June 16, 1991, Orestes residents started paying for 911 service.

June 9, 1992
Yesterday A History Of Orestes, Indiana went on sale today in Orestes and nearly 400 books were sold. Orestes folks starving for ink about their beloved town flocked to grab their personal copy, many buying many copies for their children, relatives and friends. Dave Dwiggins and Father Garland Dwiggins distributed the books and traded stories with those leafing through the book. Author Dave Dwiggins and brother Garry, the editing publisher, constructed the book after numerous interviews with the prominent citizens of Orestes that had lived the history.

Events described by Dave Dwiggins

The project started as I was building a small pamphlet spotlighting the history of Orestes. Nellie King had a fantastic memory and superb recollection of so many of the events and I traveled to her place to talk with her. During our pleasant visit she displayed a photograph of the Orestes Union Traction depot that was formerly next door to her place. I had never seen the depot and I was so overjoyed since I had heard so much about the interurban and how everyones eyes sparkled when they told of it. I wanted a photograph for the pamphlet and was thinking maybe two or tree. This was a great start. The next thing I knew I couldnt stop the treasure hunt.

I talked often with my Father Garland Dwiggins whom I always used as a reliable reference. Another well-respected resident whom I confided was Vlon Hocker. Vlon always had interesting stories and his details were intricate.

I included from my memory talks that I had as a youngster with Myrtle Dunn and Ray Davis. I loved to hear Myrtle tell of the tornado. We would sit on her porch in the swing and she would tell the story as if it just happened. Myrtle and Toms place was interesting since their place was the only place I knew that had a storm cellar. They did use it April 17, 1922 when the tornado hit Orestes.

I talked with Mary and Freda Norris and I was amazed at their memories and their stories were as exciting to hear as anyones. Their stories of the time they spent with Doc Cook were fantastic. They lived next door to Doc and they were with him a lot.

Beulah Prophet had always been a person I loved and always looked up to. She had presided at Happy Hour a Wednesday evening childrens hour at the Orestes Christian Church. She was an inspiration and influenced my spiritual life. Her recollections were extraordinary and perfect for sharing with those that were interested.

Pete Harrison had always been one of my favorite persons in Orestes and I asked him so many questions about the livery stable and sorghum mill. He didnt have all the answers and no one else did either but he sure loved talking about it.

Russ and Mary Paddock shared many of their thoughts and memories too. Mary was always lots of fun and Russ was a wind-up carnival show all by himself. He always had something unique to tell or show.

Once the booklet was complete I was very proud and gladly delivered on my 42nd birthday, June 9, 1992. Thank you all for sharing the story of Orestes.

July 21, 1993, Opal Cox of Orestes died today.

July 23, 1994, the first newsletter of the Orestes Historical Club is circulated in Orestes. The newsletter recalls Orestes, Monroe township, Pipe Creek township, Boone township, Madison county, and Indiana history. The newsletter is presently being compiled by Dave Dwiggins.

Sept 17, 1994, Across Indiana, a Public Broadcasting Weekly program, travels Indiana and focuses on different communities throughout the state. Orestes was not featured today, but a small segment viewed Sherrys Pantry, the Doctor Cook Historical Building, Red Gold Inc., and the Orestes Oak Tree.

Sept 19, 1994, the initial meeting of the Orestes Historical Club was held tonight at 7:00 p.m. at the Orestes Historical Building. Conrad lane, former resident, retired professor from Ball State and Channel 49 television personality, was the guest speaker. The topic of his presentation was: Orestes Goes To War. He discussed the effects that World War II had on Orestes soldiers and residents at their home in Orestes. The club is inviting residents and friends to become Charter Members by joining before the end of the year. Memberships are $5.

Oct 1, 1994, David Dwiggins and Loriaux Sturbois announced that they are teaming up to publish a book that Mr. Sturbois wrote in the 1970s. The Book will be called Mudsock and will be about Dundee, Orestes, and the Pipe Creek Valley during the 1800s through the turn of the century. The stories will be real but Mr. Sturbois has changed the names in order to disguise the identities of questionable citizens of the period.

Dec 1, 1994, Orestes has had police protection since long before it was incorporated in 1895 but a police department has never existed till now. Marshal Cliff Terry has cleaned out the north-front end of the K.of P. building on the ground floor and set up an office.

Feb 15, 1995, Lester and Madaline Lowry were guests of the Orestes History Club as Lester gave a wonderful account of the life of Nathan Lowry, of whom Orestes (Lowry Station or Lowry Switch) was named.

Mar 1, 1995, Dave Dwiggins has announced that Mudsock a book written by Loriaux Sturbois about the Pipe Creek valley during the 1880s to 1900 is finished and is on sale for $4.50.

May 23, 1995, College Corner Elementary School surprised Principal E. Franklin Whitey Ellis with a farewell assembly today. The students sang songs, presented a T-shirt with a picture of the student body on it and took turns hugging their administrator, who was deeply moved by the students gesture. Mr. Ellis, a very popular educator, taught at Orestes in 1961 and 1962 and coached the Cyclones to their only undefeated basketball season ever. His tenure at Orestes was his first teaching and coaching assignment.

Sept 19, 1995, the Madison county Election Board has scheduled public hearings Friday to field complaints about Orestes town conventions.

Sept 19, 1995, death of Howard Eldon, 65, died September 19, 1995. He was born March 19, 1930 in Mount Carmel and spent his early years in Andersonville before moving to Anderson in 1941. He graduated from Anderson High School in 1948. He was the historian archivist at the Anderson Public Library for 20 years, retiring in May 1995. The information highway ran both ways for Eldon. People frequently shared their personal stories as Eldon directed them through paper trails in the Indiana Room. Their tales, in turn, became a part of the county history that was carried on in a way that only Eldon could tell it, according to Phyllis Leeds, a co-worker in the Indiana Room. He was the first curator of the Gruenewald Home. He worked for the Anderson Township assessors office in 1955 and was a rental manager of Anderson Bank from 1963 to 1965. He also was an ordained Baptist minister and brought the gospel to the Orestes Baptist Church as an interim pastor years back. Howard was also very instrumental helping Raymond Davis and David Dwiggins in their efforts to track and record Orestes history. He was a credible walking encyclopedia of Madison county history.

Oct 5, 1995, Robert L. Dwiggins, 77, of Orestes died today.

Jan 13, 1996, Clerk-Treasurer Erin Atwood had bad news Friday for the Orestes Town Council. Since taking office January 1, Atwood has discovered that former Clerk-treasurer Dixie Cox apparently was not paying the towns bills.

Jan 20, 1996, Ivy Mae King, 97, of Orestes died today. She was born June 20, 1898, in Madison county and had lived in Orestes most of her life. When first married she and her husband, Chester C. King, owned and operated C.C. King General Merchandise Stores in both Orestes and Dundee for several years.

Jan 30, 1996, in November 1994, Orestes received a $180,000 state grant from the Indiana Department of Commerce to finance a water project that would connect the towns 200 utility customers to the Alexandria water system. The grant will no longer be available if the town does not get an extension or start construction by July. Alexandria has a problem of tracking its own water and is reluctant to move with the deal.

Feb 1, 1996 Beatrice B. Beilhartz, 84, of Orestes died today.

Feb 10, 1996, Dora Lillie Carver Tappan, 92, formerly of Orestes, died today at Hoosier Village Healthcare Center in Zionsville. She is survived by two sons, James Tappan and Richard Tappan; daughter, Mary Smith; and a sister Mary Davis.

Feb 17, 1996, Jack E. Dwiggins, 68, of Orestes died today. He was born March 15, 1927, in rural Alexandria and had resided in Orestes since 1928.

Mar 10, 1996, Theresa Nash, 76, Orestes, died March 8, 1996, at Alexandria Care Center following an extended illness. She was born Aug 23, 1920, in Madison county and lived in Orestes all of her life.

Mar 24, 1996, (Anderson Herald Bulletin) The Orestes History Club is a new fellowship of friends and neighbors that have banned together to study and relive the history of Orestes. Carolyn Shettle and Dave Dwiggins worked to establish the club to meet once a month in the Doctor Joel Cook & Orestes Historical Building. Shettle and Dwiggins are but two of the 90 members on the clubs books. They fancy themselves detectives in search of the truth, but discovery of gossip recorded in musty pages of town records of the late 1890s, is fair game as well.

Mar 24, 1996, Red Gold is a family-owned business and has been since grandfather Grover Hutcherson bought the remains of a burned out Orestes Cannery in 1943. It all began as a small two-product cannery, whole peeled tomatoes and tomato puree. Fifty years later it is a multifaceted company producing more than 30 different tomato products.

Hutchersons small operation, known as Orestes Canning Company, is now a four pronged industry, Red Gold in Orestes; Red Giant in Elwood; Tomato Products in Geneva and RG Transportation, a 60 truck fleet based in Elwood. In addition to Red Gold and Red Giant labels, the company processes and labels more than 200 more brands for distribution nationwide and overseas. Red Gold Also offers a full food service line of products and contract packs for major name-brand companies. The Red Gold, Red Giant product list includes whole peeled tomatoes, diced tomatoes and diced tomatoes Italian, diced tomatoes and green chilies, stewed tomatoes, crushed tomatoes and crushed tomatoes with mushrooms. Rounding the lineup are tomato sauce, puree, paste and juice, peeled ground tomatoes, tomato juice with no salt added, vegetable juice, ketchup picante, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, marinara sauce, chili sauce, seafood cocktail sauce and salsa.

Grandfather Hutcherson passed the reins to his daughter, Fran, and her husband, Ernie Reichart, in 1948. Since the early 1980s, the Reicharts eldest son, Brian, has run the company, while his wife, Selita, became vice president of Red Giant. His sister, Tina Anderson is Red Gold plant manager, while brother Gary, is vice president of agriculture operations and president and CEO of G & E Farms.

Under the present leadership, Red Gold has been growing about 20 percent a year the past four years, stated marketing manager Patty Scott. The trend is expected to continue into the year 2000 and beyond.

In 1943, Hutcherson relied on neighboring farmers to supply tomatoes. Today, during harvest, as many as 200 trucks unload more than 4,000 tons of fresh tomatoes each day. And the growth continues. In the past year, the company has tripled the size of its Orestes fresh tomato receiving dock and constructed a 554,960 square-foot distribution center and warehouse north of the Orestes plant. The new center is intended to house all Red Gold products as well as products canned for private labels. The building occupies approximately 12.5 acres on a 39 acre parcel. The center has 28 docks available for customer shipments.

The company demolished and redesigned its old tomato preparation area in Orestes, constructed a new tomato trailer unloading system and installed a third peel line to increase peeling capacity by 33 percent. Additional inspection and chopper capacity resulted in a 50 percent increase in the amount of sauce tomato production.

To accommodate increased water use, Red Gold drilled an additional portable water well at its Orestes plant. Red Giant in Elwood, too, added a well. The new Red Giant well is expected to reduce the volume of water purchased from the city.

Within the last three years Red Gold has invested more than $23 million in new buildings and state-of-the-art equipment making it the most modern tomato processing facility in the country. Due to plant improvements, a total of 50 new jobs were created in 1995 at Red Gold, Red Giant and RG Transportation. Another 50 employees are expected to be hired this year.

Mar 27, 1996, former town Clerk-treasurer Dixie Cox is now the subject of possible criminal misconduct. The Orestes Town Council directed town marshal, Cliff Terry to determine if Cox, during 1993 and 1994, wrote checks in which services were not performed or which were not authorized.

April 12, 1996, Adaline O. Fohre Lowry, 82, died April 10, 1996 at St. Johns Medical Center after a sudden illness. She was born Mar 19, 1914 as an American citizen in Oslo, Norway, and lived in the Anderson area all her life. She was a member of the Orestes History Club and was married to Lester T. Lowry for 62 years. Mr. Lowry is a relative of Nathan Lowry of whom Orestes received its original name.

April 14, 1996, Alexandria basketball players, Mickey Hosier and Chris Hahn join Rachel Garner as Indiana All-Stars. Garner was named a month ago. Alexandria never had an all-star before this year and now they can proudly boast having three.

April 22, 1996, Barbara J. Dwiggins, 66, died at her residence in Orestes after an extended illness.

May 10, 1996, a former Orestes clerk-treasurer spent almost $9,000 of the towns money in 1993 and 1994 without approval by the Town Council, state auditors said. The fact and other financial discrepancies were listed in a State Board of Accounts 1993-1994 audit released Thursday. Twenty-eight claims totaling $8,936.06 could not be located, or were not approved for payment by the Town council.

May 22, 1996, because of concerns about future growth, the Alexandria City Council has decided not to sell water to Orestes.

May 29, 1996, College Corner, Principal E. Franklin Whitey Ellis was surprised yesterday with a farewell assembly by students of the school. Students sang songs, presented a T-shirt with a picture of the student body on it and took turns hugging their administrator. Mr. Ellis was deeply moved by the students gesture. In his first teaching assignment, Ellis was employed as a teacher-coach at the Orestes Consolidated School and brought the honors of the first and only undefeated basketball team to the community. He was very popular with the parents and students of the school. He taught for two years at Orestes before continuing his career at Madison Heights, Southside, and Anderson School Administration.

May 30, 1996, Indiana State Board of Accounts audits now show more than $42,000 missing in Orestes town accounts and the end may not be in sight.

June 24, 1996, Bernice Gardner Knotts, 93, died at her home today. She lived in Orestes all her life and retired in 1967 after having served as Orestes Postmaster since 1942.

June 26, 1996, The Orestes Town Council will file suit against the former Clerk-treasurer seeking more than $57,000. Council President John Shettle instructed Town Attorney Timothy Lanane to proceed with a civil lawsuit against Dixie Cox. The town wants to be reimbursed for $51,000 in alleged unauthorized expenditures and more than $6,000 for the cost of related audits.

July 10, 1996, The Orestes Oak Tree Festival parade will be better than ever this year, thanks in part to three grand marshals who are living symbols of the towns history and progress. Sisters Nellie King, Mary Norris, and Freda Norris are scheduled to ride in the parade and wave to onlookers, welcoming them to a grand celebration of their hometown.

July 12, 1996, the 1996 Orestes Oak Tree Festival opened at 4:30 p.m. late this afternoon with food and craft booths and a super hog roast sponsored by the Orestes Volunteer Fire Department. Kim Mitchell entertained on the electronic organ and Alan and Bethany Rhodes sang the National Anthem to kickoff the parade. A very nice crowd filled the streets and enjoyed delicious food from vendors that lined the streets. The streets cleared for the festival parade to pass by the reviewing stand at the corner of Oak St. and Superior. Fire Trucks, police cars, military units, the K of P drill team, the Farling team of horses all were in the parade. Classic cars and hot rods revved their engines and tooted their antique horns as the occupants waved and tossed candy to the children along the street. The parade was very nice. Rayna Harris and Alvaro Moreno were selected as King and Queen for the festival. Jim King, a local Deejay, played music from 9pm till 11pm.

July 13, 1996, the Knights of Pythias opened the Oak Tree Festivities today with their usual fine breakfast at the fire barn. Food and craft booths soon opened as well as the crowd began to wander in. There was a pet parade and a jail and bail with the help of Alexandria Mayor Wehsollek and Judge Steve Skaggs. The portable jail was full most of the time and a nice amount of money was raised. Children sat and drew their entries for the sidewalk art contest on the walk around the park and a pet parade filed past the police station. The Christian Church parsonage was full as home-made ice cream was dipped to anxious customers. The church makes more ice cream each year in order to not run out, but the word is out and more hungry folks show up each year. Sherrys Pantry was busy again with the pool tournament along with the crowd of business that the festival brings each year. The Baptist Church got busy early as well serving the wonderful noodles that the ladies cook up for the festival. Not a bad buy at all considering the piece of pie or cake. Conrad Lane addressed the History Club in the street in front of the Dr. Cook Building and presented a neat arrowhead to the museum that his grandfather had found near the Oak Tree. The Heavenly Five, Mollie Morris, and Angie Cannell provided music throughout the day and Ruckus closed the day with a street dance from 8 till 11pm.

July 14, 1996, the Orestes Community Pride Committee served coffee and doughnuts at the fire barn to start the day and the community worship service was held in the Baptist Church. The cars that entered the car show slipped in during the church service and lots of hot rods and classic cars were there to view when the service ended. The Red Gold Semi and colorful trailer was on display the entire weekend with representatives from the company on hand to pass out samples of Red Gold products that were canned and produced locally. Music filled the air all day and at 6pm the festival closed. A cleanup party soon formed at the center of town and the streets became quiet as the vendors pulled away till next year.

July 21, 1996, friends and family honored Lois Jean Martin at a reception at the Orestes Christian Church today after retiring as Orestes Postmaster. Jean sorted the mail for the last time Friday, July 19th, after 25 years with the United States Postal Service. The Orestes postmaster has served the towns 225 post office box customers almost every business day for 25 years except when she was on vacation.

Sept 4, 1996, Slickville, a village that has faded into history will be honored September 7th at the remote point it once existed, five miles east of Alexandria, one half mile north of state road 28. A historical marker will be unveiled next to the cornfield where tiny Slickvilles thriving business, M. Myers & Son Tile Works, once stood a century ago.

Oct 18, 1996, James Chaplin, 76, of Gilman, will be addressing the Orestes History Club October 24th at the Dr. Joel Cook/ Orestes Historical Building. He was a World War II veteran and was on the boat to pick up John F. Kennedy after he was torpedoed in the South Pacific.

Dec 7, 1996, Robert C. Williams will become the postmaster of the town of Orestes Saturday December 7th. The 22-year veteran of the U.S. Postal Service has been working as a window technician at the Anderson post office for the last eight years. Williams is a graduate of Purdue University and IUPUI.

Sept 21, 1997, death of Marla Sue Dwiggins, 16, a car wreck took the life of another Madison-Grant High School student early Saturday, when Marla Sue Dwiggins lost control of her car on a rural road and was killed.

Dec 24, 1997, Christmas comes Thursday for the rest of the world but in the little town of Orestes, it came last week for one family. Cliff Terry, the Orestes town marshal, found out about the family and realized that they were good people just down on their luck. He swung into action to help them. The parents had seven children and a lot of pride. When Terry checked on them they were living in a cement-block shed with a kerosene heater to keep the place warm as possible. They ate and bathed in a relative's home nearby. Terry said the children were clean, attended school and were not undernourished. No crime had been committed, and the child protection agency left it to the marshal as to how to handle the situation. He made the family's plight known, and help began to pour in. People donated 125 pounds of canned food and Christmas gifts for the children, who range in age from 2 to 13. Many bags and boxes of clothing also were donated. Someone offered a house with free rent and utilities for a year and $2,000 in cash was also donated. The mother said that while watching the family plight on TV she said to her kids, "Somebody pinch me if this is real. All seven of them pinched me at the same time." In this day of people apparently believing government handouts are their God-given right, it is refreshing to see a proud family sticking together and doing the best it can. It is genuinely in the Christmas spirit to behold Marshal Terry and the people of Orestes and surrounding area come to the aid of his family. Because people care and want to help, these folks and their seven children will have a much brighter Christmas this year. We say merry Christmas to them and to all who came to their assistance.

Feb 16, 1998, death of Ella V. (Adams) Taylor, 67, Orestes, at St. Johns Medical Center in Anderson after an extended illness.

Feb 23, 1998 MARY Mary C. Paddock, 78, Frankton, died at Community Hospital in Anderson after an extended illness.

Mar 10, 1998, Paul Campbell, 82, died today at his nieces residence in Marion after an extended illness.

Mar 13, 1998, the Alexandria Tigers defeated Eastbrook Panthers 63-58 in the Jungle at Alexandria tonight. David Porter scored 26 points and the Tigers were 20 of 33 from the field including 6 of 11 from 3 point range. The no.8 Tigers won their own regional by jumping out to an early lead, then holding off Eastbrook's comeback attempts for a 63-58 win, earning a trip to the Fort Wayne Semistate.

03-23-1998, State Championship here they come. Alexandria dominated Northwestern for 32 minutes easily defeating the number four rated team in the state 84 - 72 last night at the Fort Wayne Coliseum in front of 4,000 fans for the Fort Wayne Semistate crown. For the first time in school history, the Alexandria Tigers (19-6) are heading to a state title game. They will play Southwestern (17-9) in the class 2A state final. Earlier in the day the Tigers defeated a very stubborn Bremen team 56-54.

Mar 24, 1998, Orestes Town Marshal, Cliff Terry, shot and killed an emu that had been released from a barn that was ablaze last evening. The birds owner notified authorities that the birds were loose and could not be caught. Terry pursued the birds and killed one after it threatened to run into traffic on State Road 28.

Mar 27, 1998, the Alexandria Tigers get a great send-off to the state basketball tournament from a packed gym at Alexandria.

Mar 28, 1998, Rusty Garner took home all the hardware Saturday afternoon at the RCA Dome. The senior scored 24 points, captured the Trester Award and most importantly, carried the Alexandria Tigers to their first state title with a 57 to 43 victory over Southwestern in the IHSAA Class 2A state boys basketball championship. Alex started the game by scoring 14 of the first 17 points but by the half Southwestern had tied the game at 25.

April 21, 1998, Otto H. "Pete" Custer, 89, Orestes, died April 21, 1998, at his residence after a brief illness. He was born Feb. 28, 1909, in Orestes, the son of George Ewen Custer and Lilly Daly, and lived in the Orestes-Alexandria area all of his life. He was a self-employed master finish carpenter. He was well-known in the area for the quality of his workmanship. Even today, the products of his craftsmanship still give testimony to his skills. He also played for the Orestes Mud Hens, a semi-professional baseball team.

April 28, 1998, Belle DeVore, 77, Orestes, died April 28, 1998, at Community Hospital in Anderson after a brief illness.

05-01-1998

Orestes Baptist Church Celebrate church remembers 100 years.

May 7, 1998, One hundred years, 37 pastors, 127 recorded deaths, and countless births and marriages after the last brown brick was laid on Orestes' Baptist Church.

May 7, 1998, after 10 years of planning, figuring, and speculating, the small town of Orestes is preparing to embark on an estimated $580,000 water expansion project this summer.

June 3, 1998, Vlon Hocker, 88, died at Community Hospital East, Indianapolis, after a four-month illness. He was married to Dorlis Garner Hocker on June 22, 1934. He worked in machine repair at Delco Remy plant 11 in Anderson. He retired in 76 following 38 years of employment. He owned and operated a lawn mower repair shop in Orestes for several years. He attended the First Baptist Church of Alexandria and was a member of United Auto Workers Local 662.

He had played semi-professional baseball as a catcher for the Orestes Mudhens. He was a great sports fan and supporter of the Indianapolis Indians and the Purdue University basketball program. Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Dorlis Garner Hocker; a son and daughter-in-law, Tony and Ellen Hocker of Kokomo, Indiana; a daughter a son-in-law, and June Ann and Jack Beasley of Atlanta, Indiana. He was preceded in death by his mother, Nellie Shaw Fox; and a sister, Ethrel Custer. He will be buried in the Jones Cemetery in Yorktown.

June 26, 1998, Edward Sturbois, 91, 11900 N. 450W died today at his residence in Dundee. He was a retired school teacher from the Elwood area. He was a charter member of the Orestes History Club and author of Mudsock, stories of Orestes, Dundee, and the Pipe Creek Valley.

June 28, 1998, Alexandria winning a state championship and a Tiger winning the mental attitude award is becoming a habit this year. The Tigers used a little bit of pitching and a lot of defense to capture the 2A state baseball title with a 4-3 victory over Evansville Mater Dei yesterday at Victory Field. Catcher J.D. Closser punctuated the Tiger's state championship by being named the L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Recipient. Closser hit .547 for the season with 13 home runs, 46 RBIs, 48 runs scored, and 23 walks, all of which were team highs. The senior was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the fifth round of the baseball draft. He also had a scholarship to attend the University of Georgia and play baseball. Closser batted .508 in the four years he played at Alexandria High School.

July 10, 1998, the 1998 Orestes Oak Tree Festival kicked off tonight as food vendors opened their booths and the Orestes Volunteer Fire Department served pork at the annual hog roast. A nice parade commenced at 6:30 p.m. and Katy Mitchell of Anderson was crowned the first Frog Queen.

July 22, 1998, the new 130 foot water tower in Orestes' landscape is a sign of the progress to come for the small town. Erected last week, the 150,000-gallon tank at First and Michigan streets will eventually be filled by two new wells at least 200 feet deep. One test well has already been drilled on property east of Red Gold's mammoth distribution center on Indiana 28. The four acres of land were donated by neighbors John and Beverly Cox. The new tower will pay tribute to the tomato-processing company that represents approximately 85 to 90 percent of the town's base. It will read "Remember Red Gold, Orestes, Indiana." Red Gold donated the land where the new tower stands. The new tower may also generate some revenue for the town. Shettle is hopeful that a cellular or cable television company will want to install an antenna on the tower. The lease payments could then be put into a tower maintenance fund. The next major project the town will take on is the installation of sewers and a sewage treatment plant. Currently the town's 200 households have septic tanks. Orestes has also had some discussions with the city of Alexandria about hooking into its sewage system. The third project down the road a ways is expansion of the fire barn.

Aug 8, 1998, members of the Orestes Christian Church oversee the making of 150 gallons of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream which will be sold during the Orestes Oak Tree Festival July 10, 11, 12. A nice photo is in the Elwood Call Leader.

Dec 11, 1998, Lester Arthur "Pete" Harrison, 81, Orestes, died at Community Hospital, Anderson, following an extended illness.

Feb 14, 1999, H. Rudolph "Rudy" Bowers, 91, Alexandria, died Feb. 14, 1999, at Alexandria Care Center after an extended illness.

Dec 23, 1999, death of Russell A. Paddock, 81, Frankton, died Dec 23, 1999, at St. John's Medical Center in Anderson after an extended illness. He was a veteran of World War II.

Dec 23, 1999, Death of Martha Meeks, 65, Orestes, died Dec 23, 1999, at St. Johns Health System following an extended illness.

Feb 16, 2000, closing Orestes and Cunningham Schools are options considered by the Alexandria School Corporations Facilities Task Force.

Feb 21, 2000, Helen R. DeVine, 75, Orestes, died at Community Hospital.

Mar 20, 2000, Nearly seventy times, grieving families gathered atop a small hill in northern Madison County, consoled each other and laid to rest their loved ones. For years after, families tended to the Weddington Cemetery until finally, one by one, the graveyards caretakers were gone.

As caretakers died and old-timers memories of the cemetery faded, nature slowly reclaimed the hilltop. Trees sprouted and grew over the graves. Time, rain and snow loosened the headstones from their anchor, and wind eventually blew them over into the mud and burying them into the dirt like the people named on the markers.

After three years of work, the trees are gone and headstones stand over their owners graves, looking much like it did in the 1800s. Soon the cemetery will be rededicated and it is hoped that ancestors of those early pioneers will attend.

The area is Monroe Township, south of County Road 1100 North on County Road 200 West. Off the west side of the road, atop a small hill, the early settlers of northern Madison County buried their beloved beginning around 1840. They continued until small family and community burial plots grew out of custom, replaced by larger cemeteries. Using limited funds and help of volunteers, they chopped down a small forest of trees and removed their stumps. Then volunteers applied two treatments of weed killer before the ground was visible. Many tombstones were underground and had to be probed for. The stones were then moved to a fence line and bulldozers grated the uneven land, which also exposed even more grave markers. The headstones were set in concrete over their owners graves and grass was seeded.

Six veterans are buried there, three from the War of 1812 and three from the Civil War. Arrangements were made through the Madison County Veterans Affairs office for these servicemen to have government veteran headstones, honoring them for their service. One of the War of 1812 veterans, Henry Moler was at Baltimore during the British bombardment of Fort McHenry that inspired Frances Scot Key to pen The Star Spangeled Banner.

The cemetery commission reclaimed the cemetery and plans to rededicate it, complete with 21-gun salutes, civilian and military re-enactors and Highland High School honor students.

April 1, 2000, Johnnie Joseph King, 72, Orestes, died at his residence following an extended illness. He was born in Orestes August 28, 1927, the son of George Chick King and Mary DePrille King. He served his country in the U. S. Army during World War II.

May 12, 2000, Verlin M. Ryan, 70, Orestes, died at Community Hospital in Anderson.

May 12, 2000, Louise Trice, 83, Orestes, died at Community Hospital in Anderson.

July 26, 2000, area man, $12 million disappear ----- A Summitville man, who owns financial services company, being investigated by feds MARION (AP) -- The owner of a financial services company who is accused of fraud by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission is missing, along with up to $12 million ...more Summitville man, who owns financial services company, being investigated by feds.

MARION (AP) -- The owner of a financial services company who is accused of fraud by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission is missing, along with up to $12 million from a commodity pool he was operating. Phillip Ferguson, 50, of Summitville has been missing since June 23. The last time anyone talked to him was June 25, when he told his girlfriend he was going on a business trip to Chicago, said David Boyer, a Fort Wayne attorney appointed to locate and liquidate Ferguson's assets.

Bill E. Mac McLaughlin, 78, Orestes, died Oct 29, 2000, at Millers Merry Manor in Tipton after an extended illness.

12-03-2000
Death of Nellie King, 92 of Orestes, died Dec. 3, 2000, at Anderson Community Hospital following an extended illness. She was born March 2 1908, in Pipe Creek Township to Ernest and Grace (Hamilton) Norris. She had resided in Orestes since 1917 and graduated from Elwood High School in 1926 and was class valedictorian. She attended Orestes Christian Church, was a member of Pythian Sisters and was a charter member of the Orestes Historical Society.

Surviving are a daughter, Lois Ann Stevens, Orestes; son Alexandria City Judge Jim (wife Lynne) King, Alexandria, sisters Mary Norris and Freda Norris both of Orestes. Preceding her in death were her parents, husband of 54 years, Fred D. King in 1980, daughter, Barbara Lou King, son, Waldo King ,grandson, Mark Stevens, and sister Dereva Fenters. Services are at 10:00 a.m. today at Owens Funeral Home, Alexandria, with the Rev. Courtley Granger pastor of the Orestes Christian Church officiating. Burial will follow at the IOOF Cemetery Alexandria.