News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
The Switzerland County boys cross country team won the first cross country sectional title in school history last Saturday. Making the moment even more historic was that sophomore Devin Scudder led the way by winning the individual championship – also a first for the school.
Warren and Hazel Works of near East Enterprise will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on November 3rd. The celebration will be held at the East Enterprise Firehouse.
Switzerland County voters will have the opportunity to hear first hand the views of county election candidates this Monday when the Switzerland County Chamber of Commerce hosts a candidate forum. The event will take place at the Historic Hoosier Theater on Ferry Street in Vevay, and will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Switzerland County High School’s Spell Bowl team placed third overall in Class II competition at the 12th annual Hoosier Area Spell Bowl held Monday at Madison. Students participating included Stacy Berkley Sawyer, Patti Brady, Adam Cord, Aaron Fischer, David Hart, Christopher Hendricks, Janelle Koons, Megan Meadors, Elyssa Swango, and Michelle Tackett.
15 YEARS AGO
In the Miss Petite Indiana beauty pageant, held at the Radisson Hotel in Merrillville, Indiana on October 20th, Mrs. Molli Bovard of Vevay was selected first runnerup and Miss Congeniality.
Shawn Paul Caplinger has graduated from basic training at the Naval Recruit Training Center in Orlando, Florida. He is the son of Paul and Sandy Caplinger of Moorefield.
Carl D. Hutchinson has enlisted in the Indiana Army National Guard, and recently reported to Fort Benning, Georgia for training. He is the son of Carl and Betty Hutchinson of Vevay and graduated this year from Switzerland County High School.
Katherine Ann Kurdys and Christian Powers Burton have announced their engagement. The bride-elect is the daughter of Marilyn J. Fancher of Vevay and Kenneth J. Kurdys of Madison. Burton is the son of Debbie Dicks of Cincinnati and Doug Burton of Vevay. The wedding is planned for Saturday, November 16th, at Truth Apostolic Church near Vevay.
20 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. Teddy Dance of Rushville celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary on October 17th with a visit to Switzerland County and a stay at the Ogle Haus Inn. They were married in Vevay on October 17th, 1931, by Reverend Leland Courtney. Mrs. Dance is the former Ethel Leap. Both Ethel and Teddy were born and raised in Switzerland County.
Marine Pfc. Dennis C. Jones, son of William A. and Mary E. Jones of Patriot, recently deployed to Fort Sherman, Panama for jungle warfare training. He is currently stationed with the 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Mr. and Mrs. O. Paul Merz, of Speedway and formerly of Vevay, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on October 31st. Mr. Merz retired from U.S. Shoe Corporation, Cincinnati, in 1981, before moving to Speedway in 1984.
30 YEARS AGO
Wilbur “Toots” Buchanan recaptured the County Commissioner’s job he lost four years ago as Switzerland County Democrats swept every race on the ballot in Tuesday’s general election. Starting with the President and covering every race all the way down, the Democrats blitzed to impressive winning margins. Even Vance Hartke and Larry Conrad, big losers statewide, were big winners in Switzerland County.
Switzerland County has one of the biggest per capita populations of certified emergency medical technicians in the state of Indiana, figures released recently by the Indiana Emergency Medical Services Commission reveal Switzerland County has 33 certified medical technicians.
Miss Jean Tapp, daughter of Mrs. Wallace Tapp of Allensville, and Phil Lock, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lock of Bennington, were united in marriage October 15th in a ceremony performed in Bennington by Reverend John Willis.
Marvin D. Thomas has completed basic training with the U.S. Army at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He will be stationed in Germany, and will serve as a truck driver. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Marvin S. Thomas of route 1, Patriot.
40 YEARS AGO
A heart attack proved fatal to Raymond Rose, 66, of Vevay as he walked through last Wednesday evening’s snow storm after his truck stalled near Bennington. Mr. Rose had operated Vevay Sales and Service in Vevay since January, 1965. Prior to taking over the Buick dealership, he had been associated with Vevay Auto Company from 1932 to 1965, in addition to handling insurance.
No, Virginia, the Democrats do not have a permanent lease on the Switzerland County Courthouse. After nearly 40 years of sweeping up the crumbs left from Democratic victory parties, the long-suffering Switzerland County Republican Party finally got to set at the banquet table. If you haven’t already decided we’re completely daft, read on and we’ll tell you of the county’s election of a Republican sheriff, a Republican clerk of the circuit court, a Republican auditor, and a Republican county councilman. republicans voted into courthouse offices were Wilbur G. Allen as auditor and John C. Ramsey as circuit court clerk. John Ashcraft was elected First District councilman. Ralph Brown was elected sheriff.
“The family that weighs together stays together” could be the motto of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Gregory who after 59 years of marriage still top the bathroom scales at identical weights. Celebrating their 59th anniversary the past month, the husband and wife weigh in at an identical 142 pounds. On their marriage date in 1907, they were an equal 112 pounds.
50 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. George Morris of Bennington will observe their 40th wedding anniversary on Friday, November 16th. Mrs. Morris was before her marriage Miss Della Ritchie.
Another giant turnip is on display in this newspaper office, this one taking first place honors thus far. The big vegetable weighs 11 pounds, and measures 30 1/2 inches in circumference. It was grown by William Cleeter of Bear Branch.
James Bladen, veteran businessman of Vevay, quietly celebrated his 75th birthday Friday.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Metcalf (nee Fern Caplinger) of Tipp City, Ohio are the parents of an 8 pound, 5 ounce, baby daughter born Monday afternoon, November 12th. They also have a 17-month-old son, Clark Robert.
60 YEARS AGO
Four cases of diphtheria in Ohio County have led to the closing of the Cass-Union Consolidated School there by Dr. William Hall, county health officer, and the immunization of 133 pupils of that school. The outbreak of the disease followed the death of 7-year-old Ronald E. Scudder, a pupil of the school, on October 27th, of an undiagnosed throat infection.
Miss Olive Romans of Posey Township and Pfc. Loren Lamson of route 4, Vevay were married in Lawrenceburg Thursday afternoon, October 311st, by Reverend Royden Rea.
Mrs. Hazel Driver and Warren Works, both of Cotton Township, were married Saturday afternoon by Reverend Frank Reed at his home in Vevay.
Born, a son, Donald Lyn, Monday, November 4th, to Stanley Andrew and wife.
70 YEARS AGO
Mrs. Mary E. Brown, widow of John Brown and mother of Postmaster William Brown, of Patriot, died at her home there Friday morning following a two-week illness of bronchial pneumonia.
A severe snow storm did severe damage throughout the county Wednesday morning.
Mrs. Flaudia Tague of Vevay and John Fisher of Craig Township were married Monday in Indianapolis.
Born Thursday a daughter, Audrey May, to Mr. and Mrs. Denver Dunning of Quercus Grove.
80 YEARS AGO
George Stewart, aged 50, sheriff of Switzerland County and his bride of less than two hours were killed Tuesday afternoon when the automobile he was driving was struck by a B and O train at Nebraska, Indiana. Mr. Stewart was killed instantly and Mrs. Stewart was so badly injured that she died shortly after the accident.
Minor Bakes of Vevay Tuesday purchased the three story brick building on Ferry Street from officials of the Ku Klux Klan. The ground floor is occupied by the post office and Courtney’s grocery. At the expiration of the government’s lease on the post office, which has several months to run. Mr. Bakes plans to remodel the building into a modern up to date theatre.
Diamond rings, a watch and other jewelry belonging to Mrs. Mattie Craig of Vevay and valued at more than $3,000, were stolen from her in the L. S. Ayres store in Indianapolis last Saturday. Mrs. Craig had the jewelry in a handbag and had left it temporarily on a counter while writing a check.
Born, a daughter to Frank Weales and wife.
100 YEARS AGO
The Red Men’s lodge band made its initial appearance on the street Saturday night and was well received by the public.
At a recent meeting of the Ladies’ Aid Society of the Christian Church, “Doc” McGuire presented the members with a 30-pound cake made to cut in sections bearing the respective names of the 24 members.
Reverend Charles Lee has moved to Vevay from Fairview and is occupying the Methodist parsonage.
Calvin Smith has nearly completed his new house near Moorefield.
Lee Wright and George Johnston are building a new skiff 21 feet long.
Augustus Hatton of route 1 has brought to this office a beet weighing 6 3/4 pounds.
110 YEARS AGO
In the recent election, McKinley was elected over a Bryan by an overwhelming majority.
Captain T. Livings and son, Fred, of Washington, D.C., came home to vote.
Mrs. Ticer and children left Friday for Brooklyn, New York.
The state of Indiana went Republican in the election. Switzerland County went Democratic by 95.
The telegraph office in Vevay furnished the full election returns. A Republican and a Democrat were stationed in the Reveille office to receive from the operator the telegrams and write them in duplicate and forward them to the headquarters of the two parties where they were read to the crowded halls and repeated from the windows to the hundreds assembled in the streets below.
Rudolph Siebert will enjoy a novel ride on account of McKinley’s election, Mr. P. C. Carter will ride him over the principal streets of Vevay, the event to take place next Saturday afternoon.
130 YEARS AGO
Joseph M. Dufour, who is employed in a government department in Washington, D.C. came home to vote.
Major John O. Cravens, prosecuting attorney for this circuit, has appointed Louis A. Clark his deputy for this county with the exception of Jefferson Township in which he retains his former deputy, Captain Theodore Livings.
Bledsoe and Beymer have recently completed a handsome business house at Florence which they will occupy.
William Daily of Center Square has purchased a flour mill at Bear Branch.
James A. and Addison Works have formed a partnership for the practice of law and have opened their office in the LeClerc House.
They are again finding some wonderfully large bones over at Big Bone Springs, Kentucky. On Monday a tusk over 6 feet long and 22 inches around was found. It weighed 150 pounds. Several teeth and a large number of other bones were found.
140 YEARS AGO
The Governor has issued his proclamation designating Thursday, November 20th, as a day of Thanksgiving in Indiana.
A young man named Lane who lives near Milton, opposite Madison, in firing a cannon, had his hand shot off.
152 YEARS AGO
Switzerland County has received eight boxes of books or libraries to be distributed in the townships for the use of the schools. A state tax was levied and collected for two years to finance the plan. The books are in care of the township trustees and are the common property of the people. Every family in the township is entitled to one volume at as time. Every county having a population of 10,000 persons and less than 15,000 is entitled to eight libraries. Each library contains 275 volumes divided into eight classes as follows: History, Biography, Voyages and Travels, Science and Art, Agriculture, Poetry and Belles Letters, Juvenile Books and Miscellaneous Works for Parents.