Editing West Jefferson, Ohio (section)

=== Early settlement ===
Around 1820-1830, a settlement named 'New Hampton' was established, just about a mile south of the current town site.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CONTENTdm |url=https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p15005coll8/id/2730/rec/2 |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=ohiomemory.org}}</ref> In 1830, the first map of the town's plots was drawn up by Isaac Jones,<ref>{{Cite web |title=CONTENTdm |url=https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p15005coll8/id/1894/rec/1 |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=ohiomemory.org}}</ref> one of the first settlers aside from Jones and Sexton, and a prominent citizen of West Jefferson. The first town hall was built at an unknown time, most likely between 1830-1835. During 1835, the second town hall was built by Horace Putnam,<ref>{{Cite web |title=CONTENTdm |url=https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p15005coll8/id/2543/rec/76 |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=ohiomemory.org}}</ref> another prominent citizen in W. Jeff's history. Unfortunately, there is very little documentation on the second town hall, and even less on the first. Around 1848-1849, the Columbus and Xenia railroad raised $20,000 from the citizens of Madison county to build a railroad.<ref>{{Cite web |title=West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 11 {{!}} Hurt/Battelle Memorial Library |url=https://www.hbmlibrary.org/content/west-jefferson-days-gone-series-11 |access-date=2025-02-07 |website=www.hbmlibrary.org}}</ref> The original railroad station build within West Jefferson appears to no longer exist, however, a slightly newer railroad station (most likely built before 1938) still exists<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMK6f4wSGIE |title=West Jefferson, Ohio 1938 & 1952 |date=2017-02-03 |last=Chris Thacker |access-date=2025-02-08 |via=YouTube}}</ref> as part of the Fisher Cast Steel Mill. Unlike the trains that used to run through the town in the 1930's, the current trains are diesel and transport freight instead of passengers.

The first church with some photograph documentation was built in 1863, being the Methodist Episcopal Church.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CONTENTdm |url=https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p15005coll8/id/2866/rec/71 |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=ohiomemory.org}}</ref> As for the oldest church still currently standing, (and possibly the only church with a steeple in the town) is the Ss. Simon and Jude church, constructed in 1869.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CONTENTdm |url=https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p15005coll8/id/2146/rec/1 |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=ohiomemory.org}}</ref> It is one of the tallest buildings in the town.