West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 85 by Charlie Miller
____November 10, 1886, laying of the new Baptist Church cornerstone, cont’d – The inspiring service was proceeded by the laying of the cornerstone which was sealed in a tin box containing a history of the church and a copy of the Madison County Democrat describing the occasion. After the ceremony, the citizens marched to the Baptist Church. (The church stood two blocks north of Main Street in the middle of what is now Center Street. The building was later purchased by the Murray Lumber Co. and was used for storage. Sometime in the 1990’s the building caught fire and burned to the ground. The first church building was an old log cabin which was located about 20 paces from the gate of the New Hampton cemetery. In 1833 a brick building was erected and was used until 1844 when the church on Center Street was built.)
____September 28, 1887 – Village Council voted to pay Rumsey & Co. of Seneca Falls, N.Y. $500.00 for a fire engine No. 245 ½ with 400 feet of 1 ½ inch hose, 30 feet of 2 ½ inch hose, and an oil can, wrench and complete throughout. To be paid for ½ in 60 days after acceptance of the engine and ½ on or before one year of acceptance. The new engine will be named Jefferson #2. J. B. Hill was appointed Fire (Engine was accepted on November 17, 1887.)
____1887 – There was at least one telephone in town by 1887 as the town was billed for $1.50 for the use of Z. R. Taylor’s telephone.
____1887 – The Coral Rebekah Lodge was instituted in West Jefferson, Mary Fellows was the first Noble Grand.
____March 14, 1888 – Dan McCarty and Wm. H. Stutson have opened a butcher shop on the old stand of George Hann on Main Street.
____March 28, 1888 – John McNeal has purchased 4 acres of land adjoining the Catholic Cemetery where he will run a brick and tile yard. (John McNeal was born in 1858 the son of Jacob McNeal who settled in West Jefferson and opened a carriage manufacturing business on the southeast corner of Main and Twin Streets. John McNeal died in 1936 and is buried at Pleasant Hill Cemetery.
____April 25, 1888 – A gas well has been drilled in the London area on the land of Elmer Moorman, 7 miles southeast of London.
____June 24, 1888 – The new Baptist Church was dedicated here today.
____August 1, 1888 - A dinosaur tooth weighing 5 lbs, 12 oz. was found in Big Darby Creek near Chenoweth’s Mill and sent to the 1888 Ohio Centennial and added to the Madison County exhibit.
____February 12, 1889 – Council voted to construct a cistern of 200 bbl. capacity to be situated 800 feet west of the one in front of Town Hall. ( This was just west of the intersection of Twin and Main Streets.)