News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
The Indiana Gaming Commission met last Friday in Indianapolis to discuss how it will proceed with its decision about awarding the fifth and final riverboat gambling license on the Ohio River. As with past meetings, a busload of local pro-casino supporters went to the meeting hoping for a pro-Switzerland County decision. As with past meetings, the Indiana Gaming Commission again chose to delay the decision. The commission announced that it will ask the two competitors for the final gambling license – Switzerland and Crawford counties and their casino companies – to make another official presentation before the commission this fall, in October or November. A decision could come about a month after that, officials said.
Just when Switzerland County residents have started to work their way out of the March flood, heavy rains caused some flooding of an area of East Seminary Street in Vevay Wednesday morning. Two inches of rain here Tuesday night caused the Riverbend Apartments to flood when the storm drain couldn’t handle the overflow. Six residents had to be evacuated as town employees tried to clear the drains to get the water out of the area.
Lovena Jacobs has been honored by the American Red Cross for her 20 years of service to the Switzerland County chapter. She was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation.
Butch Konkle drove his team of horses to a first place finish at last Saturday’s horse pull held at the Switzerland County 4-H Fairgrounds.
15 YEARS AGO
Switzerland County’s first day care center is expected to open this summer. Rusty and Jeanne Bragg expect to open their “Tots ‘R Us” day care center in six weeks.
The Gilbert brothers from Stanford, Kentucky won the 16th annual Horse Pull sponsored by the Switzerland County 4-H Fair Board, held in Vevay Saturday night. The team’s two horses, Charlie and Rex, pulled a total of 8,270 pounds a distance of 16 feet, 5 inches. The horses’ weight was 3,280 pounds.
Saundra Kay Bledsoe and Maury Jay Uhlmansiek announce their engagement and approaching marriage. She is the daughter of George and Sandy Bledsoe of East Enterprise. He is the son of Mason J. and Mavis Uhlmansiek of Rising Sun. The wedding will take place Saturday, July 18th, at Ruter Chapel United Methodist Church in Vevay.
20 YEARS AGO
An open house will be held in honor of the 50th wedding anniversary of Evelyn and Raymond Hatton, route 1, Florence. The open house will be held at the Ogle Haus in Vevay Sunday, July 5th, from 1-5 p.m.
If you haven’t been past the site of the new Markland Dam Park in Switzerland County lately you are in for a big surprise. Under the direction of Chris Fuller, project coordinator, the park is finally starting to take shape.
Construction at Jefferson-Craig Elementary School is proceeding right on schedule. According to Superintendent Chester Meisberger, contractors believe they are really ahead of the plan, even though they got started late. The final building will be about double the size of the original structure. The building will be air-conditioned and carpeted and with the exception of a cafeteria will be self-contained.
30 YEARS AGO
Connie Parrish has joined the staff of Vevay Newspapers. A native of Louisville, she’s a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University. Don Wallis, editor of the Vevay Reveille-Enterprise and The Switzerland Democrat since 1972, is leaving June 30th to become editor and co-publisher of a newspaper in Yellow Springs, Ohio.
Switzerland County may lose the ferry service presently connecting Florence with the Kentucky town of Warsaw. Roger L. Deitmaring of Verona, Kentucky, the current operator of the Florence-Warsaw ferry, has received provisional permission from the City of Rising Sun to use the ferry landing on the Indiana side of the Ohio River. He has also been promised cooperation from Boone County, Kentucky to use the ferry landing and approach at the community of Rabbit Hash. After more than 30 years without ferry service between Rising Sun and Rabbit Hash, Deitmaring’s authorization to use ferry operating facilities is no doubt welcome news for residents of both communities. However, it appears that Switzerland County will lost its Florence ferry connection with Kentucky.
40 YEARS AGO
Airman Apprentice Larry D. McAlister, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. Chester McAlister of Vevay, visited Hawaii as a member of Attack Squadron 46 aboard the attack aircraft carrier USS Constellation, enroute to the Western Pacific.
Seaman Recruit Steven L. Robinson, 19, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. Norman D. Robinson of route 1, Patriot, has been graduated from nine weeks of Navy basic training at the Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois.
Army privates Steven E. Montgomery and Raymond E. Spencer, both of Vevay, have been assigned to Company A and Company B, respectively, of the 9th Battalion, 3rd Brigade at the U.S. Army Training Center, Armor, at Fort Knox, Kentucky. They are the respective sons of Mrs. Ruth Ash and Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Spencer, all of Vevay.
Marine Private Roy Downing, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Downing, Sr., of route 1, Florence, has completed four weeks of individual combat training at the Marine Corps base at Camp Pendleton, California.
Public Service Indiana’s $20 million hydro-electric power plant at Markland Dam was officially dedicated Monday morning as Governor Roger D. Branigin turned a control to start up a turbine generator. The new 81,000 kilowatt hydro facility, largest in Indiana, is part of a river complex that includes a flood control dam and navigation lock built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
50 YEARS AGO
Employment at the Markland Dam construction project has reached about 450, according to Resident Superintendent Roy Switzer of the Dravo Corporation. The number of persons working will be slowly increased.
The marriage of Miss Glenda Graves, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hansell Graves of Patriot to Mr. Basil Armstrong, son of Mr. and Mrs. Durward Armstrong of Florence was solemnized June 1st by candlelight in the Baptist Church at Patriot.
Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Ramsey of Center Square announce the approaching marriage of their daughter Miss Peggy Ramsey to Mr. Jerry Furnish, son of Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Furnish of near Fairview. The wedding ceremony will be held June 28th in the Center Square Church of Christ.
Drilling for test samples of soil and rock are scheduled to start this week on the site being studied by Public Service Company of Indiana for a possible hydro-electric power station.
Mr. and Mrs. Clinton Curry of near Cross Plains have announced the approaching marriage of their daughter, Hazel Jean, to Mr. Fred Kirby Wilkerson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert L. Miles of Bennington route 1. The ceremony will be performed Saturday, June 22nd, at the Long Run Baptist Church near Moorefield.
Mrs. Robert R. Robbins of Patriot has been employed to teach in the Rising Sun schools for the next school year. She was formerly home economics teacher at Patriot High School where she taught six successful years.
60 YEARS AGO
Announcement is made of the marriage of Miss Anna Hunt and Leland Hankins Sunday, June 15th, at the Walnut Ridge Friends Church near Carthage.
Miss Ina Mae Curry and Edward Caplinger were united in marriage Saturday, June 14th, by the Reverend Samuel Shepherd, pastor of Long Run Church, at his home in Louisville. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Curry and Mr. Caplinger is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Caplinger, all of Moorefield.
Ed Tompkins, formerly of this county but now liviing in Rising Sun, suffered painful injuries there last Friday when struck by an automobile.
In a ceremony which was performed Sunday night, June 15th, in Vevay Methodist Church, Miss Lois Cheever became the bride of Max E. Rosenberger in the presence of a large group of relatives and friends. The double-ring ceremony was performed by the Reverend B.J. Renner of Lawrence, former pastor of the local M.E. church. Mrs. Betty Swango, sister of the groom, sang three songs. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cheever and the groom is the son of Louis Rosenberger and the late Mrs. Isabelle Rosenberger.
Kenton C., five-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Loren Banta, formerly of Vevay, was seriously injured by an automobile near his home in Indianapolis Monday.
Miss Jane Trinkle and Leonard Mays were united in marriage Saturday evening, June 14th, by the Reverend T.P. Vincent at Madison. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Trinkle and the groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Smith Mays, all of near Vevay.
The marriage of Miss Mary Ann Wilson and William A. McKay, was solemnized Saturday afternoon, June 14th, at the Christian church in Carrollton, Kentucky.
Miss Marjorie Ruth Peck, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Peck of San Diego, California, became the bride of Wayne Turner, son of Mr. and Mrs. William M. Turner of Fairview, in a ceremony Saturday afternoon in Central Methodist Church of Richmond.
70 YEARS AGO
Glenn L. Searcy of Patriot has been awarded a special merit scholarship to Purdue University for the coming year.
Switzerland County’s two scholarships for the coming school year have been awarded by Indiana University to James Dumont Wright and James Gridley, both of Vevay. Miss Leila Trafelet was named alternate.
Walter Fallis Buschman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Rollin Buschman, was fatally injured Sunday morning when an automobile in which he was riding overturned on the Carrollton-Milton, Kentucky, road.
80 YEARS AGO
The nine-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Turner of York Township was painfully bruised and had a narrow escape from death Monday. A horse on which he was sitting bolted and ran and the boy fell but his foot became caught in the harness and he hung head down for half a mile before he fell to the ground.
A surprise birthday dinner planned by his wife for Howard Adams of Parks Ridge was attended by 115 relatives and friends Sunday.
State road superintendent Clarence Roberts has had a force of men at work the past week widening highway 56 at the Danglade farm west of Vevay.
A mastodon tusk measuring seven feet and two inches in length and 23 inches in circumference was found at Mennett’s Hollow two miles west of Vevay last week by Fred Riley.
George Carter, formerly of Vevay, and Miss Thelma Hickman of Covington, Kentucky, were married at the bride’s home last Saturday.
Miss Willetta Oak and Walter Washmuth were united in marriage Sunday afternoon by the Reverend C.J. Casey at New Liberty Baptist Church.
George McClanahan, one of Switzerland County’s prosperous farmers, was seriously injured Monday while hauling hay from a field to the barn.
90 YEARS AGO
Miss Anna Brown of Vevay and David Humphreys were married in Cincinnati last Tuesday.
A telegram announcing the death of Eaton R. Shaw, 54, of Yreka, California, was received by Vevay relatives last week. Mr. Shaw was born in Vevay and resided here until about 30 years ago when he moved to California. He is a brother of C.C., William, A.B. Shaw, and Mrs. Alice Barnett.
The Henry Curry farm of 155 acres was sold this week to Uly Bray through the real estate agency of A.B. Shaw, the consideration being $2,900. Fifty-five acres of this farm will be taken over by Samuel Leap, whose farm adjoins the Curry tract.
100 YEARS AGO
Miss May Brooks of Vevay and Freddie Atwood of Connersville were married June 15th in Cincinnati.
Jacob Myers, one of the prominent businessmen of Rising Sun, died suddenly Monday evening of a paralytic stroke.
Gilbert, the four-year-old son of Bert Couch of Patriot, was painfully injured Monday afternoon by running a wire in one of his fingers, almost tearing it off.
Funeral services were held Sunday at the home of Samuel Richardson near Markland for their daughter, Mrs. Charles Woods, of Cincinnati. The body of Mrs. Woods was found last Thursday morning in the yard of the house in which she lived. Death was due to accidentally falling from the window of her room on the third floor.
110 YEARS AGO
A.O. Gullion, aged 75, died June 11th at his home in Carrollton. He was clerk of Carroll County.
Horace Eddy of Richmond and Miss Eugene M. Schenck of Vevay were married June 13th in Louisville, Kentucky.
Charles Oliver Wright and Anna A. Orem, both of Craig Township, were married June 21st at the home of the officiating minister, the Reverend J.T. O’Neal.
130 YEARS AGO
Robert McHatton and Miss Alice Ward were married in Vevay Wednesday evening, June 27th, at the residence of the bride’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.D. Ward.
Two horses belonging to Lem Bledsoe of Florence were killed by lightning last Sunday night when a tree was struck under which they were standing.
Next Monday the Vevay Furniture Company will offer for sale the machinery, buildings, and lots belonging to the company.
140 YEARS AGO
The East Enterprise fair will be held September 23rd to 27th.
Efforts are being made to organize a company for the purpose of building a turnpike to Moorefield. About $5,000 has already been subscribed.
Married Thursday, June 20th, at the home of the bride’s parents by the Reverend J.B. Ludwig, Charles Potter and Miss Mary A. Clement, both of this county.
150 YEARS AGO
We are informed that the dogs in some parts of the county are making sad havoc with the sheep. Some 75 or 100 head have been killed within the past month.
A Mr. McKay, a free colored man, agent of the Indiana Colonization Society, spoke in this place last Sunday. He gave a very encouraging account of the Indiana Colony in Liberia.