West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 127 by Charlie Miller
____September 17, 1931 – A community fire engine was purchased Tuesday night at a meeting held at the Mayor’s office. Through the efforts of a solicitor, pledges in the amount of nearly $5,000.00 have been made for the purchase of a new community fire engine, a 350-gallon pumper, and a chemical engine for the whole community to be used by the communities between Rome and Lafayette. It’s possible that the fire company at this place will be reorganized, then four men trained to operate the outfit and at each other community have the assistance of the other firefighters; the officers for the Community Fire Department elected at a regular meeting held a few weeks ago were Sam Feder, President and R. I. Blauser, Secy.
____October 2, 1931 – The following is from Recob’s Meat Market: Fresh Callies—10c. lb. Smoked Callies—12 ½ c. lb. Bacon—17c. lb. Loin Pork Chops—20c. lb. Shoulder Chops—17c. lb. Sausage—15c. lb. Hamburger fresh and savory—12c. lb. Frankfurters—15c. lb.
____November 12, 1931 – John M. Gillivan, 65, local hardware dealer, passes away. He had conducted a store at Gillivan, Ohio, starting in 1886, then in 1890 sold out and, with his brother George, took over their father’s hardware store in West Jefferson. In 1903, after his brother George died, he ran the business on his own. He is survived by two sons, Ralph F. ‘Paddy’ Gillivan and Allen O. Gillivan, and one daughter, Mrs. Lucille Ewart. (Gillivan Hardware was founded in 1866 by James Gillivan, who was born in Ireland in 1834. He immigrated in 1855. He served as Post Master at Gillivan from March 17, 1887, to June 7, 1890. He died on August 6, 1909, and is buried at Mt. Calvary Cemetery. Gillivan Hardware was in business for 100 years.)
____November 26, 1931 – Miss Gladys Stickel is moving the White Kitchen Restaurant from the Stutson Building to the Hotel (Mantle House) back to its former location. Miss Stickle will operate the White Kitchen and hotel, catering to the tourist trade and providing the same good service to the local trade. (Gladys operated the White Kitchen along with her husband, George B. (Chesty) Smith. After she died in 1949, he married her sister Katherine (Kad) Smith. Chesty served 2 ½ years in the U. S. Army Air Force during WWII, serving as a Corporal. The White Kitchen was the place to eat when U. S. Route 40 was the main east and west thoroughfare)
___August 1, 1932 – Sunday, the Bill Cody (Buffalo Bill) Wild West Show caravan of nearly 100 trucks and automobiles passed through West Jefferson. A stop was made at the Strosnider Filling Station, where 241 gallons of gas and 41 quarts of oil were purchased for their machines—a pretty good order! (Bill Strosnider’s station was at the junction of the London Road and U. S. 40.)
____September 1, 1932 – Cement work on the 10 miles stretch of the National Road between Summerford and West Jefferson was finished on Wednesday afternoon. This stretch of highway replaces a narrow crowning highway and joins a good road at either end, as the Springfield end was finished last year. Another job on the National will no doubt be started in the next two years to Columbus, a distance of about 9 miles, which would make the National a paved highway from Hebron to Indianapolis.