News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers.
10 YEARS AGO
Vevay Deposit Bank has announced that it will be a part of a merger featuring three other financial institutions across southern and central Indiana. The merger is expected to be complete the first part of October, and when complete will create a financial institution of more than $366 million. The new bank will be Heritage Community Bank.
Work is progressing on the swimming pool that will be one of the centerpieces of the new Switzerland County YMCA. Work on the facility is expected to be completed in time for an opening in the fall of this year.
Indiana wildlife biologist Steve Backs has tabulated reports from this spring’s wild turkey hunting season and found that once again Switzerland County was the number one county in terms of turkeys taken. This year’s harvest jumped 28 percent over last year, making 2001 the 19th consecutive record harvest year. Switzerland County has a total of 557 turkeys to lead the state; followed by Jefferson County with a total of 489. Dearborn County was third with 416 turkeys taken, followed by Orange County with 414.
20 YEARS AGO
Four Switzerland County High School students are trying to get back to a “normal” life after what they said was probably the most fun week of their life. The four, Ryan Griffin, 15, Adam Cole, 15, Stephanie Leap, 16, and Tammy Schenck, 15, recently attended the Indiana Teen Institute (ITI) at DePauw University in Greencastle. Jean Sandidge, a teacher at the high school, attended with them.
Alex Reynolds, four-year-old boy struck by lightning July 2nd, is out of the hospital. He was there for a month after the accident and doctors say he is on the way to recovery.
The operator of a boat that capsized in the Ohio River, killing both passengers, was charged with manslaughter, reckless homicide and operating a watercraft while intoxicated. The victims were Beatrice McGuire, 46, and her nephew, Timothy Rogers, 16, both of Carroll County, Kentucky. They were passengers on a pontoon boat owned and operated by Robert Benham, 43, an Indianapolis resident who has a summer place on the river at Sandy Beach, near Lamb.
30 YEARS AGO
Millie Coy, County Treasurer, was the auctioneer for the tax sale auction held on Monday. Sixty-three pieces of property went on the trading block, as the tax sale was held for the first time in 13 years.
It’s the middle of August and that means it’s time for the Alpine Festival. The third annual Swiss Alpine Festival starts tonight with the Edelweiss Princess Contest at 8 p.m. slow time and continues to the early evening hours of Sunday. Twelve girls will compete for the title won last year by Janet Hall, daughter of Beverly Hall, and the late William Hall, Vevay.
40 YEARS AGO
Christi Graham won over nine other contestants last Thursday night to gain the Edelweiss Princess beauty contest title and to reign over the festival the following three days. The princess is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson “Red” Graham of Vevay, the first Vevay resident to ever win the Edelweiss Princess title.
Approximately 45,000 people attended the fourth annual Swiss Wine Festival last weekend as the local extravaganza enjoyed its biggest success yet. The crowd was estimated at 15,000 during Saturday night’s activities.
50 YEARS AGO
The Reds are 1961 champions in local Little League baseball competition. The Reds took the title Monday with a 3-2 victory over the Tigers in the loop’s post-season tournament as winning pitcher Rick McClellan tossed a two-hitter.
Mrs. Pearl Orem, who has been serving as home visitor for the Switzerland County Welfare Board, has resigned her post because of continued ill health. Mrs. Orem has been confined to her home in Vevay following a stay in the Madison hospital.
Mr. and Mrs. Tom Protsman of Vevay quietly observed their 63rd wedding anniversary Monday at their home here.
60 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. Will Gray of near Moorefield celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary July 22nd. Mr. Gray is 81 years old and Mrs. Gray is 72, and their many friends wish them a long continuance of their happy life together.
A grass fire of undetermined origin swept the hillside behind the homes of Mrs. Mildred Boyer, Howard Stockdale, and Elmer Browning near the city limits north of Vevay Tuesday noon.
Thieves have been causing Clyde Griffith trouble lately with the theft of several articles from his premises here in Vevay and from his farm on the Island. Included among the articles was a heating stove, iron wagon wheel tires and many machine parts.
Bobby Birkemier is recovering from a broken shoulder bone which he suffered this week. The young man was unaware he had broken his shoulder until pain became intense and he visited a doctor’s office where an x-ray examination revealed a splintered bone.
70 YEARS AGO
Robert Mathews, former accompanist of Billy Sunday, and his family will present a program at the Presbyterian Church Thursday evening August 14th.
Eugene Chase suffered a broken hip when he fell at his home on Turnpike Street Sunday morning.
Charles B. Noble was reelected county superintendent of schools for a four-year term by the trustees Saturday morning.
James C. Upp has accepted a position as manager and lineman of the Southern Indiana Light and Power Company.
A fine team of horses belonging to Earl Leap of Parks Ridge was killed by a bolt of lightning during the storm on Saturday evening.
80 YEARS AGO
Clarence “Jake” Rayles of near Bennington was saved from possible death last week when the police dog of Robert Lewis, a neighbor, came to his rescue in answer to cries for help, while he was being gored by an angry bull.
Tommy Bondurant, who recently sustained a dislocated vertebrae, is able to be out.
A. B. Shaw, who has been a patient in Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati for several weeks has returned home.
90 YEARS AGO
The Vevay Chautauqua came to a successful close Thursday night. Over 500 pledges were signed for next year and this number will assure the eighth annual Chautauqua.
While in the garden of her home in Vevay, Mrs. Laurie Brown stepped on a viper snake which coiled itself about her ankle. Just as the reptile darted its tongue out to strike, Mrs. Brown grasped it at the neck and pulled it loose from her ankle, and flung it into the weeds.
Last week Mrs. Orville North, living near Patriot went into her pantry to get a cooking utensil and placed her hand upon a large black snake coiled up in a pan. She called her husband who killed the reptile with a carving knife.
Vevay has been a Mecca for tourists this summer and scarcely a day passes without an automobile from some distant state.
Mr. and Mrs. Gabe Robinson assumed charge of the Heady Hotel Monday and will manage it for Mrs. Caroline Heady, owner.
100 YEARS AGO
The river is lower than it has been for years and the Hattie Brown and Lizzie Bay both grounded near the wharf boat yesterday.
While washing dishes, Margaret, little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James D. Scott, slipped and fell with a tea kettle of boiling water, scalding her right leg.
Thomas Gordon has completed the cement watering trough at the east end of Market House.
Charles Sieglitz and son David left Sunday on the boat for Cincinnati en route to Michigan for a vacation.
A large flat rock near the ferry landing is exposed for the first time for years and bears the following inscriptions: “N.M.F.”, “J.B., OCT. 11, 18995 A.P.D.”, “Everett G”:, “JH”, “EEVA G”. Mose Jackson forded the river just below the wharf boat on Tuesday, the water not coming to his arm pits.
120 YEARS AGO
Oliver Clendenning and family left yesterday for their home in Harriman, Tennessee, accompanied by Miss Zada Youge.
Miss Mattie McKay has resigned her position as teacher in the Vevay schools and with her mother will go to Indianapolis to reside with family of J. M. Stratford.
Clarence Cotton, son of Perry Cotton of near Moorefield was rendered unconscious for two days when his horse ran away, throwing him from the buggy on his head, on his way to church Sunday.
Dr. L. J. Woolen has just issued a medical book “Mothers Handbook” which treats on children’s diseases.
Silas Q. Howe has sold his stock of merchandise in Patriot to his son Quinn Howe and Bert Haige of Madison. Lemuel Emerson will be a clerk.
Ada, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph E. Walton, fell from a tree and broke her arm Tuesday.
140 YEARS AGO
J. D. Works, Esquire, of Versailles has returned to Vevay to work in his father’s law office.
Mr. John Patton, a Commission Merchant of New Orleans, is visiting friends and relatives in Vevay.
Remember the railroad election on Tuesday. Do your duty. We regret that we do not have space to print the anti-railroad communication of Mr. Addison Works, for although we do not agree with him we believe in giving all views on the subject.
150 YEARS AGO
We print a letter this week from one of Captain Buchanan’s men in camp at North Madison. Excerpts follow:
We continued our march until we arrived at Indian Creek bridge where Captain Buchanan ordered a halt while the company was waited upon with plenty of pure water which was gladly received by us dusty boys. We moved forward again until we arrived in front of Captain J. W. Wright’s residence where we again halted and received from the hands of the hospitable captain a lot of fine cakes and plenty of good water.
After giving three cheers for Captain Wright and family we marched on, occasionally halting and wishing old and dear friends farewell until we arrived at Union Church. Here our company was greeted by a large number of the fair ladies of Craig Township who had already prepared for us a dinner of most excellent pies and cakes. After partaking of the hospitality of our Craig Township friends and resting our horses, we were off again, marking our way by the clouds of dust, by which we were constantly enveloped.
We continued our march until we reached Brooksburg, where we were again greeted by many friends. We were informed that a fine dinner had been in preparation but owing to a false report that we would not pass through Brooksburg until the next day they had ceased all preparations. The boys did not mind this disappointment too much for they had been so fed at Union. Our Brooksburg friends gave us as much corn as our horses could eat besides a quantity of pies and cakes, the gift of Mr. A. Wright.
At Madison we were met by the gallant Captain Hendricks and a portion of his company, who escorted us to the Madison hotel where we found the doors of that splendid house thrown open to us. Our horses were as well cared for as their riders, plenty of stables and feed were procured for them. As soon as forage could be procured we marched into the camp. Here we found plenty of forage for the horses and goods for the men, but no suitable place for us to sleep. We slept upon the ground beneath the trees to which our horses were tied, for two or three nights, when we had very good quarters prepared for us. Now our boys have good bunks, high and dry, to sleep in.
We had been in camp but a few days when our friend and fellow citizen Captain Danglade came into camp with his company arrived here, consequently no rations had been drawn for them. But the boys from old Switzerland were not the ones to see fellow soldiers go to bed supperless, after marching all day through the hot sun and over dusty roads. So our men and Captain Stepleton’s company made way at their tables for Captain Danglade’s men.