West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 140 by Charlie Miller

Early Schools cont'd

- 1856 – Early School Districts. A number of School Districts were set up. These were the one-room brick schoolhouses. Known districts in 1875 were #1-located at the corner of Plain City- Georgesville and Morgan Road. #2- On the corner of the Lilly Chapel Road and the Wilson Road. #3,#4-#9 unknown. #5- On the Plain City-Georgesville road south of U. S. 40, known as the Hambleton School House. #6-On the Middle Pike, a newer school was later built on this location and was known as the A School. It is now a residence. #7-On the Middle Pike several miles north of #6. #8- on State Route 29, now the site of several warehouses. #10- Just northeast of the corner of Blair Road and U. S. Route 42. A better building was later built and was called the Gillivan School House. Your writer’s grandfather was the school bus driver for that school. It probably was discontinued in the 1940’s.

- The West Jefferson Board of Education, located at 906 W. Main St. was formerly “B” School. This school was for students who lived ‘in the country’ until they reached the 8^th grade when they transferred to the West Jefferson High School.

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- The Village Lamp Lighter. - Jimmy Clark was the old lamp lighter of West Jefferson. He started in 1904 and had to carry the gasoline with him on his route to fill the lamps as they burned gasoline instead of natural gas. In 1908 the lamps were converted to this natural gas. He walked 4 ½ miles twice a day, once at night to light the lamps and once in the morning to put them out. He also averaged 3 miles a day repairing them. During the period of 12 years, he walked 52,560 miles with but 10 days off the job. In 1920, the village owed the Sun Vapor Light Company $1,500.00. Subsequently, the lights were turned off. Mr. Clark then went to work for the West Jefferson Lumber Company. (Murray’s elevator on N. Walnut Street next to the railroad.

- Electricity comes to West Jefferson. - From 1900 to 1901, the Ohio Electric Railway Co. (Interurban) was constructed through West Jefferson. They were to furnish the electric current to light two 320P lamps in each block on Main St. They were also to furnish electricity to the Village Hall at no cost. On May 17, 1915, an ordinance was passed granting the Ohio Electric Railway Co. to supply the inhabitants with light, heat, and power by means of an electric current for a period of 25 years. Lighting had already been made available to the cannery and elevator, as well as businesses and residents along Main Street. One of these lights was mounted in the West Jefferson Historical Society Museum, now a room taken over by the Village.

On September 19, 1932, an ordinance was passed allowing the mayor to contract with the West Jefferson Power and Light Company for electrical service for the lighting of the streets in West Jefferson.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 141 by Charlie Miller

- 1905 – Natural Gas arrives to West Jefferson. - September 25, 1905, There was a recommendation for an ordinance granting the Ohio Fuel Supply Company, it’s successors and assignee's the right and privilege of laying, maintaining and removing pipe in the streets and alleys of West Jefferson for the purpose of supplying the inhabitants there of with natural gas for fuel and lighting and other purposes, and regulating the said laying of pipe.

- 1915 – The village was supplied with natural gas for lighting purposes, and it was piped in from Columbus.

Law & Order

- May 4, 1936 – A new motorcycle was purchased at the cost of $400.00.

- 1938 – Mayor Seamon, newly elected, in his remarks to Council, discussed at some lengths his views on the traffic problems of today, which confront the citizens of West Jefferson. He also touched upon his monetary and financial policies. Mayor Seamon said in part that the motorcycle system was wholly inadequate and had no place in the present-day traffic problems. With the high speed of the present automobile, it is utterly impossible to stop or run down criminals. I want to remind you right now that I intend to enforce the laws to the fullest extent. If you are brought before me, you may know what to expect. I expect the same treatment if I am ever guilty of such an offense. I am recommending the purchase of a car for our Police Department to the Council and our citizens.

Motion was passed to allow Richard Merriman a $1.00 a day for the use of his car as a police patrol.

- May 10, 1917 – The results of an election to determine if the sale of intoxicating liquor as a beverage shall be allowed within the limits of the Corporation. A total of 324 votes. 184 yes, 140 no.

West Jeff Old Timers

- 1972 – West Jeff Man 101 Years Old – Glen Post celebrated his 101st birthday on March 16^th. He was born March 16, 1871 in Nebraska. At the age of 18, Post accepted his first badge and became the Sheriff of Hayes County, serving for 14 years, then moved to Kansas City, Nebraska, serving 3 years as Constable. A Deputy Sheriff in Pennsylvania and in the Police Dept. and Sheriff’s office in Dallas, Texas. He served as a Merchant Policeman in West Jefferson and Special Deputy in the Madison Co. Sheriff’s Office.- March 17, 1979 – at 108 years old, he is the oldest living veteran of the D.A.V. He is a veteran of the Spanish-American War and served as a Medic in WWI. He said, “I was shelled during WWI.” He was a Second Lieutenant when he got out. He married his third wife three years ago.

- 1977 -A 106-year-old man was accused of threatening a visitor with a gun. Glen Post of 2660 Avalon Pl. was charged with pulling a gun on 23-year-old William Menear. He said Post threatened to shoot him. Post has not been arrested yet. I remember Glen Post. He was a genuine character.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 142 by Charlie Miller

Old Timers cont'd

One of the most colorful was Edwin Earl Gregg, more commonly called “E. E. Gregg.”

- 87-Year-Old Man Rediscovers Cycles- Earl Gregg, a spry and witty 87-year-old widower who owns a 27-acre farm near West Jefferson, has rediscovered motorcycles. His enthusiasm began in 1910 when he purchased his first motorcycle. But in 1928 he sold his cycle on the advice of his late wife, Emma. “Emma said that I was too old to ride a motorcycle.” But 46 years later the enthusiasm returned.

His 1973 Harley-Davidson sports a 350cc engine. Gregg notes that daredevil Eviel Knivel is planning to jump the Snake River for ‘chicken feed’ ($6 million). If he makes it, I’ll jump Little Darby for $10 million. But I want the cash in advance so I can look at it in case I don’t make it. His wife, Emma, died on Christmas Day, 1971, shortly after they had celebrated their 60^th wedding anniversary. Earl had an insurance agency located at 6 E. Main St. He served as Village Clerk for many years. He died October 30, 1983, age 96, and is buried at Pleasant Hill Cemetery.

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- A Man Who Was Dearly Loved In West Jefferson – Allen Patterson was born July 17, 1917, and lived in West Jefferson all his life. If you knew Allen Patterson, you knew West Jefferson of years gone by, a time when the town was like one big family—in fact, most of it was! The stories of Allen helping people in West Jefferson would fill a book. A list of people who owed Al a debt would fill another book. He and a lot of his family worked at the Red & White store when it was owned by Ed Britton. After Ed died, Allen bought the store. Along with his church, Hattie, and the Red & White store, this was his life. He once sold the store but then bought it back. Nobody but Allen could make the store work. Everyone knew that was where he belonged. It was a store that time forgot; you’re not going to find many others like that one left, and you’re not going to find many Allen Pattersons either. People took advantage of Al, but he never let that stop him from keeping on helping people. Allen died September 28, 1996. This town will sorely miss Al Patterson and, if it were to close, the Red & White as well. The Bible tells us that a good name is more precious than riches. Now Allen has both, for the Lord has called him home. I have the assurance, as many others, that we’ve not seen the last of Allen Patterson; we’ll meet again!

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One old timer that nobody living would now remember was Dr. John Noble Beach. He was born in Amity, Ohio, on January 29, 1829. At 15 years of age, he was teaching school there for $8 a month. He graduated from the Sterling Medical College in 1850. In 1859, he came to West Jefferson and opened his practice. In April 1862, he was commissioned a Surgeon of the 4th Army Corps, which included the 40 O. V. I. He participated in the Battle of Chickamaugua. He was one of 3 operating surgeons in his Division. After he mustered out, he returned to Jefferson. His office was in the large brick building on W. Main St., which he had built. He served in the Lower House of the State Legislature and served two terms on the staff of the State Surgeon General. He later wrote a history of the 40^th. He served on the staff of Gen. Alger, National Commander of the G. A. R. He was a correspondent for the Madison County Democrat. His daughter was a member of the first graduating class of W.J.H.S. Dr. Beach, who died on July 17, 1897. His funeral was the largest ever seen in West Jefferson. He is buried at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 143 by Charlie Miller

- 1903 – Two West Jefferson mayors died in office, Matthew W. Stutson 1849-1931, and George Gillivan, Mayor from 1902 to December 1903. On December 21, 1903, Council passed the following resolution:

Whereas Governments with an executive head have been created for the welfare and protection of their citizens, it is met and proper that the members of the Council, as representatives of the people of the Village of Jefferson, do take official notice of this removal. Therefore, be it resolved: That in the death of Mayor Gillivan, this body has lost a wise counselor of the common people. A champion of business interest and an active participant. Be it further resolved: Aside from official life, his death is deplored as a citizen and as one true to his convictions of duty and practiced for the benefit of the town he loved and called home.

Resolved: In home life, we can hold him up as one worthy of evaluation; he was ever a loving husband and a tender and indulgent father. While we bow in submission to the will of God, we extend our deepest sympathy to the bereaved family and relatives. As a token of respect to our departed leader, the council chambers be draped in mourning for a period of 30 days, and a copy of this resolution be entered into the minutes, and a copy under seal be sent to the family and in the Home News and passed this 21st day of December 1903.

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- The following appeared in the Columbus Citizen on February 27, 1949 – The mouth comes up in an exaggerated kissing expression. Zip goes the lipstick, a dot of rouge on the cheeks, and a smear of powder—and the modern miss has her makeup on. It was not always so. A recent letter to the Citizen Magazine points this out. The letter is from Ida (Patterson) McDonald, West Jefferson.

“In the good old days, there weren’t modern preparations for fixing our faces and hair. So we made our own one day. We used burnt matches on our eyebrows. Red candy drops on our lips. There was wallpaper that could be moistened and used for rouge and overripe pineapple juice and sugar to fuzz up our hair. My girlfriend and I gathered up some and extracted the juice. We added sugar to the liquid, doused our hair in it, and put it up in rags to make pretty curls. We were out in the yard in the sunshine, drying our hair. Suddenly, swarms of honey bees appeared from nowhere and headed right for our pineapple curls. They got in our hair and chased us into the house. Mother said, "Wash that hair out right now and get that lipstick and paint off before your daddy gets home!” There were old-fashioned scissors-like metal curlers with wooden handles and a spring that controlled the gaping of the alligator-like snout. These were heated over the kitchen stove, an oil lamp chimney, or an open gas jet. Mainly, hair care consisted mostly of vigorous and frequent brushing, as well as crimping with the iron before special events such as church socials and school activities.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 144 by Charlie Miller

- Dancing in West Jefferson – March 13, 1974 – The fire that damaged the building located at the intersection of W. Main St. and the Blair Road brought back memories for some West Jefferson residents. To many it appeared as just an old abandoned building but to some it was still The West Jefferson Gardens where many whooped it up on a Saturday night. The building was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Al Longstreth. Almost 65 years old, it was built by the late Bill Wanzell. The Longstreths took over the building in 1938. A previous owner had named it the West Jefferson Gardens because of the beautiful trees and climbing roses at the entrance to the grounds. Longstreth had played the saxophone and violin there15 years before he became owner. Mrs. Longstreth said that they were the first to have a big band sound in the area. She was the vocalist and played the bass and guitar. People would come from Dayton, Cincinnati and Columbus, we also did square dances. On New Year’s Eve the crowds were fabulous, more than we could handle. When first built the hall was heated by two coal stoves at either end of the hall, a trip to the rest room meant going over the hill! Mrs. Longstreth’s mother manned the kitchen serving snacks, sandwiches and beer. In the early 50’s the women dancers wore low heels, and full skirts, slacks were still unheard of. They operated Jefferson Gardens until the early 60’s, when they went on the road. Later their sons operated it as an arena for wrestlers and later for auctions. Tom Lowe who will be 82 in July was a policeman at the hall for 18 years. (Your writer when he came home on leaves from the U. S. Army, in the 50's would always visit on Saturday nights, and it was always packed.)

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- A Geological Report – West Jefferson lies to the west in a large oxbow of Little Darby Creek. (When the area was first settled, Little Darby Creek was named Treacles Creek). Most of the village lies between 900 and 920-foot contours, and the stream is 880 feet above tide.

At one time, West Jefferson was covered by a saltwater ocean, leaving traces of many fossils of small sea creatures. Later came dense forests and then Glaciers. Scientists determined that West Jefferson was under at least 2,000 feet of ice at one time. The temperature was much cooler. July temperatures averaged 20 degrees below the normal temperature. Ice came from the north at a rate of around 310 feet per year.

West of the village along Little Darby Creek, one record gives 175 feet of fill, thus placing the rock floor at 780 feet or 100 feet below the present stream. This represents the course of the Groveport River of Teays age.

West Jefferson lies at the top of the Monroe formation consisting of variously textured and bedded dolomites and usually containing small supplies of rock water. Owing to the content of pyrite and organic matter in the Monroe, these rocks where deep-seated, yield hydrogen sulfide and other impurities. The supply is now softened by the reverse osmosis process—either the glacial fill along the valley or the stream direct offers favorable supplies.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 145 by Charlie Miller

- Water Ways – In Series #144, we mentioned the Little Darby Creek and the Teays. As noted, Little Darby Creek was originally named Treacles Creek, and this name appeared in the early surveys. Later, it and Big Darby Creek were named after Chief Darby, who lived along the banks of Big Darby near present Plain City. In 1991, Big and Little Darby were named “The Last Great Place” by the Nature Conservancy, an international group that maintains the largest private systems of nature sanctuaries in the world. Only 12 areas in the western hemisphere have received this designation, and the Darbys are one of them.

- The Teays River - Before the glaciers emerged some 20,000 years ago, Madison County was a relatively flat highland, cut by steep-sided valleys and the Teays River, which flowed between them. Major streams generally flowed to the northwest, but the Ohio River did not. The Teays originated in Virginia and North Carolina and flowed across West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois and into the Mississippi River. It flowed near London and was joined by a large tributary coming down from the Plain City area. The main valley floor was 568 feet above sea level near London, and the valley was between 3,000 to 3,500 feet wide and 400 feet in depth. One of the tributaries would have been in the vicinity of the Darby Creeks.

- Along the Road - In 1926, Clinton Odell gambled $200 for materials to put up “Burma Shave” signs. Burma Shave had developed a new shaving cream and needed some way to advertise it. He started out with small signs planted 100 feet apart. In the first year, Burma Shave sales grew from next to nothing to $68,000! Some of these signs were planted along U. S. Route 40 near West Jefferson. In 1963, Phillip Morris bought Burma Shave and decided that the signs weren’t effective anymore and started removing them. There was plenty of publicity over the demise of the signs. The Saturday Evening Post and Reader’s Digest ran articles on them. There is now a set in the Smithsonian that says,

Shaving brushes

Soon you’ll see ‘em

On the shelf

In some museum

Don’t lose your head.

To gain a minute

You need your head

Your brains are in it.

Drinking drivers

Nothing worse

They put the quart

Before the hearse

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 146 by Charlie Miller

- 1956 – Village Hall Shut Down – With the controversy over and negotiations finished, the West Jefferson City Hall has temporarily been forced to give way to the march of time. Offices of village officials as well as the town library have been moved from the building. Arrangements have been made to move the mayor’s office into a building a block away, and the library will be housed in the Parson’s Building. All books have been called in by the library, according to Mrs. Charles Miller (no relation), the librarian. There will only be room for one-fourth of the 8000 books and the new location. The building had also housed the jail and the fire truck. The Police Department was moved to the Township Hall.

Whether the village will ask again for funds to build a new municipal building or money to repair the old building is unknown. Mayor Rader said that the $75,000 bond issue that had been defeated in November might be placed on a special ballot in May. Early last year, State Fire Marshal Charles Scott condemned the building, saying none of the major structural faults had been corrected. The order to evacuate was delayed until the results of the bond issue were known. With the issue defeated, Scott said that the building must be evacuated by the first of this month.

(The building had been built in 1893 using some of the bricks from the 1855 town hall. An issue was passed later to provide funds to remodel the building. The third floor, which had housed the ‘opera house,’ was removed, the top part of the tower was removed, and the interior was gutted and rebuilt.)

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- April 8, 2014 – What can a person predict using a No. 2 pencil, a needle and thread? In the case of Frank Cox former West Jefferson Police Chief, it was predicting childbirth long before sonogram. He was able to predict the sex of the child before birth. He was probably the only police officer to rival old ‘Bird’ Clark. Frank was born on August 11, 1933, and passed away on April 8, 2014, at the age of 80 years. He was a graduate of West Jefferson High School. He spent 46 years in the Police Department, 26 of those as chief. He served as a Cpl. with the United States Marine Corps, serving in Korea during the war. He was a recipient of the Purple Heart and a candidate for the Silver Star. Frank always said that he was the last Marine to get wounded during the war.

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- March 5, 1838 – Ever wonder when the London Road was built? A Corporation by the name of the Jefferson, South Charleston, and Xenia Turnpike Co. was authorized by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio. The purpose was to construct a Macadamized highway from Jefferson on the National Road to London by the way of South Charleston and Milford to Xenia. The Corporation was authorized to collect tolls every 10 miles on the road. Tolls ranged from 6 ¼ c. to 25 C. Every head of livestock was charged between 1/4c. and 1 c. Persons carrying U.S. Mail went free. This road later became part of State Route 142 and Route 42.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 147 by Charlie Miller

- March 17, 1870 – The oldest business in West Jefferson – There were two businesses that lasted 100 years in West Jefferson, Gillivan Hardware until 1966 and Murray Elevator/Grain & Lumber until ca. 1990. The oldest still surviving now started in 1870 as the West Jefferson Building & Loan Association. Its incorporators were Dr. J. N. Beach, C. F. Bliss, W. W. Fellows, and Jacob McNeal. The Board of Directors was elected on March 31st. In May, the Association paid its first installment. Its capital stock was $150,000.00 in $200.00 shares, with half the stock taken.

McNeal, who saw a need for a more permanent plan of organization, joined Jacob Martin, Jeremiah Gearing, Martin Kuehner, T.B. Fellows, W.C. Keyser, and H. C. Wilson in incorporating the West Jefferson Building & Loan in 1889.

The Building & Loan started in the residence of Jacob McNeal on the northeast corner of Main and Twin Streets; at that time, McNeal was the secretary. It changed its address several times since its first location at 44 W. Main St. Later, it moved to 5 W. Main St. Around 1916, it moved to the corner of S. Walnut and Main Streets. In 1928, they purchased offices at 2 W. Main Street from the liquidation of the Commercial Bank. This building is on the northwest corner of Main and Walnut St. In 1968, they had a new building built on the southeast corner of Main and Walnut St. In 1962, it became the Jefferson Savings Association, then First Merit, and currently (2023) the Huntington Bank. At one time, it was the second oldest Building & Loan Association in the state.

The history of the Savings/Bank was shaped by several people through the years. Among the most influential was John Murray who was elected the association’s second president in 1891. He served for 64 years until his death at the age of 98 in 1955. Another important figure in its history was Willard “Lefty” Culp. He was elected secretary in 1916 and became its first full-time manager.

-1950 – The year that a family arrived from Bucyrus, Ohio, and bought a restaurant business off of Mamie Martin located in a frame building on Main St., now the current site of the east end of the Huntington Bank. Their name was Ann and Tony Buscemi, and their three sons. They lived upstairs in the building. The business has now become famous in all of Central Ohio.

About 1950, they bought some property on E. Main St. and had the structures torn down and erected their present (2023) restaurant with living quarters above. In 1976, a porch was converted into additional seating. In 1995, a party room and gift shop were added. In April of 1976, Ann passed away. Four years later, Tony remarried Miss Mary Mooney, a local school teacher. Tony died in 2006 at the age of 93 years. Son Tom has been running the business for 51 years. The restaurant draws customers from Columbus and Central Ohio and is very popular and usually packed.

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 148 by Charlie Miller

More old-time business

- Mellott’s Drug Store – The early druggist in West Jefferson was Zachary R. Taylor, who was in business for 55 years from 1873 to 1928. In 1928, his business was bought by Merrill ‘Doc’ Mellott. He opened up in a building that sat on the northeast corner of Main and Walnut Streets. In 1947, he razed that building and built the current one, which is now occupied by Dr. Mark Garwood. This building had huge plate glass windows in the front and an apartment upstairs. Doc added a soda fountain and counter. After school, the booths were always filled with school kids. It was the bus stop for all Greyhound busses westbound. On one occasion, a lady ran through one of the plate glass windows to catch a bus. Doc served with the 308 Engineer Company in WWI, serving at Aisne-Marne and Meuse-Argonne. Merrill H. Mellott died on Christmas Day, 1965, and is buried at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery.

_ The White Kitchen – The White Kitchen was opened in the 1920s when automobile travel was becoming popular. I was downstairs in the building that was built in 1832 as the National Road was being surveyed and was known as the Mantle House Hotel. This building still sits on the northeast corner of Main and Chester Streets. It was opened and operated by Lou Reason, who died in 1930. It was later owned and operated by George Bernard “Chesty” Smith and Kathryn Smith. Before 1969 and Interstate 70, it did brisk business from travelers on the West to East Coast U. S. Route 40. After Chesty died in 1975, it became a pizza shop and later a bar. There were living quarters above the restaurant, and several years later, the upstairs caught on fine, and there was a fatality. The top floor was removed, and it remained a bar.

- The building on the southwest corner of Main and Walnut Streets held many businesses. In the 1920s, the east side held the A&P grocery store. Later, the east part held Martin’s Restaurant, owned by Steve Martin and his sister-in-law Mamie Martin. It held a Chinese Restaurant at one time. The west side held a barber shop from the 1920s until 1947, when the owner, William Wills, died. Later, it held a bar by different owners. The east side now (2023) houses the Village Bakery and Cafe. Behind it is the “Ice House,” where blocks of ice were stored before refrigerators. In the early days, ice was cut from Little Darby Creek.

- The building at 54 E. Main St. once held the Star Hotel. It was owned by John Kubitschack, who was born in Austria in 1863. He immigrated in 1885. He started out as a baker in the Parson’s Building on W. Main St. He later also opened a restaurant. This building was likely built in the 1850’s. In 1911, he bought the building at 58 E. Main St. and opened the Star Hotel. He died on January 3, 1935. The building later contained a hair salon and was the office of Doctor G. E. Sheetz, later Dr. Theodore Froncek, and their son Dr. James Froncek. Mr. Kubitschack must have been a character the story went around that he sold cigars at the hotel; when asked the price, he’d say, “8 cents a piece or 3 for a quarter, what do I care for a penny!”

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 149 by Charlie Miller

- 1947- The following poem dedicated to West Jefferson, was written by Gladys Jewett Sealler, daughter of the late Dr. George F. Jewett who was the town’s physician for many years.

My thoughts turn back to my child hood

And the place where I was born

‘Twas surrounded by meadows and clover

And fields of waving cornerstone

‘Twas a little town on the highway

On the banks of a lived stream.

But now as I search thru my memory.

It seems as though ‘twere a dream.

In front of the church of my youth

Stands the town pump, rusty with age,

And the tin cup that hangs on the wire

Has, no doubt seen its best days

The opera house across the street

Was a place of wonder to me

A show in town was a special treat

In nineteen hundred and three.

How well I remember the school house

The sound of the clear ringing bell,

The face of the smiling professor,

“Little Dick” whom we all loved so well

The school yard was grassy and shady,

No cinders to wear out your shoes;

The old wooden stile that led from it

Was a landmark too precious to lose.

The little hill where we coasted,

Back of the old saw mill,

Is a place that is dear to my memory

Although we took many a spill.

The cherry trees back of dad’s officer's

Were a temptation to great to resist,

We’d never wait until the cherries ripened

Unless he would firmly insist.

To be continued on Series # 150