News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
What Lewis and Lucille Konkle term as “Love at first sight” will have lasted for 61 years Wednesday, January 1st, when the couple celebrates the New Year and also their wedding anniversary.
Switzerland County residents will get their first look at the new Switzerland County Middle School when officials host an open house this Sunday.
A $260 million addition to the North American Stainless plant in Ghent, Kentucky, could mean many new jobs for this area. The new complex will be an addition to the existing facility, but will be a separate production building. It will hold two mills.
Woodrow and Ruby Redding Blackburn of near Moorefield will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on Sunday, January 5th.
15 YEARS AGO
Army National Guard Private Larry E. Hawkins, Jr., has completed training at the U.S. Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia. A 1991 graduate of Switzerland County High School, Private Hawkins is the son of Marilyn Sanders of Vevay.
Assistance in paying for rental housing is offered low-income families in a new program administered by the Southeastern Indiana Economic Opportunity Corporation (SIEOC), which serves Switzerland and four other counties. Families that qualify for the program receive funding to make up the difference between the cost of the housing and what they can afford to pay.
Dearborn County Hospital’s 1991 calendar features impressive color photographs of four Switzerland County churches. The Concord Community Church in Egypt Bottom is on the cover, and inside are pictures of the Vevay United Methodist Church (Ruter Chapel); the Church of Christ, Market Street, Vevay; and the Moorefield Church of Christ on State Road 129.
35 YEARS AGO
Town of Vevay officials for the new year of 1972 were sworn into office two days before the end of the old year. they are: Town Judge Paul Wiley, Town Clerk-Treasurer Mary Roberts, and Town Board members L. J. Osborne, Alvin Rayls and Paul David Hankins. Administering the oath of office to them was Switzerland Circuit Court Clerk J. C. Ramsey.
Police reported 40 cases of beer stolen in a break-in at the William Buschmann warehouse in Vevay.
Walter Washmuth is ill and is hospitalized in intensive care.
The Vevay Boy Scouts are collecting glass for recycling.
The Switzerland County High School band boosters have raised $1,500 of the $7,000 needed to send the Marching Pacers to the Mardi Gras festival in New Orleans in February.
Six Switzerland County men were arrested and charged with stealing tobacco from Russell Weaver’s barn.
Columnist Kenny Clemons reported: “On Christmas Eve, Dad brought something into the house that is very unusual for this time of year – a dandelion in full bloom. The little plant surely must have had its calendar mixed up, with the unusually warm weather we’ve been having, and being unable to contain itself any longer, had to burst into bloom. On Christmas Day the temperature was up into the 60s.”
45 YEARS AGO
Two Switzerland County 4-H members, Allen Ball and Billy Hoskins, both of Center Square, won premium money at the 4-H district tobacco show and sale at Carrollton last week.
No less than nine businesses have opened in Vevay during the year of 1961.
George Eddie James and Melvin Bosaw, both of Vevay, are undergoing nine weeks of recruit training at Great Lakes Naval Center, Illinois.
Mrs. Lula Oak, 85, died suddenly December 23rd while on a train near Albuquerque, New Mexico, en route to visit relatives in California for the holiday. Traveling with her was her daughter, Mrs. Walter (Willetta) Washmuth, a teacher at Jefferson-Craig School; and Mr. Washmuth, all of near East Enterprise.
William R. Bliss, a native of Switzerland County, died in Rising Sun at the age of 65.
Captain and Mrs. Leon Ash of Lamb entertained Christmas evening with a dinner at their home for friends.
Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Tucker have received word that their son, Kenneth Tucker, who was recently home on a 25-day leave, has arrived in Germany and has reported for military duty.
Charles Krummel, 54, Vevay businessman, died in King’s Daughters’ Hospital.
Eight students from Switzerland County are currently attending Purdue University: Bruce Hutcherson, Frank Silver, Mary Jane Galbreath, Don Hyde, Clair McKay, Charles Scott, Raymond Spencer, Robert Woodfill.
55 YEARS AGO
Ulysses Schenck Teats, 81, member of an old Vevay family, passed away at his home here about 5:30 o’clock Saturday evening. The deceased was the son of George and Eveline Schenck Teats and was born in the old log homestead below Vevay on November 13th, 1870. He was the last of his family generation. For several years he conducted a popular pool room here and had many friends throughout the county.
Mr. and Mrs. Hubert S. Thomas of route 1, Patriot, have received word that the boy of their son, Harvey Eugene Thomas, who was killed in action in Korea, is en route to the United States. Last rites will be held at the Haskell and Morrison Funeral Home here.
Mrs. Robert Dunn and small son, Robert Vernon, made a hurried trip to the office of Dr. George Copeland Monday afternoon when it was discovered that the youngster had a bean lodged in his nose. After much probing the bean was removed and the little boy is now as good as new.
In Switzerland Circuit Court the case of State of Indiana versus Wilbur Scott, charged with criminal libel, was venued to Jefferson County. Scott was indicted by the Grand Jury for the alleged libel of Curtis Roach. Both men are ministers of the United Holiness Church.
65 YEARS AGO
Several Switzerland County boys have volunteered for military duty, including Robert William Dunn, John David Bosaw, Donald Copeland Turner, Charles Madison Walston, George Gale Ford, Wilbur Rogers, Conley David Roland, and Woodford Bailey.
The Vevay Pioneers gave their upriver rivals, the Patriot Trojans, a trouncing on Vevay’s home floor, 46-30, for their fourth consecutive win. The scoring – Vevay: Iddings, 12 points; Teats, 11; Sullivan, 8; Moreillon, 6; Benedict, 5; Scott, 2; Hickman, 2. Patriot: Orr, 10; Markland, 8; Uhlmansiek, 8; Thurman, 3; Scudder, 1.
85 YEARS AGO
The managers of the Moorefield Farmers Institute and the businessman of Vevay are planning two big days of interest to everyone. The Institute will have one of the best programs ever prepared, with good speakers at each session. As a climax to the program a number of turkeys, guineas and greased pigs will be turned loose, and will become the property of those who catch them. There will also be prizes for mule race, sack race, foot race, etc.
Frank Trafelet, aged 66 years, formerly of Vevay, died at his home in Washington, D.C. last week after an illness of several months. For the last 25 years he had been employed in the Census department in Washington.
“Attention Comrades G.A.R. The regular meeting and election of officers of Major Patton Post will be held at 2 o’clock Saturday, December 31st. All Comrades are requested to be present. By Commander D.M. Miller.”
95 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. Kin Hastings received the finest Christmas present that has come to our notice. Mr. C. D. Green presented them with a 5-passenger Ford touring car.
Jim “Skinny) Paters of Louisville made his mid-winter pilgrimage to Vevay at Christmas time.
Paul Stepleton, clerk on an upriver boat, is at home to spend the holidays with his family.
“Resolution of Respect. Wigwam of Wiccopee Tribe 359, Hunting Ground of Allensville, Reservation of Indiana Hunting Moon 7 Sun G.S.D. – 420. Whereas: the Great Spirit has called from our Wigwam our beloved Chief Jermiah Day and Whereas: his genial face and wise counsel will be missed from our council fires, Therefore Be It Resolved that our charter be draped in mourning for 30 Suns, and Be It Further Resolved that these resolutions be spread upon our records and be published in the county papers. – J.B. Moore, C.L. Marble, Ira Vanatter, committee.”
“Howdy! The Democrat extends greetings to everybody who ever took the paper; who ever expected to take it; who ever thought they would like to take it. It also wishes a Happy New Year to all its loyal friends of the past year, and to those new ones who are going to be its friends next year. May the new year be so much better than the one past that we will wonder how we happened to squander so much time last year.”
115 YEARS AGO
Licensed to marry: James H. Bibb, Jr., and Emma B. Snodgrass; Lewis Cole and Sarah J. Anderson; Jasper Robinson and Ivan Lay; Simmie Wainscott and Esther Lay; John Martin and Laura Myers; Elmer E. Protsman and Vesta Clevenger; Taylor Swango and Matilda Swango; Thomas Lanham and Afra A. Tilley; J.E. Tilley and Eva Haynes; Oscar Smith and Susie Scroggins.
140 YEARS AGO
The U.S. gunboat Cairo was blown up at the mouth of the Yazoo River.
Colonel M. C. Garber, editor and publisher of The Madison Courier, is now in Memphis with the Union Army.
A Confederate force is menacing Mount Sterling, Kentucky.
Congress is talking of increasing the pay of private soldiers. What is more to the point is to pay them what is owed them. Some have not been paid for five months and their families are in dire need.
Hay is selling in Vevay at $13.50 per ton.