News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
The Switzerland County Farmers Market has been doing a brisk business every Wednesday and Saturday morning at its location near the Switzerland County Courthouse. Many county gardeners have been providing residents with all types of fresh fruits and vegetables, along with a few stories and tales. Tommy May and Marcella Cole are two of the regulars who bring their produce to sell.
The Switzerland County School Board held its first hearing on the proposed 1998 budget at its meeting Monday evening. Superintendent John Thomas went through the budget step-by-step comparing each category to last year’s figures. Overall, the projected budget for next year will be $9,590,433 – up just over nine percent from last year’s proposed figure of $8,759,947.
The annual “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” celebration is being planned in Vevay Saturday, October 4th. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. An arts and crafts fair will be held in conjunction with other activities, and will feature a wide assortment of handmade crafts, art, and foods and baked goods.
20 YEARS AGO
Switzerland County High School principal John Thomas announced this week that Dale Simon, agricultural teacher at SCHS, has been nominated for Teacher of the Year.
Laura Langhorst will celebrate her 94th birthday September 17th. Born in Florence, she is the oldest resident of York Township in Switzerland County.
Army Private John A. Mills, son of John H. Mills of route 2, Rising Sun, has completed one station unit training (OSUT) at the U.S. Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia.
30 YEARS AGO
A truck hauling scrap leather from U.S. Shoe Corporation’s Plant Number 6 in Vevay to the county dump caught on fire near the loading dock at the plant on Vineyard Street. The blaze began at approximately 4:10 p.m. just after the 4 o’clock whistle had sent most of the plant’s employees home for the day.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that the air in the Ohio River Valley is clean enough for two more coal generating units at the Ghent, Kentucky power plant, directly across the river from Vevay.
There’s music in them hills! WMGH-FM, Switzerland County’s only link with area broadcast waves, will take to the air again after months of silence. Pioneer Broadcasting Corporation, the company that has owned the station since November, 1973, has sold the entire facility to Kentuckiana Communications, Inc. James Robert Britton will be the full-time station manager at WMGH.
Barry W. Marlman of route 2, Vevay, has successfully completed a course of instruction in Detriot Diesel Engine Service Training. The school Marlman attended is the Detroit Diesel Allison World Training Headquarters in Indianapolis. Marlman is employed by the U.S. Army at Jefferson Proving Grounds near Madison.
Kathy Lynn Mathews, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Mathews of route 3, Vevay, became the bride of Walter Otis Justus II, grandson of Mr. and Mrs. H.M. Justus of route 1, Alto, Georgia. The wedding was held at Mount Sterling Baptist Church August 26th.
Dr. Louis Lindelman of Lansing, Illinois, announces the engagement of his daughter, Elizabeth, to Dr. Davis M. Jones of South Holland, Illinois, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Jones of Switzerland County. The wedding will take place in Lansing on November 12th, 1977.
Navy Seaman Recruit William L. Coates, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Coates of route 4, Vevay, has completed recruit training at the Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois.
Mickey Mathews, son of Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Mathews of route 3, Vevay, has left for Germany for six months tour of duty with the U.S. Army.
40 YEARS AGO
Janet L. Buchanan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Howard R. Buchanan of Vevay, was enrolled as a freshman at Hanover College this week.
Jack Sullivan, president, Switzerland School Building Corporation, accepted the check as $900,000 in bonds at 5 percent interest were sold Tuesday afternoon for construction of a new Switzerland County high school. Presenting the check was Russell D. Priest, vice president, City Securities Corporation of Indianapolis, purchaser of the bonds. Other building corporation members are Emmett Danner, Loren Hines, Kenny Clemons, William Cole, and Hobart Smith.
Switzerland County 4-H Club members came happily home from the Indiana State Fair last week, having captured 44 ribbons, including nine blue ribbons and eight reds, in 4-H project exhibiting.
James Larry Miller has just been promoted to airman second class in the U.S. Air Force and is stationed at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado, where he is studying missile electronics. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Miller of route 1, Florence.
Mr. and Mrs. William Fisk of Patriot have announced the engagement of their daughter, Pamela Sue, to Richard R. Hutchinson, Jr., son of Mrs. James Davis of Patriot and Richard Hutchinson, Sr., of Rising Sun.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bunger, Sr., will celebrate their Golden Wedding anniversary September 24th with an open house from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at their home near Quercus Grove.
50 YEARS AGO
Mrs. Nettie Lock of Florence was entertained Sunday at the home of her granddaughter, Mrs. Merlyn Mountz at Patriot in honor of her 90th birthday.
The 50th wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Gregory of Patriot was observed Sunday, September 8th, with an open house during the afternoon for about 100 guests. The Gregorys were the recipients of many fine gifts and congratulations.
The 22nd anniversary of the Vevay Kiwanis Club was observed at the regular meeting of the organization September 11th.
Branch candelabra centered with gladiolus and ferns decorated the altar of the Bennington Methodist Church August 24th for the marriage of Miss Roberta Woolums, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Orman Woolums of Vevay and Hilbert Scudder, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Hilbert Scudder of Bennington.
Mrs. A. J. Williams, a member of the Switzerland County Welfare Board, was honored by other members of the board at their regular meeting Tuesday afternoon at the Swiss Inn. Following the luncheon Judge Harry Nichols presented her with a gift and she also received gifts from board members, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Rix, and the Cincinnati Post. Mrs. Williams is local correspondent for that newspaper and she was the recipient of an orchid from the paper. The Indiana page of the evening edition contained a feature article by Robert Terry regarding her activities in this community.
60 YEARS AGO
Dr. John F. Edwards, 61, superintendent of the Indianapolis District of the Methodist Church and husband of Sarah North Edwards, former Patriot girl, died suddenly of a heart attack last Thursday afternoon while in the barber shop of the Fowler Hotel in Lafayette.
Frank William, three-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Andy Earls lost his life by drowning in a cistern at his home near Aberdeen Monday, September 8th.
Roy Brett, who has been employed by the County Highway Department here for some time past, has been employed by the Robert Sample store in Bennington as a clerk and huckster truck driver.
Sanford D. Hollingsworth of Indianapolis, son of C. W. Hollingsworth of near Vevay, and Miss Wilma Huddleston, also of Indianapolis, were married August 30th in Lynhurst Baptist Church in Indianapolis.
The steamer Island Queen blew up and sank in the Monongehela River at Pittsburgh about noon on Tuesday.
The Middleton Hardware Company of Vevay is now the property of John Middleton, who last week purchased the interest in the business of his father, R. H. Middleton.
70 YEARS AGO
Robert L. Brown and Miss Edna Oatman, both of this county, were married last week in Madison by the Reverend H. P. Colson.
Stanley Brown of Florence and Dorothy Lockridge of Vevay, were united in marriage here September 8th by the Reverend L.S. Courtney.
Edgar L. Baird, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Baird was sworn in on Tuesday of this week as an attorney-at-law before the Indiana Supreme Court at Indianapolis.
Dr. Overton H. Mennet, native of Switzerland County, was elected Commander in Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic at the National Convention held last week in Madison, Wisconsin.
Mrs. Oliver Anderson quietly celebrated her 91st birthday September 10th at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Tom Hughes in Madison.
80 YEARS AGO
E. B. Krieger, a member of the editorial staff of the Cincinnati Times Star, was painfully injured last Wednesday afternoon when a car occupied by he and his wife slid off the road near the McKay farm.
Miss Mildred Newkirk and Joe Dickason, both of Vevay, were married last Thursday night by the Reverend F.E. Hammel.
90 YEARS AGO
Miss Charlotte Pleasants, daughter of Mrs. Elizabeth Pleasants, formerly of this city, and Floyd Belden of Osgood, were married at the home of the bride’s sister, Mrs. William Marsh, at Oklahoma City this week.
Porter Patton of route 4, Vevay and Miss Imel of Pleasant Ridge were married Thursday evening.
100 YEARS AGO
Miss Mayme Corns and Anna Havens of Lawrenceburg have opened a millinery store in Wahl’s old stand on Main Street and are having an opening tomorrow.
A son was born September 12th to James Brett and wife of Long Run.
Morton, little son of George Halgarth, had the misfortune to fall from a swing and break his arm one day last week.
A small son of Ed Gregory of Patriot suffered the loss of two fingers last week when he let a window fall on his hand.
Guilford Humphrey of Patriot left Wednesday for Bloomington where he will study medicine.
Mitchell Taylor and Miss O. M. Peak, both of Madison, were united in marriage in this city last Saturday afternoon.
Edward VanOsdol and Harry Minks, both about 17 years of age and living near Allensville, were thrown from their buggy while on their way to school and Minks suffered several injuries about the head and shoulders. VanOsdol jumped from the buggy and escaped injury.
120 YEARS AGO
Newlin D. Vaughn and Miss Flora Baxter, both of Craig Township, were married Thursday evening at the home of the officiating minister, the Reverend W. E. Morris.
Miss Mollie Littlefield has gone to Rising Sun where she will teach in the public schools this winter.
Mrs. America Schenck, widow of Captain Julius Schenck, died in Vevay Wednesday.
130 YEARS AGO
Charles Boyle and Miss Jennie Vandorin, both of Bryant’s Creek, were married September 5th at the home of the bride’s parents.
Yantis E. Wiley and Eva A. Carver were married September 12th at the home of the bride’s parents by the Reverend John Mullin.
William Sherman of Ohio County and Sarah M. Kennet of Switzerland County, were married September 12th by the Reverend E. G. Seymour.
Miss Mary Mottier of Patriot left Sunday for Yellow Springs, where she will attend a musical school this winter.
James Lucas has gone to Lebanon, Ohio, where he will teach school this winter.
140 YEARS AGO
The post office at Jacksonville has been discontinued and one has been established at Center Square.
F. J. Waldo has received the appointment of Assistant Assessor of Internal Revenue for this county.
The Vevay Woolen Factory is completed and in running order. It is four stories high, 75 feet deep and 55 feet wide. It is estimated that the lot, building, and machinery cost about $16,000.
150 YEARS AGO
The splendid and light draught steamer Urbana is now running as a packet between Cincinnati and Louisville.
Messrs J. P. Schenck & Company have just had a new steam mill finished and it is now in operation.
Thomas Jagers of near Vevay has put up a mill for grinding Chinese sugar cane and cooking the juice. He has seven acres of cane under cultivation.
John W. Wright, Esquire, of this county, received a $20 premium for a collection of peaches at the U.S. Agricultural Fair recently held at Louisville.
The county commissioners have leased the poor farm to William Baird of Craig Township.
The sixth annual Indiana State Fair will be held in Indianapolis beginning October 5th.