10 YEARS AGO
Deaths this week: Belvadean Andrew, Carl Bovard, Shirley Hart, Bill Dilts, Gerald Williams, Lavelle Carlisle, Cindy Lindon, Dottie Bliton, Walter Effinger.
Air Force Airman Jason J. Wong has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonia, Texas. He is the son of Carrie Widich of Vevay.
Tonya Moore and Jim Phipps were honored for their years of service to the Switzerland County School Board at the December meeting.
Switzerland County lost one of the influential people on Saturday night with the passing of Carl Bovard. Carl was born in Aberdeen but his life was lived and his heart was left her in Switzerland County. After serving in the military he returned here to spend his life working construction. After retiring he began his own excavating company here in Switzerland County. If you knew Carl, you knew that he was an original. He told you exactly what he thought, and he wasn’t afraid to explain to you how he arrived at his position. To many, he seemed rough and unapproachable, but the exterior of the man didn’t match the interior. Carl helped everyone.
20 YEARS AGO
Election winners were sworn in by Judge Ted Todd and Judge John Mitchell on Saturday in the Switzerland County Courthouse. They will take office on January 1st.
With the Christmas holiday season upon us, the National Weather Service is issuing warnings that a severe winter storm may disrupt plans all around the area. Christmas Day is expected to get snow with sleet and freezing rain.
An eroded sewer line caused a large portion of Arch Street in Vevay to begin to collapse late Saturday night. Town workers were on the job promptly and fixed the problem before anyone drove their vehicle into the hole in the street.
For the first time since opening two years ago, the Belterra Casino in Florence, made more money in a single month than its primary competitor, the Grand Victoria Casino in Rising Sun. Numbers released last week by he Indiana Gaming commission show that Belterra won $51,000 more than the Grand Victoria in November, taking in $10,492,318.
From The Vevay Reveille-Enterprise,
December 31st, 1992
By Sylvia P. Gibbons
Too many Christmas memories can make an old woman out of the best of us members of the weaker sex. Nevertheless, despite all the sorrow, sickness and whatever your trouble was, in our family Christmas this year was A Perfect Day, especially with the bright white snow.
As you all know I have one great-grandson, seven years old, and he was sure looking forward to Santa. On Christmas Eve day he must have asked a dozen times, “Grandma Sib, do you think I’ve been a good boy?” And I would answer, “Well, Nathan, you just wait till tomorrow, and if you get everything you asked for, then you have been a good boy.”
So on Christmas morning I went up to his house and he ran to the door to help me in and those big brown eyes of his just sparkled when he said, “Boy, was I a good boy!”
You should have heard our praise for the answering of her prayer. I very calmly said to her, “Steffie, the next time you feel the urge to pray, don’t forget to ask for your Grandma a million dollars. I’ll gladly split it with you.”
Then I told a little story of memories of Christmases gone by. It was about my brother Tub, who is so sick but still has his sense of humor. The story goes like this:
As there was only 15 months’ difference in our ages, Tub and I played a lot together. If he got a red wagon for Christmas, so did I, and if I got a doll, so did he.
Time went on, and after three or four weeks, Tub began to miss the tin soldier. So we decided to dig him up and bring him back among the living. You know what? We dug that darn barn yard up, until you would have thought a bulldozer had been through it. No tin soldier.
We finally came to the conclusion that our old coon hound had dug it up and carried it away. Thoughts of the tin soldier kind of faded from our minds as school started up again.
Then came Christmas. There were six kids in our family and Mom would always wrap our gifts and put names on them. So on Christmas morning we were all gathered around the tree, and Mom began to pass out the gifts to us.
The first one went to Tub. He very quickly opened it, and what a surprise — there was his tin soldier!
So you see, folks, there is really something that can come back from the grave! Precious memories of days gone by!
30 YEARS AGO
Marine Corporal Scott D. Sublett, son of Carol Ann Sublett recently returned with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, from a six-month deployment to the Mediterranean. Corporal Sublett visited ports in Spain, Greece, Israel, Italy, France and Morocco.
The year ended for the Switzerland County Commissioners with a short meeting Monday morning. It was a meeting at which the Commissioners gave special honor to Raymond Clifton, the County Commissioner who died Wednesday, December 23rd, at the age of 86.
Former Switzerland County Sheriff Ralph Brown was honored for service to the Republican Party last week by the Switzerland County Republican Party.
40 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. Kirby Dixon celebrated their 55th Wedding Anniversary last Friday with a family pitch-in dinner at their home at Green Valley. They have 15 children and all but one attended the celebration. The Dixons also have 28 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Bruce Hutcherson, Jr., well known Switzerland County farmer, was named to the County Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation (ASC) Committee by delegates to the county convention held December 15th, 1982.
50 YEARS AGO
Wilbur Allen was officially appointed as Switzerland County’s new Clerk of Courts by Governor Edgar D. Whitcomb. Allen’s official commission will be signed by the governor in Indianapolis and his oath of office will be administered in Vevay. Allen succeeds J. C. Ramsey, who resigned the clerk’s job to accept a position as field examiner with the State Board of Accounts.
Mrs. Katie P. Andrew, 80, of Vevay passed away Tuesday night at King’s Daughters’ Hospital in Madison.
George M. Bliss, 89, of near Markland, passed away Monday at Margaret Mary Community Hospital in Batesville.
Mrs. Marie Willie, 62, of Vevay passed away December 20th at King’s Daughters’ Hospital in Madison.
Mrs. Ella P. Duvall, 90, of Vevay, passed away December 20th at Dearborn County Hospital.
60 YEARS AGO
An open house was held Sunday afternoon at the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Hankins of near Moorefield in celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary.
Mrs. Bertha M. Coy, 71, a well known resident of Vevay, passed away at Robert Long Hospital in Indianapolis, after an illness of about three months. She had been in frail health for nearly a year.
Plans for a June 9th wedding at the Switzerland Baptist Church in Vevay are being made by Miss Carolyn Jean Danner and Lieutenant Lanny Jay Beach.
Miss Eva Graham has received word of the death of a cousin, John O. Graham, in St. Starke, Florida. He was the youngest son of William and Mollie Graham, and was born in Mount Sterling.
80 YEARS AGO
Many rumors have been circulated about the three county boys who were wounded in action and all have proven false. Letters have been received by the families of Nathan Osborn and Louis Patterson stating that they were well and safe. No further information has been received from Raymond McFarland.
The County Salvage Committee announces a campaign now underway for the collection of tin cans.
Once again residents of the lower bottoms in Vevay and Switzerland County are in danger of being run out by high water that extends up the entire valley.
Mrs. Dora Protsman, widow of Reverend Louis Protsman of this county, died at her home in Chicago on Christmas morning, having been ill for several months.
Jerry Whitton passed away at his home on the Fairview-Bennington road December 17th at the age of 78 years.
Jack Warren Fox of Vevay and Miss Mary Susan Schmaltz of Bloomington were united in marriage December 19th in Bloomington.
Sergeant Charles T. Smith of near Quercus Grove and Miss Rose Mary Quatty of Florida were married December 12th at Bainbridge, Georgia.
A daughter, Linda Lou, was born Christmas Day to Mr. and Mrs. Charles R. Tyler of near Fairview.
110 YEARS AGO
Mrs. Clara Neal of Bennington and John W. Colden of Wilcox, Missouri, were married at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. George Leep December 17th by Reverend D. J. Cole of Pratt, Kansas.
Henry Waltz, living on lower Parks Ridge, died of heart trouble Tuesday morning at the age of 78 years.
Mrs. Viola Dufour died at her home near Vevay. Mrs. Dufour, who was 71 years of age, had been ill with pneumonia only a few days.
Born December 26th, a daughter to Professor and Mrs. R. N. Tirey.
Miss Antha Burnham and James Hankins of Parks Ridge were married Sunday, December 22nd.
Miss Ida Griswold and Morton Buchanan of Avonburg were married in Vevay December 21st.
Miss Opha Wright and Josh Poore of Santa Fe Bottom were married Christmas Eve.
130 YEARS AGO
James A. Works died at his home in Vevay Saturday, aged 72 years, 3 months, and 16 days.
Married on Christmas morning at Florence, Indiana, by M. Long DuPlan, J.P. — Mr. John E. Morris and Miss Vivian V. Wright, both of Switzerland County.
Married at the residence of the bride’s father December 25th by Reverend W. B. Seymour — M. William Rayls and Miss Emma Rayls.
Born, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Albert Campbell of Sugar Branch.
Word has been received of the death of Miss Alice Simpson, formerly of Lamb, Fresno, California on sunday, December 25th.
Born, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Rollin Charlton of Pleasant.
Henry Schroeder of Patriot probably handles more turkeys during the holidays than any other man in the county — fully 1,000, most of which went East.
Licensed to marry — Arthur Bruce and Annie M. Swango; Prior Scott and Sada James; Alfred Falkner and Ada Dietz; Oliver P. M. Vanosdol and Lillie B. Lewis.
160 YEARS AGO
The President has acknowledged the receipt of the resignation of the Secretary of State, Mr. Seward, and the Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Chase, and has informed them that after due deliberation he has come to the conclusion that the acceptance of their resignation would be incompatible with the public welfare. The President has hitherto requested both to resume their respective functions. They have resumed their places as heads of their respective departments.
The hay market is very brisk in Vevay. Buyers pay $13.50 per ton.
The Richmond Examiner of December 12th says $70 per pair is charged for army boots in that city.
Money is less now than it has been for a year.
Died on December 19th in Vevay of diphtheria, Sallie Belle, two-year-old daughter of Otis S. and Hattie A. Waldo.
We print excerpts from an interesting letter from Colonel M. C. Garber, with the Union army at Memphis, Tennessee, to his paper, The Madison Courier, in this edition.