News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
Jessica Donnellon was crowned the 1997 Edelweiss Princess Saturday night as the annual Swiss Wine Festival got started. By moving the contest to the Saturday prior to the opening of the festival on Thursday it allows the princess and her court to spend time during the week helping to promote the festival. First runnerup was Katie Riley. Devona Wiesmann was second runner up. Amanda Springer was third runnerup and Tracy Bruce was fourth runnerup.
What started out as a fun trip to a community festival has turned into a long and profitable business venture for Jim and Johanna Welch of near Fairview. When they open their “German Corner” food booth at this year’s Swiss Wine Festival, it will mark the 25th year they have sold food here.
Gladys Moreillon celebrated her 103rd birthday Tuesday, July 22nd, with a pitch-in dinner at the Wildwood Healthcare Center in Indianapolis.
Henri Chase, a 1966 graduate of Vevay High School and the son of Donald and Vivian Chase of Vevay, has earned a promotion to commander in the U.S. Navy.
Sheriff John Johnson has announced that he has hired Steve Adams, who had been an officer for the town of Vevay for more than 20 years, as the county’s new deputy.
Scott Holdsworth was named as Switzerland County’s new boys varsity basketball coach at Monday night’s school board meeting. He and his wife, Kara, will be moving to the area. Kara Holdsworth will also be working in the school system, teaching kindergarten at Switzerland County Elementary.
Former Switzerland County Pacer boys varsity basketball coach Steve Goddard has accepted the varsity coaching position at Owen Valley High School in Spencer, Indiana. He and his family will be moving over the weekend.
15 YEARS AGO
Contestants in this year’s Edelweiss Princess contest are Kelly Butters, Chrissie Chase, Pansy Peters, Katina Carter, Donnemarie Firth, Angie Poling, and Michelle Aldred.
The Little Swiss Polka Dancers will be performing this weekend during the Swiss Wine Festival.
Jamie Carter, son of James and Gail Carter of Florence will complete his basic training in the U.S. Navy August 14th. After a visit at home he will go to Pensacola, Florida where he will study to be a cryptologic technician.
Bridgette Miller of Vevay was the youngest competitor at the Indiana State Fair queen contest Saturday.
20 YEARS AGO
Reverend Brainard and Mrs. Gladys Lee, route 2, Vevay, will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary Sunday, August 30th, at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church near Canaan.
Prizes have been awarded for the second annual Beautification Contest this year. In the town of Vevay, Magnolia “Maggie” Peters won first place, second place was Lela Roberts, and third was Jim and Rachel Stultz. In the county division, first place went to Harriet Peters, route 2, Vevay; second place was Elva Powell of Scott’s Ridge; third place Thelma Powell, Scott’s Ridge; and fourth place, Charles Holler, of Markland-Enterprise Pike.
30 YEARS AGO
Switzerland County’s first home for senior citizens, Switzer Square, was dedicated Sunday, August 7th. An estimated crowd of 450 persons inspected the facility which contains 32 apartments for the county’s seniors. Ethelena Berkemeyer is responsible for naming the facility. She says she got the idea from a story about Switzerland in Vevay Newspapers and was inspired by it.
A fleet of barges and the towboat Frances Ann spent more time than anticipated in Vevay last Monday when the center unit of the fleet became stuck on Vevay bar, forcing the captain to maneuver the fleet around in a circle in an effort to free the barge.
Scotty Welch was chosen top leader at the FFA Leadership Training Camp at Trafalgar, Indiana last Friday.
40 YEARS AGO
Staff Sergeant Ulia J. Cole, a native of Switzerland County, has been decorated for heroism by the U.S. Army while serving in combat in Vietnam with the First Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. He is the son of Lelia Peters of Vevay and Ottie W. Cole of Gilland’s Nursing Home in Osgood. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with a “V” device for his heroism.
A Masonic historical marker will be unveiled Saturday at the Vevay home of Mr. and Mrs. Russell Pickett to proclaim the structure as the oldest known building in which a lodge of Freemasons once held meetings. Erected by the Grand Lodge Sesquicentennial Commission, the marker will be unveiled at 11 a.m. at the 201 West Market Street building which was erected in 1816.
Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher N. Hufford of near Patriot will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary with an open house from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at their home, Harris Place, in Mexico Bottom.
50 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. Orman Woolums of Vevay announce the approaching marriage of their daughter, Roberta, to Mr. Hilbert Scudder, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Hilbert Scudder of Bennington.
A son was born Sunday in the Hamilton, Ohio, hospital to Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Hambrick of that city. He weighed 7 pounds and has been named Randy Howard. Grandfathers of the baby are Hubert Hambrick and William Bowin of Vevay.
Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Bruce Wallis of Walton, Kentucky recently made a gift of the former Billy Miller property in Patriot which they have owned for several years to the congregation of the Patriot Methodist Church for a parsonage.
A son was born August 9th in a Cincinnati hospital to Mr. and Mrs. Dawson W. Davis (nee Wanda Lea Noble) of Lawrenceburg. He weighed 8 pounds, 13 ounces and has been named Terry Dawson. Proud grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. William Davis of Patriot and Mr. and Mrs. Lucien Noble of Rising Sun.
Mr. and Mrs. James Bladen of Vevay will observe their 50th wedding anniversary September 1st.
The time honored annual Moorefield celebration will not be held this year according to an announcement made this week. Lack of interest and dwindling attendance at recent meetings was given as the reason for discontinuing the organization.
60 YEARS AGO
Miss Reva Lee Baatz, oldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Glen Baatz of near Fairview, and William David Garrett were married at the home of the Reverend Josephine Huffer at Shelbyville.
Anton H. Wegener, 58, former superintendent of Vevay schools, died Monday, August 11th, at his home in Aurora after an illness of only a week.
Robert Briggs of near Moorefield is a patient in Christ Hospital in Cincinnati where he underwent an emergency appendectomy Tuesday night.
Raymond Gregory of Patriot has been retained by the Liberty school officials as principal of the grade school in that town.
Harry R. Culbertson, 80, highly respected retired farmer of Pleasant Township, passed away at his home near Moorefield Sunday evening, August 10th.
70 YEARS AGO
The new Carter Inn located on the west side of North Ferry Street will have its opening this evening, August 19th.
Miss Vandora McClellan and William Bennett, both of Florence, were united in marriage August 14th by the Reverend L. S. Courtney.
Mrs. Elizabeth McClanahan, widow of George McClanahan, former County Commissioner, passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Charles Stevens, near Center Square Tuesday evening.
Harrison G. Tague, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Tague of route 2, Vevay, and Miss Ruby Spriggs, daughter of Mrs. Birdie Taylor of route 2, Vevay, were united in marriage August 15th by Reverend L. S. Courtney.
Mrs. Nora D. Short, aged 57, of Salem, widely known Indiana Club woman, died Sunday afternoon in a Santa Barbara, California hospital after a long illness.
Mrs. Mabel Hutchinson, wife of J. D. Hutchinson, and mother of Mrs. Paul Lamkin of Vevay suffered a stroke of paralysis at her home on Grant’s Creek Friday.
80 YEARS AGO
Miss Mildred Cotton, aged 32, formerly of Vevay, died last Wednesday at her home in New Albany. She was the daughter of the late Ralph Cotton and resided here with her parents in girlhood, moving from here to Osgood. Since her father’s death she and her stepmother, Mrs. Alta Cotton, had resided in New Albany.
The engagement of Miss Mary Bear of Vevay to Vincent Rawlings of Indianapolis has been announced. The wedding will take place at the home of the bride’s parents, Dr. and Mrs. L. H. Bear Saturday afternoon, August 27th.
Miss Mattie Detraz, aged 71 years, died at her home on West Market Street Sunday night.
90 YEARS AGO
Mrs. Margaret Thiebaud of this city has announced the engagement of her daughter, Lelia, of Indianapolis to James Paul Austin of Port Moody, British Columbia.
Beverly Banta, aged 86, died at his home at Canaan from the infirmities of old age Tuesday night.
James Whitton, aged 80 years, died at the home of William Stillman in the Scotch Settlement neighborhood Monday evening.
Mrs. Sarah McKim, aged 63 years, died at her home at Bear Branch Saturday.
Henry Hortsman, husband of the late Rebecca Hortsman, nee Emke, died August 22nd. He was 76 years old.
100 YEARS AGO
Elmer N. Burroughs of Indianapolis and Miss Gertrude E. Curry of this city, were married last week at Carthage, Ohio. They will reside in Indianapolis.
A daughter was born to Charles Ricketts and wife of Markland, August 15th.
Announcements have been received of the approaching marriage of Miss Hazel Cleveland of Indianapolis to H. G. Curry, a prominent young businessman of that city.
Harry Snyder and wife of Patriot are rejoicing over the arrival of a daughter born last Thursday.
Henderson Works of Allensville was painfully injured last week by being kicked by a horse.
J.S. Rice of Warsaw has opened a shoe repairing shop in the Shadday building.
120 YEARS AGO
Lewis A. Cain and Miss Carrie A. Short were married July 31st at the residence of the Reverend William H. Gleason.
The home of W. F. Berkemeir about two miles above Vevay was destroyed by fire last Saturday morning.
Last Sunday evening while George Manford and family of Moorefield were at church their house was ransacked and a small sum of money taken.
130 YEARS AGO
Charles Sieglitz moved to Vevay August 17th from Friendship and will start a jewelry store on Pike Street.
Last Monday afternoon Harry Barret, aged 14, was thrown from a horse which he was riding and severely injured.
Rodolph Rochat and Miss Estelle Jaynes, both of this county, were married August 16th by the Reverend David Lee, J. P.
Dr. David N. Hayden and Miss Sarah E. Froman were married on August 19th by the Reverend W. H. Gleason.
Willie James of Patriot fell from a wagon Tuesday and broke his shoulder blade.
140 YEARS AGO
Captain Ira M. Malin, formerly of this place, is in command of a fine steamboat, “Harry Johnson,” plying between St. Louis and Keokuk.
An effort is being made to extend the west branch of the Vevay and Versailles turnpike to Soapville, seven miles from where it now terminates.
A severe storm visited this section of country Monday night. It caught the steamer C. T. Dumont at Warsaw, blowing off her cabin and otherwise damaging her.
Next Saturday the Masons of Ghent will lay the cornerstone of a Masonic temple with the usual Masonic ceremonies. The Vevay brass band will furnish music for the occasion.
150 YEARS AGO
One of the citizens of this township was arrested on last Wednesday on a charge of assault and battery on a boy 12 years of age. A verdict of a fine and $3 costs was rendered.
The fall term of the Vevay High School will commence Monday, September 6th.