West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 121 by Charlie Miller

____May 17, 1926 – From a story appearing in the Columbus Citizen: “Some comments from West Jefferson residents why they like 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 our real natives.” J. W. Kubitschak, 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.”

(My, times have changed, haven’t they.)

____May 30, 1926 – Two of the five surviving West Jefferson Civil War Veterans were escorted to the Alton Cemetery. They were: Thomas Pearce, age 90; James “Daddy” Chambers, 87; George Prugh, 85, Corwin Carter, 83 and W. R. Borland, 80.

____June 28, 1926 – Beginning July 1st, the old custom of ringing ‘Curfew’ will be put into force again. But in accordance with the changing of customs, the old curfew bell at the Hall will not be used, but a siren will be sounded. (When the Baptist Church across the street held revivals, the preacher had to stop preaching a few minutes at 9 o’clock.)

____July 1, 1926 – The London National Guard is one of the oldest in the State of Ohio being formed originally as the 154th Regiment, Ohio National Guard, On May 9, 1864 Capt. Alex Swanston of West Jefferson Commanded Company C of that Regiment. A number of West Jefferson men also served in the 154th.

____September 6, 1926 – George Stephenson, who conducts a blacksmith’s shop on N. West St., is the prize “Smithy” of Ohio. He was given this honor at the State Fair last week when he took home first honors from a field numbering in the hundreds. (George was born in 1884 in Yorkshire, England. In 1909, he married Edith Harbage. He died on October 22, 1996, and is buried at Foster Chapel Cemetery.

He was a blacksmith, but was more famous as a Horseshoer. When Anhauser-Busch was on the road with their Clydesdales, they would have him come and shoe the horses. He never lost his accent. He would come into the I.G.A. and order a ‘alf a pund of hamburger.)

____September 16, 1926 – Fred Weber, head of the West Jefferson Elevator Co., announced that a contract had been let for the construction of a new elevator, which is to be built at a cost of $30,000.00. The plant will be built on the site of the old one but will be on the level this eliminating the hard pull.

____November 18, 1926 – One of the town’s oldest businessmen, William Hailslett, age 73, has died. He came to Jefferson in 1885 and set up his hardware store. (William Hailslett was born in New London, Pa., in 1852 and died in November of 1926. His wife, Patty, was born in Cambridge, England, in 1854. Their hardware store was on the current site of the Huntington Bank parking lot. She was very strange; when she died, Attorney William Culp was the Executor of the estate, and he found several different bank accounts under several different names. The late Robert Wilson, Sr. used to tell the story that she drug William around the town by his ear!)