News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
“A million dollar rain,” was how Purdue Cooperative extension agent John Keeton described how this week’s storms helped the local tobacco crop. The recent month-long drought comes on the heels of heavy rains and flood conditions in the early planting season that left many local farmers in a rush to get their crop in the ground. John Keeton said that many farmers are starting to see their small plants begin to flower much too early because of the overcast, cool weather when they were set out. Nothing can be done for those plants.
Switzerland County art by Switzerland County artists will be featured in a special show on display during August at the Josiah Leatherbury Art Gallery in Vevay. It’s the first-ever comprehensive showing of the art of Switzerland County. Works by more than 40 local artists will be on display.
Harold and Juanita (Swango) Scudder of Pleasant celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on Friday, July 11th.
15 YEARS AGO
Marine Corporal Scott D. Sublett, son of Carol Ann Otter of Vevay, recently deployed with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, for six months to the Mediterranean.
Switzerland County eighth grader Suzi Kinman received a gold medal in the shot put and a silver medal in the discus at the White River Park State Games.
Dogs running loose in Vevay have caused problems for town residents this summer. The Vevay Town Council took action to alleviate that problem at its meeting last Wednesday by hiring a dog warden. Freddie Sullivan was named to the position and began work Monday.
20 YEARS AGO
Lowell Wayne Sullivan has been elected as Ninth District Commander of the American Legion. He was sworn in at the State Convention held last week at Fort Wayne. He has been Post Commander for 10 years and six years as Post Adjutant. With these appointments he became the first Edwin C. Danner Post 185 member to hold a District office.
Work continues on the renovation of Jefferson Craig Elementary in Vevay. The new structure will be about twice the size of the original building. The $2.4 million renovation is scheduled to be completed by the start of the second semester.
Misses Marla Devers and Angela Mishler will be competing for the title of Miss Teen of Indiana in Lafayette August 7th-9th. The pageant finals will be held August 9th at Lafayette Jefferson High School.
An open house will be held August 9th in honor of the 50th wedding anniversary of William and Vandora Bennett, route 2, Vevay. The reception will be Sunday, August 9th, at the Ogle Haus Inn in Vevay.
Mr. and Mrs. Marian R. Oakley, route 3, Vevay, will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary with an open house at their home Sunday, August 9th.
30 YEARS AGO
Cynthia Carpenter, 16, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Carpenter, route 4, Vevay, was selected as the 1977 Switzerland County 4-H Fair Queen from a field of 14 girls.
Mr. and Mrs. William R. Cole of route 2, Vevay, announce the engagement of their daughter, Marlene, to Mr. Stephen S. Blanton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Blanton of Deputy. The wedding will take place August 20th at the Mount Sterling Baptist Church.
Mrs. Harold Hankins of Vevay wishes to announce the engagement and approaching marriage of her daughter, Hazel Margaret, to Ernst Leslie Rilkie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernst Rilkie of Elmhurst, Illinois.
Arthur Crandell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl S. Crandell of the Moorefield area, graduated from Rets Electronic School in Louisville. Crandell was honored as the most outstanding student in his class. Mr. and Mrs. Crandell and their son Glenn attended the graduation exercises.
40 YEARS AGO
Harold Scudder, 42, of route 1, Vevay, suffered severe electrical burns about the leg, toe, and heel in an accident on a water system construction project near Judah Friday. A 27-year-old co-worker from Marshall, Illinois, was electrocuted on the North Lawrence project in the accident in which Scudder, father of five, was injured.
Two Vevay High School students are participating in the 1967 Indiana University Music Clinic this week on the Bloomington campus. At IU are Mickey Markland of 714 East Main Street, Vevay, and Roger D. Levell of route 1, Bennington.
U.S. Army Private First Class John W. Ritch, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Ritch of route 2, Vevay, was named driver of the month for the 46th Engineer Battalion in Vietnam June 30th.
Robert D. Woodfill, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Woodfill of Lawrenceburg and formerly of Vevay, has married Miss Catherine Ann Fisher in Seattle, Washington.
50 YEARS AGO
Formal dedication of the recreation area and remodeling of the Switzerland Baptist Church ion Vevay was held Sunday with a service and dinner at the church.
Mrs. Amy Detraz has received announcement of the birth of a son on July 21st to Mr. and Mrs. Orville Richard Detraz of Lafayette. He has been named Michael William. Mrs. Detraz is a great-grandmother of the new baby.
Mr. and Mrs. Rowellett Satchwill of Aberdeen have received announcement of the birth of a daughter Monday to their son, David Satchwill and wife of Cincinnati at Bethesda Hospital there. The little girl weighed 7 pounds, 5 ounces and has been named Cynthia Ann.
Edward G. Gray who has been associated for 19 years with the Patriot schools as teacher and principal has resigned his position there. Mr. Gray has accepted a post in the Rising Sun High School as English and mathematics instructor.
Mrs. Howard R. Stow of Vevay, route 2, has been employed by the Vevay Town School Board to fill the teaching vacancy left by the resignation of Mrs. Nell Archer.
Billy Lukie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lucian Lukie of near Vevay, cut a deep gash in his left leg Friday when a soft drink bottle is reported to have exploded.
Stark tragedy struck the Pleasant Township community Friday afternoon when five-year-old Wayne Earl Spurgeon, son of Ray and Leona Hall Spurgeon, of Greenbriar Ridge in Jefferson County, was crushed to death under the wheels of a wagon attached to a tractor driven by his grandfather, Dale Hall.
60 YEARS AGO
Vevay relatives and friends of Mr. and Mrs. James Paul Austin (nee Lelia Thiebaud) of Seattle, Washington, have received invitations to the marriage of their daughter, Margaret Jane, to Philip Warren Eiclholtz of that city.
The marriage of Miss Mareta Torrance of Enterprise and James Laymon of Cincinnati was solemnized Saturday afternoon, July 12th, in the Methodist Church at Rising Sun.
An eight pound son was born July 15th to Mr. and Mrs. Norman Wolf of near Moorefield in King’s Daughters’ Hospital in Madison. He has been named Roger Allen. Mrs. Wolf was formerly Miss Wilma Ambrose.
Miss Leona Vantyle and Nelson McClure, both of this community, were united in marriage Saturday, July 19th, at the home of the Reverend T.B. Vincent in Madison.
Miss Dorothy McCord and Vernon H. LaVelle were united in marriage at Rising Sun Saturday, July 19th.
Mrs. Rebecca Haskell of Braytown, one of Switzerland County’s finest old ladies, was honored with a party Thursday night in celebration of her 88th birthday.
70 YEARS AGO
Paul Covington, 10, and sister, Wilma, are being treated by Dr. George Ellerbrook for injuries received when they were bitten last Thursday by dogs owned by Enyard McClelland. The youngsters are children of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Covington, residing on Beatty Ridge in York Township, and are neighbors of McClelland.
Harry Kuhlman, a well known and respected farmer of near East Enterprise, passed away at the Milan Hospital Monday morning, July 12th, where he had been taken for an emergency operation.
The Florence Telephone Exchange has been discontinued and all telephone patrons formerly served by them have been divided between the Vevay and Patriot exchanges.
Miss Mary Ellen Ferguson of Cincinnati and formerly of Vevay, and Robert Sellerman of Cincinnati were married July 10th in Walnut Hills Presbyterian Church.
Mrs. Kathryn Lietch, manager of the Official Auto License Bureau for a number of years has tendered her resignation to the position.
80 YEARS AGO
Frederick Stucy, aged 81, one of the best known men in this city and county, died at his home in Ghent, Kentucky Wednesday evening as the result of an attack of stomach trouble from which he had suffered for several years past.
Mrs. Lon Selig of Cross Plains was attacked by a mad dog in the yard of her home last week and was bitten four times before she tore loose from the dog and succeeded in entering the house.
Thomas Marsh of Florence last week purchased the Lemual Stow garage business in East Enterprise and leased the building in which it is located.
90 YEARS AGO
Carl S. Culbertson is preparing to move his business office from the warehouse to the City Roller Mills on Pike Street.
A hay barn belonging to Wilmer Jackson on Indian Creek was struck by lightning and burned last Thursday afternoon.
100 YEARS AGO
Wilfred, little son of Harry Todd was bitten on the right side of his face by a dog.
Thomas Gordon, stonemason, suffered a severe injury last Friday when his ankle was crushed between two heavy stones which he and his helpers were attempting to move.
Marriage licenses have been issued to William Browning and Alice Bosaw.
A daughter was born July 27th to John Dennis and wife of Allensville.
Dr. Douglass of East Enterprise has gone to Shelbyville to see a location.
120 YEARS AGO
Johnston & Schroeder have removed their law office into the bank building.
Last Monday morning about one o’clock the drug store of J. L. Thiebaud was burglarized.
Last Wednesday, George Ricketts while working in a saw mill at Markland had his hand badly crushed in the machinery that raises logs.
William G. Krutz, Jr., of Warsaw, Kentucky and Sarah M. Joseph of Switzerland County were married July 28th in Vevay by the Reverend J.T. O’Neal.
Lewis A. Cain and Miss Carrie A. Short were married July 31st at the residence of the Reverend Gleason.
130 YEARS AGO
While engaged in cleaning a revolver last Wednesday morning W. B. Owens shot himself in the wrist near his left hand.
Last Monday George Newton sold a farm of 80 acres in Jefferson County to James Dickason of Cotton Township for $1,100.
John Watts and Mrs. Sarah A. Roberts, both of Patriot, were married in Vevay Wednesday evening.
140 YEARS AGO
William Kiesel has commenced the erection of a two-story frame residence near the head of Ferry Street.
Gold has been discovered in Utah.
Business has been very dull in Vevay during the past week. All branches of trade are at a standstill with the exception of manufacturers. As crops promise good there is a general expression that we shall have a good trade next fall.
150 YEARS AGO
Farmers are now beginning to take their crop of barley to Louisville and Cincinnati. The brewers are paying 75 cents per bushel for it.
Wheat is bringing $1.00 per bushel.
The heavy and continued rains here within the past week have done considerable damage to the hay crop.
Last week several houses were entered in this place and provisions, clothes, and money were stolen. It is probable the same gang is doing it who have been stealing vegetables from gardens all summer.