News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers.
10 YEARS AGO
Barbara and Steve Huffman have turned their love of the Ohio River and river history into a floating museum. The couple has been working to restore the stern wheel towboat, named the “Barbara H” since last December; and will share their vessel with attendees at this weekend’s Swiss Wine Festival. The boat is one of only five vessels to achieve National Historic Landmark status.
Private Kenneth Young graduated from basic training on July 12th in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He is currently serving at Fort Bliss, Texas, for training in Patriot Missile FC Enhanced operator and maintenance. He is the son of Melissa and Doyle Ricketts of Ball Diamond Road near Moorefield. Kenneth Young is a 2001 graduate of Switzerland County High School and earned the Army Achievement Medal while at Fort Bliss.
Seth Douglas Jones of Vevay has earned a BA degree from Mississippi College in Clinton, Mississippi. He is the son of Lary and Elizabeth Jones of Vevay.
Melinda Kathryn Williams of Ellis Lane has earned her associate of applied science degree in law enforcement from Vincennes University during the spring graduation program.
20 YEARS AGO
Luther and Florence (Vice) Penick of route 2, Rising Sun will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with a reception Sunday, September 15th. The reception will be at the Rising Sun Church of Christ.
Construction of the Smith Ridge Bridge which was destroyed in a flood May 16th of last year will begin next week, according to a representative of McAlister Excavating. Equipment is being moved to the site this week.
Patriot Water Company will begin line improvements this week to alleviate problems the system has had in recent months, especially when Friendship’s muzzleloading shoots are held and summer time water usage is at a peak.
30 YEARS AGO
Vevay attorney Mark I. Williams was sworn into office as the new
Switzerland-Ohio Superior Court Judge Tuesday by Governor Robert Orr. The 27-year-old Williams will now become one of the youngest trial judges in the state. He takes the place of Edward James who has taken a position in a private practice in Hazard, Kentucky.
It’s been a bumper crop year for puff balls in Switzerland County as Bob Martin and his son Jason, 4, found out. The two were checking cattle when they saw the four-pound monster on the ground.
Cathy Bear will represent Switzerland County High School in the Versailles Pumpkin Festival Queen contest while Kevin Lock and Pam Poling will be the SCHS king and queen candidates at the Aurora Farmers Fair.
40 YEARS AGO
Captain Floyd Wayne Bond, 24, a U.S. Marine jet pilot, was fatally injured in an airplane crash in Japan September 9th while on an instrument training flight. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Bond of route 1, Patriot, and had been assigned to overseas duty on Okinawa and at Iwakuni, Japan, serving as an avionics officer since June, 1971.
Farmers Home Administration has approved a $533,000 loan and a $200,000 grant to the Town of Patriot for the extension of its water system, Congressman Lee H. Hamilton announced he has been advised. The funds will be used to extend water distribution lines of the systems by 60 miles and to build two additional water storage tanks. The enlarged system will serve 780 homes and other establishments in Patriot and vicinity, adding 290 families to its service rolls.
James Ramsey (Jamie) Shrode of Main Street, Vevay, performed with this year’s version of the Eastern Kentucky University Marching Band as it made its 1971-72 debut in Richmond Saturday. The son of Mrs. Carolyn Burke of Vevay performed with the band at halftime of the Colonels’ season-opening football game with Southeastern Louisiana University in Richmond, Kentucky.
Switzerland County 4-H Club members had one of their best years ever at the Indiana State Fair as they came home with 10 blue, 16 red, 18 white, and 4 green ribbons to show for their club projects.
Fred L. Slack, son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert (Ben) Slack of route 2, Vevay, has been promoted from patrolman to private detective with the Cincinnati Police Department. He has been with the department since 1965.
50 YEARS AGO
Memory of Vevay’s flourishing years as a booming river-trade town was reduced to a dim flicker last week with the parting of the historic “ferry house.” The 150-year-old structure, for years the outstanding symbol of the town’s settlement, gave way to the forces of progress, as workers reduced it to a pile of rubble.
Miss Julie L. Knox had the thrill of receiving a personal note from Indiana Lieutenant Governor Richard Ristine one day last week when he touched briefly at the Vevay water front, with a party of friends aboard a cruiser. The state official was a pupil of Miss Knox, while she was a Latin teacher in Crawfordsville and he never fails to contact her when he is in this area.
Miss Elsie Hewitt of Posey Township is recovering from first, second, and third degree burns which she suffered recently when she was scalded by boiling water.
Stanley Brown, well known Florence merchant, has assumed the duties as postmaster of the Florence post office, following his appointment by Democratic County Chairman, Lee Bliss, and recommendation by Senator Vance Hartke. Mr. Brown succeeds Mrs. Alberta Reed, who has held the post for the past year and a half.
The Public Service Company of Indiana has received a 50-year license from the Federal Power Commission for construction and operation of a hydro-electric generating station on the Ohio River at Markland Dam. The project, to cost $235,839,000, will be started when Army Engineers have completed building the lock and dam at the site, expected to be sometime in 1963.
60 YEARS AGO
Fire, which resulted from sparks from an engine ignited the roof of the George Reed sawmill west of Vevay Tuesday and caused a small amount of damage. The Moorefield fire department was called to assist in fighting the blaze but the flames had been brought under control when the engine arrived.
Sam Stoops, prominent farmer of near Vevay, was painfully injured Tuesday when he fell while driving a team hitched to a rock sled on the hill near his home. He sustained bruises and cuts about his face but was back at his work on Wednesday.
The County Commissioners at their business session held here on Tuesday, granted a license to Ray McKay of Lamb, to operate a ferry between that port and Carrollton, Kentucky.
Mr. and Mrs. Loren Driver of Rising Sun quietly celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary Wednesday. The Driver home is just over the line from Switzerland County and Mrs. Driver, who before her marriage, was Lizzie Dibble, was born and reared in Switzerland County. The day also marked the 90th birthday of Mr. Oliver who has been critically ill for the past six weeks. Mrs. Driver was 89 years old on September 2nd.
Mrs. Hazel Boggs was surprised Friday evening, August 31st, on her 44th birthday when about 90 of her friends came with baskets of good things to eat and gave her a nice birthday supper.
70 YEARS AGO
C. R. Reynolds has been appointed as night chief of police to serve during the illness of H. K. Satterfield.
Professor Austin T. Funk reports a total enrollment of 378 pupils in the Vevay schools.
Mrs. Isabelle Long was guest of honor at dinner given at the Carter House Friday evening honoring her 92nd birthday.
Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Banta quietly celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary at their home here September 7th.
80 YEARS AGO
Virginia Sullivan of Vevay “made” the “Distinguished List” at Purdue University.
Elmer E. Hufford was appointed a member of the county library board.
Vevay High School opened Monday, September 7th, with a total enrollment of 253, a gain of 10 over last year.
Frederick Thiebaud, prominent young pianist of Vevay has been awarded a scholarship at the conservatory of music in Cincinnati.
Stanley Andrew, Wilford Osborn, and James Charles Dibble won prizes on their various exhibits at the state fair this week.
Published this week was an interesting article entitled “Interesting History of Oklahoma Indiana.”
Drilling for gas on the Captain Carter property here was begun this week. Joseph Koehne Sons Company of Norwood, Ohio, are the contractors.
90 YEARS AGO
An event which seldom happens in the life of husband and wife occurred Monday when Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Poston of Allensville, reached their 60th wedding anniversary.
Mr. and Mrs. John Tilley, who for the past nine years have made their home in Kansas City, Missouri, returned to Switzerland County Friday night expecting to take up their residence here.
For the first time in the history of Switzerland County a woman has been admitted to the bar. Mrs. Cogley Cole was given permission to practice law by Judge Griffith Monday, in the September term of court. She will begin a practice with the firm of Hall and Hall, her father and brother.
100 YEARS AGO
A large barn on the Brokin Gex farm above Ghent, burned with the loss of $8,000.
Mrs. W. W. Fry has returned to her home in Vevay from Europe.
Seven barges of coal are at the Vevay landing. The wholesale price of sugar is 8 cents, the highest in 20 years.
Edgar Baird sustained a broken arm when he fell from his bicycle near the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Baird.
Local markets: wheat 85 cents, corn 75 cents, eggs 18 cents, calves 6 1/2 cents, hogs 6 cents to 7.
Andy Martin of Mount Sterling sold a fine span of mules to George Leap.
Mrs. Robert Scranton is preparing to open a millinery store in Patriot.
120 YEARS AGO
Fred Bakes, son of John Bakes, Jr., and wife left Sunday for Lafayette, Indiana, to attend Purdue University.
Miss Lena Knox will leave Monday for Gratz, Kentucky to teach in the grade schools here.
Frank Shaw and wife are rejoicing over a new son.
Announcements have been received by Vevay friends of the engagement of Reverend John W. Johnson of Moores Hill and Miss Pearl Harris of Patriot. The marriage will be solemnized September 10th at the home of the bride’s parents.
140 YEARS AGO
Burglars have again been at work the past week. Silver spoons were taken from the home of J. F. Doan. They were over 100 years old and had been valued as heirlooms. Jewelry was taken from Frank Bonner’s home and cigars and a pair of boots from Juilius Blach.
John Chatelin has given out a contract for the erecting of a big coal elevator which will be built on Ferry Street near the river. It will hold 50,000 bushels of coal.
The people of Ohio County recently voted on the question of appropriating money for the Ohio River railroad and defeated it.
James W. Love has been appointed postmaster at Patriot.
Captain F. L. Courvoisier and family started for Sacramento City, California, Sunday where they will make their home.
Captain S. R. Tinker of Cotton Township attended the conference at Jeffersonville.
150 YEARS AGO
The soldiers of the two cavalry companies from this county write home to their friends in severe terms about the treatment they received on their way to Pittsburgh. The boys on the Captain Strader had to eat raw bacon and dry bread for 24 hours because there was no place for them to cook their food and Captain Strader refused to allow the steward to cook for them until ordered to do so by Captain Buchanan and Colonel Carter. On the Neptune the boat was stripped of bedding and chairs.
Sixty odd men, under Captain David and Lieutenant Charlton, went to camp at North Madison last week. This makes the fifth company from Switzerland County. The cannon was fired as usual, on the occasion.
The artillery company, being organized by Mr. Duplan, expects to go to camp on Monday next. A few more men are needed to complete the company.
On Sunday morning Captain Robert N. Lamb, quartermaster of volunteers, left here on the steamer Nashville to receive his orders from General Fremont in St. Louis. Vevay and Switzerland County never had a better citizen than Robert N. Lamb and we hope that in due time he will return home to his family and friends.