West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 112 by Charlie Miller
____January 6, 1919 – The Dawson Block in West Jefferson has been purchased by the firm of Gambold & Guyton representatives of the International Harvester Co. (This was owned by Peter Dawson on the northeast corner of Main and Chester Streets.)
____January 10, 1919 – A.F. Jackson was appointed to the West Jefferson Board of Health. The Mayor’s salary is now $60.00 per year, and the Council gets $36.00 each. (The Board of Health was organized on August 8, 1889. It lasted until around the 1920’s.)
____January 24, 1919 – The Commercial Club Chorus has organized with Mr. W. C. Smith as President.
____January 29, 1919 – A letter to The Madison County Democrat from Thomas Fitzgerald of Lilly Chapel says that he was born June 10, 1883, near a branch of O’Possum run and has stayed there 40 years. The country at that time was a vast forest of timber, some deer, wild turkey in droves, pheasant and quail, and squirrels without number.
____February 21, 1919 -Sorin’s Department Store opens.
____February 24, 1919 – Riley’s “Orphan Annie” will be produced at the Opera House in this place, Wednesday evening. Adults – 25c. This is a rich treat for all!
___March 3, 1919 – Mayor Green, Night Watchman ‘Bird’ Clark, and Officer George Grassel made a raid on a poker game at the house of John Brough. Four were arrested. The trial is set for Monday night.
____March 31, 1919 – The Darby Grange confirmed the 3rd degree on 98 candidates. Dinner was served to about 200 members. (The Darby Grange No. 779 was formed on April 10, 1874, at the Hambleton School House on Gardner Road. There were 23 charter members. It was dormant from 1882-1897. In 1897, it was reorganized with 11 old members and 12 new ones. The Grange organization was formed in 1875 to advance the methods of agriculture and promote the needs of the farmer. The Grange Hall sat on Twin Street and was razed ca. 2013. The building was the former Antioch Mission, founded by Rev. Jenny Lynn. Her picture and the church pulpit are displayed in the Hurt-Battelle Library. Jenny Lynn was famous in West Jefferson; she was born in 1868 and died in 1937. She is buried at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery. The stained glass window from the Mission can be seen in the garage at 68 S. West St.)
____March 31, 1919 – George Prugh and wife celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Grandson Audburn Braithwaite attended.
____April 14, 1919 – John Burns, the town’s oldest resident, died at the age of 91. He was born in 1828 and was a lifelong resident.