West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 23 by Charlie Miller
EARLY LAWS: There were 17 sections alone pertaining to the Market. #17 read, The Clerk of the Market shall prevent the sale in the Market House of any butter offered and not weighed into 1lb. or ½ lb. packages. He shall also inspect or weigh any rolls or prints, and if in default in weight, he shall dispose of the same in a manner as directed in the fourth section of this ordinance. From some of the other laws, we can get some idea of the activity going on around town during these early years, of which very little was recorded.
FREE HELP: July 15, 1836, Be it ordained by the President and council that all white males between the age of 21 and 50 years, who have resided 10 days within the said town, who are not a township charge, shall be liable yearly, and every year, to do and perform two days work on the public highways, streets, or alleys or anywhere within said town under the direction of the supervisors of said Corporation.
On May 22, 1837, an ordinance was passed levying a tax of ¼% on the taxable property of the Village of Jefferson. A committee of two was appointed to finish or have finished the Town House. Ferrin Olmstead and J. W. Simpkins were appointed.
Although the first Fire Co. was not formed until 1849, we find that 11 years earlier the town had purchased three ladders, 24 feet long and 3 feet wide, and two ladders 15 feet long and 8 fire hooks. These were all stored in the Market House. (The Jefferson Township Fire Dept. has one of the leather water buckets from that early time.)
April 17, 1839- The Market House was painted. Center Street was graded by Henry Harnor in 1840 for the amount of $40.00
It appears that they were still having trouble getting the Market House finished, on April 13, 1844, it was resolved “That it is expedient to finish the present Market House in a style suitable and make a Town House of it.”
January 31, 1848- Council was called together by the President to devise some means of preventing the spread of smallpox in the village. Resolved: A committee of two will be appointed to visit smallpox houses in town to see about having all children vaccinated in town. Whereupon James Burrows and Henry Stickle were appointed.