News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
The Hoosier Theater was nearly filled Tuesday night for the election forum that was sponsored by the Switzerland County Chamber of Commerce. Moderators Dr. Robert Findley and Anita Danner asked the questions of the candidates.
Tehya Allen and Marcus Duckworth have announced their engagement and approaching marriage. They will be married Saturday, November 7th, at Spring Branch Baptist Church. The ceremony will begin at 3 p.m.
Clinton and Loretta Curry of Greenbriar Ridge will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on November 5th.
15 YEARS AGO
Tuesday’s referendum election on riverboat gambling will conclude an always interesting, sometimes stormy time of community debate in Switzerland County. At issue, of course, is whether a floating casino will be allowed to operate here. Voters will say Yes or No on Tuesday to the following question, quoting the language of the election ballot: “Shall licenses be issued to permit riverboat gambling in Switzerland County?”
Deaths this week: Edward Frank “Ed” Deems, Flossie Baker, Jeanie Stalford, and Betty Jean Hardin.
Sharlene Brown graduated from the University of Cincinnati on September 26th with a bachelor of science degree in accounting. She is the wife of Michael Brown and the daughter-in-law of Paul and Janet Brown of Florence.
Tammy Jo McClure was married to Chris A. Henry on September 4th at the Independent Nazarene Church in Beech Grove, Indiana.
20 YEARS AGO
The old ash tree, long a part of the Switzerland County Courthouse lawn, was taken down this week. Although many residents were upset and didn’t understand why the tree was taken out, A. E. Johns said that they knew three years ago that the tree was diseased and would eventually have to be removed. The tree was over 130 years old and was 92 inches around and was about 110 feet tall. The tree was so large that James Johns was able to stand in the middle of the trunk. The Ogle Foundation plans to plant about 21 trees on the lawn this fall.
Deaths this week include: Charles Andrew, Josephine Brown, Frona Griffin, and Raymond Scott.
John Kniola, Long Run Road, graduated from Queen City Gourmet in Cincinnati Friday, October 14th. He has just completed serving a six-month externship with the Ogle Haus in Vevay and will be externing for the next two months at Bethesda Oak Hospital in Cincinnati.
40 YEARS AGO
Pat Harmon, a newspaper sports editor for 26 years, the last 17 with The Cincinnati Post & Times-Star, will be principal speaker at Switzerland County’s annual Farm-City Week banquet. The annual banquet will be held at 6:30 p.m. November 13th at 4-H Community Building in Vevay with the meal being a turkey dinner, it was announced by Kenny Clemons, program coordinator. Sponsoring the event will be Vevay Kiwanis Club, Vevay’s two banks, and Switzerland County National Farmers Organization, Farm Bureau, 4-H Fair Board, and home demonstration clubs.
Galen R. Barnes, son of Mr. and Mrs. Elvin Barnes, is among 145 Indiana University students who received $100 “Little 500” scholarship checks in ceremonies on the Bloomington campus.
Congressman Lee H. Hamilton this week announced he has asked U.S. Post Office Department officials to investigate the possibility of obtaining a new post office in Patriot. Officials assured Hamilton that a preliminary study will be completed as soon as possible.
50 YEARS AGO
Major Sam Woodfill, Vevay Congressional Medal of Honor winner, who was buried in Arlington Virginia National Cemetery will be honored by the Washington, D.C. military district on November 11th, National Veterans’ Day. Major Woodfill was named by his commander-in-chief, General John Pershing, as the outstanding soldier of World War I, and his grave is close by.
State Trooper John Scudder of the Versailles Post was awarded a citation for 350,000 miles of accident free driving last week following regular inspection of the post. The presentation was made by Superintendent Harold S. Zeis who also made an hour’s talk to the Troopers. Captain Cecil Melvin of the traffic and uniform division for the state was in charge of the inspection.
Miss Glenda Brameier, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Brameier, and a sophomore at Patriot High School, was selected Homecoming Queen at ceremonies at Tuesday night’s opening basketball game.
After three years of tests, examinations and preparation for a cherished dream Wilgus Wade Hogg, 21, of Patriot has received an appointment to Aviation Cadet Flight Training Corps and on November 20th will leave for Lackland Air Force Base at San Antonio, Texas to begin training. The young man is one of 10 remaining out of 9,000 original applicants from a group of midwestern states to receive an appointment by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. The young man is the son of School Superintendent and Mrs. Isaac Hogg of Patriot. Mrs. Hogg is also a teacher in the school there.
60 YEARS AGO
Fire of undetermined origin completely destroyed a large barn on the Bradley Lewis farm near Five Points on Saturday afternoon and resulted in a loss estimated at near $10,000.
A baby son was born early Wednesday morning, October 27th, to Town Clerk and Mrs. Roy L. Branham at Christ Hospital, Cincinnati.
A baby son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Brown of Vevay on Wednesday morning, October 27th, at King’s Daughters’ Hospital, Madison.
Captain Samuel Woodfill of Vevay, holder of the U. S. Medal of Honor, was pleased to receive this week a volume of the recently published history of the medal which was undertaken by the Public Information Division of the Department of the Army upon the direction of the President of the United States. The volume was accompanied by a letter signed by Omar N. Bradley. The foreword of the book is written by President Truman.
Approximately 160 pheasants have been released in the six townships in Switzerland County in the last week according to S. R. Fisher, District Conservation Officer. All birds in this release were roosters and represent the excess from the spring release when the ratio was one rooster to each five hens.
70 YEARS AGO
The Warsaw ferryboat, owned by Jeff Webb of Warsaw, Kentucky, caught fire Sunday morning supposedly from a lighted lantern in the pilot house. Estimate of the damage was set at $500.
A baby daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Boss October 31st and has been named Janet Kay.
Miss Norma Tinker underwent a major operation in Cincinnati last week.
A two-car garage at the home of Mrs. Margaret Pickett on Walnut Street was badly damaged by fire early Saturday morning. Origin of the blaze is unknown.
80 YEARS AGO
A daughter was born October 20th to Mr. and Mrs. Roy Smith of Quercus Grove.
Dallas McCreary, aged 81, Civil War veteran, died at his home in Florence Saturday after an illness of two weeks.
Clay Park, well known Vevay garage man, was seriously burned Wednesday morning while starting a fire in the furnace at the R. L. Slate garage.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Walt Whitaker of Bennington, a daughter Juanita Jean.
90 YEARS AGO
Howard Stoops, 22, son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Stoops of near Vevay, died Friday at Winona Lake after a 10-day illness of influenza and pneumonia. His parents had been at his bedside for a week. The young man was one of the 11 men in the last draft group of October 15th and his death is the second among them.
Two more Switzerland County boys have fallen on the field of battle. Private Charles Griswold, 27, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Griswold, died October 10th in an American hospital from wounds which he received early that morning. His parents received word of his death Friday in a letter.
Mr. and Mrs. Braxton Scudder of near East Enterprise received a telegram from the Adjutant General, informing her that their son, Corporal Oscar Scudder was killed in action on October 29th.
The influenza epidemic continues to claim lives in the county.
Dr. H. J. Told, 35, of Florence died Thursday after a short illness of the disease and complications. He had been a practicing physician for 10 years.
John Reeder, 38, died Sunday near Florence. Two small children have been ill with influenza and Mrs. Reeder has cared for them going without sleep for six days. Due to the nature of the disease the neighbors were afraid to go into the house.
Vere Graham of Mount Sterling was wounded in France when he was hit by shrapnel in the arm and forehead.
Ermon Brown and George Platt, Jr., both of Patriot, were wounded by shrapnel and Brown is in a hospital in England.
Joe Hollcraft has also been in a hospital in France and is believed to have been wounded.
The entire Republican state ticket won in Tuesday’s election but the Democrats carried everything in Switzerland County.
A daughter, Ethel May, was born on October 29th to Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Cole of Bennington.
A son was born last week to Mr. and Mrs. Chauncey Whitham of East Enterprise.
Dr. Theodore Lampkin of Bellamy, Alabama, formerly of Patriot, died Monday of influenza. He was a veteran of the Spanish American War. The body was brought to Patriot for burial.
100 YEARS AGO
E. H. Emerson of Patriot who has been touring Canada and the west has returned home.
The Republicans of this county swept all county offices in the election Tuesday for the first time in 20 years.
James Courtney who lives in Cotton Township near Allensville is probably the oldest living man in Indiana having attained the age of 102 years.
110 YEARS AGO
Frank Manford of Bennington met with quite a severe accident last week while feeding a cane mill, mashing his right hand so that two fingers had to be amputated.
The west wall of the Thiebaud building on Main Street, which is being remodeled, partially fell in last Saturday night.
A son was born to Hugh Pickett and wife of near Sugar Branch on September 26th.
A son was born September 24th to Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Cole of Aaron.
120 YEARS AGO
Next Monday is the last day for paying taxes. While in town paying taxes would be a convenient time for those indebted to us to call at the Reveille office and pay up.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Jones Thursday, a 12-pound son named Ben Harrison.
Last Monday Vevay gave a grand rally to encourage the Republican party. Large delegations were present from all surrounding towns. Three brass bands and a Glee Club, 75 strong, furnished music during the day. Good order prevailed and not an arrest was made.
130 YEARS AGO
Silas Dibble of Patriot is fitting out a coaster for the south. He will leave here about the middle of next month.
A daughter was born last week to Ed North and wife of Patriot.
Last night as Dr. Craig was returning from John Brown’s in Craig Township, while crossing the long bridge over Indian Creek, his buggy wheels ran up on the wooden arches that support the bridge, and turned the buggy over. The doctor was thrown out but was only slightly bruised.
140 YEARS AGO
An aged man of Ghent who taught school eight miles back of that city, was taken prisoner by the Ku Klux Klan of Carroll County Sunday night and was given 200 blows across his back with a cow hide. They gave as the reason for this brutal treatment of the man that he had stolen a pair of boots.
Market: Butter, 34 cents; eggs, 15; chickens, $2 per dozen; corn, 10 cents; wheat, $1.75.
150 YEARS AGO
John Allen of Patriot died suddenly at his home there Saturday. It is feared that he met foul play and his stomach has been sent to Cincinnati for examination.
The steamer Kate French has been completely overhauled and looks like new.
James Goff of Kentucky was arrested and jailed here Saturday for stealing a saddle from Charles Dibble near Patriot.
Mrs. Mary Monroe, a widow living near Patriot, committed suicide last Sunday by cutting her throat with a razor. Her son had persuaded her to sell the farm upon which she had spent 40 years of her life and when the time came to leave it, sentiment proved too strong.