News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers.
10 YEARS AGO
The United Way of Switzerland County has announced its first grant for the 2001 grant cycle. The United Way made its first ever grant here to the Spring Branch Baptist Church, which is the sponsoring organization for Boy Scout Troop #741 here in the county.
Ethel Boggs of Vevay who now resides at Swiss Villa Living Center celebrated her 100th birthday on Thursday, ,July 12th. She observed the occasion with a birthday cake and had “Happy Birthday” sung to her by her fellow residents. Her nephew, Larry Boggs, and his wife Janet also took Ethel out to celebrate. “It was just an everyday thing, ya know,” was how Ethel Boggs described the occasion.
After nearly 48 years, the famous saying “better late than never” definitely applies to veterans of the Korean War, particularly Howard Romans of Patriot, who are now being awarded medals for their efforts.
20 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Potter of Rising Sun and Mr. and Mrs. Theo Hastings of Mooresville are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary August 10th. The couples were wed August 23rd, 1941, in a double wedding ceremony.
Everybody loved the Always A River exhibition. Nearly 10,000 people came to Vevay to experience it. They praised it highly. It was excellent – fascinating, informative, educational and entertaining. The Little Swiss Dancers, led by Kathy Williams, entertained the Always A River crowd at the Vevay ferry landing.
30 YEARS AGO
For the past several months Switzerland County has not had a local dentist. Dr. Robert McKay left his practice due to ill health earlier this year, and his office at 112 1/2 West Main Street had remained vacant. Now that office is open again with Dr. Bob Findley in residence. Dr. Findley has taken over the practice of Dr. McKay, as well as moving into the Main Street office.
Chester Meisberger is the new Superintendent of Schools for the Switzerland County School Corporation. His contract goes into effect August 1st. He served as a consultant in July while completing work with his former employers.
40 YEARS AGO
Leonard Lock, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Lock of route 1, Vevay, was recently initiated into the Kappa cast of the Alpha Psi Omega chapter at Ottawa (Kansas) University.
Relatives and friends gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. George Mellon Monday to help them celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
Denny Jay (Denny) Brown, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Brown of Vevay, is among candidates for bachelor of science degrees to be awarded today at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond.
Sherley W. Sample of Bennington was among 175 students receiving bachelor of science degrees May 29th at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute during the school’s 93rd commencement exercises.
Two Switzerland County students attained distinguished student rank achieved by 2,542 students at Purdue University in West Lafayette during the first semester. They are Nancy Jane Mayo, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Burley of route 1, Patriot, and Nancy Louise Wright, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Delbert Wright of Vevay. Both are home economics majors.
50 YEARS AGO
July’s (monsoon) rainfall came to a nerve-racking climax early Sunday morning, dumping 3.93 inches precipitation within a few hours to bring destruction and inconvenience to local farmers and homeowners.
In 4-H Fair livestock competition, Thomas Vanosdol, saw his animal take the grand champion award in the beef steer category, while Everett Burnett’s entry won the grand champion beef heifer award. Both are eligible for Indiana State Fair competition.
Dr. Chris Sieglitz, who this week was notified that he had successfully passed the examination before the Indiana State Board of Optometrists, is completing arrangements to begin his practice in Vevay.
Eating, riding, participating in contest, and wholesale amusement will be the order of the day Saturday at the annual Vevay Band Boosters’ summer festival. Scheduled for the lawn of the Switzerland County Courthouse, the festival is designed to secure funds for purchasing new instruments for the Vevay High School Band and financing the band’s trip to the Indiana State Fair.
Switzerland County’s total net tax assessments for 1962 county tax computing is down $34,000 from 1961 figures, released from County Auditor Goebel Brown’s office revealed this week. Additional figures revealed the total local tax assessments down $58,580 and total state tax assessments up $24,580.
Simone Backer caught a 1-pound, 15 1/2 ounce catfish to win the Jaycee fishing derby. Walter Freyn, placed second with at 1-pound, 14 1/2-ounce cat. Seven girls and 33 boys entered the derby held at the Vevay ferry landing.
60 YEARS AGO
Professor Ray Haskell and his son, Richard, of Austin, Texas arrived Saturday for a visit with his mother, Mrs. Lou Haskell. Mr. Haskell has resigned his position as a mathematics instructor at the University of Texas, which he has held for the past 20 years, to accept an important post with the Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation as senior aerophysics engineer. The company manufactures the B-36 army bomber.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Jackson have bought, through the James Richards real estate agency, the home of the late Mrs. Minerva Wharton on Main Street. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson expect to occupy the property after they have made extensive repairs and redecoration
Emory Peters has brought to this office a specimen of tobacco plant from the farm of Ed Boggs in Craig Township which contains a disease known as “black shank.” The disease has been found on several bottom farms along the Ohio River and apparently has been brought to the county by overflowing water and drainage.
Bob Chittenden of the U.S. Navy arrived home Saturday night from Guam and is now enjoying a 60-day leave with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Chittenden. At the expiration of his visit he will leave for duty in French Morocco where he expects to be stationed about a year.
George Gurley, one of Switzerland County’s greatest heroes of this Korean War, is in the Hines Hospital in Chicago undergoing a basic rehabilitation program as compensation for the loss of his eyesight which occurred in action north of Seoul on April 17th.
70 YEARS AGO
Robert Gayle, four-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Curlew of near Quercus Grove, was severely injured Friday when his left leg came in contact with the knife of a mowing machine being driven by Robert Snow.
Charles Reed Cox, young man residing near Bennington, was fatally injured Sunday morning when a tire on his automobile blew out, causing the vehicle to crash into a culvert and overturn.
Raymond Otter, four-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Otter, last week underwent an operation for removal of an eye that had been injured by an air gun shot.
E. Dyer Baker has purchased the Ricketts and Richards Insurance Company, and assumed charge August 11th.
80 YEARS AGO
The Headquarters Battery, 3rd Battalion, 150 F. A. will leave for the annual field training at Camp Knox next Saturday. The outfit is composed of three officers and 31 enlisted men.
Mr. and Mrs. G. S. Sullivan of Switzerland County have asked for two children to entertain for two weeks from the Fresh Air Committee of the Courier Journal and the Times of Louisville
The Ohio River Telephone Company has started laying conduits in trenches along Pike Street and leading to their offices in the First National Bank Building. The plan is to gradually entrench all their cables.
Leslie Byram was bitten on his hands Monday when he lifted a dog from the street where she had been struck by a car.
Robert Cook was operated on for appendicitis at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati Tuesday.
Joe Trinkle is showing some improvement from his accident at General Hospital, Cincinnati.
Mrs. Lorraine Pendry won the bowling tourney at City Park golf course Friday with a score of 333 for three games.
Chautauqua opens next week with a splendid program.
Reverend Peter Soudah will address the Rotary International at Kokomo the latter part of the week.
The farmers of the Five Points neighborhood report the best grain yield of years.
90 YEARS AGO
Miss Frederica Boerner, operative weather observer, reports that during the month of July there were 29 days that the mercury recorded 90 degrees and over, the highest being 99 on the 18th and the lowest 59 on the 22nd.
Prohibition officers Bass and Thomas, accompanied by deputy sheriff Duncan Anderson of Vevay, made an inspection trip through Switzerland County the last of the week looking for whiskey stills. Nothing was discovered that justified any arrests.
The People Meat Market on Main Street again changed hands on Saturday when Chester Lock of Craig Township bought it from William Bennett. Mr. Lock took possession Monday but it will be under the managership of Frank Brockschlager.
Arlemus Scudder, whose home and store burned at Center Square last week, will not reengage in business there, but with his family, contemplates moving to Montana this fall.
French’s New Sensation showboat will show in Vevay August 13th.
100 YEARS AGO
The steamers Lucinda and Lizzie Bay are both aground at Fernbank.
Mrs. E. P. Danglade has moved her stores to the room on Main Street formerly occupied by O. D. Johnson.
Walter D. Cotton, William O. Protsman, and O. S. Johnson were elected trustees of the schools.
An automobile belonging to Hodapp Brothers of East Enterprise turned turtle on the fair grounds race track and was demolished. All the occupants were bruised.
Avery Graham moved the Graham Press to his new building on Main Street.
The Cooley-Thom Floating Theatre, which was billed for Vevay last Thursday night, was unable to land here on account of the low stage of the river and gave their performance at Ghent instead.
120 YEARS AGO
D. B. Lee, Charles Melcher, J. F. Patton, and J. P. Loring are visiting at Niagara Falls.
The Sibenthal-Brown Company is operating their new roller process flour mill.
Stephen Wilcott, aged 30 years, passed away at his home in Jacksonville on July 29th.
Died near Long Run July 25th, William Andrew, aged 15 years.
140 YEARS AGO
Mr. Charles G. Boerner has a beautiful Japan lily in bloom which is attracting much attention. The blossom is 10 inches across.
At a railroad meeting held here Saturday, a committee of 10 or 15 men was appointed for each township to canvas their territory in behalf of the road.
Iron has been discovered in the upper end of Posey Township near the river and close by is a lead mine. The Ohio River railroad will run right through this mining region.
150 YEARS AGO
In less than three days after the defeat at Manassas, more than 100,000 fresh volunteers were offered to the U.S. government. Another defeat would call out 300,000 in two days.
Our congressman, Mr. Dunn, was a spectator at the great battle at Manassas.
A salute of 21 guns was fired at Forts Moultrie and Sumter in Charleston Harbor Thursday in honor of the victory at Manassas.
Increased activity is taking place in the War Department and what is equally important there is a determination to put competent and educated officers at the head of our troops.
The following extract is from the act of Congress passed in 1795 and is the law upon which the President called out troops to suppress the present rebellion: “Whenever the laws of the United States shall be opposed, or the execution thereof obstructed, in any state, by combinations too powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, or by the powers vested in the marshal in this act, it shall be lawful for the President of the United States to call forth the militia of such state or any other state or states as may be necessary to suppress such combinations and cause the laws to be duly executed.”
The ladies of Vevay collected sufficient money to purchase swords for Captains Buchanan, Stepleton and Danglade (at a cost of $45). Captain Buchanan’s and Captain Danglade’s cavalry companies are now at camp in Jefferson County.
The government wants boatmen for the gun boats. They may apply at the public landing in Cincinnati.
The mail boats and the Madison packets continue to make their regular trips, notwithstanding the dull times.
Hathaway and Company have removed two doors above their old stand in Mr. Detraz’s building.
Blackberries are unusually abundant this season and the market is well supplied at 4 cents a quart.