News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers.
10 YEARS AGO
Matt Prarat and Carrie Wiley were crowned King and Queen of Homecoming on Friday evening. First runner-up for King was B.J. McAlister, First runner-up for Queen was Cathryn Craig. Second runner-up for Queen was Amber Welch and Second runner-up for King was Adam Dennis.
The residents of the Swiss Villa Living Center are currently raising funds to help pay for the purchase and set up of a bird aviary that will house exotic birds. The aviary will be a glass enclosed case that will contain birds for the enjoyment of residents, staff, and guests.
Amanda Ingels, a junior at Switzerland County High School, earned a spot on the 2001 Honor Band of the Indiana Music Educators Association. She performed with the Honor Band at a concert held in Indianapolis on January 13th.
Bob Randall of Dearborn County has been named as the director of the new Switzerland County YMCA. He was welcomed to the community with an open house for YMCA board members on Sunday afternoon. He brings many years of experience in dealing with YMCAs to Switzerland County, and will officially begin work this Monday. He will have an office in the Hoosier Theater and can be reached by phone.
20 YEARS AGO
A Switzerland County lady will soon reach a milestone that most of us will never reach. Isabel Sullivan of Vevay will celebrate her 100th birthday this Saturday. Born in 1891 in Vevay, she is the daughter of John G. and Isabel A. (Russell) Long.
Rick Woolums of Vevay was recently commissioned a Kentucky Colonel for his contributions, professionalism, and cost containment efforts in the Kentucky State Worker’s Compensation system.
30 YEARS AGO
Samantha Brammer was on the Dean’s List at Purdue University for the fall semester. She received a grade point average of 5.82 and is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Brammer of Patriot.
While warm weather and a lack of rain have been the story on the weather scene lately, 43 years ago, the story was flood and destruction. Of course, 1937 was the year of the great flood, far eclipsing the terrible high waters of 1884. However, while it had its share of problems, Vevay fared better than many other river towns. But in Florence, Patriot and Markland damage was extensive and just about every inch of property in the three towns was covered by water. The Vevay Reveille-Enterprise was able to print on January 28th, but only in a smaller edition and after a lot of hard work. It was the same size on February 4th, and didn’t get back to its normal size until February 11th.
40 YEARS AGO
Dennis J. (Denny) Brown of Vevay has been named to the dean’s list at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky, for the fall semester. He is a 1965 graduate of Vevay High School.
Privates first class Kerry L. Peters and Eldric H. Hazeldean were promoted to their present rank upon graduation from the Second Infantry Training Regiment at the U.S. Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, California. They are the sons respectively of Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Peters and Mr. and Mrs. Eldric E. Hazeldean, all of route 3, Vevay. Both youths are Switzerland County High School graduates.
Norris Works was elected president of Switzerland County National Farmers Organization as the county chapter held its first meeting of 1971. He succeeds Tommy Gullion in that office.
Mrs. Roberta Cord gave a talk concerning the purposes and use of the Title I program in Switzerland County as she spoke at a meeting of Allensville Parent-Teacher Association January 14th. The coordinator of Switzerland County School Corporation’s federal programs said the use of Title I this year has brought about the use of a nurse, a special reading teacher at Jefferson-Craig Elementary School, and the use of 10 teacher aides throughout the county system.
50 YEARS AGO
Vevay’s Warriors, a tribe that could scarcely hit the basket in 1960, has changed its ways. The year of 1961 has witnessed a team that now has a torrid scoring punch, good teamwork and knows how to win.
An icy spot in the road was blamed for the freak series of mishaps that occurred on State Road 56 in front of the George Wood farm at Mount Sterling, about five miles north of Vevay.
The first driver involved in the series of incidents was Mrs. Ernie Alford of Center Square. She was en route home from work when her car skidded on a patch of ice. Second mishap, Leon Johnson of Vevay, route two, was traveling north on the same road and lost control of his brand new truck when it hit the same slick spot. Third mishap. Shortly after the accident, Mrs. Johnson’s sister, Barbara Ray of Vevay, came to pick up the Johnsons. Not aware of the slick spot, she too lost control of the auto she was driving.
After a minor personal injury four damaged vehicles and considerable property damage, state highway crewmen arrived and sanded the slick spot on the road.
The Woods’ auto was damaged when the bumper of the Johnson’s truck flew off and struck it.
60 YEARS AGO
Dr. Noel Graves who has been critically ill is now much improved. He left Monday with his wife and son to spend several days in Muncie with relatives.
Marilyn, young daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Elmo Rayls of near East Enterprise, sustained serious head injuries Saturday night when a door on their automobile came open and she fell out.
At a meeting of the stockholders of the Vevay Deposit Bank which was held January 17th, Dr. C. O. Sieglitz was elected a director to fill the vacancy created by the recent death of F. A. Griffith.
Mrs. Howard Allen was awarded a gold watch for coming up with the right answer last Wednesday night when her name was called on the Variety Party Hour over radio station WLW.
Switzerland County’s first casualty to be returned from Korea arrived in Posey Township Sunday when Pfc. Leslie Lee Scudder reached the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Scudder, near Patriot, to spend a 30-day furlough.
70 YEARS AGO
John L. Pavy, 93, one of Switzerland County’s oldest citizens, died January 15th, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Andrew Konkle, at Spring Branch, after an illness of several months.
Charles Wilson, 59, Spanish American War veteran of Patriot, died Sunday in U.S. Veteran’s Hospital in Indianapolis after a long illness.
Ernest Guyer, general superintendent of the Vevay sewage project has been promoted to a WPA project at New Albany. Raymond Detraz of Vevay who has been assistant superintendent of the work has been appointed as superintendent of the local work.
80 YEARS AGO
Moorefield wins the north and south roads between Vevay and Versailles. This was made known Saturday by members of the state highway commission. The road was taken over immediately and work of maintenance by the state was begun Monday. Alternate routes considered were through Bennington and Fairview.
We printed this week an interesting historical sketch of the town of Patriot written by H. F. Emerson, a native. More installments will follow. Mr. Emerson if now a resident of Cleveland, Ohio.
The weather vane on the courthouse having succumbed to old age, a new one was ordered by the commissioners and was set in place recently by Howard Allen. Mr. Allen gave the old weather vane, with its history, to the local historical society. It was designed and cut by hand from sheet copper by Samuel Danner, and was mounted on the cupola of the courthouse in 1860. The vane is balanced by a solid iron ball above and the staff runs through a hollow ball at the base, which revolves in a glass socket. These balls were made by Josiah Jackman who molded the iron into curved sections and welded them together. Mr. Allen used the Danner design for the vane and mounted it on the old iron work. He wrote a history of the vane, which he sealed in a copper case and placed in the hollow ball at its base for the enlightenment of future generations.
The Vevay golf team, which participated in a tournament with Madison, was defeated Tuesday night in final play, by 54 points.
Robert Bunger of Patriot is suffering from a broken nose and badly cut face which he received Wednesday when a tire on his truck, which he was fixing, blew up.
90 YEARS AGO
Vevay’s cigar factory, which was opened here recently has been given up on account of the poor health of the proprietor, David Miller, who returned to Cincinnati Sunday. His nephew, Guy Beldon, has taken charge of the shop and will move the equipment to Connersville.
Miss Eva Lena Cole of Fairview has been taken to a Cincinnati hospital for medical treatment and she was pronounced to be a victim of “sleeping sickness.” Although improving her condition remains serious.
A case of smallpox has been reported near Fairview, Mr. Jess Stepleton has been very sick with the disease.
“Uncle Joe” Froman has made a number of children happy this winter by giving them each a jumping monkey which he painstakingly carved from wood and fastened together.
Joe McMackin of near East Enterprise suffered a broken foot last week when rock he was loading in a wagon on the state road, fell upon it.
Stanley Whitham of East Enterprise has traded his driving horse to Henry Griffith for a Ford roadster.
100 YEARS AGO
Jack Ricketts has a new suit of clothes as the result of a strange chain of events – a “cast your bread upon the waters and it shall be returned to you” sort of situation. The suit is the gift of Sam Blach, son of Julius Blach, the man who once kept a very prosperous clothing store in this city. (He now has a clothing store of his own, way down south). On Sunday Sam Blach dropped into town. Bright and early Monday morning he cornered Ricketts and marched him into a local clothing store where he fitted him out new. He even threw in a perfecto. The reason why? Some 20 years ago or more, when young Blach was 11 or 13 years of age, he was afflicted with some childish ailment. One autumn the older Blach, who owned a line of flat boats in addition to clothing business was sending a cargo of potatoes and onions south and young Blach went along for his health.
At Lostutters landing, just above Carrollton, Kentucky, while Ricketts and some other men were loading the boat, Sammy fell overboard. Ricketts got on a wide board and went to his rescue, bringing him safely back to the boat. Mr. Blach has not been north for many years but he always has felt that some token of his gratitude was due Mr. Ricketts.
Robert Slate will erect a garage on a lot near his home on Ferry Street. He expects it to be completed by April 1st.
Eugene Tardy, Jr., of Chandler, Oklahoma spent the first of the week with his father, Eugene Tardy. Mr. Tardy, a prosperous farmer, was en route to Columbus, Ohio to attend the national corn show and then to Toronto, Canada. He expects to return to Vevay for a week’s visit before going to Tennessee for a visit with his brothers, Fred and Earl, before returning home.
120 YEARS AGO
Doctors Dalgleish, Craig, Rous and VanPelt, successfully performed an operation upon Mr. Archibald Shaw Sunday night. Mr. Shaw, who is 80 years old is a highly esteemed citizen of Craig Township.
William R. Walden of Mount Sterling will move with his family to Illinois next week.
George W. Oakley and family and Amie Oakley and wife have moved from Connersville, Indiana to Vevay after an absence of four years.
150 YEARS AGO
CHARLESTON, South Carolina – January 14th – Resolutions have unanimously passed the legislature declaring that an attempt by the federal government to reinforce Major Anderson will be regarded as a declaration of war, also approving of the act and promptness of the military in firing into the Star of the West, and promising to support the governor in all measures of defense.
A resolution was passed to fire 15 rounds for each seceding state.