News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
Switzerland County High School librarian Ginny Reeves has been notified that she is this year’s recipient of the Peggy Leach Pfeiffer Service Award. The award is given annually by the Association of Indiana Media Educators to one person in the State of Indiana who has given outstanding service to the state AIME organization and to media programs and libraries in Indiana.
The future of the historic City Roller Mills is in question, and a group of county residents attended Monday’s meeting of the Switzerland County Commissioners to ask for the chance to try and save it from possible demolition. The group, known as the “Friends of the Historic Vevay Roller Mills,” told the commissioners they would like to see the county try and find a way to preserve the structure now that they own it. The county was given the buildings and land by the Vevay-Switzerland County Foundation in December, and the commissioners have not announced any firm plans for the site.
Crystal Miller of Patriot and her best friend Amber Fisk were looking for something different to do more than three years ago when they decided to wander down to the Ohio River and drop some notes in the water. The bottle ended up in South Point, Ohio, which is almost directly across the Ohio River from Huntington, West Virginia, about 200 miles upriver from Patriot.
15 YEARS AGO
Many Switzerland Countians think the State of Indiana has made a mess of the deer situation. But the State thinks its deer hunting program is working well — and that most of the problems Switzerland Countians have with deer are the fault of Switzerland Countians themselves. The basic problem, everyone agrees, is that there are too many deer. The State says it is successfully reducing the deer population throughout Indiana — but less successfully in Switzerland County than anywhere else. That, says the State, is because too many Switzerland Countians won’t let hunters hunt on their property. The State says if you want to reduce your deer herd you’ve got to have deer hunters. Without them, there’s nothing the State can do.
Former Long Run Baptist Church pastor Reverend Bruce E. Cochran has returned to Indiana. Reverend Cochran was installed as pastor of First Baptist Church of Seymour on Sunday, January 3rd. Those attending the installation and reception from this area were Clarabell Crandell and Nell Jaynes from the Long Run Church and Phyllis E. Heath from the Cross Plains Baptist Church.
20 YEARS AGO
The Madison Clinic will be opening an office in Vevay in the near future, according to Mike Burnett, administrator for the clinic. Medical services in the Vevay office will initially be offered on a part-time basis, however, plans for the future include providing full-time services.
The crew of the feature film “Fresh Horses” spent about 12 hours shooting a scene at a cabin on Bryant’s Creek. The movie stars Molly Ringwald and Andrew McCarthy and is directed by David Anspaugh, a Decatur, Indiana native, who also directed the film “Hoosiers.” The Bryant’s Creek area of Switzerland County was reportedly chosen for shooting the scenes which, in the movie, take place in Kentucky because of its close proximity to Cincinnati and the fact that it looks like the mountainous regions of Eastern Kentucky.
Leading the Switzerland County Chamber of Commerce into a new year will be officers, Art Caster, traveling ambassador, Ed Clapham, president; Mike Danner, board member, Dr. Robert Findley, first vice president; Evelina Brown, secretary; Libby Ray, treasurer; Joe Ricketts, second vice president; and Sharon Schmitt, board member.
Jeni Scudder, has been the deputy for the Switzerland County treasurer for the past four years. She has accepted a position with her father, Joe Ricketts, at the State Farm Insurance Agency in Vevay. The new deputy treasurer will be L. J. Osborne of Vevay. Mr. Osborne was the owner of the Osborne 5 and 10 Store in Vevay and more recently was employed with the Haskell and Morrison Funeral Home in Vevay.
40 YEARS AGO
Switzerland County Courthouse had some new faces this week as J. C. Ramsey took office as clerk of the circuit court. His wife, Janice, is his deputy. Elected in November, 1966, Ramsey, a Republican, took office to succeed Mrs. Lois Rosenberger.
Vevay’s new reorganized police force was sworn in this week as the new year began under a new municipal administration. Fred Jennings, Jr., is the new chief marshal, returning to that post after a four-year absence. Others sworn in by Mrs. Mary Roberts, town clerk-treasurer, were Clarence Wiseman, alternate deputy marshal; Louis Workman, second deputy marshal; and Henry (Jim) Reed, first deputy marshal.
Electrician’s Mate First Class Jackie D. Boswell, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. Dallas Boswell of Bennington is serving aboard the 37,000-ton amphibious assault carrier USS Princeton.
Staff members of Community Hospital in Indianapolis recently honored Mrs. Edna Trapp, the former Edna Cole of Switzerland County, upon her retirement as the hospital’s insurance claims clerk. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bert Cole of Mount Sterling was one of the hospital’s original employees, having applied for her position through Indianapolis Hospital Development Association before the hospital was built.
50 YEARS AGO
The first baby of the New Year born at King’s Daughters’ Hospital in Madison was Franklin Bradley Thomas of Vevay who arrived 33 minutes after midnight Tuesday night. The parents are Mr. and Mrs. Harman Thomas and the father is assistant coach and shop teacher at Vevay High School.
Goodloe Brindley, aged farmer residing west of Vevay, suffered severe leg burns Thursday morning while working on an oil heater in an outbuilding.
The beautifully decorated home of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Grimes, 308 Ohio Street, was picked as winner of the Vevay Jaycee home lighting contest for the holiday season. Mr. and Mrs. Grimes received $25 as first award. Second place award of $10 went to Mr. and Mrs. Victor Pesce, 201 Cedar Avenue, and third award of $5 to Mr. and Mrs. Paul White of 508 East Main Street. Judges for the annual event were Mrs. Fred Griffith, Mrs. Elmer Smith, and Mr. Don Small. Jaycee chairman for the contest was Elmer Johnson.
Indiana State Trooper John Scudder, son of Switzerland County Sheriff Ora Scudder, has been assigned to the Versailles Sub-Post, and will patrol the area comprised of Switzerland and Ohio counties. Trooper and Mrs. Scudder and family have taken up residence in Rising Sun.
60 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Hazeldean of East Enterprise are the proud grandparents of a baby boy born to Mr. and Mrs. J. V. Hill of Battle Creek, Michigan December 19th.
70 YEARS AGO
James Edward, young son of Mr. and Mrs. James Bruce Jr., of Craig Township received severe burns about the hips and legs when he fell into a pan of hot water.
80 YEARS AGO
The Indiana State Highway Commission has decided positively to take over the river road through Switzerland County to Rising Sun bridge from Vevay, as part of the state highway system. Maintenance of the road will begin in the Spring.
Due to heavy rains last week there was another big cave in on the fill at the new Indian Creek bridge.
Miss Julia LeClerc Knox, who is a Latin teacher in Crawfordsville High School has just had published a pamphlet entitled, “Some Interesting Pioneer Homesteads in and Around Vevay.”
A barn belonging to Forrest Darbro on Popcorn Ridge was destroyed by fire last Wednesday morning about daybreak when a lantern which was hanging in the barn exploded throwing the blazing oil about the barn.
Less than a week after his barn had been destroyed by fire with heavy loss, the home of Forrest Darbro on Popcorn Ridge was destroyed by fire and members of the family barely escaped with their lives.
90 YEARS AGO
Corporal Edwin Cain Danner, 28, of Craig Township died at Camp Taylor, Kentucky December 28th following an illness of pneumonia and complications. He was the first Switzerland County boy to give his life in the World War.
The Ohio River is now practically one solid cake of ice from Cincinnati to Madison and it takes only warmer weather and a substantial rise to break up the great gorges that have accumulated. All kinds of rivercraft are frozen fast and it seems that their destruction is inevitable when the break up comes. Wagons, sleds and automobiles are driving over the ice.
Fire destroyed the two story residence of Charles Dunning near Center Square Monday afternoon.
A son was born Christmas Day to Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Danner of Craig Township.
Culbertson Brothers have purchased the buildings and grounds formerly occupied by the Union Furniture Company and will begin remodeling them for warehouses. They will replace the immense stock of farm machinery, etc., lost by fire recently.
B. T. Heady of near Vevay received a fractured collar bone Monday when a team of horses hitched to a sled on which he was hauling wood, ran away and he was thrown off.
A daughter was born December 26th to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Cox.
A daughter was born December 26th to Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Bish.
Miss Ruby Beatty of Indianapolis who is an instructor in the Moorefield high school, was a passenger on the train that was wrecked at North Vernon Saturday. She escaped with a sprained wrist.
Horace Riggs who last week resigned as foreman at the Switzerland Democrat has accepted a like position with the Enterprise, succeeding Marion Williamson, who now is connected with the Democrat.
Miss Marie Tilley left Saturday to enter business college in Indianapolis.
The following Switzerland County soldiers were granted furloughs for either Christmas or New Year’s: Harold Curry, Eddie Means, Charles Patterson, Hampton Williamson, Hubert Hamilton, Clyde Schoffner, Ray Leatherbury, Edward Furnish, Marion Warner, Gary Welch, Charles Griswold, Frank Pelsor, Lucian Emerson, Leslie Byram and Eugene Scudder, all of Camp Taylor and Harry Smith of Camp Shelby.
100 YEARS AGO
The Swain-Karmire sawmill which has been operating here for the past three years closed down last Friday throwing 30 men out of employment. It will be torn down and moved to Tennessee.
A son was born last week to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Reed of near Brooksburg.
Miss Golda Andrew is home from Western College at Oxford, Ohio.
William Boyle who is attending medical college in Indianapolis is home on vacation.
A daughter was born December 19th to Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Knox.
The Plum Creek bridge was completed Thursday evening after two months of hard labor.
Captain M. L. Hissem’s new packet, Kentucky, made her first trip up river Sunday.
Delivery boys for groceries in Vevay have agreed not to deliver groceries after 6 p.m. except on Saturday nights.
The Lyric Theatre opened Saturday under the new management of W.A. Williams.
A son was born last week to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Krummel.
A son was born recently to Mr. and Mrs. Lemuel Webb of Patriot.
Ray Carnine of Pleasant was painfully injured Monday when he was struck in the face by a baseball bat in the hands of a playmate.
A son was born December 11th to Mr. and Mrs. James Aldred of near Vevay.
William Lamson is making up a raft of 300 ash and hickory logs to be taken to the handle factory at Madison.
100 YEARS AGO
Ben Cole has started a new grocery at Mount Sterling.
Oscar Brindley of Moorefield will enter Purdue University this week where he will take a course in the agricultural department.
A daughter was born to John Romans and wife of Parks Ridge last Saturday.
120 YEARS AGO
Mrs. Julius N. E. Murret, residing near Vevay, slipped on the ice and severely sprained one of her ankles last Saturday.
Charles Markland and Dempsey Gullion have returned to their homes in Markland after a trip to New Orleans on the Golden Rule.
Miss Lulu Ward is home from DePauw to spend the holidays.
Julius Dufour who has been ill has recovered sufficiently to take passage on the steamer Guiding Star for Lake Providence, Louisiana, to spend the winter with his daughter, Mrs. William Rous. His daughter Mrs. Del Vecchio and her daughter accompanied him.
130 YEARS AGO
A flat boat belonging to Montgomery Patton and John Jackson was recently sunk on the falls. The entire cargo consisting of 3,245 bushels of corn, 25 tons of hay and 3,300 pounds of pork was lost. The loss above insurance will amount to about $400.
Amount of toll collected at the gate near Vevay on the Vevay-Mount Sterling and Versailles turnpike in December was $280.08.
A boot and shoe shop has been established in Center Square by two gentlemen from Patriot.
Edward Hawkins and bride of Connersville spent the holidays with friends in Vevay.
Harvey Culbertson and bride of Nebraska are visiting his parents at Moorefield. Mr. Culbertson is professor of comparative anatomy in the University of Nebraska.
140 YEARS AGO
John Jennings, residing in Pleasant Township, is 104 years old. We suppose he is the oldest man in the state of Indiana.
Amie Morerod has purchased a dwelling house on Main Street and is permanently located here.
Spencer Rous of Cincinnati, formerly of Vevay, was in town for a few days visit last week.
Charles C. Scott, formerly publisher of the News at this place, is now publishing a paper at Plattsburg, Missouri.
The house used by Jefferson Davis during the Civil War is to be turned into a Negro high school.
The proceeds of a festival given by the ladies of the Baptist Church amounting to $255 will be used to purchase an organ for the Sunday school.
The steamer J. D. Pratt, with Captain E. Martin in command, left Vevay Tuesday for New Orleans with three barges loaded with 1,050 tons of hay belonging to J. K. Pleasants and Company.
The steamer Argosy arrived here Sunday and took on board a shipment of furniture from the Vevay Furniture Company, hay and potatoes.
Professor Brewington and several other teachers in the county left Tuesday to attend the meeting of the State Teachers Association.