West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 60 by Charlie Miller
____November 19, 1925 – Ed Johnson’s famous “Yaller” dog is dead. Hon. E. J. Johnson of West Jefferson and Arkansas arrived home Wednesday. He had a sad report to make to his hunter friends here that “Yaller,” his famous coon and snake dog, about which column after column has been written, died a few weeks ago. (It was always said that the movie ‘Old Yaller” was based on Mr. Johnson’s dog. He had also written a book about Old Yaller. Ed was a famous lawyer here in West Jefferson and lived down on Heath Lane.)
____Some 1925 West Jefferson businesses were: Wade’s Grocery; J. A. Baer, Undertaker; West Jefferson Cut Flower and Plant Co.; Britton’s Meat Market; Grover Burrell Grocery; West Jefferson Building & Loan; Madison County Finance Co.; West Jefferson Elevator Co.; Headley-Maddux, Cars; Buckley’s Hardware; Exhibit Theater; Commercial Bank; John Murray & Son Grain & Lumber; The Moss Store; Farmer’s Cream Station; Pence & Blaluser Undertaker & Furniture; W. E. Poulson’s Store; Pence & Baber Used Cars; Sunset Oil Co. and Gillivan’s Hardware.
____December 18, 1925 – Lot D. Hull, Civil War Veteran and former West Jefferson Mayor, passes away…..L. D. Hull, 87, died Monday at his home on W. Main St. He came to Jefferson over 50 years ago. He was a charter member of the Wilson Burrows G.A.R. Post #389 and held the honor of the first Commander of the Post. (L. D. Hull served as Post Master from 1898-1919. He also served as a Corporal with the 12th Ohio Infantry and fought in the 2nd Battle of Bull Run, South Mountain, and Antietam. He served from June 1861 to December 1865.)
_____January 28, 1926 – Bill Strosnider has bought the West End Filling Station from Baley & Spencer. (This is currently a Deli on the intersection of Main St. and London Rd.)
____March 18, 1926 – Motor Cop Bill Clark is riding a new Indian Motorcycle this week, the result of action taken by the Village Council at their last meeting.
____May 3, 1926 – E. E. “Pete” Gregg is a high scorer in the big trap shoot at Vandalia, Ohio. He was a high gun at the State Shoot at Vandalia with a score of 183 out of 200. There were over 150 sportsmen participating. (E. E. Gregg was Edwin Earl Gregg, also known as Earl Gregg, Pete Gregg, or just Pete. He was a character. He sold insurance, a forerunner of Gregg & Hay. He served as Village Clerk for many years; he was also a Justice of the Peace. He once swore in the Mayor of West Jefferson at Christmas time dressed as Santa Claus. Earl had ridden motorcycles most of his life, and he now had a motor scooter. Evil Knievel had just jumped the Snake River on a motorcycle. Earl said he would jump Little Darby on his motor scooter.)
____May 17, 1926 – The Columbus Citizen – Some comments from West Jefferson residents about why they liked West Jeff. Z. R. Taylor, proprietor of the Rexall Drug Store, “There’s no dirt, little noise, clean air, and good water. Many residents of West Jefferson are back several generations; most of us are real natives.” J. W. Kubitschack, owner of the Star Hotel, is one of the oldest businesses in town. "I’ve liked the place for 34 years, and I’m going to keep on liking it.”