West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 1 by Charlie Miller

This is the first of a series of West Jefferson vignettes: it will cover an interesting assortment of items, many of which appeared in Madison County papers in years gone by. Murder in West Jefferson: On October 2, 1889, Local grocery owner, Samuel Stickley, was assaulted by a man named George Bowles, who beat him over the head with a revolver, fracturing Mr. Stickley’s skull, causing his death a few days later on September 26, 1889. The murder took place in front of Mr. Stickley’s store on the corner of Main and Walnut Streets. It was later owned by Henry Heath who operated the grocery store. There is a picture of this store in West Jefferson Remembers. 

Samuel A. Stickley was born to Isaac Stickley in Virginia in 1843. He is buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery along with his wife Lida (1848-1930). He married Lida after his previous wife, Eliza Garrabrant whom he had married July 4th, 1867 had died. He served as a Pvt. In Company K, 95th O.V.I. August 11, 1862 to February 28, 1863, discharged on disability. He enlisted in Company C 154th Ohio National Guard from May 1864 to September 1864. Lida Stickley was granted a widow's pension on August 21, 1890, on Samuel’s service. 

December 11, 1895: Ollie White who killed her husband last May, was captured in Gallopolis, Ohio, and later sentenced to life in prison. The only record of Mrs. Ollie White of Madison County stated that she died May of 1895, same one? 

Another Murder in West Jefferson: September 23, 1896, West Jefferson has another murder to add to its list of unfortunate homicides. Edmund Buck, who owned Hotel Buck, was killed about noon by Marsh (March) Ricks, a local barber, near the same site where Mt. Samuel Stickley was murdered. Ricks was jailed by officers George Baber and Oscar Sprague. Ricks was taken to London, for fear of his being lynched. December 23, 1896, March Ricks received life in the Ohio State Pen for the murder of Ed Buck. Ed Buck owned the Hotel Buck which sat on Main Street on the present site of the Huntington Bank. 

March Ricks was born in Ohio in 1870 the son of Martin V. and Perine Ricks. He married Laura Martin on August 7, 1891. Martin Ricks was born in Mississippi as a slave in 1842, in 1863 he and Perine escaped to Ohio when Grierson’s raid through Mississippi and freed slaves. They ended up settling in West Jefferson. On August 27, 1864, Martin enlisted in Co. G 27th U.S. Colored Troops serving until September 5, 1865. He received plaque #B-43 in the Africa American Civil War Memorial. In 1865 he and Perine founded the A.M.E. church in West Jefferson which sat on the present site of the Apostolic Church on E. Pearl St. Martin had a “truck” garden and sold vegetables, On August 1, 1905, he was hit by a fast freight train while crossing the tracks when returning from London. The tracks weren’t elevated until 1912, He was highly esteemed by the citizens of West Jefferson. He is buried in Hampton Cemetery with a military maker. Perine applied for a widow’s pension on August 12, 1905.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 2 by Charlie Miller

USUAL OSBORNE: A description of an early setter as told by Jonathan Alder. Usually, Osborn came to Jefferson Township from Kentucky in 1796. “ Alder said that Osborn was a kindhearted man, although he was what was then called a regular old bruiser yet he would inconvenience himself to accommodate his neighbors. He was remarkably strong and muscular, but not quarrelsome, yet it was by no means safe to cross his track. He would fight at the drop of a hat, and I never knew him to get whipped. The first winter he and his family came they had not a sign of a bed to lie on. He had a large box, sufficiently large for him and his wife to lie in, and in the fall they gathered leaves and filled the box. They had two blankets; one of these they spread over the leaves for a sheet, and the other they used to cover with. This constituted their bed for a year or two after they came to this country. The children had to shift for themselves. In the evening, the two oldest would gather a large quality of prairie hay or grass, take it into the house and pile it in a corner, and then the three little fellows would crawl under it and sleep until morning; then gather it all up and take it out and give it to the cows. This is the only bed the boys had for many months. 

Osborn’s wife was one of those worthless kind of women who never did anything when it should be done, and consequently was always behind. There was plenty of everything required to make soap, yet she was out of it nearly all of the time. I have frequently known her to take honey to wash her clothes with. Honey makes a good later but is not equal to soap. On very cold days she was in the habit of driving her cow into the house to milk her. Mr. Osborn turned most of this attention to trade and traffic in a small way. Though not quarrelsome, no man needed to spoil for a fight when Osborn was around. There was a man by the name of Chard who had some grudge against Osborn. One day in the winter, when Osborn was mending his shirt, Chard came to his house. He told Osborn that there was a little difficulty between them and that he had come to settle it. ‘Very good’ said Osborn, throwing down his shirt and springing to his feet. They made a few passes at each other, when Osborn clinched Chard and threw him into the fire. A neighbor who happened to be present rescued him from his perilous situation before he was much burned. No sooner was he out of the fire and on his feet than he took to his heel and ran off as fast as possible.”

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 3 by Charlie Miller

About 1825, there was a wolf den near the residence of A. R. Haynes, which was along the Blair Road near the creek behind the Pleasant Hill Cemetery. The animal made its usual visits south to the plains south of the town to catch sheep. A large pit was dug in the ground near his path, covered over with a board arranged to pivot, and bait suspended in the air. The animal scented it and became the desired victim. Rev. Isaac Jones, pastor of the Baptist Church, was called to the scene. A forked stick was procured and placed over the animal’s neck. Rev. Jones had someone hold the stick keeping the wolf close to the ground, and he descended, chained and gagged the animal and took the wolf to John Mills’ grist mill, (located on Darby Creek just south of the Dollar General store) where he was kept to fight dogs, for a long time. The wolf trap was thoughtlessly left open and subsequently a neighbor’s cow became a victim. Rev. Jones seems to have been given to hunting. In 1835 when game was becoming scarce, a large crowd assembled for a wolf-hunt, and such other animals as might be within their intended circle. Rev. Jones was appointed to climb a tree, and when the game was driven near him to do the shooting. As he was ascending the tree a Mr. Pitcher handed him his gun, and the hammer caught on Pitcher’s sleeve, resulting of the firing of the gun, and the ball passed through Jones’ wrist, crippling him for life. His attending physician was Jonathan Alder. The accident badly affected the hunt, but still a few wolves and deer were caught.

 In 1822-23 this county was visited with a terrible epidemic which struck down many of the hardy pioneers. There was scarcely a family in the area of the Darby Plains, the plains that lay between the Big and Little Darby Creeks, which death had not touched. All business transactions ceased, gloom brooded over the minds of people. Death reigned supreme. Even many of the people who were still able, left this part of the state. It has been computed that in what was then called the Southwest Settlement, one half of the population died from the sickness. Between Cuckery and Homer, there were 17 deaths, and one-fourth of the people of the Converse Settlement succumbed. This sickness was thought to be a form of malaria.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 4 by Charlie Miller

The first white person to settle in the present limits of Jefferson Township was Michael Johnson, born in Ireland in 1750. He, his wife, and eight children immigrated to Virginia in the mid-1700s. But feeling the need to find homes for such a large family he left Virginia in 1795 to explore the Northwest Territory which had been established in 1787, he returned to Virginia in 1797 and left for Ohio County, where he settled just northeast of junction U.S. Route 42 and State Route 29, along the Little Darby Creek. One day in 1808 he and his son-in-law, Peter Paugh, were crossing the Little Darby in a canoe when it started to sink. Paugh suggested Mr. Johnson, a good swimmer, jump out and swim to shore. He did, however, the water was very cold, and he immediately took cramps and sank and drowned. Paugh was rescued by friends on the shore.

Another early settler was Tobias Bright who settled along Little Darby around 1810, He shot and killed an Indian named Nicholas Monham, near an Indian mound located in the southeast corner of Monroe Twp. He was later tried and acquitted. One of the Lapins also shot an Indian near the same spot in later years. These events were common in the pioneer days, as the Indians as a rule were detested, especially by those who had lost friends in the Indian wars. 

Phillip Sidner, (also spelled Sidener) came from Bourbon, County, Kentucky in 1802 and settled on the Scioto River near Franklinton (Present Columbus) After a brief illness he headed for the Darbys. (At an early day Little Darby was called Treacles Creek) He built his cabin on the east bank of the creek. This was in an area that is now across the Creek from McDonald’s fast food. Shortly after he settled, Bright shot an Indian. It was feared that a general uprising was expected. Mr. Sidner returned to Kentucky. The remaining settlers built a stockade 15 feet high, enclosing about an acre of land including Sidner’s cabin. This was commonly called Fort Sidner. This was in 1811. The excitement soon subsided, and Mr. Sidner returned to the place of his recent settlement and then built a cabin just south of the house that now sits clear at the end of Chester Street.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 5 by Charlie Miller

Early Newspapers: The earliest newspaper in our area of which copies remain was the Madison Patriot. It was only published for one year, and then due to the lack of sufficient circulation, closed down. About halfway through its life, the name was changed to The Madison Patriot and Farmer’s Review. It was published in London, Ohio between October 1833 and October 1834, by Mr. P. Lapham and was edited by a local attorney, Ira Root. It was published once a week, and the subscription price was $2.00 per year. It was composed almost entirely of national and international news, along with serialized stories, little local news was incorporated. The following three items I found to be of interest: November 9, 1833: The great National Road runs directly thro’ the county. Several towns have already sprung up, among the most conscious of which is Jefferson. The official name of the town was Jefferson. The “West” was added to designate the Post Office as there was already a Jefferson in the state where 18 months ago was nothing but the native forest. The Road, during the year of 1834 will be completed as far as Jefferson, and the graduation and masonry will be extended much further west. April 25, 1834: Oats and Bacon Hams, wanted at this office in payment of subscriptions. August 4, 1834: the recent anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill was celebrated in a manner very interesting at Ipswich, Mass. Twenty-seven-year-old Revolutionary soldiers were present as guests, whose united ages amounted upwards to 2,100 years. Nine of these venerable men were present at the battle that they were commemorating.

The London Sentinel, 1850 “The Whig Party leaders of West Jefferson are Dr. Rabb and George W. Lewis The London Sentinel, 1850 “Thos. J. Stutson agent for Dr. Gutscott’s improved Extract of Yellow Dock and Sarsaparilla. The Madison Reveille, February 1852, “Be it known that my daughter, Charlotte, hath on several occasions left my house and protection, and whereas the said Charlotte hath thought it proper to run away again, that I give notice that I forbid anyone from harboring, or in any way trust said Charlotte, on the full penalty of the law. Z. Hukill Charlotte Hukill died January 25, 1853, aged 16 years and 2 months. Her father Zebulon Hukill died the following year on March 31, 1854, aged 57 years 11 months, and 15 days. Many sad stories can be read on the epitaphs and dates on the tombstones in Hampton Cemetery.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 6 by Charlie Miller

Mound Builders: About 900 A.D. a civilization called the Mound Builders or Gravel Kame People settled in Central Ohio. They obtained these names by burning their dead in mounds or gravel kames. One of the most important finds came in October of 1948 on the Oreleton Farms a few miles northwest of West Jefferson. Beginning in the southern part of this county, there is a chain of mounds extending to the northern limits although with no apparent connection in location or size. The largest mound in Ohio is located near Miamisburg, in Montgomery County. It originally measured 800 feet around the base and was over 80 feet in height. 

There were also effigy or animal mounds. The most famous is the Serpent Mound located in Southern Ohio. 

Many artifacts have been found in them, including mica from the Alleghenies, shells from the Gulf of Mexico, and porphyry which is a reddish type of rock from Mexico. 

These ancient people lived throughout the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys. The most interesting area for these people is found here in Ohio. The mounds contain between one and 1,000 skeletons. 

One of the closest of these mounds to West Jefferson is called the James Chase Hambleton Mound. It was found on the Hambleton property on Roberts Road near the east side of Little Darby Creek. It is 55 feet in diameter and 6 feet, 8 inches high. An exploratory survey was done in the summer of 1964 by Dr. Raymond Baby of the Ohio State Museum. Eight burials were recovered from the mound, 5 were male and 3 were female. For the size of the mound, there were few artifacts recovered. Gorgets are an ornament worn on the neck or breast. These were made of brown sandstone, red sandstone, and limestone. Also found was a sandstone whetstone. A radiocarbon date of 271 A.D. was determined. These artifacts and skeletons appeared to be from the Adena culture. 

The males were large rugged individuals, between 5’8” and 5’9”. One female was 5’2” to 5’4” and between 45 to 50 years old.

Besides the Hambleton mound, there are 4 mounds on Skunk Hill, some off of Roberts on the west side of Little Darby Creek. 

The largest mound in Madison County is located on an elevated ridge overlooking the junction of the Little Darby Creek and Spring Fork. It is oval about 600 feet around and 25 feet high. During the pioneer days, the area around the mound was a favorite camping spot of the Indians. The Indians often returned to this spot after the pioneers had settled. Here it was in 1810 Tobias Bright shot and killed an Indian named Nicholas Monham. The act caused great excitement among the Indians and almost led to further bloodshed.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 7 by Charlie Miller

Indians: Indian reservations in Ohio? Yes, long after the Mound Builders had disappeared, the modern Indian arrived. These may have been descendants or may have had no connection at all with this ancient race. The ones around West Jefferson were mainly the Shawnee, who lived along the Scioto River and as far west as Clark County. One of the most famous was Tecumseh. 

The Shawnees were mostly nomads but did build some villages. There were also Wyandots who had some villages on the Scioto near Columbus. The Darby Creeks received their names from Darby, a Wyandot chief who lived near Plain City along Big Darby Creek. 

By the Treaty of 1817, the Shawnees ceded their territory to the United States. In turn, they were granted some small reservations. Among them was a tract 10 miles square with Wapakoneta as the center. A tract adjoining this one was 25 square miles set aside on Hog Creek, and one 48 square miles surrounding Lewistown. This one is in the vicinity of Indian Lake. By 1831, the Indians had ceded all reservations to the United States and moved to Kansas, some ended up in the Indian Territory (Oklahoma).

The geographical position of the territory comprising Madison County placed it in the direct route between the Indian towns on the Scioto River and those on the Miami and Mad Rivers. It therefore became one of the favorite hunting grounds of the Shawnees, Wyandots, Delawares, and the Mingoes. In its forests and along its clear running streams, they pitched their tents. For generations, the Indian wigwams were annually erected on the banks of Big Darby, Little Darby, Paint Creek, Oak Run, and their tributaries.

It has been told that a Wyandot chief named Gararah, with a band of Indians, used to come annually from the reservation at Upper Sandusky on hunting expeditions to Madison County. These visits ceased about 1820. 

Among the chiefs who frequented Madison County, none were so well known to the early settlers as Captain John, the Shawnee. According to Howe’s History of Ohio, he was a man over six feet tall, strong and active, full of spirit, and fond of frolic. In the War of 1812, he joined the American army and fought throughout the struggle.

Although many battles took place between the Indians and the White Man in Ohio, none took place in Madison County. The Shawnees in this area were of a peaceful nature.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 8 by Charlie Miller

Old State Road: Also called Ludlow’s Road. At the beginning of the 19th century, there was not a single road within the present area that comprises Madison County. Shortly after Ohio became a state, the Legislature of Franklin passed legislation to erect a road from the public square of Franklinton, located on the west bank of the Scioto River, (Columbus) to Springfield. By March of 1804, it had been surveyed as far as Big Darby Creek. The court ordered to open said road 33 feet wide, and to make it passable for loaded wagons. 

At best it was a horrible road in wet seasons, stage coaches and wagons often mired hub deep and had to be pried out. In dry seasons it worked fairly well. When Madison County was formed in 1811 out of Franklin, $175 was allotted to spend on the road in the County. In 1822 the village of New Hampton, forerunner of West Jefferson, was erected along the road. 

It entered the County by crossing Big Darby Creek and entered Jefferson Township about half a mile south of the present location of U. S. Route 40. It continued southwesterly just before reaching the current Plain City-Georgesville Road, then directly to crossing Little Darby Creek. After crossing the Creek it turned Northwest at 56 ½ degrees west of north and entered New Hampton as Main Street. This is the current Cemetery Road. It then became what is now Frey Ave. Shortly after crossing what is now Fellows Ave. it turned 74 degrees west of north, crossed what is now Main Street, and became what is now Taylor Blair Road. It went northwesterly on Blair Rd for a mile or so and then turned west. It stayed a little north of Route 40 and left the Township. The road can be seen in Summerford Township where it is now called “The Old Columbus Road.” 

The 1819 Kilbourne’s Ohio Gazetteer listed this. 

Miles 

Columbus Franklinton 1 

Little Darby Creek 2 (New Hampton) 

Deer Creek 9 (Lawrenceville, a little north of present Lafayette) 

Pleasant Twp. 6 

Springfield 12 *Mail stages run three times weekly on this route. 

In 1823, the Neil Stage Line was formed and probably ran on this route. Post Offices in Madison County were: Canaan, Grassy Point, Lawrenceville, and London. New Hampton did not have a Post Office until 1830. 

During this period of time cattle were annually driven to market in Philadelphia, Detroit, and Baltimore. Madison County was noted for its fine breeds of cattle. 

In 1822, New Hampton was erected on this road, and from Kilbourne’s Gazetteer of 1826, we read: New Hampton, a small regularly laid out village on the west side of Little Darby Creek, 15 miles west of Columbus on the main western road to Springfield.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 9 by Charlie Miller

Virginia Military Lands: At its October 1783 session, the General Assembly of Virginia passed an act to convey their rights of the territory northwest of the Ohio River to the United States, Congress accepted on the condition that the territory be formed into states and admitted to the Union and that some of the lands would be reserved for the Virginia veterans of the Revolutionary War. The area of the surveys included the lands between the Ohio River and north of Logan County. This included the lands between the Scioto and Mad rivers. Madison County is in this area. The land was granted according to rank, time of service, etc. A Major General received between 15,000 and 17,000 acres, a Lieutenant received 2,000 to 2,666 acres. Non-commissioned officers who served through the entire war received 400 acres, and every soldier or sailor who served the entire war received 200 acres. Anyone who lost their lives during the war share passed to their heirs according to the amount that they were entitled to. The veteran entitled to a warrant could select the location and shape of whatever he wanted. 

Lucas Sullivant, one of the first settlers on the site of Columbus, who died on August 8, 1823, surveyed the land that comprises Madison County and most of West Jefferson. In some of his first attempts, he was driven back by the Indians. He eventually gathered a crew of 20 men to help with the surveying and keeping back the Indians. On one occasion while surveying in Madison County, they were attacked by a party of Indians, and they killed a Frenchman who was with them, probably a fur trader. The Mingo Indians sent out a party of warriors to capture or destroy the surveying squad. On the fourth day after the murder, they found them. Mr. Sullivant held a council with his men to determine whether they should attack them or not, and it was decided not to initiate the attack. They remained quiet and decided not to fire a weapon unless attacked. Later one of the men fired at a wild turkey and the Indians rushed upon them. 

Sullivant swung his shotgun around that he always carried and fired upon an Indian who was rushing upon him with an uplifted tomahawk. Looking around he saw his men fleeing so he joined them. In about a quarter of a mile he caught up and they journeyed all night and most of the next day. Two of the men were killed when the Indians first attacked. Mr. Sullivant had some other experiences with the Indians, but none so dangerous or nearly fatal as this one.

Mr. Sullivant surveyed VMS 2836 which contains most of West Jefferson for Mr. Jacob Woolston, of Burlington, New Jersey. Mr. Woolston was not a Virginia veteran of the war but he purchased 1,300 acres from 6 different veterans. Two of the warrants were withdrawn leaving 1,000 acres. The warrants were all dated 1784. The survey reads as follows: Surveyed for Jacob Woolston assignee, 1000 acres on six military warrants, on Treacles Creek. (This was the name of Little Darby before it was changed.) June 24th, 1797 to April 2nd, 1798, so it took him a little over 9 months to do the survey. 

Jacob Woolston died before ever seeing his land, and in 1801 a patent was issued from the United States to Samuel Jones, Michael Woolston, and Jacob Woolston and their heirs in trust for the estate of Jacob Woolston, deceased. (Samuel Jones had married one of Woolston’s daughters). To be cont.d