News compiled by Ginny Leap from past issues of
Switzerland County newspapers
10 YEARS AGO
Amador Viciana is only 14 years old, but he knows what he wants. He wants to learn English and visit America. Those two desires led the young man from Murcia, Amador Viciana is living with Jack, Susan and Jason Nimersheim while studying here and has been adjusting to his new surroundings since arriving on August 19th.
The Indiana Gaming Commission still hasn’t set an official date to decide what it’s going to do with the last Ohio River casino license, but some recent activity in Indianapolis may b e a hint that a decision might soon be made. The decision on whether to locate the casino in Switzerland or Crawford county should be made in December.
Faced with the biggest tobacco quota in history, Switzerland County burley growers are working on a potentially outstanding crop as farmers begin the process of cutting their crop. Recent rains have revived the late tobacco crop and now it’s coming on strong.
15 YEARS AGO
Stephanie Montgomery was among the practical nurse graduates receiving her cap and pin from Ivy Tech College Southeast in Madison on August 14th. She graduated with honors.
Barry L. Marlman, an employee of the Jefferson Proving Ground, received a Performance Award for exceptional performance of duties from JPG Commander Colonel Ronald J. Benick during presentation ceremonies at the installation.
Steve Sublett, a flight attendant for American Airlines, was awarded the “Customer Comes First” Award for his display of outstanding customer service on a flight. He was awarded a gold watch with the American Airlines logo and a certificate of merit.
20 YEARS AGO
Steve Kinne, Indiana Conservation Officer, has been assigned to Switzerland County. Officer Kinne began his duties the first of September. He is a native of rural Dearborn County. He earned an associate’s degree in Conservation Law Enforcement from Vincennes University, and a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati.
Laura Rogers and John Erickson will be united in marriage on Saturday, October 10th. The outdoor ceremony will be held at the Dale Clark farm near Fairview at 3 p.m. A reception will follow the ceremony at the home of Tom Rogers in Bennington.
One of the most memorable things about Randy Cole’s month-long trip to Europe was the afternoon he spent in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, a country about the size of New York State. A highlight of his recent trip to Europe was having lunch with Bernard Chevannes, the Mayor of Vevey, Switzerland.
30 YEARS AGO
Plans to construct two new elementary schools in Switzerland County have been halted on the recommendation of Robert J. Ice, the director of Indiana’s Division of Schoolhouse Planning. Ice recommended to Harold Negley, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, that one school be constructed to replace the present four elementary facilities at Pleasant, Florence, Patriot and Allensville.
Geriatric patients at Madison State Hospital may have a new “tonic” by next spring — thanks to a unique venture between the state psychiatric hospital and a Madison winemaker. The hospital has contracted with Villa Medeo Vineyards Winery of Madison to turn the hospital’s bumper crop of Concord grapes into wine for medicinal use with geriatric patients. Bottled under a hospital label, the wine will be available to geriatric patients by prescription only.
Since the price of gasoline used by consumer automobiles has skyrocketed in recent years, and apparently still on the rise, there has been a search for the perfect gasoline substitute. This fuel alternative must meet several criteria: it must be plentiful, it must be inexpensive to produce and sell to the American public and it must keep polluting auto emissions at a minimum.
Mr. and Mrs. Dallas Althoff of route 1, Bennington, will celebrate their Golden Wedding anniversary on Sunday, October 2nd, with an open house reception from 2 to 4 p.m. (slow time) at Olive Branch Baptist Church near Bear Branch.
40 YEARS AGO
Yeoman Third Class Larry W. Ellegood, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. James W. Ellegood and husband of the former Miss Katherine J. Smith, all of route 2, Vevay, has reported for duty aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Enterprise. His ship, homeported in Alameda, California, has completed its second tour of duty off the coast of Vietnam as a unit of the U.S. Seventh Fleet. The Enterprise, the world’s largest warship, is the U.S.’s first nuclear powered carrier. The ship is capable of steaming for five years without refueling.
Reverend Wayne Hoover, pastor of Bennington Methodist Church, has announced that Rosemary Bovard, daughter of Carl and Betty Bovard of Bennington, has been selected by Indiana Conference Methodist Youth Fellowship to attend the United Nations and Washington, D.C., seminar October 21st-29th.
Steven E. Montgomery, 18, son of Mrs. Ruth A. Ash of Vevay, was promoted to U.S. Army private pay grade E-2 upon completion of basic combat training at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
Excavation work for a new Switzerland County high school continues on the 18.124-acre site west of Vevay.
Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Edwards of route 2, Vevay, have announced the engagement and approaching marriage of their daughter, Alice Faye, to Dennis Lee Whitham, son of Mr. and Mrs. Dalbert Whitham of Vevay.
50 YEARS AGO
Marsha Ricketts of East Union 4-H Club, winner of the Switzerland County dress revue, represented Switzerland County in the state dress revue at the 1957 Indiana State Fair.
Paul Keith, son of Mrs. Davina Wolf of Vevay, left last week for California with officials of the Mobile Drilling Company of Indianapolis, by whom he is employed, for a demonstration tour. They expect to visit 40 states within the coming three months.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Cochran of Florence announce the engagement of their oldest daughter, Delcenia Lorene, to Larry Thomas Courter, son of Mrs. Hazel Courter of near Florence. Plans for the wedding are incomplete.
Edwin C. Benedict, son of Mr. and Mrs. Marion Benedict of Vevay, has enrolled in the Carson Newman College in Jefferson County, Tennessee, where he will study to become a minister.
60 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. Scott Furnish announce the engagement of their daughter, Miss Margery Furnish, to Virgil Kappes of Waldron. The wedding will take place some time in November.
A son was born September 10th to Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Scott, Jr., at St. Francis Hospital in Indianapolis.
Mrs. Allie Peters and Reverend and Mrs. Walter Peters of Vevay, were notified Thursday afternoon of the tragic death of Margaret Louise (Peggy) the eight-year-old adopted daughter of Reverend and Mrs. Joe Peters of Mt. Carmel, Connecticut.
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Frazer have sold their farm, formerly the Samuel E. Powell farm, in the Antioch community to Mr. and Mrs. Howard Cofield of Rising Sun.
Mr. and Mrs. Theodore White celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary Sunday, September 14th, at their home in Patriot.
Mr. and Mrs. Justi Shaw of Los Angeles, California, formerly of Switzerland County, announce the marriage of their daughter, Elizabeth, to Ray Thomas McCord.
Emery Hastie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Hastie of near Florence, and Miss Mary Lou Frazier of Louisa, Kentucky, were married last Tuesday in the latter city.
70 YEARS AGO
James H. Stewart, aged 29 years, of Posey Township, was fatally injured on the evening of September 15th when his automobile struck a bridge guard rail near Cleves, Ohio.
Announcement has been made of the marriage of Miss Mary Ethel Owens and William Pickett, Jr., which was solemnized November 25th, 1933, at Falmouth, Kentucky.
Donnie Kinman, six-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Kinman of Markland, swallowed a quantity of lime and battery water solution Monday, badly blistering his throat.
80 YEARS AGO
A Chandler sedan owned by Raymond Osborne of Fairview was destroyed by fire last Wednesday night on the Bennington and Fairview Pike while he was driving to the home of his father.
A barn on the farm of Raymond Jarvis near Pleasant Grove Church burned to the ground last Thursday evening.
The 100th birthday anniversary of Mrs. Elizabeth M. Dibble, better known as “Aunt Betsy”, was celebrated at Patriot Friday.
90 YEARS AGO
Clarence Valentine of Mount Sterling suffered painful injuries Saturday while working on a rock crusher located at the home of Mrs. Sallie Cole.
Miss Miriam Krom, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Krom and Nead Platt Creath, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Creath of Washington, D.C., were married Wednesday evening at the Methodist parsonage at Lawrenceburg.
Mr. and Mrs. Arlington O’Neal of Markland announce the engagement of their daughter, Ethel, to Wilbur Houze of this city. The wedding will take place some time next month.
After months of suffering from stomach trouble, Ernest Lee Heath, 13-month-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Heath, died at the home of Mrs. Heath’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Haskell near Center Square Tuesday, September 18th.
100 YEARS AGO
Edward Davis, aged 18 years, was killed by a train at Greenwood last Sunday while on his way to the home of his foster parents, Sam L. Lamb and wife at Lamb.
Charles P. Gouger, husband of Miss Lou B. Protsman, formerly of this city, was killed at his home on Lawtey, Florida, last Wednesday night. He is supposed to have been shot by a man against whom he had recently testified in court.
Monday evening about 7 o’clock an unoccupied house belonging to Captain John Graham was destroyed by fire. While fighting the fire, two firemen, Edward Bright and Lewis Peelman, fell into an open cistern but were immediately rescued. The little son of Herman Schaum was run over by the hose cart of company No. 1 but with the exception of bad bruises he was uninjured.
A boy was born September 18th to Albert Morrison and wife of Bear Branch.
120 YEARS AGO
Miss Tete LeClerc, who has been in San Diego for over a year, has arrived home.
Rumor says that the Patriot miller, W. F. North, will close the Ohio Valley Mills and move to Kansas.
Alfred Hunter who has been prospecting in Colorado, has returned to his home at Center Square.
A marriage license has been issued to Oscar Leap and Carrie Roberts.
130 YEARS AGO
The alarm of fire last Monday was occasioned by a spark burning a small portion of the roof of Mrs. Ormsby’s residence on Main Street.
Charles V. Thiebaud and Miss Maggie Malcomson were married September 26th at the residence of the bride’s mother in Craig Township.
140 YEARS AGO
There will be a Union rally in Vevay at the Courthouse Saturday night, October 5th. Ladies especially invited.
Reverend Spurgeon baptized 359 people last year.
Last Friday night some person or persons entered the pasture of William Sherman about five miles west of Vevay and shot two fine young horses, killing them, also cutting off one ear of another.
150 YEARS AGO
A sharp frost last Wednesday night blighted the vegetation on the hilltops surrounding Vevay.
The total value of government lands sold in the state of Indiana for the fiscal year ending June 30th was but $10,935.15.
The Ohio Life Insurance & Trust Company made an assignment for the benefit of its creditors on Saturday.