News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
Franklin College senior Melinda Miller is among those participating in the college’s internship program this month. She is working through the intern program in the Johnson County prosecutor’s office in Franklin, Indiana. A graduate of Switzerland County High School, Melinda Miller is the daughter of Ramona Miller of near Allensville.
Elizabeth Simon and Gina Simon have been named to the dean’s list for the fall semester at Franklin College. Elizabeth Simon is a junior at Franklin; while sister Gina is a sophomore. They are the daughters of Dale and Mary Ann Simon of near Bennington.
Sherry Houze of Vevay has been named to the dean’s list at Sullivan College for her work in the college’s National Center for Hospitality Studies. She earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average for the first quarter. Sherry Houze is a full time student, majoring in culinary arts.
This year is the 100th year in business for Danner’s Hardware, located at the corner of Ferry and Pike streets. The business was founded by Americus V. Danner in 1897, and has been operated after him by son Emmett Danner, and now grandson Mike Danner and his wife, Anita.
15 YEARS AGO
The Switzerland County Soil and Water Conservation District honored Bruce Hutcherson, Jr., of Patriot, as its 1991 Conservation Farmer of the Year. Vera McSwain presented the award to Bruce and his wife Jill during the Soil and Water Conservation District’s annual dinner meeting, held Friday night in the Switzerland County Junior-High School cafetorium. Also honored were Russell Weaver, winner of the SWCD Silver Star Award for 1991, and the Switzerland County FFA soils judging team, which placed high in state competition.
Deborah Lynn Shaw of Switzerland County and Alvin Keith Liter of Trimble County, Kentucky, will b e married on Friday, February 14th, at 6:30 p.m. in the Milton (Kentucky) Wesleyan Church. Parents of the couple are John Shaw of Bedford, Kentucky, Mary Lou Shaw of Vevay, and Wade and Linda Liter of Trimble County, Kentucky.
Corrinne Mahorney of Switzerland County is one of 10 high school students in the state who have been selected to receive the Indiana Vocational Education Award for Excellence. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Mahorney of Vevay, she is a student at the Versailles Christian School and also attends the Southeastern Indiana Career Center.
20 YEARS AGO
Area news correspondents for Vevay Newspapers, Inc., and their guests gathered at the Ogle Haus in Vevay last Thursday afternoon. Jane Jacobs, president of Vevay Newspapers, and staff members Ginny Leap, Shelley Smith, and Mary Schwanholt were hostesses for the luncheon. Those present were Vandora Bennett, Lauretta Borgman, Mary Christman, Eleanor Curry, Doris Dixon, Virginia Mathews, Wilma McClellan, Tom McKay, and Grace Stevenson. Marjorie Brown was absent due to illness.
Susan Davis has been named a United States National Award winner in English. The Academy recognizes less than 10 percent of all American High School students. She was nominated for the award by Janet Hendricks, English instructor at Switzerland County High School.
The Indiana Partners in Education Program (IPIEP) has announced the names of five grantees who will receive incentive monies and technical assistance to develop education/business/community partnerships. This year, Switzerland County Schools was among those selected.
40 YEARS AGO
Steve Tilley of Vevay is attending Culver Military Academy with a Ross Beason memorial endowed scholarship, awarded for outstanding academic ability and qualities of leadership. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Wallace Tilley, 111 East Main Street, Vevay.
Samuel Eugene Stewart, son of Mrs. Dorothy Browning of Liberty Street, Vevay, has enlisted in the U.S. Navy and will undergo recruit training at the U.S. Navy Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois.
Switzerland County underwent a 10 percent decrease in business firms during 1966, as there are now 84 retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers doing business – as compared with 93 a year ago.
Two large tusks, belonging to a prehistoric wooley mammoth, were unearthed this week by a dragline operator working at Hilltop Concrete Company’s aggregate plant in Mexico Bottom, 2 miles east of Patriot. Workers from Cincinnati Museum of Natural History are digging sand away from the two ivory tusks in an effort to preserve them for the museum.
U.S. Army Pfc. Norvin L. Breeck, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Breeck of 405 Tell Street, Vevay, is now serving in Vietnam.
Seaman Recruit Kenneth G. Adams, II, 19, USN, son of Mrs. Eleanor C. Adams of 502 Vineyard Street, Vevay, has been graduated from nine weeks of Navy basic training at the Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois.
50 YEARS AGO
For the second straight weekend, the area has been under a blanket of snow. Instruments at Lock and Dam 39 at Markland recorded a total of two inches from the snowfall that began at 6:45 Sunday evening and continued until 2:25 p.m. Monday.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Griffin in Patriot was badly damaged by fire believed to have been caused by a defective flue last week.
Mrs. Marshall Burnett has bought the Turner Restaurant on Main Street, which will be managed by Mrs. Gertrude Park of Vevay beginning February 1st. Mrs. Burnett will continue to operate her restaurant near the factory.
Switzerland County relatives of Sergeant and Mrs. William Carrigan of Wichita Falls, Texas have received announcement of the birth of a daughter, Penny Jo, to the couple on January 13th at the Army Air Force Base hospital there. Grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Chester James of Vevay and Mr. and Mrs. Henry Carrigan of Tapps Ridge.
Vevay relatives and friends of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Weales (nee Mary Burton) of Connersville, formerly of Vevay, were interested to learn that their son, Gerald Weales, has just had published by Little, Brown and Company, a childs’ book, “Miss Grimsbee is a Witch.” The story first appeared in a shorter form in Jack and Jill, a children’s magazine.
A taxi service called “Ray’s Taxi” has been opened in Vevay by Vernon Ray.
60 YEARS AGO
Installation of the new heating system at Switzerland Baptist Church here is nearing completion.
Arthur Roberts, prominent Vevay garage man, was painfully injured about four o’clock Monday afternoon on the Kentucky highway between Carrollton and Milton.
Lt. Robert Ferguson, son of Mrs. Robena Ferguson, died in an airplane crash which occurred Sunday at Orlando, Florida. He was a native of Switzerland County.
Harry L. Browning, 57, of Jefferson County, but a former resident of Vevay, and who is a brother of Elmer Browning of Vevay, was killed Saturday evening when he was struck by a car driven by J.W. Fields of Deputy.
Mrs. Naomi Plaskett, Senior Visitor in the County Welfare Department here, has been appointed Director of Public Welfare of Wells County and will assume that position on January 20th.
Mrs. Oliver Furnish underwent a major operation in Christ Hospital in Cincinnati Tuesday for appendicitis with complications.
Mrs. Elizabeth Webb became the owner of the farm near Center Square where she lives. She bought the property from her son, Harold A. Webb, this week.
Mrs. Willetta Washmuth of near East Enterprise is confined to her home by an illness of scarlet fever from which she has been suffering for the past two weeks.
70 YEARS AGO
Miss Mary K. Massey, who applied for the position as Home Demonstration Agent ion Switzerland County, November 28th, has started her work in the county.
William Mitchell received a broken nose Wednesday evening when he walked into a moving truck driven by Robert Hart.
Miss Marjorie E. Swango and Clifford Emmett Monroe, both of Switzerland County, were united in marriage by the Reverend Golden E. Northern.
On January 9th, Frieda E. Thomas of near Bennington and David E. Hankins of near Canaan were married at Versailles by the Reverend J.R. Quick.
Mrs. Turner Olds suffered a badly burned right hand Saturday when an electric floor outlet blew out while she was attempting to clean it.
News dispatches printed last week regarding the death of James Braden of Cleveland, Ohio, who was killed in an airplane crash in California, revealed that he was a native of Indianapolis. He was the great-grandson of John and Julia L. Dumont, Switzerland County pioneers.
Patrons of the Southern Indiana Telephone Company, better known as the “Farmers Line”, are gradually being transferred to the Ohio River Telephone – or “Green Line” – exchange.
Mrs. Miranda Roberts quietly celebrated her 92nd birthday Wednesday at the hoe of her daughter, Mrs. Irvin Peters.
Velma Jo, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Graham Banta of Craig Township, who was severely bitten by a cat several weeks ago, is reported to be progressing nicely following inoculation with the anti rabies serum.
80 YEARS AGO
Thomas O’Day, believed to be the last survivor of the battle of Balaklava, died last Thursday evening at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Clarence Hollcraft.
Miss Carrie Romans of Vevay and Clinton Scott of Florence were married Saturday in Madison.
Dilver Benedict slipped and fell at his home on Market Street last week, painfully injuring his right arm.
Fifteen head of cattle and two horses perished in a fire of unknown origin early Tuesday which destroyed a barn on the William E. Poston farm near Vevay, causing a loss of $4,000.
Miss Wilma Brindley of rural route 1, Vevay, and Ryan A. Cook of LaFeria, Texas were married in Madison last Wednesday afternoon by Reverend W.C. Marshall.
James S. Wright was reappointed postmaster of Vevay Tuesday by President Coolidge for a term of four years expiring December 31st, 1930.
90 YEARS AGO
William O. Protsman, Editor of The Reveille, has been named as a Director of the State Organizations Highway Committee for 1917.
Mrs. Elizabeth Brown has been very ill for the past week at the home of her sister, Mrs. Martha Danner. She has been suffering from a severe case of ptomaine poisoning caused from oysters she had eaten at dinner on the Mail Boat Sunday and for several days was in a critical condition, but now is improving.
Mrs. Luceivia Orem of the Bennington neighborhood had a narrow escape from serious injury last Saturday when a horse she was driving ran away with her in this city.
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Tilley were called to Chicago Thursday by the serious illness of their son, A.J. Tilley.
Emmett Jaynes and Miss Ethel Swango were married Sunday evening at the home of the groom’s brother, Charles Jaynes, on Main Street.
Joe Lamson of Craig Township was painfully injured last Friday evening as one of his horses became frightened and in turning knocked Mr. Lamson down.
100 YEARS AGO
Miss Josephine Findley has taken a position in the bindery department of the Reveille Company.
John D. Brindley left Sunday for Indianapolis where he will serve on the Federal Grand Jury.
A son was born January 12th to Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Taylor of Quercus Grove.
Andy Goodner and wife left Tuesday for Georgetown where they will make their home.
A son was born to Eugene Lampkin and wife of Patriot Sunday.
William H. Wright and Bida Howard of Lamb were united in marriage in Madison Sunday at 1 o’clock.
Miss Isabelle Melcher returned Friday from Indianapolis where she has been teaching vocal music for the past three months in thee Girls Reform School.
120 YEARS AGO
A son of John Otter in Craig Township is ill with diphtheria.
Marion Vandorin is carrying the mail from Patriot to Vevay by land during the suspension of navigation.
Samuel Hutchinson and Miss Mary Sharp, both of this county, were married January 10th at her home in Posey Township.
Elmer E. Hufford and Miss Emma G/. Buchanan were married last week at the home of the bride’s father in Posey Township.
Will G. Wood has sold the Versailles Republican to Professor George W. Young who has leased the paper temporarily to Charles H. Thompson.
130 YEARS AGO
A house on Seminary Street owned by Ben C. Miller and occupied by George Fallis caught fire last Tuesday but was soon extinguished.
The Madison Daily Herald has suspended and will hereafter be issued as a semi-weekly.
M.W. Lillard and Miss Anna Gex, both of Ghent, were married January 10th.
John Langsdale and Miss Marion Pickett were married in Mount Sterling January 8th.
Joseph Tague and Miss Fannie Allen of Cotton Township were married January 14th.
140 YEARS AGO
Last Sunday night a barn of A. S. Downey in Cotton Township burned. The loss was about $3,000.
The Methodists of Rising Sun are erecting a fine church building at the cost of $15,000.
The low price of hay causes business to be rather dull in Vevay.
George M. Fallis and Miss Emma Cole were married Wednesday, January 3rd, by Ralph Cotton.