West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 157 by Charlie Miller
- One of two businesses that lasted 100 years was John Murray and Son. In 1890, John Murray and Frank Gallager opened a business dealing in grain, lumber, and coal under the name of Gallagher & Murray. (This business was located just on the north side of the railroad between Depot and Jackson Streets. This was before the railroad was elevated.) In 1900, the business was dissolved, and Mr. Gallagher opened a business in London, and Mr. Murray continued it in Jefferson, operating under his name. In 1922, the business was named John Murray & Son. Cletus Murray, his son, became a partner. The original plat consisted of an old-style grain elevator, two lumber warehouses, and space for unloading coal. In 1913, the Pennsylvania Rail Road elevated the tracks through the village, taking the property where the elevator was located. Mr. Murray received the plot on the east side of North Walnut Street and erected a new plant. In 1922, equipment was added for the unloading of coal by an electric conveyor from hopper cars to the overhead storage bin that was then erected, as well as storage bins.
In 1921, trucks were added instead of horses for making deliveries, and a 15-ton truck scale was installed for the weighing of trucks. In 1929, equipment and machinery were added for the manufacture of deeds and processing of homegrown gains with molasses, giving the farmer the opportunity to use their own grains for the feeding of livestock under the name of Greenback Feeds, which are exclusively made by John Murray & Son. 1930 saw the addition of Sherwin-Williams Paints, glass, and several other lines of building products. Mr. John Murray has been actively connected with the business and is, at the present time, coming near the end of his 45th year in this community.
(John Murray was born October 10, 1857, at Jeffersonville, and died April 1955, age 98. His father, Martin, and mother, Bridget, were both born in Ireland. In 1888, he married Mary Gallagher. I can remember him driving to work probably around 1950. His grandson used to tell the story that when his grandpa, who drove himself to work, would cross Main Street at the Walnut Street traffic light, and that he didn’t care if it was red or green, he’d go anyway!)
- Smith's Barber Shop, First class Work, Three Chairs –no waiting. Elmer Smith, Seth Gambill. (I got my first haircut from Elmer Smith in the building where the Huntington Bank is now.)
- Corwin Carter- The honor of being the oldest resident of West Jefferson is claimed by Corwin Carter, who celebrated his 84th birthday on September 27th. Mr. Carter lives on Frey Avenue with his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. James Berry. Thomas Corwan Carter, better known to his friends as Corwin, was born September 27th, 1840, in Paint Township, Madison County. On February 12, 1889, he was united with Miss Ella McMurray. On May 2, 1864, he enlisted and mustered into the United States service at Camp Denison on May 9, 1864. He served in Co. C, 154th regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was honorable discharged in September of 1864. (Corwin Carter died June 1, 1935, and is buried at the Deer Creek Cemetery, Lafayette. The newspaper had it wrong when they said that he was 84. He was 94.)