West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 15 by Charlie Miller

The 1850s: Information printed in the 1934 Jefferson Centennial edition of the Madison Press, brought to light the diary of one John Melvin, who in 1853 was the Madison County Auditor, living in West Jefferson and commuted to London on the train. 

Excerpts: March 12, 1853-Went to Columbus, and got money changed and railroad tickets for my wife to go to New York. 

March 21, 1853- remained at home all day with the exception of going to hear Rev. Uriah Heath preach a first-rate sermon. Revival at the M. E. Church commences. (The Methodist Episcopal Church was built in 1862 and sat on the current site of a dentist's office, previously it was the Hunting Bank. (Your writer has a pew and organ from that church.) 

April 4, 1853- Stayed at home today, it being Election Day. Temperance ticket carried in Jefferson Town, Township went whiskey. 

May 13, 1853- Gray and his wife and negro John, were arrested today for stealing Stutson’s pork and sent to jail. 

December 15, 1853- On this day Mr. Melvin says he gave up the key to his home and moved. Mr. Melvin died on January 15, 1857. He was an ardent lodge member, and while a resident of West Jefferson, founded Madison Lodge #221, F&AM. 

Madison Chronicle, June 5, 1854- Petition for a road beginning at the Urbana Pike, on a line between Luther Johnson and William Burell, east to Little Darby Creek, crossing opposite the foot of the hill where line of George Goodson and William Burell continues on the east side of the Creek, running with said line to where it connects with the county road leading from Jefferson to Byerly’s Mill. Abner Johnson and others. (This is now Byerly Mill Rd. which runs from Ohio Rt. 29 to Little Darby Creek. Byerly’s mill sat on the creek and there must have been a fording across the creek and the road continued to connect with Taylor-Blair Rd.) 

June 1854- The milling business of Stutson and Olmstead dissolved on June 20, 1854. Jennett Stutson & F,H. Olmstead. 

September 1855- Saw Mill for sale, five miles northwest of Jefferson, ½ mile from the Urbana & Jefferson Turnpike. (this is the mill that was located on the Byerly Mill Rd. at the creek.