News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers.
10 YEARS AGO
Bennington’s Scott Welch died in a farming accident Saturday night near Hanover. As a tribute to ow much he meant to the community, mourners stood in line for as much as four hours in the rain Tuesday evening to pay their respects at the funeral home.
It may seem hard to believe, but this week the Belterra Casino Resort near the Markland Dam here is having its first birthday. The facility opened to the public in October of 2000, and after one year has already undergone some changes. The biggest change at Belterra since its opening 12 months ago is at the top, where Richard Delaney has replaced John Spina as the resort’s general manager. Since arriving at Belterra from California, Richard Delaney has overseen many changes in how the facility is operating – and sees more smooth sailing ahead.
Ron Sandidge will be honored on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of his ministerial ordination this Sunday, October 28th. The event will take place at the New Life Fellowship Church in Vevay. Ron Sandidge graduated from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville; and first pastored in Green County, Kentucky before moving to the Vevay area. Here, he pastored the Mount Sterling Baptist Church, and currently pastors at New Life Fellowship. During 1968-69, he taught at Gallatin County High School in Warsaw; and is currently employed by Vevay Deposit Bank.
20 YEARS AGO
The U.S. Shoe Corporation celebrated its 60th birthday party Monday, and Lucille Scott who held the birthday cake for a photo was a special celebrant. She started work at U.S. Shoe’s Vevay plant in 1948, the year it opened. (So did her husband, Clinton Scott, who retired two years ago.) A birthday party was enjoyed by the Vevay plant’s 405 employees, plus the 17 who work at the company’s facility at Florence – and 22 retired Vevay employees, who were bussed to the company’s headquarters in Cincinnati for some birthday partying.
Did you know this? There are more deer in Switzerland County than there are people. By far. The county’s deer population, according to the state’s best estimate, is 9,309. The county’s people population, according to the 1990 U.S. Census, is 7,738. The deer have us outnumbered by a margin of 1,571.
A year ago yesterday – on November 13th, 1990 – Jordan Hewitt was born, and nearly died. He was born with a strep B infection. Nobody knew it until, three hours after his birth, Jordan showed signs of breathing difficulties. Quickly they worsened. At the age of less than half a day, Jordan was dying. With exceptional medical care in Louisville Jordan Hewitt survived this illness and started walking last week.
30 YEARS AGO
Sandy Britton, fifth grade teacher at Jefferson-Craig Elementary was recently selected as one of the semi-finalists in the state Teacher of the Year competition.
Steve Gerber is now a conservation officer in Switzerland County. The 22-year-old Huntington, Indiana native takes the place of recently retired conservation officer Joe Backer.
Grant Pavy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bucky Pavy, route 1, Bennington, was the top reader during the Switzerland County Elementary School MS Read-a-thon. The second grader read 30 books and collected $98.50.
40 YEARS AGO
Taylor Furnish, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Furnish of route 3, Vevay, is one of the 315 seniors at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond engaged in a 10-week program of practice teaching.
The Gross Brothers of Allensville and Dave Mathes, president of Nashville Recording Service, have jointly announced negotiations and signing of a contract with the company’s label. The group’s first N.R.S. record is slated for release within the next three weeks. The trio’s first single will be “If You Were Losing Her To Me” with “Too Many Footprints” on the back side of the record. N.R.S. is only two years old, having started with a one-man office and growing to its own building with a complete staff to handle all phases of the recording business. A few weeks ago the Grand Ole Opry’s Four Guys were signed to the label. The Gross Brothers have had out three previous releases on a label out of Johnson City, Tennessee, but have always recorded in Nashville. Jerry and Larry are seniors at Switzerland County High School where Jamie is a freshman.
Ralph M. Miller and three other volunteer workers for Switzerland County Mental Health Association were honored by state and county associations last Thursday evening during a dinner meeting at Swiss Inn. Miller was drive chairman and exceeded the quota the past two years. Also honored were Mrs. Carolyn Burke as co-chairman of the fund drive, Mrs. Grace Aldred as a volunteer hospital chairman, and Stewart Hedger received a communications award as county publicity chairman.
50 YEARS AGO
Gayle Lowe of Vevay broke a bone in his left foot last week while playing basketball at the school ground. His foot was placed in a walking cast at the Vevay clinic and he has been able to continue his duties at the Haskell and Morrison Funeral Home.
Tony Williamson, 9, who makes his home with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Williamson near Vevay, suffered a broken leg Sunday while playing “Tarzan”. His grapevine broke and he fell to the ground. He was taken to Madison Hospital for surgical care.
Vevay Town Schools’ junior high basketball team evened its season record at 1-1 Monday by defeating Shawe on the local floor, 55-24.
Old lady luck frowned on Vevay basketball fortunes last weekend as the Warriors dropped decisive decisions to Madison and Silver Creek.
Superior height and rebounding power carried Holton’s basketball five to a relatively easy 84-35 victory over Patriot-Posey Friday night in the Holton gym.
Approximately 100 pounds of meat and some cheese and butter, all federal government surplus commodities, were stolen during a break-in of Pleasant Township School Friday night.
Vevay Newspapers, Inc., with John D. Coleman as host, entertained correspondents, staff members and guests at a dinner party Monday evening at the Swiss Inn. Guests of honor were the women who write news of their communities for the Vevay Reveille-Enterprise and The Switzerland Democrat.
60 YEARS AGO
Eddie Tompkins of Vevay quietly celebrated his 80th birthday Sunday. Mr. Tompkins was the recipient of cards and gifts from numerous friends in the county.
The Democratic party retained control of the Town Board at the election here Tuesday by electing all board members by reduced though substantial majorities, but lost the office of Clerk-Treasurer to William Dickason who defeated Roy Branham in the three wards by a total of three votes.
Webb Lucas, prominent farmer of Jacksonville, was seriously injured at his farm there Monday morning when he was kicked in the head by a mule. An ear was torn loose and he suffered a concussion.
The Switzerland County readers of the November first issue of the Indiana Farmers Guide Magazine were interested to find an article written about a local farmer, W. O. Protsman, of Vevay, by a staff reporter, Lloyd Crouch. Mr. Crouch visited Mr. Protsman recently for an interview and with County Agent, O. H. McNary made an inspection trip of Orchard Hills farms in the vicinity of Center Square.
70 YEARS AGO
J. Warren Fox, student at Indiana University, has been appointed to the Inter-Fraternity Council of the school.
A troop of Boy Scouts of America is to be organized here with Raymond Detraz acting as Scoutmaster, and the group being sponsored by the local American Legion Post.
80 YEARS AGO
The annual Red Cross roll call got into action last week and up to date has a total membership of 115 members and a total of cash donations of $214.50.
The dredge C. B. Harris, which is operating just below Vevay, is engaged in a task of removing the upper part of the Vevay bar.
Captain C. Carter decided this weekend to discontinue the drilling of the gas well located on his town property as he has achieved his desired results.
Mrs. W. J. Bakes entertained in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Allen Sunday afternoon with a bridal shower.
Little Wilma D. Wolf underwent an operation in the office of Dr. Fred Bakes, here Wednesday, November 4th, for the removal of a grain of corn from her nose.
90 YEARS AGO
Bloodhounds for Switzerland County is the latest project which will be undertaken here.
A team of horses hitched to a wagon, belonging to Sam Lock, ran away Friday morning, narrowly missed striking two automobiles when they dashed up Main Street.
Dr. H. C. Collins, chiropractor who left Vevay recently to take charge of an office in Nashville, Tennessee, was dissatisfied with the field and has returned to Indiana to locate in Osgood.
100 YEARS AGO
The community of Patriot was visited by a cyclone last week from which extensive damage resulted.
Donations are being received toward the building of the Riverside Drive. A total of $2100 has already been pledged to the fund to macadamizing of the road to Lamb.
The steamer, New Orleans, a replica of the first steamboat to navigate the Ohio River, landed at the Vevay wharf about 2:30 o’clock has entered the Louisville and Cincinnati trade again after having $30,000 in repairs placed on her.
120 YEARS AGO
Scott and Ben McKay and James Madary all of Craig township left Thursday for Fresno, California.
Honorable Oliver Dufour, native of Vevay, died October 17th, in Washington, D.C. He was a son of John F. Dufour, pioneer settler of Vevay.
John F. Cotton, the first male white child born in Switzerland County, was 88 years of age on October 29th.
A horse belonging to Captain Sam David of Steel’s Corner, ran away with his daughter, Ann, and her two sons, injuring all three.
John T. Ellis left Monday night for a visit with his brother, Judge S. M. Ellis, in San Antonio, Texas.
140 YEARS AGO
White Thomas J. Curry (who went to Iowa three months ago) was returning to Vevay Friday. The train on which he was riding struck a cow near Liberty and was derailed. The coaches were hurled down a 60 foot embankment and Mr. Curry was painfully but not seriously injured.
Married November 9th, by Reverend Isaac B. Moore, Miss Jane Beebe to Mr. Albert Cole.
A Bee Keepers Association was organized here with W. R. Protsman chairman.
150 YEARS AGO
General orders have been issued it is said, from the headquarters, that the punishment of certain death, be in the future, visited upon every soldier found sleeping on his post.
The companies garrisoning the fortifications around Washington are ordered to build log huts for winter quarters.
The new steamship Constitution has been chartered by the government.
Whooping cough is prevailing in Vevay to an alarming extent among the little ones. A friend has handed us the following recipe – said to be effectual – for publication: Take one ounce of Iceland moss and a large onion, boil them 30 minutes in enough water to cover them, then strain and add as much loaf sugar of honey as there is juice. Let it boil 10 of 15 minutes, then cool. Honey is better than sugar. If the bowels should be affected, chalk mixture will remedy the evil.