News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
Now that the Ohio River has returned to its banks, emergency workers in Switzerland County are beginning to turn their attention to the long term cleanup effort that has now begun. Emergency shelters in Patriot and Vevay are overflowing with clothing, and volunteers here are now making plans to transport what clothing is left farther downriver to those people who are now experiencing flooding.
Larry and Ellen Tolbert of near Vevay will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary on Sunday, March 23rd.
Switzerland County had another in the recent series of accidents involving huge semi-trailer trucks last Friday when a semi loaded with wheel hubs rolled over on its side on the River Road just west of Vevay.
15 YEARS AGO
Troy Wolf and Dusty Simpson of the Switzerland County High School Pacers were honored as selected members of the 1991 all-Ohio River Valley Conference basketball team.
J.P. Mathews, son of Jim Mathews of Vevay, has been honored for outstanding achievement as a college scholar and athlete. He is a dean’s list student and a member of the varsity basketball team at Indiana State University in Terre Haute.
Mary Lou Sloan of Switzerland County was honored recently for her 35 years of service as an employee of the Cincinnati Gas & Electric Company. A native of Florence, she lived for several years in Aurora, and recently returned to Switzerland County, living along the Ohio River near the county’s eastern edge.
20 YEARS AGO
Christy Ann Knaus has been named to the dean’s list at Ball State University for the winter quarter. Christy is a junior majoring in physical education and biology. Christy is the daughter of Floyd and Jeanette Knaus of East Enterprise.
Sheri Alexander, former Switzerland County athlete, was named the “most improved player” at the Ball State University post-season athletic banquet Sunday, March 15th.
30 YEARS AGO
All those good weather clouds we’ve been enjoying have a black lining. It’s tornado time again. With the coming of Spring comes the threat of killer tornadoes, the most violent and most unpredictable of all Mother Nature’s deadly weapons. Switzerland County’s tornado season hits its peak from mid-March through June. The worst recent tornado – in 1974 – hit on the 3rd of April, ripping across a swath of Switzerland County running from Bennington up through Fairview and on past Bear Branch.
Donna Scott has been chosen as Switzerland County’s representative to Indiana Girls State this summer by the American Legion Auxiliary, which sponsors the annual Girls States program.
A Tennessee Marine has been charged with murder in the death February 24th of Tim Scudder, 17, Harrison, Ohio, formerly of Switzerland County. He was shot to death while on guard duty with the Marine Corps at a military installation in Norfolk, Virginia. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Scudder, former Switzerland Countians now living in Harrison, Ohio.
40 YEARS AGO
Airman Timothy L. Swango of the U.S. Air Force is now stationed at Uban Royal Thai Air Force Base in Uban, Thailand. The son of Mrs. Betty Swango of Vevay and Robert Swango of Anderson is a 1964 graduate of Vevay High School.
Army Private Joseph K. Kirkendall, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Kirkendall of rural route 2, Vevay, completed an engineer assistant course March 2nd at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri.
Wayne Ellegood, senior forward for Vevay High School’s 1966-67 basketball team, received the Free Throw Trophy as having the highest charity toss percentage among the Warriors the past season. Vevay Newspapers, Inc., presented the award to Ellegood at last Wednesday night’s basketball banquet at Jefferson-Craig Elementary School.
Mr. and Mrs. David Smith of Liberty have announced the engagement and approaching marriage of their daughter, Carol Jean, to Robert C. Whitlock, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Whitlock of Bremen. Miss Smith is a granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Patterson of Florence and Mr. and Mrs. Russell H. Smith of Fairview.
50 YEARS AGO
Bonnia Cook, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Cook of Sellersburg, Indiana, celebrated her 5th birthday on WHAS TV T-Bar-V Ranch in Louisville March 7th. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Cook, Sr., and Mr. and Mrs. Paul Kelley of Switzerland County.
Leon Gray, Pleasant Township 4-H member, received a trophy from the Madison Warehouse Association presented by Robert Hughes. He was a winner in the 1957 4-H Tobacco Show.
Wendell B. Waltz, route 1, Vevay, a cooperator of the Switzerland County Soil Conservation District, will be on WLW radio Saturday, March 23rd. He will be heard on “Everybody’s Farm Hour”, starting at 11:34 a.m. EST. Don Howerton, Work Unit Conservationist, will also be on the program with Waltz.
A son was born in the Madison hospital March 5th to Mr. and Mrs. Norris Works of Allensville. He has been named Danny Lee.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Romerill, residents of the Lamb community for the past 40 years, will celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary on March 17th at the Baptist Church at Lamb.
60 YEARS AGO
The Charles Scott flying field this week received a fine new Stinson airplane which will be available to advance students who are receiving training at the airport east of Vevay.
A son was born Friday, March 7th, at King’s Daughters’ Hospital in Madison to Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Lauderbaugh of rural route 1, Brooksburg.
Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Hambrick have sold their tavern and restaurant located on lower Ferry Street to Mr. and Mrs. James Madison of Fairview.
A son, Edward Lee, was born on February 15th to Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Cook of Mount Sterling.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Niehaus, well known Switzerland County citizens, quietly celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at their home near Rising Sun Tuesday, March 4th.
The Cal Romans blacksmith shop, a landmark for many years on Ferry Street here, is being torn down this week by Charles Romans who recently purchased the premises and proposes to erect a garage on the site.
Wilmer Shadday has sold his farm near Vevay to Leonard Mays, son of Mr. and Mrs. Smith Mays of rural route 4, Vevay.
A daughter was born on March 5th to Mr. and Mrs. James Tague of Mount Sterling. She has been named Gloria Jean.
Mr. and Mrs. George Woodfill, prominent retired farmers of Vevay, quietly celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary at the home of their son, Charley, near Brooksburg on March 11th.
The marriage of Miss Burnette Cleeter of Bear Branch and Dean W. Robinson of near Fairview, was solemnized Wednesday evening, March 5th, at the Lutheran parsonage in Bear Branch.
The Sisters Dress Shop located on Pike Street here and owned by Mrs. Everett Jackson, was purchased this week by Miss Beatrice Babcock and her sister, Mrs. Helen Kerby.
70 YEARS AGO
Charles Stoops of near Vevay was painfully injured Saturday when his left arm was deeply cut by a wood saw.
The car of Wilmer Shadday, driven by Mrs. Forrest Iddings, skidded on the icy roads Saturday evening and came to rest on its side in a ditch. Mrs. Iddings, Mrs. Shadday, Miss Elaine Shadday, and Mrs. Loren Hines were returning from Cincinnati and were just east of Rising Sun when the accident occurred.
Walter Greilich and Miss Dorothy Dickman, both of Cincinnati, were married last Thursday evening by the Reverend J. Elmer Knotts at his residence on Main Street here.
Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Brown, a fine old couple of this county, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at their home near Braytown on Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. Dan Grimes were notified last Wednesday that their son, Arlie Grimes, had been struck by a truck in Cincinnati and painfully injured.
Bernard Brown, a member of the Vevay High School basketball team, was stricken with influenza during the tournament at Rushville and had been confined to a hotel room in that city.
Miss Wanda Moore and Orville O’Day, both of this county, were united in marriage by the Reverend F. E. Hammel at his residence here Saturday evening.
80 YEARS AGO
Mrs. Earl Lundy of Vevay was seriously injured Monday night when a car in which she and her husband wee riding, turned over on the Mount Sterling hill.
Miss Leona Fish of East Enterprise and Casper Allen of rural route 3, Vevay, were quietly married at the home of Reverend B. H. Antrobus in Madison Saturday afternoon.
Clyde Culbertson, prominent Vevay business man, was married last Thursday to Miss Esther Evans of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the ceremony being performed in Pittsburgh.
90 YEARS AGO
John Pickett, 50 years old, was seriously if not fatally injured Friday morning when he fell a distance of 20 feet from a tree which he was trimming in front of the residence owned by Elijah McCulloch on West Pike Street.
Word was received here Tuesday from New Castle telling of the destruction of the home of Dr. Frank Cofield in Sunday’s cyclone.
Lan Clendenning of Markland was operated on yesterday at King’s Daughters’ Hospital in Madison and his right eye was removed due to being struck in the eye about three weeks ago with a grapevine while trimming them.
William D. Rodgers has sold his interest in the Citizens Garage on Ferry Street to R. L. Slate, who will now be the sole proprietor. It is probable that the agency for the Dart car will be discontinued.
Marion, five-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Al Roberts, met with a painful accident late Saturday afternoon while attempting to climb on a wagon and fell, after which the wagon wheel ran over him.
A. B. Shaw, Ferry Street insurance man, on Tuesday, placed his order with Protsman & O’Neal for a Buick touring car. Delivery will be made at the earliest possible date.
100 YEARS AGO
For the second time during the present year the Ohio River has overflowed its banks and caused a great loss to people living in the bottoms.
Professor Ernest Danglade and O. S. Clendenning have formed a partnership in the poultry business.
A son was born Saturday to George Armstrong and wife of East Enterprise. He has been named Clyde.
A son was born last week to Hillis Furnish and wife.
Charles M. Romerill of near Vevay and Miss Goldie Theo Wheeler of Vera Cruz, Kentucky, were married Wednesday at the Christian parsonage in Warsaw, Kentucky.
Leslie, three-year-old son of Jacob Smith of Patriot, fell in the back water Sunday evening but was rescued after sinking the second time.
120 YEARS AGO
Joseph W. Redd has rented his farm near Mount Sterling and has gone to Hartford to work.
James Cole of Mount Sterling and Miss Mollie Griffith of Carroll County, Kentucky, were married at the Tower House in Vevay March 15th.
Bediah Belden of Bennington and Miss Clara Carpenter of Center Square were married March 13th at the M.E. parsonage at Patriot.
Next Saturday the Thiebaud Brothers will move their shoe store to the room formerly occupied by the bank.
Vevay has two fire engines and hook and ladders.
130 YEARS AGO
William Hall is making preparations to build a fine residence on his lots on Market Street.
The Madison Herald, the Democrat organ of Jefferson County, is offered for sale.
Friday evening two men named Casper and Henry Smith were drowned in Laughery Creek, near Paultown, just above the new bridge.
140 YEARS AGO
Orgillias D. Thompson of this county and Miss Mary H. Cunliffe of Jefferson County wee married on March 15th at the home of the bride’s parents by the Reverend W. Y. Monroe.
Work on the bridge across the Ohio River at Louisville will commence immediately.
Dr. Reilly J. Clark, who organized the first temperance society in the U.S. at Morlan, New York, died Wednesday at Glenn Falls at the age of 89 years.
The steamer C. T. Dumont plies regularly between Madison and Cincinnati.
150 YEARS AGO
Elias R. Protsman and Almira Bakes were married March 11th by the Reverend J. B. Sparks.
John Scott and Sarah Protsman were married March 12th and James Stewart, Jr., and Martha Protsman were married on the same date with the Reverend J. B. Sparks officiating at both weddings.
The steamboat Europa ran on the bar opposite this place Friday morning. By unloading part of her cargo she was able to get off Monday morning.
John H. Armstrong, living two miles from Vevay, has sold his farm of 200 acres for $12,000. The purchaser was from Ohio County.