Madison County Ohio History and Genealogy

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West Jefferson

From Atlas of Madison County, J.A. Caldwell [Condit, Ohio, 1875]

Page 9

The town of Jefferson is situated in a township of the same name, fourteen miles west of Columbus, on the Columbus and Xenia Railroad, and the National Road. The first effort at a town here was called Hamden, and was just south of where John Heath's house now stands; but upon the location of the National Road, in 1830, Isaac Jones, father of C.C. and Wm. Jones, laid out the town of Jefferson, and the town of Hamden was abandoned, most of the houses being moved over to the new town. The first house built in the new town was a part of that now occupied by Dr. Wilson. The first house built for business purposes was a part of what has been known for forty years as the "Mantle House." In this house Mr. Dalby opened the first tavern, and also commenced selling goods. John Simpkins, father of Gaines Simpkins, was the next to open a tavern, whcih he did on the lot where now stands the American. The first blacksmith in the new town was Geo. W. Lewis, now our venerable mayor, who worked in a shop where his office now stands.

The first physician in the place was Dr. David Wilson, who still lives here, although not practising his profession for the last twenty years.

The first effort at manufacturing here was in the shape of a carding-machine and grist-mill, erected by John Mills, on Little Darby, near where Mr. A.R. Hains now lives, as early as 1817. Next came the carding-machine and saw-mill built by Isaac Jones, in the corporation.

For many years after the completion of the National Road, the town grew rapdily, and for twenty years it was the most important point in the county. An immense emigration West, passing over the great road just opened, kept the half-dozen hotels crowded, while the great number of coaches between Columbus and Cincinnati always gave the place a lively appearance. A large business was also done in packing beef and pork by Dr. Jennet Stutson, two large flouring-mills were established, and a large wholesale dry goods trade was built up by Dr. Bliss, father of D.W. Bliss. The completion of the railroad, in 1850, put an end to prosperity. It now has a population of 800, and although not increasing much in the last few years, is yet a very desirable place for trade. It has three very complete dry goods stores, six grocery stores, two drug stores, one shoe store, one large wagon shop, three blacksmith shops, three churches, one large Union-school building, in which five teachers are employed, one saw-mill, one flouring-mill, four physicians, and one lawyer. At an early day, a fort or block-house was built on the east banks of Little Darby, about twenty rods south of where the National Road crosses the creek, near where the town now stands.