana plants on Tuesday as part of an ongoing eradication program here. the plants, which would have had a street value of $1,000 per plant if allowed to grow to maturity, were found in the northeastern part of the county, mainly rowing in between rows of corn in fields. The sweep was made possible through the cooperation of the Hamilton County, Ohio, sheriff’s department, who loaned the county a helicopter and three officers to aid in the project.
The feasibility study of what type of new jail – if there is one – that Switzerland County needs to build is nearly complete, and officials from the county are currently planning public meetings to gain community feedback on such a plan. What is known about a proposed new jail for the county is that initial estimates show a cost of between $3.7 and $4.1 million.
15 YEARS AGO
The East Enterprise committee working on setting up a sewage district for the community has completed the initial work necessary for getting the job done, according to Gary McAllister, who put together the preliminary engineering study for the proposed district.
Carl Powers of route 1, Patriot grew a huge yellow watermelon. It stands about 48 inches tall and is 27 inches around. It weighs close to 100 pounds. He said he only put out six watermelon seeds this year and put a gallon of Miracle Grow on each plant when it was just a few inches tall. He said he also weeded the garden regularly, until it got so hot he felt the weeds would help shelter the melons from the hot sun.
Karen Marie Gullion and Louis James Peelman have announced their upcoming wedding. The ceremony will be held Saturday, September 7th, at the Vevay Church of Christ.
20 YEARS AGO
Walter Kinnett of Allensville grew two sweet potatoes in his garden that weighed two and three-quarter pounds and the smaller one weighed two pounds. Mr. Kinnett is 90 years old and does his own gardening by hand.
Reverend and Mrs. Craig Sopcisak, Lawrenceburg, are the parents of a baby daughter, Christine Lynn, born August 20th and weighing 7 pounds, 13 ounces at birth. Reverend Sopcisak is pastor of the Cross Plains Baptist Church.
30 YEARS AGO
“Chances are growing” that another nuclear power plant may be proposed for the Ohio River Valley, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported in a copyrighted front page article Wednesday. And among those “growing chances” is the chance that the new nuclear power plant might be located very close to Switzerland County – in the Hunter’s Bottom area of Kentucky, along the river about three air miles below Brooksburg. That would put the plant only a handful of miles from the Switzerland County line, and only about a dozen air miles from Vevay.
A two-hour meeting Monday night climaxed two years of talking about whether some new grade schools will be built in Switzerland County. They won’t be. The School Board voted Monday night against adopting a new school building program.
Switzerland County High School has a new principal. He’s Harold A. DeNoon, and he started work today. Mr. DeNoon was selected Sunday afternoon by the Switzerland County School Board. His employment was officially approved at Monday night’s School Board meeting by unanimous vote.
Lonnie Mason of Vevay, the Switzerland County Extension Agent for youth, recently was awarded a master of science degree in animal sciences from Purdue University. He also has a bachelor’s degree from Purdue.
40 YEARS AGO
Elweyn C. Blodgett of rural route 1, Vevay, was among 912 candidates for degrees for Purdue University’s summer graduation class. These included 525 master degrees. Blodgett was a candidate for a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering.
Switzerland County High School bands have been invited to participate Saturday, October 8th, in Indiana University’s annual High School Band Day program in Bloomington.
The Randall Company’s new Vevay manufacturing plant will be dedicated Tuesday during special ceremonies beginning at 2 o’clock at the plant. Lieutenant Governor Robert L. Rock will be principal speaker at the program, which will include addresses by Randall company officials and by Vevay civic leaders. Lee H. Hamilton, Ninth District congressman, has also been invited to appear.
Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Stevens celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary Sunday with a family dinner at Brown’s Restaurant in East Enterprise.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles R. Warner have announced the approaching wedding of their daughter, Marilyn, to Wilford E. Coy at 7 p.m. September 30th at Vevay Holiness Tabernacle.
Miss Linda Jane Deck, a 1966 Patriot High School graduate, has entered the executive secretarial school at International College in Fort Wayne.
50 YEARS AGO
One of Vevay’s oldest landmarks, a towering sycamore tree located behind the Ernest Courtney building on South Main Street, has been removed as a hazard to nearby property. The tree, said to be 100 years old, was cut off piece by piece last week, with the final sections being removed Saturday. A firm in Dayton, Ohio, was contracted for the work. The sycamore measured 5 feet 5 inches in diameter at the base, and after removal, was found to be hollow in several places.
The First National Bank Building on Ferry Street is in process of redecoration and plans call for a complete “face lifting.” the structure was erected in 1886 and it contains much elaborately carved decoration in wood.
Paul Hayes, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Parker Hayes of Rising Sun route two, has been promoted to the grade of Airman Second Class, according to a letter received by his parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Alton P. Tracy, Loudenville, New York, have announced the marriage of their daughter, Beryl Jean, to Delmer E. Wolf, son of William Wolf, Vevay, and the late Mrs. Wolf. The double-ring ceremony took place September 22nd at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Albany, New York.
Mr. Fred Tardy of Gainesboro, Tennessee, spent the last of the week here visiting relatives and friends. Mr. Tardy, who is owner and publisher of the weekly newspaper, Jackson County Sentinel, is a former resident of Vevay. Mr. Tardy was employed here on the Vevay Times.
60 YEARS AGO
Charles C. Carf of East Enterprise and Miss Eleanor C. Ellis of near Rising Sun were married Saturday morning, September 14th, at the home of Reverend L. N. Campbell in Rising Sun.
Born, Sunday, September 15th, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Harold Brown of Plum Creek.
Machinery for the manufacture of building bricks, which was due to arrive in May, was received last week by John Truitt and Sons, owners of the new factory.
Cecil Peters, who three weeks ago was appointed night policeman, has resigned and is now employed at the Vevay Auto Company. Squire John Baird is acting as temporary policeman until the vacancy can be filled.
Born, September 12th, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Hobart Simmons of Bennington.
Born September 6th, a daughter, Rosemary, to Mr. and Mrs. Ralph E. Morton of Pleasant.
Born, Wednesday morning, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Emerson Williamson.
70 YEARS AGO
At a delightful bingo party given Tuesday night at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Clements the marriage of their daughter, Miss Maurine, to Mr. Marion Scott was announced. A color scheme of pink and white was carried out in the decorations and refreshments and the announcement was cleverly made to the 21 guests by Reverend Fred Griffith via of the radio. The couple was married December 24th, 1935, in a double ring ceremony performed in Indianapolis by Reverend E. E. Moorman and they were attended by the groom’s brother and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Everett Scott. No one knows how the secret was kept all this time.
Miss Nadine Leep, pretty daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Leep, was united in marriage to James V. Geyman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Geyman of Manville, Saturday, September 12th. The ceremony was performed at Scottsburg, the couple going from there to Indianapolis where they expect to make their home.
Miss Bessie Croxton and Nelson Banta, both of this county, were married in Warsaw, Indiana, September 9th, by Reverend Daugherty.
Miss Wilma Helen Davis of near Pleasant and Herschel McKenzie of Jefferson County were married September 9th by Reverend W.F. Badgett.
Mrs. Edna Storie and Robert Griswold were married Wednesday, September 9th, by Reverend Walter Mosley at his home in Scottsburg, Indiana.
80 YEARS AGO
A banded carrier pigeon in an exhausted condition flew into the doorway of the B.S. Curry dry goods store Tuesday morning and was caught by W.L. Tilley and J.F. Lamson. The bird was unusually tame and after having been fed a handful of grain, flew off in a southerly direction.
Miss Aldean Cole and Arthur Konkle, both of this county, were married in Carrollton, Kentucky, Saturday by R.L. Hardin.
C.S. Tandy, aged 70, prominent Vevay bank and lawyer, died at his home here Sunday afternoon, having been stricken with apoplexy a few hours earlier.
Reverend R.E. Hammel officiated at three weddings at his home here over the weekend. Saturday night he united Lillian Hunt of Carrollton and Robert Ellis of Worthville, Kentucky. Sunday afternoon he married Lillian Carrico and Oscar Harmon, both of Carrollton, and later Sunday afternoon he married Lierena King and Ray Gorrell, both of Hanover.
A son was born Tuesday to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stoops.
A johnboat belonging to Mitchell Detraz was stolen from Riverair Camp last Friday evening.
90 YEARS AGO
James M. Eades, aged 77, and Cordelia Hensley, aged 58, eloped from their homes in Madison last Saturday afternoon and came to Vevay, where they were married by Reverend Frank Hammel.
Miss Gertrude Floyd and Joe Trinkle were married at the home of the bride’s parents in Vevay Friday night by Reverend Frank Hammel.
Born Monday, a daughter to Charlie Unwiller and wife.
Born, September 13th, a daughter, Mary Gertrude, to Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Galbreath of Quercus Grove.
Born, a son to Fred Lockwood and wife of East Enterprise.
Sheriff Heady was called to Pleasant Saturday afternoon on complaint of several citizens about a band of gypsies. The gypsies, he was told, were stealing everything not nailed down, so he ordered them to leave the neighborhood.
100 YEARS AGO
Relatives here have received word of the death of G. W. “Good” Anshutz, who was killed in Goldfield, California, while chasing horse thieves. Mr. Anshutz, 65, and a partner were developing a mine and several of their horses were stolen. He was the brother of Mrs. Albert Golay of Vevay.
Samuel Stoops had his foot badly crushed Tuesday morning while loading hogs on the old Blodgett place near Sugar Branch.
Sol. C. Rayborn, 73, father of postmaster, William Rayborn at Markland died Tuesday.
Will Wright, editor of the Broadway Sun, died this week. His father founded the Vevay Democrat.
The great pacing horse My Star which had been wining races in the Grand Circuit is a Switzerland County bred horse. He was owned by O. D. Cunningham until recently. He was trained by Jim Works of Vevay.
John Brown and Dilver Stewart have opened a general blacksmith shop in Florence.
110 YEARS AGO
Colonel W. D. Ward attended the reunion of the 37th regiment at Greensburg last week. Eighty-three survivors of his old regiment were present.
Logan Kendall left Tuesday to attend Franklin College.
The Bennington Glee Club sang at the McKinley Club of Bennington meeting Monday night.
William McGuddin, 78, died September 11th at his home in East Enterprise. A native of Pennsylvania, he came to Switzerland County in 1839 and engaged with William McCullough in the manufacture of barrels. He leaves a daughter, Mrs. Jane Sedam.
Mrs. Jockell and Mr. Munce Graham have the refreshment concession for the K. of P. celebration at the Enterprise fairgrounds Monday.
150 YEARS AGO
The Wanona in charge of Captain Charley Davis is the regular Cincinnati and Madison packet.
The Vevay Fillmore and Donlson Club meets every Thursday night.
152 YEARS AGO
Among the prize winners at the Ohio and Switzerland County fair held in Vevay last week were the following: Needlework, Mrs. Clara Morerod, Eliza J. Hall, Mrs. Samuel W. Howard, Miss Harriet Handerson, Mrs. Sarah Hall, Miss Mary Ann Beatty, Mrs. Isabella Dumont, Miss Eliza Kincaid, Mrs. Harriet Tandy, Miss Emily Bettens, Miss Eliza Patton, Miss Julia Dumont, Miss Harriet A. Schenck, Mrs. John Hall, Mrs. John T. Bond, Mrs. Malinda North, Mrs. David Henry, Mrs. John S. Olmstead, Mrs. Hannah Phillips. their awards covered quilts, bonnets, shirts, silm embroidery, worsted embroidery, dress caps, lamp mats, piano stool covers, basque waists, mantles, rag carpets, woolen stockings and socks, jeans, coverlids.