West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 70 by Charlie Miller
____December 6, 1934 – The West Jefferson Power & Light Company has been purchased by the Dayton Power & Light Company for a price of $64,411.54. The West Jefferson concern served Madison and Union Counties.
____December 20, 1934 – The State Utilities Commission has authorized the sale of the West Jefferson Power & Light Co. to the Columbus Railroad & Light Co. instead of DP&L. Mayor Putnam and members of the council protested the sale to DP&L asserting that the Columbus firm could give lower rates and more efficient service.
____West Jefferson Firemen for 1934 were Ed Lamb, Chief, Miller Clark, John Chenos, E. Strain, E. Moore, Gene Compton, and Tommy Neeshan.
____January 3, 1935 – John W. Kubitschack, veteran hotel keeper and restaurant operator, died this afternoon following a long illness at his home in the Star Hotel, which he had operated for more than 20 years. Mr. Kubitschack, a native of Germany, had been in business in West Jefferson since 1891. (He was born in July of 1863 in Austria but immigrated from Germany in 1885. The Star Hotel was in the building on E. Main St. just east of the Blauser Building)
____February 14, 1935 – The Kiser & Hoe Cannery of West Jefferson has merged with the Crampton Cannery of Celina, Ohio. William A. Beddle will remain in charge of the local plant. (Kiser and Hoe also had branches in Plain City and Milford Center)
____February 18, 1935 – Zachery Taylor (do not confuse with Zachery Taylor, the druggist), age 85 years, Veteran of the Indian Wars, died Sunday at the home of his daughter Mrs. Grace Tinkler, Frey Ave. Mr. Taylor was born in West Jefferson in 1849 and spent his early childhood here. He spent seven years fighting in the Indian Wars on the Western Frontier and then returned to this community. He is survived by four daughters, Mrs. Tinkler, Mrs. Laura Gibson, Mrs Helen Baker, and Mrs. Francis Craft.
(Mr. Taylor served as Pvt. Taylor in Co. G 14th U. S. Infantry. He enlisted on February 21, 1870, at Camp Douglas, Utah, 3 miles west of Salt Lake City. He was 20 years old and stood 6’2”. He was discharged on April 5, 1877. He had been stationed at Ft. Laramie and Ft. Federman. He had fought Indians in Wyoming and the Dakota Territory. The 14th had been founded during the Civil War and had fought at Gettysburg and continues and a battalion is now attached to the 10th Mountain Division. Camp Douglas was closed in 1991 and is now owned by the University of Utah, which has established the Fort Douglas Military Museum. He is buried at the Foster Chapel Cemetery.
____April 29, 1935 – Jimmy Clark, the “Village Lamplighter” for many years, died Monday.