News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
Doug Ray walks with a slight limp that comes from stretching his left leg across the width of the car to press the gas and brake pedals. That’s because he drives sitting in the passenger seat. And he estimates he’s driven nearly one million miles in his 30 years of delivering mail to Switzerland County residents. Last Thursday morning, Doug Ray delivered his last mail route, bringing to a close a long and successful mail-carrying career.
The Historic McCormick Tavern has apparently been saved from demolition with the purchase of the building by the Historic Landmarks Foundation. Historic Landmarks hopes to find a private buyer who will restore the structure.
Bryant W. Butler of Nell Lee Road near Bennington was accidentally shot while he was camping with three friends in some woods off Highway 129, according to Indiana State Police detective Stan Tressler. The boys were apparently target shooting at around 8 p.m. Saturday night when Bryant Butler was accidentally shot. He died at 2:45 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
15 YEARS AGO
Judy Dickerson of Patriot said goodbye to her old way of life as Postmaster of the Patriot Post Office last Friday, and hello to the world of retirement. She said she plans to stay very busy though and will miss seeing so many people every day.
Kay Rook of Vevay took the lead in showing support for our servicemen involved in the Middle East crisis, as she and members of the Switzerland Baptist Church youth group ties orange ribbons around the monument at the courthouse and several trees and posts throughout town.
Mr. and Mrs. James Thompson of Vevay announce the marriage of their daughter Jamie to Jason Chase, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Chase, Jr., of Vevay. The wedding will take place Saturday, September 15th, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Madison.
20 YEARS AGO
The Cincinnati Reds hosted Switzerland-Ohio County night at Riverfront Stadium last Wednesday evening. Switzerland County Extension Agent John Keeton had the honor of catching the ceremonial first pitch. Spectators on hand say that, although Keeton didn’t actually catch the ball that was thrown to him, he did represent Switzerland County well.
Ruby M. Welch, 88, of near Bennington passed away Sunday at Dearborn County Hospital at Lawrenceburg.
Benjamin F. Knox, 90, of route 3, Vevay, passed away Wednesday, August 28th, at Swiss Villa Health Care Center in Vevay.
James P. Burton, 64, of Vevay, passed away Saturday at Veterans Administration Hospital in Louisville.
30 YEARS AGO
The Vevay Kiwanis Club will celebrate its 40th birthday with a meeting and birthday party on September 10th at the Switzerland County High School.
Dr. John J. Deady, Regional Director of Indiana Vocational Technical College (Ivy Tech) in Madison has been notified that Ivy Tech, Madison has received both program and institutional accreditation by the Office of Education, Department of Health, Education and Welfare in Washington.
The 34-day-old strike by machinist workers at the Randall Company in Vevay appears to be ending as plant spokesmen and union officials reached tentative agreements yesterday during all-day negotiations.
Jefferson-Craig Elementary School will be closed this Friday and all of next week while a new roof will be put on the building. Switzerland County Superintendent William Hall reported late Wednesday afternoon. Teachers will be required to attend, however, Hall added.
Some 13 or 14 children in Switzerland County are without school bus service because of impassable county bridges, according to County School Superintendent William Hall. Hall said a “feeder system” set-up has been established in which automobiles will be used to transfer children across unsafe bridges where they can be picked up by the buses.
40 YEARS AGO
Construction work on the new Patriot Water System is nearing completion and only minor cleanup projects remain to be finished, Ted Watters, president, Patriot Town Board, announced this week.
Eugene Spencer has been appointed local chairman of the Salvation Army’s 1965-66 annual appeal in Vevay, it was announced today by Lieutenant Colonel Paul Robb, state commander for the army in Indiana.
Albert Allen Detmer has won a trip to New York, Washington, D.C. and Gettysburg by virtue of finishing third in the Indiana State Fair tractor operator’s contest. The top two winners in the contest received the trips and Detmer won the trip when one of the top winners could not participate. The week long trip started last Saturday and will be concluded this Saturday.
Miss Barbara Barnes, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Glenn E. Barnes of rural route 2, Madison, and granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Jump of East Main Street, Vevay, is now on a trip to Washington, D.C., and New York City. She won the trip as a result of winning the state dress revue in the dresses II category — late afternoon dresses.
50 YEARS AGO
On Saturday, September 3rd, at 1:30 Miss Peggy Louise Rahe, daughter of Mrs. Vera Wordinger, of Muncie, Indiana, became the bride of Albert Gene Leep, son of Mrs. Edna Leep and Earl Leep of Vevay.
A baby daughter was born Saturday in the Madison hospital to Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Johnson (nee Naomi O’Neal) of Vevay. She weighed 6 pounds and has been named Vickie Ann.
Douglas, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Leatherbury of Vevay, suffered a severe injury to his right eye Monday. The youngster was helping lift an automobile with a jack when it slipped and the handle struck him in the eye.
The body of Major Samuel Woodfill, designated by General John J. Pershing as the “outstanding soldier of World War II”, which now rests in Hebron church cemetery in Jefferson County, will be interred in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., on October 17th.
60 YEARS AGO
Corporal Victor Flynn has been employed by the Vevay school board as coach, social studies and physical education teacher.
Reverend A.D. Ellison, Jr., pastor of the Vevay and Concord Presbyterian churches, left yesterday to enter his training as a Navy Chaplain at William and Mary College in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Miss Daphne Irene Elsrod of Rising Sun, route 2, and William H. Cook, of Bennington, route 1, were married September 4th at the home of the officiating minister, Reverend Frank M. Reed.
Born, August 30th, a daughter Karen Sue to Mr. and Mrs. John Park of Tapps Ridge.
Claude Hewitt of the Canaan neighborhood was critically burned last Tuesday evening when gasoline which he was pouring into his automobile from a five gallon can ignited as he held a lighted lantern close to examine his progress.
Work has been started on the construction of a modern garage building on the rear of the lot at the Haskell and Morrison Funeral Home on Ferry Street.
70 YEARS AGO
A valuable calf weighing between 350 and 400 pounds was stolen from Charles Krall of Center Square sometime Thursday evening. The calf had been grazing in a pasture near the road and trampled grass around the spot indicated that the thieves had considerable trouble in loading the calf.
The G. B. Gibson Sons Company of Rising Sun has been awarded the contract for a new heating system in the Vevay grade school building and will start construction of the plant today.
A preliminary meeting for organization of a Kiwanis Club in Vevay was held at the Swiss Inn Tuesday evening.
Miss Eunice Bennett of Markland and Roger Satterfield of Vevay were married by Reverend F. E. Hammel at his residence here Saturday.
Cecil Sullivan and Beulah Madison, both of Center Square, were married by Reverend F. E. Hammel Saturday.
The 72nd consecutive annual celebration was held at Moorefield last Saturday with a large attendance. What is probably a record has been established by Mr. Frank Allen of near Warsaw, Kentucky, who first attended the Moorefield Celebration in 1868 and has not missed a meeting in the following 67 years.
Born, Sunday, a son, John Frederick, to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Moody of Vevay.
Born, Thursday, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Jester of Moorefield.
80 YEARS AGO
Sumner Scudder, 15-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. John W. Scudder of Bethel Ridge was drowned in Log Lick Creek Thursday evening while swimming with some companions.
William Barker, farmer of near Center Square, was probably permanently blinded in his right eye last Friday when he was stung by a bumble bee.
The showboat Princess grounded in the Vevay channel Sunday and was unable to get off for several days.
The new I.O.O.F. hall in Patriot is completed and the members will take possession this week.
90 YEARS AGO
James Sharp, veterinarian, had a narrow escape from death Tuesday evening when trying to ford upper Indian Creek after the storm. After waiting for a time for the waters to subside he decided to attempt a crossing and he, his buggy and team of horses were swept into the stream. His plight was discovered by Charles Oakley, who went to his assistance and supported the exhausted man until more help arrived. One of the horses was found nearby but the others have not been located.
Mr. Otis O’Neal and Mrs. Florence Hitchens were married last Sunday by Reverend Ferguson.
The Texas Amusement Company, an aggregation consisting of three shows, gave performances on the Market Square in Vevay Monday and Tuesday.
Born, Thursday, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Littlefield of Allensville.
100 YEARS AGO
Thousands attended the G.A.R. reunion here.
Frank Still has been employed to pitch for the Southern Baseball League at Memphis.
The 56th anniversary of the Long Run Baptist Association will be held at the Markland church.
Charles Bakes of Center Square was painfully bruised when thrown from his buggy.
110 YEARS AGO
Mr. Frank Craig, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Craig, will be married to Miss Florence Washburne, of Wichita, Kansas, this Thursday evening.
Licensed to marry: David D. Manford and Estella M. Vandorin; Round Ouan and Katie Eddins; Everett Webster and Anna Miller; George H. Courtney and Millie King; Rodolph L. Thiebaud and Rebecca L. Welch; Elijah Brindley and Lulie Joyce; John A. Romans and Luella Scudder.
Elderly women are wearing white more extensively than they ever have done before.
Miss Estell Vandorin and David D. Manford were united in marriage Wednesday, August 28th, at the home of the bride near Patriot by Reverend J. J. McConnell.
George Protsman purchased the grocery of Henry Todd on Ferry Street here.
David Dyer, Jr., John F. Doan and Joseph Netherland are having stone sidewalks built in front of their residences in Vevay.
Charles C. Shaw has been made a partner in the produce firm of Rous & Turner.
The Patriot distillery is manufacturing 2500 gallons of whiskey per day.
140 YEARS AGO
The new building of R. F. Grisard and Brother at the corner of Main and Ferry streets, is complete and they have moved their stock of goods into it and are now doing business there.
Clarkson and Dufour are building a brick bakery.
We learn that 84 indictments are now standing against the various liquor sellers of Vevay for violations of the laws of the State of Indiana.