News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
Willie Barnes was selected as this year’s Mayor of Bennington Homecoming. He traveled from his home in Fennimore, Wisconsin, to be at this year’s event.
Betty Bovard, the 1998 Miss Bennington of the Bennington Homecoming, the originator of the festival 25 years ago, was surprised by family and friends with the honor.
Ethel Higgins was honored as the oldest person in attendance at this year’s Bennington Homecoming.
A retirement party honoring Mary Ruth Poling was held Friday, September 11th. She served as the account clerk for the Switzerland County Division of Family and Children, and retired after 40 years of service. Many of her coworkers over the years were in attendance at the party.
A large number of Switzerland County riverboat supporters crowded into the Ogle Haus Inn Monday night for a “Victory Party” sponsored by Hollywood Park-Boomtown. More than 1,000 people attended the event, which was held in honor of Switzerland County receiving the final Ohio River license for a riverboat casino complex.
15 YEARS AGO
If a riverboat gambling casino comes to Switzerland County, it won’t be docked at Vevay. Three casino docksites are under review, and all of them are upriver, above Markland Dam, between the dam and the town of Patriot, casino company officials said Monday.
Mike Ramseyer, grandson of Mary E. Ramseyer of Vevay, won the Outback Junior Grand Prix tennis tournament in Titusville, Florida. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Gary Ramseyer of Titusville.
Deaths in the county this week: Reverend Lena May Peters, James Patrick McNamara, Bobby Dean Minch, Leland D. Moreillon, and Huldah R. Brindley.
20 YEARS AGO
Laura Alexander has been graduated from The Christ Hospital School of Nursing, The Christ Hospital, Cincinnati. Special recognition was bestowed on this graduating class as ceremonies were conducted on Wednesday, October 5th, the 100th anniversary of the hospital. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Alexander of route 2, Rising Sun.
Dedication ceremonies for the new Markland Locks and Dam were held on October 12th, 1963, 25 years ago this week. The new $61.7 million high-level locks and dam operation replaced five 34-year-old, low-level locks – numbers 35, 36, 37, 38 and 39 – from Markland to Anthony Meldahl Locks and Dam, about 40 miles above Cincinnati.
Susan Henry’s apple streudel at the Bennington Homecoming sold to George Hankins for $45 and another one to Carl Bovard for $42.50. This sale benefited the Bennington United Methodist Church bake sale.
40 YEARS AGO
It has been quite a year for Jackie Johnson. The dark-eyed Switzerland County High School senior won another beauty title last Thursday night at Aurora Farmers Fair. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Noah Wainscott.
Historical Vevay will be the first stop for the Delta Queen riverboat during a three-day weekend cruise for some 190 members and guests of Cincinnati Historical Society October 18th-20th.
Walter Rieman, director, Switzerland County Welfare Department, has received the newly created rural service award presented by Southeastern Indiana Economic Opportunity Corporation.
Dailey Brown, 66, of East Enterprise, suffered a crushed arm October 1st in an automobile accident on state road 62 in Jefferson County.
Demonstrating why they’ve been given the nickname Pacers, Switzerland County High School cross country runners, fleet of foot and long of breath, showed their heels to the rest of the Ohio River Valley Conference last Wednesday afternoon. Swiss High took up where Vevay High School left off last year as it had little trouble capturing the conference meet championship in Milan by scoring 47 points – 29 points better than second place Rising Sun.
50 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. Willis Jackson of Vevay celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary on Sunday with a dinner at their home.
Mr. and Mrs. Evon Gray are the proud parents of a baby boy born October 7th at King’s Daughters’ Hospital in Madison. He weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces, and has been named Jeffrey Wayne. His grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Gray of Pleasant and Mr. and Mrs. Dilver Cole of Center Square.
Fire, believed to have been caused by a defective flue, completely destroyed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Flood near Long Run about 11:30 p.m. Monday.
Four girls were chosen recently by the student body at Patriot High School, as cheerleaders for the 1958-59 basketball season. They are Betty Martin, Linda Heath, Sue Ellegood and Bernice Thomas.
The 96th birthday of Mrs. Jeanetta Furnish was observed Sunday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Blanche Furnish, with whom she resides.
60 YEARS AGO
W. O. Protsman, owner and operator of “Orchard Hills Farms,” has presented to this office a bushel of prize winning apples of the Stayman variety which are really beauties.
Mrs. Emma McNutt, 80, is receiving medical treatment in the Milan hospital for burns which she received Tuesday afternoon when a coal oil stove exploded and caused a fire which destroyed her home in Posey Township.
Mr. and Mrs. B. W. Caywood and Mr. and Mrs. Wendell Bennett and daughter left last Tuesday to make their future home in Florida. Mr. and Mrs. Joe Brady, who bought the used furniture business of Mr. Caywood on Main Street, have assumed ownership of the store.
Dr. Raymond Gurley, a federal veterinarian, will spend the next two weeks in Switzerland County testing cattle for tuberculosis. Dr. Gurley is checking various herds in order that they may be reaccredited. He is being assisted in his work by Paul Curry of near Moorefield.
70 YEARS AGO
The Ohio River Telephone Company is moving its equipment to the Hastings building on Ferry Street.
Work on the Holiness Tabernacle here is rapidly being pushed ahead this week.
Harris B. Webber, a well-known shoe repair man and gun collector of Vevay, committed suicide at his shop on Pike Street here Saturday morning by shooting himself through the heart with a revolver.
With a ratio of nearly four to one Vevay citizens on Monday voted to accept the proposed sewage disposal system.
A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Sample of Bennington at the Madison hospital Friday.
An automobile belonging to Ernest Courtney was stolen from his residence on state road 156 and later found in the Stevens woods near Allensville, completely stripped of tires, battery and all accessories.
80 YEARS AGO
The Schenck Memorial Home, given to the Indiana Baptist Convention a few years ago, has reverted to the donors and it’s again owned by the Schenck heirs.
Dr. D. C. Bakes of Carrollton, was in Vevay Sunday and while here took his grandfather, Webster Cotton for an airplane ride. Mr. Cotton is past 90 years of age.
A son, Donald Wayne, was born October 12th to Mr. and Mrs. Alva Allen of Plum Creek.
A baby daughter was born October 1st to Mr. and Mrs. Harry Day of Aaron.
Born Sunday to Mr. and Mrs. Howard Scudder of East Enterprise, a son Sanford Douglas.
90 YEARS AGO
The dread influenza epidemic continues to take its toll among our service men. Private Elbert Wolf, 23, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Wolf of near Moorefield died at Camp Custer, Michigan, Saturday from influenza and pneumonia.
Sergeant Will Hudson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Hudson of Patriot, died Wednesday of the disease at Camp Taylor. He had gone to Wyoming 14 years ago and leaves a wife there. His funeral was held in Vevay Cemetery Friday.
Miss Edith Buddenburgh, 25, of Patriot was drowned in the Ohio River Sunday. Her absence at dinner time led to an investigation and revealed that she had untied a boat and started across the river. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Buddenburg, knowing that she had planned to row to the Kentucky shore to meet some relatives, believe that she fell from the boat. Her body was found about 10 feet from shore after a five hour search.
Lieutenant George B. Hall, Jr., has written relatives that he has just been released from a hospital after his plane was shot down. It caught fire and his eyes were burned, rendering him unfit for the aviation corps at present.
Halstead Ferguson, serving in France with the Marines, has written his father, Reverend J. R. Ferguson that he had been slightly wounded in the arm.
Francis Mead, 10, son of Mrs. Edna Mead, was horribly scalded last Wednesday evening when an improvised boiler, made from a tin can, exploded. He was burned about the face, shoulders and body. To make matters worse his playmates plunged him into a tub of cold water and for the last few days he has been critically ill with pneumonia. He has also been in great pain from his burns.
Clara, five-year-old daughter of Chester Gibbs, suffered a brain concussion Monday when she fell from a pile of bricks in front of the new library building and struck her head.
Mrs. Bess Burton suffered burns on her hands Monday when she attempted to throw a burning lamp, which had exploded, out of a window. The accident occurred at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Patton.
The 16-month-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Martin was made very ill Friday when she swallowed gasoline from a cup which the mother was using to fill a gasoline iron.
Dr. Fred Bakes of Albuquerque, New Mexico, formerly of this county has been commissioned a captain in the Medical Corps.
100 YEARS AGO
The automobile of Charlie Melcher in which he and Dr. Crawford were riding, struck an iron bridge near Patriot Friday. The automobile was damaged considerably but neither man was seriously injured, although Dr. Crawford was thrown about 12 feet in front of the runabout.
Wild ducks are beginning to make their appearance.
Albert Reeves and wife of Markland left Wednesday for Minonk, Illinois to make their home.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Harry Scudder of East Enterprise October 12th, a girl.
A baby girl was born October 11th to Mr. and Mrs. Ward Keith of East Enterprise.
O. P. Wagoner, the merchant at Aaron, made an assignment last week and left for other parts of the state.
A son was born October 15th to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Stewart of Scotch Settlement.
110 YEARS AGO
J. E. and William Williams have sold their store at Florence to Shrumpf & Told.
Mr. and Mrs. Lucian Harris are entertaining a young Republican at the home of his grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. Jamieson, of Patriot.
120 YEARS AGO
John Dickason Goley, 11-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Amie Golay, who was recently severely injured by a brick accidentally falling from the roof of Mr. Dickason’s house while a workman was engaged in building a chimney, is rapidly recovering.
The large barn belonging to David Armstrong in the upper part of the city, was destroyed by fire Sunday night at 11 o’clock. Origin of the fire is unknown.
Ida, daughter of Mat Brown, is very ill with typhoid fever.
130 YEARS AGO
Bruce, son of Merritt Banta of Mount Sterling, was thrown from a horse a few days ago and his right arm was broken.
Clarence Drake and family of Bennington are preparing to move to Kansas.
Dr. Jonathan Froman, son of Hiram Froman, who resides about one mile from Ghent, Kentucky, died Saturday about 2 o’clock. Dr. Woolen of Vevay was called and pronounced the disease yellow fever. On Wednesday a child of Mrs. Smith who was visiting the Froman family also died from the same disease.
The old Madison iron foundry at Madison was destroyed by fire Wednesday night of last week. No insurance was carried.
Last Monday the County Commissioners appointed Fen Carter, Recorder to fill the unexpired term of John P. White.
The new hay warehouse of U. P. Schenck & Son is a mammoth house, being 150×40 and 25 feet high and has a first class iron roof.
Enoch Protsman and family who have been residing in Kentucky, have removed to Vevay.
140 YEARS AGO
Following is a list of the teachers and number of pupils in each department of the Vevay schools: High school – Miss Mary Goodrich, 66; Grammar school, Miss Fannie Fisher, Miss Jennie Whitten, 82; Intermediate, Mrs. M. D. Whippo, Miss Mattie McKay, 92; Primary, Miss Anna Dickason, Miss Sue Pitts, Miss Alice Banta, 190. R. F. Brewington, Superintendent.
A Republican mass meeting was held here Saturday. There were 600 “boys in blue” mounted, commanded by Colonel A. Welch, marched in the parade and presented a fine appearance. The Florence and Ghent bands furnished music.
A horse fair was held by the Switzerland and Ohio County Agricultural Society at East Enterprise Thursday.
152 YEARS AGO
At the election held October 14th the American ticket selected the following candidates in Switzerland County: Joint representatives, J. W. Wright, J. J. Hayden; Prosecuting Attorney J. A. Works; Treasurer John R. Morerod; Sheriff, Harris Keeney; Coroner, J. D. Lowe; Commissioners, Bela Herrick, L. Hotchkiss; Surveyor, C. Harris. John Dumont, candidate on the Old Line ticket was elected Judge.