Word: ferney
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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...last two decades of his life, Voltaire lived in celebrated retreat with his niece at Ferney. Chronically grumbling about his health, he wrote prodigiously in six languages, expanded his farms, established watchmaking and lacemaking workshops, and built more than a hundred houses as a kind of 18th century real estate developer...
...since Voltaire came to town in 1758 to escape persecution in Geneva has the French border village of Ferney-subsequently renamed Ferney-Voltaire-seen so much excitement. The current fuss is being caused by another refugee from Geneva, controversial Bernard Cornfeld, 40, an American expatriate who has built his eleven-year-old Investors Overseas Services into the largest mutual-fund sales organization outside the U.S. When Bernie Cornfeld decided to move his Swiss-based I.O.S. across the border eight months ago, wags mindful of the 18th century precedent started referring to the town as "Bernie-Voltaire...
...financier may merit the honor even more than the philosopher. With Cornfeld putting up an office building and a host of new apartments to house his employees, the population of economically depressed Ferney-Voltaire has almost doubled, rising to 5,000; the town will be further enlivened by a nightclub that the flamboyant newcomer plans to establish. For the dedication of Cornfeld's new headquarters, clergymen and mayors of no fewer than 14 mountain villages were on hand. Proclaimed Ferney-Voltaire Mayor Roland Ruet: "I assure you that you are more than welcome here...