West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 40 by Charlie Miller

NEWS ITEMS: January 30, 1862, The National Democrat-A dancing party is to be held at the Mantle house in West Jefferson on February 14th, St. Valentine’s Day. 

__April 30, 1862- On motion, the Mayor was appointed to have someone hire a man to remove a dead hog from one of the village streets. 

__July 18, 1862- On motion of J. Burrows, councilman, that W. R. Fickey have the privilege of erecting hog scales between Pearl and Front (?) Streets. 

__October 2, 1862- The National Democrat- Two heads of fine cattle belonging to A. J. Ryan was killed by having been run over by three cars on the railroad near West Jefferson on Saturday night last. 

__April 6, 1861- The Madison County Democrat- James Parks of West Jefferson will offer for sale at a public auction on Monday next, his entire stock of dry goods, groceries, etc. Mr. Parks is moving to Columbus. He has been a resident of Jefferson for 25 years. 

__August 13, 1863- Be it ordained by the Council of the Village of Jefferson that there be a pavement of brick laid in front of the Town Hall of said Village. The pavement is to be 10 feet wide, and 100 feet long. Said pavement was to be finished on or before November 1, 1863. 

__ August 13, 1863- An Agreement between the Mayor and Council of the Village of Jefferson, with Jacob McNeal Jr. Alex Swanston, A. J. Miller, committee, on behalf of Company A, 23rd O. V. I. Council agrees that said Company shall have use of the large room in the upper story of the Town Hall for use as an armory, for 5 years, or as long as the Company remains an organized body. In consideration of free use, the Company will be responsible for expenses in setting up the room and keeping it in order, except for natural wear and tear. G. W. Lewis, Mayor 

__June 30, 1864- The Madison County Union-Daniel McCarty, an Irishman, was killed by being run over by a wood train at West Jefferson. Mr. McCarty was employed at the station in West Jefferson. 

THE DRAFT: Madison County must fill her quota of the 500,000 men recently called for by the President, by the 5th of next month, or a draft will be made for the purpose. The undersigned has been commissioned by Governor Brough to recruit men for Madison County. If you would avoid the draft then volunteer for one, two, or three years and receive the largest bounty ever offered in the County. 

G. W. Darety, recruiting officer, August 18, 1864

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 41 by Charlie Miller

NEWS ITEMS: __April 28, 1864- The Madison Co. Union-Patrick McLene, founder of London, Ohio, and early pioneer of Madison County died at the age of 78 years. 

__April 28, 1864- West Jefferson has improved considerably within the last few years. The new M. E. Church is an ornament to the place and a credit to the society. It is furnished throughout in good style. 

Squire Clark kindly showed us through the building. The dry goods stores and groceries appear to be doing a good business. The American House kept by Col. Fickey, and the Mantle House by Ed Hill, are well-kept hotels. Thomas D. Brown formerly of the 95th O. V. I., the newly elected Justice of the Peace has opened an office in the second story of his building on Main St. Esquire William Clark may be found in the same room and is the West Jefferson agent for The Madison County Union. 

(The American House sat right across the street from the Village Hall, it burned down in June of 1882. Col. Fickey’s wife was Mary Mantle daughter of Baltzer Mantle the original owner of the Mantle House. Mary died December 10, 1874, and was 55 years old. She was highly thought of by village residents. Ed Hill was married to Mary’s sister Susan, she owned the Mantle House after her father died in 1860. Ed Hill served as a 2nd Lt. in the 154th Regiment in the Civil War. In 1873 Thos. D. Brown was serving as Mayor and was found guilty of violating his oath of office, he resigned when Council was drawing up an Article of Impeachment against him.) 

__January 12, 1865-The Madison County Democrat- A man named Gallagher was arrested in West Jefferson on Tuesday and brought to jail on a charge of shooting another man in a drunken row. 

__1865-Madison County Democrat- File Your Newspapers—Many people take newspapers but just a few preserve them, yet the most interesting reading imaginable is a bit of old newspaper, it brings up the very age with all its bustle and everyday affairs. Who can read a paper printed some 50 years ago without the thought that almost every name printed is now cut upon a tombstone? File your newspapers and in future years a pile of them will repay you for your trouble. 

West Jefferson train schedules of 1865: 

EASTBOUND WEST BOUND 

Night Express 2:16 a.m. Night Express 600. a.m. 

Cincinnati Express 9:22 a.m. Col. & Accommodations 6.56 a.m. 

Mail & Accommodations 1:16 p.m. Cincinnati Express 3:25 p.m. 

Col. & Accommodations 8:40 p.m. Mail & Accommodations 10:55 p.m. 

__April 22, 1865- The Marshall presented a bill for removing and burying one dead hog and one dead dog, 50 cents each.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 42 by Charlie Miller

NEWS ITEMS: The following items are from the Madison County Democrat- 

___August 3, 1865- “The West Jefferson Oil Well.” Mr. Horace Putnam of West Jefferson in this county, assures us that there is no humbug in the report that petroleum is found in a well on his premises. The oil is there, but where it comes from is a mystery. The oil bubbles up from the bottom of the well through the water from some deposit below. 

___October 19, 1865- The eclipse of the sun will commence at 8 o’clock this morning and continue until nearly noon. The best view of the eclipse is said to be through a glass-----of beer! 

___September 20, 1865- President Johnson arrives in London with General U. S. Grant and Admiral Farragut. 

___April 27, 1866- The large upstairs room of the Town hall was rented to Dr. McCullough and George Lewis on behalf of the Good Templars for use as a lodge, for $24.00 per year. 

___June 3, 1866- Village business- The levy of 1 ½ mills on real and personal property taxes is to be used for Corporation purposes. (The 2021 tax rate for West Jefferson is 62.80 mills) 

____1866- The Recorder was instructed to notify the Superintendent of the National Road to have a culvert built under the National Road to effectively drain the pond of stagnate water in the west part of town, adjoining Mrs. Mason. The natural course of the water is obstructed by the National Road as it is now. (This is where Pond and Bridge Streets got their names.) 

____April 18, 1867- George W. Lewis was appointed a committee of one to get 20 shade trees in front of Town Hall. August 23, 1867- The Recorder is instructed to post notices prohibiting ball playing within the Corporation limits. 

____September 30, 1867- $60.00 was appropriated for a carload of bricks for the purpose of laying pavement on Main Street. The total cost was $97.11. E. S. Hancock was contracted to lay the pavement. (Elijah S. Hancock was appointed Postmaster on March 30, 1861and served until 1865. In 1850 he was listed as a farmer and dealt in hides, that year he processed 300 hides and had two employees. 

____1868- J. B. F. Taylor, successor to Thos. C. Sael, druggist, and medicine, in the brick building block, opposite the Post Office.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 43 by Charlie Miller

NEWS ARTICLES: Madison County Democrat, July 6, 1868- The old Flint House property has been purchased by Alex Swanston and next spring he will tear away the fabric and erect in its place a large new building. (this building still stands on the northwest corner of Main and Walnuts Streets, it was later known as the Gregg Opera House,) The fine building already erected by Mr. Swanston is now owned by Dr. John N. Beach. In the west end of it is a modern style business occupied by J. B. F. Taylor, the druggist. (This building is located at 11-15 W. Main St. The drug store was later owned by Zachery Taylor successor to Dr. Merrill Mellott. J. B. F. Taylor enlisted in the 5th Reg. Indiana Calvary when he was 18 years old. His full name was Jesse Babcock Ferguson Taylor. He died on August 31, 1931) John Harvey had a warehouse at the depot, he also dealt in groceries, flour, salt, etc. Dry Goods come from Thomas J. Stutson, Fellows & Co., and B. Brobst. 

On a visit to West Jefferson, we were shown the eventful place where Chub Hann was murdered a few weeks ago. It appears that after being stabbed through the heart the unfortunate man walked several rooms of an adjoining house and out into the garden before he fell. The murderer is still at large and will probably never be caught. We also noticed that several of the streets in town are being graveled and graded. 

___July 15, 1868- An ordinance was passed prohibiting stores, groceries, saloons, or others from keeping open or selling on the Sabbath Day. 

____July 23, 1868- A resolution of A. Miller to build a calaboose under the north end of the Town Hall, passed. 

____October 1, 1868, The Madison County Democrat, Railroad Accident at West Jefferson— The Cleveland Express going 30 miles per hour, ran over a horse in the cut just west of town, throwing the engine, tender, four baggage and express cars, and one passenger car from the track. Miraculously no one was hurt. 

Had we an earthquake this morning? At 8 o’clock a sizable shock was felt by hundreds in the Township. We supposed it to be the explosions of some of the engines in Smith’s Woods, but have nothing of the kind yet.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 44 by Charlie Miller

NEWSPAPER ARTICLES: ____January 21, 1869- The Madison County Democrat- Charlie Bliss and Pern Cowling have purchased the drug store owned by J. B. F. Taylor. 

____January 25, 1869- turnpikes have been proposed from West Jefferson to Lilly Chapel and Pleasant Valley (Plain City). 

____April 2, 1869- The first term of our Union School was held in the new building, closed on the 19th of March. The number enrolled for the term was 193, with an average attendance of 147. On the nights of the 22nd and 23rd the new hall of the school building was opened to the public for the first time. 

____April 29, 1869- Mr. Fickey has bought the grocery store of Mr., Kennedy. Ned Lowe is fitting up the Post Office room for a drugstore. The Drug Store of Bliss & Cowling boasts a fine soda fountain. 

____May 6, 1869- Ben Hoe is putting up a fine store in the east end of town and will soon open a fine supply of dry goods. (This was occupied by Pete Loveless for many years.) 

____Several of the finest shade trees in town have been nearly ruined this spring by allowing horses to stand hitched to them so long. 

____May 13, 1869- Died during this week, Horace Putnam and Sebastian Roberts. Mr. Roberts was laid to rest in Pleasant Hill Cemetery which he had created in 1866. 

____June 3, 1869- The old building on the Flint corner has been removed completely and excavations for the foundation of Mr. Swanston’s new building are progressing rapidly. (Corner of Main & Walnut) 

____June 17, 1869- The abutments under the Little Darby bridge on the National Pike at West Jefferson are to be re-constructed. June 8, 1869- Chas. Blair has taken charge of the Post Office at West Jefferson. (He served from June 15, 1869, to September 20, 1870. Charles Blair enlisted in the U. S. Navy at Cleveland in June of 1863 at 17 years of age. He served on the USS Tawah, a wooden river steamer that patrolled the Tennessee River. He suffered a gunshot wound and was in the Naval Hospital at Memphis, Tenn. in April of 1863. He died June 24, 1886, in Arkansas.) 

____June 15, 1869- Capt. Swanston has finished the foundation of his new brick block. The first story will contain three very handsome business rooms one of which will be occupied by Mr. Fellows, a dry goods merchant. 

____August 19, 1869- John Harvey has commenced work on the Middle Pike near T. T. Timmons.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 45 by Charlie Miller

____January 27, 1870- Madison County Democrat, cont’d- Wm. Fickey, grocery merchant, and Miss Ida Fellows daughter of W. W. Fellows, were married Thursday last, Rev. Noah Speck officiating. 

Rev. Shepard of Granville preaches at the Baptist Church every Sabbath. 

The mammoth ice house at the depot, owned by a Cincinnati company, was partially filled during the cold snap a couple of weeks ago. (Ice was cut from Little Darby Creek in the winter and stored for summer use.) 

____January 27, 1870- Webb Bliss, the Railroad agent, furnishes the following number of cars of live stock shipped from this station during 1869: Cattle, 58; Hogs, 87; Sheep, 39; a total of 184 animals which averages 928 head of cattle, 4,350 head of hogs and 1,950 head of sheep. 

____ March 17, 1870- The go-ahead people of West Jefferson determined not to be outdone by neighboring towns in any movement, calculating to add to the prosperity of the community in which they live, have made the preliminary arrangements for organizing a Building & Loan Association. The incorporators are John Harvey, Dr. J. N. Beach, C. F. Bliss, W. W. Fellows, and Jacob McNeal, Esq. 

____Thomas J. Stutson who has been a merchant of West Jefferson for 27 years, (1843) plans to retire to his farm in Deer Creek Township. 

____April 28, 1870- The stockholders of the West Jefferson Building & Loan Association met on Friday evening and elected the following officers, President, W .W. Fellows; Vice President, Dr. J. N. Beach; Treasurer, Alex Swanston; Secretary, Jacob McNeal; Directors, Martin Kuehner, John Harvey, A. Miller, D. W. Bliss, J. K. Smith, Wm. Harvey, J. J. Booth, Alex Wilson, and J. C. Olney. 

____May 5, 1870- The first installment of the West Jefferson Building & Loan was paid on Saturday evening. The capital stock of the Company is $150,000.00 in $200.00 shares. 

___Abner Johnson and W. H. Stutson have taken a room in Swanston’s new block for their meat market 

____Dr. H. S. Quinn and Miss Bettie Putnam were recently married by the Rev. C. W. Finley. 

____June 16, 1870, W. W. Fellows will erect a new house in the near future. (This is the big brick house on the southwest corner of Fellows Ave. and Frey Ave.) 

____ July 7, 1870- The census of 1860 shows West Jefferson, 460 people, Jefferson Township, 973, for a total of 1,443 in the entire Township. 

____July 28, 1870- Esq. Jacob McNeal employs about a dozen men at his carriage shop but doesn’t believe in advertising. (This shop stood on the southeast corner of Main and Twin Streets.)

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 46 by Charlie Miller

West Jefferson Grade School: The first effort of having a school for the pioneer youngsters in West Jefferson was in 1823 when Lucinda (Burnham) Thomas procured a subscription and taught a school of a few scholars in a log hut that stood on the present site of the Pleasant Hill Cemetery. She taught until about 1826 when she was succeeded by George Pike who also farmed. Mr Pike also taught in this early cabin which was of the rudest kind. It had round logs chinked with split stickum and plastered with mud. It had greased paper drawn over the openings to admit the light, as well as a huge fireplace, puncheon floor, slab writing desks, and seats. In 1826-27 Samuel Sexton a widower, and having a double log house obtained a subscription and taught a session or two in a room of his dwelling. At this time he was living in New Hampton. In about 1830-31, the first school house was erected, it was just west of Mary Vicker’s house (446 W. Main St.) this was used until 1836 when a frame building succeeded it and was located in Jefferson. On November 1, 1842, the council passed a resolution to let the citizens of Jeff use the Council House for a schoolhouse for 6 months when not in use by the council. In 1845 an Academy, which Jeremiah Olney was instrumental in organizing was built as a school. This institution was conducted by a stock company but failed to meet their expectations and sank into oblivion as an enterprise. In 1856 the building was bought by the School Board from Horace Putnam who bought it from Olney. In later years it was used by the African Methodist Church. This building was later bought by the Pentecostal Church which later built a new church on the same site. It is believed that about this time Jefferson was set aside as a separate school district and the 1856 building served until 1868 when a new brick building was built at a cost of $17,000.00 including grounds and furniture. The building was a two-story 50’ X 57’ and had six rooms and a large 25’ X 50’ hall. This building was torn down in 1953 and in its place is now Garrette Park. The building was torn down by Etta Chenos in 1953 using a Jeep and hand tools. She salvaged enough bricks to build two houses. 

The ‘Old Brick Grade School’ as many of us remember it, stood on a slight rise in the far end of the playground. As we look back many childhood memories center around this forebodinglooking construction with the outhouses out back. Your writer started the first grade in this building. I distinctly remember the outhouses out back, a little chilly in the winter. There was no running water. A pump sat outside and you could take your tin cup and get a drink. I can remember the large hall, sagging wooden steps with the tall handrails. I can shut my eyes and see once more in those small wooden initialed carved disks and looking back at us from behind the large wooden desk at the front of the room would be Miss Dessa McCoy, Mrs. Kell or one of the many faces that we recall from the past. The Blackboards were clear across the room with a little ledge for the erasers and chalk to sit on. T

here was always a picture of George Washington and sometimes one of Abraham Lincoln. No doubt many of you can recall these scenes. Scenes that are a part of the past, but not the forgotten past, are only stored in our memories. The High School was built in 1911 and around 1952 an addition was added with others added in later years. This building was torn down in the early 2000s and a new school was erected on Lilly Chapel Rd.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 47 by Charlie Miller

NEWS ITEMS: ____ The Madison County Democrat, July 28, 1870 – The Macedonian Oil Man was in town Wednesday night, gave his usual “show” and relieved our people of a considerable sum of money. 

____August 4, 1870 – The population of West Jefferson, exclusive of the Railroad Addition is 570. 

____ August 11, 1870 – Henry Eye took on too much red eye on Sunday and as a result, had his right eye closed up by the proprietor of an up-town doggery. The baseball mania has broken out in this village and a club called the “Athletics” which promises to eclipse its famous namesake, has been organized. 

____September 11, 1870 – Dr. McCullough the new Post Master, intends to remove the Post Office to the Martin Kuehner Shoe Shop. (This building was the one that collapsed several years ago on the northwest corner of Main and West Streets.) 

____There is a man in Terra Haute, Indiana who pays his wife a regular salary of $3.00 a week to keep her mouth shut. Every time she speaks to him except when absolutely necessary, he docks her 1c. a word. He was out a little late last Saturday night and she took out a month’s wages for his shortcomings, and he finally had to agree not to count it in order to get some sleep. 

____September 22, 1870 – Ben Hoe is adding a large storeroom to his business on the east end of Main Street. 

November 10, 1870 – The Village dads have ordered brick sidewalks to be laid on all the principal streets and we notice that the property holders have gone to work in earnest. 

November 17, 1870 – W. H. Stutson, the popular butcher, is supplying our citizens with the very best beef steak at 16 cents a pound. 

____NIBBLERS- Our grocery men will not doubt tender us a note of thanks for printing the following- 

“One kind of nibbler is a man who enters a grocery store, runs his fingers into every sugar barrel and takes a couple of ounces, then goes to the cheese and cuts off a slice, just to taste, then as a matter of course, he must have a few crackers, and perhaps before he makes up his mind to purchase a quarter of a dollar’s worth, he has eaten the profits on $2.00 worth of groceries. He is more disliked by the grocer than the rat because they can’t kill him when they catch him! 

____December 12, 1870 – There is to be a Christmas tree at the Methodist Church.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 48 by Charlie Miller

IDA GRASSEL: The following is an interview with Mrs. Ida Grassel taken on November 9, 1965. Mrs. Grassel lived on N. Center Street. She was the widow of the late George Grassel and was born on November 17, 1879, on the Middle Pike, the daughter of John and Hester Harbage. 

“Charles Stickel lived in the Mantle House, which was on the corner of Main and Chester Streets. The building that was formerly on the site of the building which is currently the site of the Opera House (village Hall) was also called an Opera House and was better known as the G.A.R. Hall. (Grand Army of the Republic) It was somewhat smaller than the present building and had a bell that rang as a curfew, much like the present-day siren. Paddy Gillivan had the bell at one time. (The bell can be viewed at the Hurt-Battelle Library) 

John Hoe bought the old Baptist Church which sat in the Middle of N. Center Street and later moved down to the site of Murray’s Elevator. (This building was used by Murray Lumber to store lumber, it later burned to the ground.)” 

Mrs. Grassel’s mother worked at the American Hotel when it burned and was able to save her trunk. (The American Hotel sat on the current site of the Huntington Bank parking lot. A later story.) 

“Fort Byron was on the lot newly occupied by the Fabric Shop, it was owned by T. D. Fellows. Bill Lyons is believed to have built the building and used it for a while as a Hotel. (This building was later the Royal Hotel on the current site of the parking lot of the Huntington Bank.) 

Pat McCloskey owned the red brick house on South Street. He later married Hannah Riordan. (He later ran the Railroad House that her late husband Jerry had owned.) 

James Peene’s elevator that burned was on West Street just south of the Railroad.” 

J. M. Roberts: More reminiscences of John Roberts from the early days when the National Road was being built. -- Hugh McGloughlin and mother boarded hands that worked on the Pike. A man named James, always called “Lawyer,” lived on Markley Hill. He was a noted crook, but always managed to keep out of the penitentiary. He had a son, Tom James who had to serve five years in the Pen for stealing sheep. Tom James was a short, stout, thick-necked man. He stole sheep in the night in his neighborhood, drove them as far as he could toward the north, and stopped at daybreak and hid in the woods until night came when he would drive his flock on again. He was finally caught and sentenced to the Pen where he refused to work and swore he would suffer death before he would work. He was put into a pump or drown apparatus but he refused absolutely to work and came near being drowned. The warden sent a letter to his father who persuaded him to go to work. After his time expired the family moved out west.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 49 by Charlie Miller

JOHN M. ROBERTS REMINISCES: Thomas Orpet was another odd person. He was illiterate and superstitious. He was a great hunter and fisherman. He caught more than 1,000 wild pigeons and had them in a rail pen. Someone however tore the pen open one night and all the birds escaped. He captured the pigeons in a net he used to catch fish. There were vast flocks of wild pigeons in the Spring and the sun would be darkened by them. They would break down large trees where they roosted at night, but now there is not one to be found anywhere in the United States or the Dominion of Canada. Abraham Orpet, a son of Thomas was as superstitious and illiterate as his father. The late ‘Squire A. J. Clingan of Summerford told me of an adventure he had while hunting with Abe. He and Abe had not been very successful and were returning home in the evening when the ‘Squire while passing a dense thicket on the Thompson Farm, said to Abe in a joke: How easy it would be to shoot a man and hide him in the thicket, Abe said nothing but dropped back of the ‘Squire and cocked his rifle and covered the ‘Squire with it. He turned around and asked Abe what he meant. Abe said, “Hi god we will now see who gits frowed in th’ brush.” No amount of persuasion could induce Abe to lower his gun and the ‘Squire marched over a mile before Abe parted with him on the National Road. 

Social conditions were very different from our present-day practices. The treatment of paupers was not what it should have been. The aged and infirm who were in the township were sold or farmed out to the lowest bidder. The trustees would sell them to the person who would keep them for the least money during the year. We have seen gray-haired veterans of the War of 1812- 15 who had been sold by the overseers of the poor. 

There were a lot of nomads and peculiar people in the country. I remember seeing a man named Travis. He traveled over the country and I think traded horses for a living. He usually led two horses and rode on a horse. He was the dirtiest, raggedest man that ever lived. He had two dogs which he let ride on one of his horses. He would beg for milk for his dogs. He used his hat made of wool to hold the milk. After using what he wanted for himself he would let the dogs have what remained in the hat. 

Another eccentric character was Dr. H. Zimmerman, he was called the “Grammar Cracker,” as he taught English grammar as a specialty. He had the greatest memory of any man I ever saw. He could repeat every word in S. Kirkham’s grammar. He could give the page of any quotation to be made from Kirkham’s Grammar. He camped in country school houses; and had quite a library of books, some German Bibles three hundred years old. 

____ March 13, 1871 - The Madison County Democrat – Those wishing pictures will do well to see W. T. Fickey one door west of the Town Hall.

____ March 18, 1871- West Jefferson now has a night watchman, Mr.Deem, at a salary of $33.33 per month. 

____ May 25, 1871 – Jerry Riordon has died. He kept a saloon and boarding house at the Railroad House