West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 100 by Charlie Miller

____The Columbus, London, and Springfield Electric Road is now completed to the west corporation line of Columbus, while the grading force is now near Alton and expects to reach big Darby in two weeks. The rails are expected to reach Big Darby by March 1^st ‘01. Steam shovels will be employed at Big Darby in making cuts and fills and several months will be required to build the piles and bridge at that point. If all goes well, cars will be running from Columbus to Springfield as early as the 1^st of June, 1901.

____(Due to some of the discrepancies in the dates of expectation times and actual completion times, we can tell that the work schedule was far behind what it was supposed to have been.)

____September 14, 1901 – West Jefferson Woman’s Death Caused By the Assault of Her Husband---

Mrs. Julia Murray of West Jefferson died here after being kicked by her husband, Mr. James Murray, Sr., who was later arrested in London, England, in January of 1903. (Please note that this is no relation to the Murray family now residing in West Jefferson.)

____October 28, 1901 – Property owners on Main Street were notified to remove hitching posts and hitching racks within 6 days.

____1901-1902 – Curbs were installed on Main Street. Fire cisterns were constructed to the following specifications: 10 feet deep and 9 feet around the inside of the wall. It is made of brick, 8 inches thick, and has a capstone 3 feet square and 8 inches thick. A round hole in the center of the capstone is to be 16 inches in diameter and a cast iron lid to weigh not less than 150 lbs. and to have a ring in the center.

____1902 – The village Post Office was located in the Village Hall.

____September 1902 – W. M. Kimbro was appointed Lamp Lighter.

____An ordinance by the Village of Jefferson allowing the Columbus, London & Springfield Railway Co. (C. L. & S.) to construct, operate and maintain a line of street railway within the village. Said railway tracks shall be of the standard gauge, 4 feet 8 ½ inches wide. When the temperature reaches below 35F the cars should be heated. Said company shall have the right to charge fares as follows and no more: Single fares within the corporation limit of said village, 5c. and for 7 tickets 25c. for fares from the corporation limit of said village to other points on it’s line, 2c. per mile, but no single fare less than 5c. The grant is made and shall continue upon the condition that work on said line shall be begun without reasonable delay and finished by the first day of July A. D. 1903. Such period for said work may be extended by the council by resolution.

____June 1, 1903 – The speed limit for the Interurban will be 8 MPH in the corporation limits.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 101 by Charlie Miller

____Interurban stops—Beginning at the west corporation limit, the center line at Blair Pike, a stop west of the Railroad, 2,300’, stops east of the Railroad at the stop sign at McNeal’s (Twin St.). Then in front of Gillivan’s store 555’ (Parson’s), then at the station (Chevron Pool) 285’; distance from Railroad to the station, 1,490’; From the station to the east stop, 1,093’; from the station to the east corporation line, center of Little Darby Bridge, 2,105’.

___September 1903 – William Baker resigned as Lamp Lighter. (At this time, those wishing for the job of Lamp Lighter submitted bids for the village to consider.

____December 20, 1903 - Mayor George Gillivan, Mayor of West Jefferson, dies in office. (George Gillivan served as mayor from 1902 to 1903 and is buried at Mt. Calvary Cemetery. He was the son of James Gillivan, who was born in 1835 in Ireland and immigrated in 1848. He founded Gillivan Hardware in 1866, which lasted 100 years. James also served as Post Master of Gillivan, Ohio, a town that he had founded but was never platted or incorporated. It sat at the intersection of U. S. Route 42 and Blair Road.)

____In 1903, the street lights in West Jefferson used gasoline for fuel. (One of these lights is mounted upstairs in the Village Hall, and it is a gift from Earl Gregg.)

____March 14, 1904 - A contract was signed with the Sun Vapor Co. for incandescent street lights, not less than 35 in number. Lamps shall be lit 22 nights each month during the time that this contract is in force. They are to burn from dusk until 2 a.m. The contract was for 3 years.

____September 7, 1904 – An ordinance for the lighting of the railroad tracks of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, and St. Louis R.R.Co., operating the Columbus & Xenia R. R.

Lamps are to be posted with gasoline lights located at the intersection of the track and W, Main St, West St., Walnut St., and Pearl St. On Walnut St., it is to be located on the north side of the track west of the street. On West St., on the south side of the track, and on the south side of the street. On Pearl St., on the north side of the track, and on the east side of the street. (At this time, the tracks were not elevated.)

____1904 – A new pump was bought for the well in front of the Baptist Church and in front of Grassel’s, and the trough in front of the Church was moved to Grassel’s. (The well in front of the Baptist Church, which sat on the corner of W. Main St. and S. Center St., was well known; it had sat there for years.

____At the beginning of the 1904 school year, the Alpha Kappa Gamma and Sigma Kappa Phi Literary Societies were formed. The Jefferson Ratio, the first school annual in the County, was published.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 102 by Charlie Miller

____April 3, 1905 – A letter from the C. H. Sutphen Co. dealer in fire fighting apparatus, 21 King Ave. Columbus, Ohio -” To the honorable Council of the Village of Jefferson, Gents, this morning your Mayor and several of your Council, and the old gentleman who takes care of your engine, suggested that you buy a horse cart for your horse. Now gentlemen, this is what you need and need bad. It saves time, the old engine is heavy enough, the horse could be laid much quicker and without any strain. I have a hose reel for $30.00 suitable for your village and one for $60.00. I will enclose cuts of each with a partial description. (The Sutphen Co. is still in business along U. S. Route 33 west of Columbus. It is the oldest continuously owned and operated fire apparatus manufacturers in the country still owned and operated by the Sutphen family.)

____August 1, 1905 - Martin Ricks was killed by a fast freight in West Jefferson. (Martin Ricks was born in 1843 as a slave in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi. He and his wife escaped North in 1863 and settled in West Jefferson. He served in the U. S. Colored Troops during the Civil War. He is buried in the New Hampton Cemetery. In 1865, he and his wife Pereene started the African Methodist in West Jefferson. He had a truck garden on the Lilly Chapel Road and peddled vegetables. He was returning from London and was coming in to town on the London Road. This was before the railroad tracks were elevated and the London Road was moved. At this time, it was what is now the far west end of Pearl St., which is now a dead-end street.)

____September 25, 1905 – An ordinance granting the Ohio Fuel Supply Co., its successors, and assigns the right and privilege of laying, maintaining, and removing pipe in the streets and alleys of Jefferson for the purpose of supplying the inhabitants thereof with natural gas for fuel and lighting and other purposes, and regulating the said laying of the pipe.

____1905 – The Ohio Electric Line from Columbus to Springfield was finally completed.

____The first football team from West Jefferson was in 1905. Their colors were brown and gold. The first game was on October 14, 1905, with Plain City High School. The Jefferson team was beaten, but in the first two seasons, the team won over half of their games. The first team consisted of: Merle Summers, Captain; Joseph Millholland, Manager; O. Wilkerson and John Hill, Right Ends; Faber Biggert, Right Tackle; Lester Lambert, Right Guard; __ Kinnamore and O. Wilkerson, Centers; Robert Harbage, Left Tackle; C. Wikerson, Left End; Willard Culp, Quarterback; Ray Harbage, Right Halfback; Ed Harrington, Left Halfback; Merle Summers, Fullback.

____March 17, 1906 – A bill received by the village from the Obenchain & Boyer Fire Engine Co., Logansport, Indiana, for 1 single 45-gallon portable chemical Fire Engine, $250.00.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 103 by Charlie Miller

West Jefferson Mayors 1884-1900

1876-1877- Thomas McDonald 1878-1879 – Eugene Fellows 1880 – James J. Booth

1881 – Wallace Lewis 1882 – Albert D. Burnham 1883 – 1885 Wm. H. Stutson

1886 – 1889 – Wm. H. Culp 1890 – 1893 -James J. Booth 1894 – 1897- Lot D. Hull

1898 -1899 – John Gregg 1900 – William H. Stutson

____May 17, 1906 – Dr. H. S. Quinn dies. Dr. A. F. Green rents Dr. Quinn’s office in June. (Dr. Homer Summerville Quinn was born at Fallsville, Ohio, on February 28, 1839, the son of Rev. Dr. Isaac Quinn, a pastor and medical doctor. Dr. Quinn settled in West Jefferson in 1862 and started his practice. On April 27, 1870, he married Bettie Putnam, sister of future mayor Horace Putnam. His home and office still stands on the corner of W. Main St. and N. West St. part of the old Parson’s Building.)

Dr. H. S. Quinn

____July 20, 1906 – George Carter of the National Pike says the party who left a lunch and bottle of XX pale in front of his mailbox the night of the 14th is very kind indeed. George says that he pays for what he gets and wished the party not to repeat it and he can have same back if called for!

____ September 4, 1906 – From The Madison County Democrat: The boys of ‘61 are the white-bearded vets of today. Each year finds their numbers sadly diminished and the sounding of the final reveille for the last survivor cannot be far away. Now and then, the present is forgotten, and war echoes.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 104 by Charlie Miller

A Civil War Story

From The Madison County Democrat:

____September 4, 1906 – Monday morning Capt. I. C. Pettery of Washington City, (Washington C.H.) was shaking hands on our streets surrounded by a host of friends and acquaintances when Saxie Lewis, the well-known colored laborer came along. Saxie rushed up to shake hands with the visitor. The meeting seemed to give mutual pleasure as Capt. Peetrey remarked with a twinkle in his eye, “I am glad to see you, Saxie, as the day when you gave me the first cup of coffee and piece of hard tack that I had had in 9 months.”

Turning to his friends he continued, “You see Saxie and I served together, we both enlisted in London and I spent 9 months in a Rebel prison, and was sent to Wilmington, N. C. for exchange. Here the opposing forces were drawn in opposite lines and prisoners to be exchanged were marched between the the line, there were 1,200 of us and as we walked and hobbled down the long line most of us were recognized by our comrades and taken in tow at once and cared for. I began to feel that no one was there for me when a colored soldier gave a shout “There goes Lt. Pettery” and the next minute Saxie had me by the hand and marched me up to Capt. Bates’ headquarters where I was refreshed with the best tasting food I ever ate—although it was only hard tack, coffee and a raw onion.

Here Saxie broke in, “Capt. I can see you now, just as you marched down that line, your blouse was worn off above the elbows, your pants in tatters showing bare legs. You had cut away all your hat brim to make soles for a pair of shoes which had no uppers, but yet you looked good to me,” and then the old soldiers shook hands again.

____September 14, 1906 – Gas was struck on the farm of Howard Johnson, 2 ½ miles southwest of Jefferson at 102’.

____September 28, 1906 – The Mantle House is now operated by Howard Armantrout of London.

____The Harmony Club was formed in 1906 at the home of Mary Kinnard with 8 charter members.

____March 4, 1907 – Resolved by the Council of the Village of Jefferson, that stone or brick sidewalks shall be constructed on both sides of Walnut, Chester, W. Main, Chapel, Town, London, and Pearl Streets in said Village.

____July 1, 1907 – A bid by J. B. Solomon of 13c. Per square foot for putting in a cement sidewalk in front of the Opera House was accepted.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 105 by Charlie Miller

____July 1907 – Trial lamps sent from the Joseph Lamp Co., Wheeling, W. Va.-- (1) two burner and (1) one burner. The Company requests that they be authorized to install these lamps in a prominent place in the town so as to enable the citizens to watch these lamps and see what they will do in the way of lighting the streets. Our lamps are built from solid brass castings, burner part that is, the stem of wrought iron, highly nickle plated. The top is a combination of a large protecting and reflecting shade and a patented ventilator, which is baked enamel. They are absolutely rust-proof and will last for years. A post cap is made of cast iron and readily adjustable to any post.

____November 11, 1907 – A contract was adopted between the Village and the Sun Vapor Street Light Company of Canton, Ohio – The company agrees to supply and furnish incandescent boulevard natural gas lamps of 100 candle power for lighting of streets. To be iron, not less than 300 pounds each. Forty or more Wellsbach Incandescent Boulevard 100 candle power natural gas lamps. Furnishing all materials, mantles, chimneys, burners, and everything necessary, including labor to keep the lamps clean and in good order and repair for a 10-year period, at $10.00 per lamp, per year. Payment is to be made monthly.

It appears that both natural gas and gasoline lamps were used at the same time for a while.

____November 14, 1907 – A motion was made and passed to have the light committee contract with some plumbing firm to pipe the Opera House for lighting with natural gas, buy the burners, and have it all ready to go for lighting, and to do it at once.

____November 15, 1907 – A contract was made with a Mr. Eckler for drilling of the well in front of the Baptist Church, the old part was already 28’8” deep.

____The Opera House was being lit by natural gas in December of 1907.

____May 22, 1908 – Francis Bidwell drowns in the Big Darby Creek at the Pan Handle Bridge. He was unable to be rescued by two companions, Ralph (Paddy) Gillivan and John Quinn. He was the son of Marion Bidwell.

____June 19, 1908 – The Interurban Hotel burns to the ground at 11 o’clock, caused by an explosion of a gas lamp. The building belonged to Anthony Kuehner. (Gas lamps were nice but dangerous)

____June 26, 1908 – DIED, Frank McNeal, son of pioneer Jacob McNeal. (Jacob McNeal, born in Cumberland County, Pa., came to West Jefferson in 1837 when the construction of the National Road was only this far. When he was 18, he apprenticed with wagon maker John McCray and took over the shop in 1846 at the corner of W. Main St. and S. Twin St. He also served as Township Clerk.)

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 106 by Charlie Miller

____January 4, 1909 – By-laws of the West Jefferson Fire Department,

#1 – This organization shall be known as the West Jefferson Fire Department

#2 -The regular meeting night shall be the first Tuesday of each month

#3 – The duties of the Chief-- The orders of the Chief shall be paramount before, during, and after a fire. He may call a fire drill at his option. He must see that each man is familiar with his duties. He may at will, transfer men from one department to another if such change is desirable. The refusal of a member to obey the order of the Chief will be equivalent to dismissal. Each member of this department shall receive $1.00 as compensation for each fire, except in the case of a long and stubborn fire, when he shall receive such additional compensation as the council shall direct. No member is entitled to pay unless present for a fire.

____January 6, 1909 – Slaven and Snyder have constructed an electric light arch in front of the Opera House.

____October 8, 1909 – Shoot Out At West Jefferson - At 8:30 p.m. in front of Brown’s grocery (Red & White) Al Winegardner attempted to kill his wife. After shooting her in the neck, he then turned the gun on Officers ‘Bird’ Clark and Oscar Sprague, who were attempting to arrest him. The crowd which was just emerging from a movie at the Opera House, began to dive for cover. Mr. Wills, who fell while trying to escape the bullets, twisted his ankle and was unable to get up and for a while believed shot. A total of 14 shots were exchanged, one striking Winegardner in the hip. Marshal Clark’s coat had been singed by one of the bullets. A plate glass window in John Taggart’s grocery was shattered, and many bullets lodged in nearby buildings. Mrs. Winegardner was taken to a hospital in Columbus.

(Dodge City had nothing on West Jefferson. There is a picture of this grocery store in the West Jefferson Remembers at Hurt-Battelle Library showing a patch over the bullet hole.)

____The following is a list of veterans living in Jefferson Township in 1909:

All are Civil War Vets except those marked (*) which are Spanish-American vets. (X) were members of Company A, 40^th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

Jas. Allerton                          Leonard Morgan                                   Columbus Huddle

Jacob Edwards                      Jno. B. McCoy                                       (*) John Hann

(X) Lawrence Englesperger Charles H. Putnam                                 Isaac Hambleton

(*) Jacob C. Englespeger           George W. Prugh                                         Francis Kelley

Martin Haynes                             Alexander Prose                                          F. M. Kimberland

(X) Arthur Hann                          (*) Lester Sprague                                        (*) Harry Matlock

Andrew Hale                               James Stanton                                              John Matlock

Andrew Hollar                             Quinn Bradley                                                Isaac Norris

William W. Lewis                        Simon E.Baker                                               William Nipple

(*) William Morris                        William Borland                                              (X) Thos. Pearce

Frank R. Miller                            P. J.Frey (*)                                                    Joseph Pearce

Leonard Morgan                     Corwin Carter                                                  J. R. Randolph

(*) Homer Roberts                      B. F. Roberts                                                   James Sceva

William Stratton                         Tye Wright.  

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 107 by Charlie Miller

____November 8, 1910 – The Wright Brothers Areoplane passes over West Jefferson on its way to Columbus.

____1910 – Slaven and Snyder operated and leased the Opera House for theatrical performances and Nickelodeon pictures.

____1910 – There are three automobiles in West Jeff. They belong to Ira D. Bates, R. C. Millikin, and W. H. Pence.

____March 20, 1911 – Cement sidewalks were laid on both sides of Walnut, West and Town Streets.

____April 17, 1911 – Cement sidewalks are to be constructed on Chester, Frey, Lilly Chapel, Depot and Center Streets.

____May 18, 1911 - An ordinance. It shall be unlawful for a person or persons to operate or cause to be propelled at a greater rate of speed than 12 MPH within the corporation limits of Jefferson, any automobile, motorcycle, engine, or any vehicle propelled by gas, gasoline, steam, or electric power. Violators cannot be fined in excess of $25.00.

____1911 - A High School is being built at a cost of $25,000.00. (This is the one that was on Fellows Ave.)

____February 12, 1912 – An ordinance was passed limiting the speed of trains to 12 MPH within the Corporation limits.

____August 2, 1912 – An ordinance was passed granting to the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad (P.C.C&ST.L) operating the Columbus & Xenia R. R., the right to elevate its tracks, reduce its grade, and construct an additional track through the Village of Jefferson. The new second track is to be constructed north of its main track. Street bridges will be located at Walnut, Depot, Main, Pearl, and Town Streets. Each street bridge is to have a clearance of headroom of not less than 14 feet. (At that time, Pearl Street continued west straight across the tracks. Instead of putting a bridge over Pearl St. they just stopped it at its intersection with Frey Ave. After the tracks were raised, Pearl continued on several blocks. Prior to the construction of the railroad in 1850, the London Road ran on the south side of the current railroad, intersecting with Frey Ave and then continued on Frey one block north to Main Street. That part of the old London Road that continued on is now called W. Pearl St. and dead ends. The London Road was then constructed on the north side of the railroad.)

____July 1912 – The Home News is being published by Sim R. Wilson with J. Rox Cartwright as editor.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 108 by Charlie Miller

____January 20, 1908 – A resolution passes concerning the Railroad. The elevation of rails at the Little Darby Creek will be 916.5” and a grade of 0.5% through Jefferson. Elevation at the west edge of town will be 940.3”. The tracks shall pass over Walnut, West (Depot St.) Jackson and Main Street are on solid floor bridges supported by concrete abutments and pedestals. Walnut, West, Jackson, and Main Streets shall have clear heading above each street of 14 feet between the highest part of the roadway and the lowest part of the structure.

That part of Pearl Street where it crosses the right of way of said Company, being part of said street bounded by the northerly and southerly line of said right-of-way, shall be abandoned, vacated, and closed and all other streets and alleys except Walnut, West, Jackson, Frey and Main Streets which extend across said right-of-way, shall be abandoned, vacated and closed within the limits of the right-of-way.

____March 23, 1913 – A resolution was passed calling for Main Street to be improved with a foundation of concrete and topped with bricks at a cost of $28,714.00. Bonds will be issued for this purpose.

____September 26, 1913 – An ordinance was passed to lower the grade of Main Street so that the total distance between the road and the bridge was 16 feet. (I’ve seen trucks let the air out of their tires to be able to go through the bridge.)

____December 18, 1913 – A contract was given to W. C. Wooly to lay brick on Main Street from the Mill Road to the Railroad tracks.

____December 18, 1913 – An ordinance for the official naming of certain streets being: Chesnut, Mill Road, Race St., East St., Heath St., Water St., South St., Town St., Pearl St., Fellows Ave., The streets between Silver’s Elevator and Frey lots, from the west line of Frey lots to the right-of-way of the P.C.C.& St. L. R. R., to be known as Silver St. the street between Lot No. 12 and Lot No. 14 in Mortimore’s Addition, is to be known as Madison St. Also the naming of Hampton, Franklin, Hill, and London Streets.

____The Farmer’s Telephone Co. was operating in Jeff in 1913.

____February 16, 1914 – Telephones were installed in Council Chambers.

____F. B. Biggett was the manager of the West Jefferson Home Telephone Company and the Farmers’ Mutual Telephone Company.

____May 20, 1918 – The speed limit in the business district was set at 8 MPH, in the rest of the town it was 15 MPH.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 109 by Charlie Miller

____The 1914 Fire Department consisted of George Baber, Chief; William Grassel, Asst. Chief; Wm. Neighborgall. Fred Grassel, Miller Clark, Frank Westenberger, James Strain, Firemen.

____1914 Commercial Bank Officers: P. M. Gregg, President; T. C. Gregg. Cashier: Howard Johnson, Asst. Cashier.

____1914 Farmers’ Bank Officers: Owen Harbage, President; E. W. Johnson, Cashier; R. C. Millikin, Asst. Cashier; C. W. Wade, Teller.

____January 15, 1915 – A resolution was passed to improve Main Street from the corporation line of Little Darby Bridge to the east line of London Street by grading and paving with asphalt macadam and constructing curbs where necessary.

____January 1915 – 58 street lights were being lighted by the Sun Vapor Company using natural gas. The Company employed its own lamplighter.

____April 8, 1915 – An opinion election was held, and the results were: The sale of intoxicating liquor as a beverage shall be prohibited-158; It shall not be prohibited-176. (West Jeff was “wet” again!)

____April 1915 – Bonds were sold for the improvement of Walnut Street from the railroad tracks to the school lot (Garrette Park), then on Fellows Ave. to the west limit of West Street, cost $10,500.00

____May 3, 1915 – The town rented the island on the northeast side of Darby Creek, belonging to George Gillivan's heirs, for one year for use as a dump. (This was a 3.75 acre lot, current site unknown)

____May 17, 1915 – An ordinance was passed granting the Ohio Electric R. R. Co. to supply the inhabitants of Jefferson with lights, heat, and power by means of an electric current for a period of 25 years. The Village of Jefferson reserves the right, at any time after a period of 10 years, to engage in the manufacture and distribution of electricity on its own account for the purpose of public lightning.

____July 6, 1915 – Council moved to donate the southeast room of the City Building to the Library Trustees for use as a public library as long as use for it remains the same and the Trustees keep the room in good repair and pay expenses. (Currently Hurt/ Battelle Library on Lilly Chapel Road.)

____July 27, 1915 – The contract to pave Main St. was awarded to the Andrew Asphalt Paving Co. of Hamilton, Ohio, with a bid of $1.95 per square yard.

____Bonds were sold for the paving of Main St. in the amount of $42,000.00.