BlockJefferson, Ohio
12 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1905 and the latest in 1994. It stands in Jefferson Township. It lies in ZIP code area 44047. The Survey maps it on the Jefferson quadrangle. 3,226 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 958 feet above sea level.
Then and now
1905 to 1994The same ground, surveyed 89 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.
Compare 1905 against another survey:
On record in Jefferson
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 5 records
Joshua Reed Giddings Law OfficeNational Historic Landmark · listed 1974
Ashtabula County Courthouse Grouplisted 1975
Griggs Grange No. 1467listed 1995
Jefferson Town Halllisted 1981
Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad Stationlisted 1982
Surveyed buildings and structures 3 records
- Benjamin Wade House, 22 Jefferson Street, Jeffersonfederal building survey, 7 photographs
- Joshua R. Giddings Law Office, Chestnut & Walnut Streets, Jeffersonfederal building survey, 5 photographs
- Talcott House, Walnut Street, Jeffersonfederal building survey, 2 photographs
Businesses named in the fire insurance atlases 12 of 19 shown
- Opera HouseOpera House, in the atlas of 1902 to 1915
- Catholic ChurchChurch, in the atlas of 1902 to 1909
- High SchoolSchool, in the atlas of 1890 to 1909
- Trinity Episcopal ChurchChurch, in the atlas of 1902 to 1909
- American HotelHotel, in the atlas of 1890
- American House and LiveryLivery, in the atlas of 1909
- Beede, G. O., Saw MillSaw Mill, in the atlas of 1915
- Gazette PrintingPrinting, in the atlas of 1909
- Herrick Bros., Flour MillFlour Mill, in the atlas of 1915
- Jelterson Oreamery & MilleMill, in the atlas of 1890
- Jones, E.E., Flour-millMill, in the atlas of 1902
- Mead, O. E., Planing-millMill, in the atlas of 1902
Population over time
2 figuresJefferson grew from 3,120 to 3,226 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 3,120 | |
| 2020 | 3,226 | +106 (+3%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
7 surveys from 12 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1905 USGS Jefferson quadrangle1:62500
- 1907 USGS Jefferson quadrangle1:62500
- 1956 USGS Cleveland quadrangle1:250000, 3 printings
- 1960 USGS Jefferson quadrangle1:24000, 3 printings
- 1962 USGS Cleveland quadrangle1:250000
- 1986 USGS Ashtabula quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
- 1994 USGS Jefferson quadrangle1:24000
In the county-history sources
31,200 words on this townshipHistory of Ashtabula County, Ohio, published 1878 names this settlement in its chapter on Jefferson Township. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.
The surface of the township is but slightly undulating, and its soil is better adapted to the interests of the dairy than to agriculture. Its timber consists chiefly of beech and maple, although there is a considerable quantity of chestnut, whitewood, and ash, and some cherry and black walnut. Mill creek is the principal stream, enters the township about one mile from the southeast corner, and flows northwestwardly until it reaches the extension of Market street, at a point about one-half mile south of the northern boundary of the township, where it changes its course and flows in a southwestwardly direction until it passes into Austinburg, at about one and three-fourths miles from the southwest corner of the township. It received its name from Sterling Mills, who settled upon its banks at an early day, in Austinburg. The stream has several tributaries, the chief one being Mill creek, which rises in the southern portion of the township and flows northwestwardly until it reaches the main current about a mile distant, in a westwardly direction from the northwest corner of the town-site of Jefferson. It derived its name from the fact that the first grist-mill in the township was erected upon its banks. Wolf creek obtained its name from the fact that the early settlers built a wolf-pen on the bank of the stream.
Passage source: History of Ashtabula County, Ohio, published 1878.
In 1809, John Shook, assisted by McDaniel, built the first grist-mill in the township, on the bank of Mill creek, about one and one-half miles northwest of the centre of the village. It was a rude affair, but was of immense benefit to the pioneers of Jefferson. Here the first flour made in the township was manufactured. In 1812, the mill having gotten out of repair, the dam being gone, the inhabitants of the township collected in force, rebuilt the dam, and put the mill into operation again. Not only did it do the grinding of the settlers wheat and corn, but grain was brought to it to be ground from Ashtabula, Austinburg, and Morgan. In 1810, Wareham Grant built a saw-mill on the same stream, a short distance southeast of Mr. Shook's grist-mill. This mill sawed the first board that was sawed in the township. In 1812 there was a noteworthy accession to the population of the township in the arrival from Sheffield, Berkshire county,
Passage source: History of Ashtabula County, Ohio, published 1878.
Early Roads. - The first route along which the Jefferson settlers traveled was the bridle-path of Eldrad Smith, made in 1804, and formed into a wagon-road in the following year. In 1810. T. R. Hawley surveyed the road from Jefferson to Ashtabula. This was a county road, and followed with little variation the course of the present road as far north as to Plum creek, where it bore to the east of this road so as to pass between the two little marshes, along a natural elevation, then across the big marsh, and onward to Ashtabula. A traveled road, which had been in use before this county road was surveyed, took a northeastward direction at Plum creek, crossing a narrow neck of the little marsh, and so on through Plymouth to Ashtabula. It was a wretched road. A causeway formed by laying the trunks of small trees across the route extended over the worst portion of the road, and it came to be the dread of travelers ; and soon there were strewn along this causeway broken vehicles almost without number.
Passage source: History of Ashtabula County, Ohio, published 1878.
Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.
Read the whole chapter on Jefferson Township - it names this place 17 more 17 times.
Photographs
3 photographs,Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Fires near this place
2 since 2020Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 2 fires within 5 miles of Jefferson in 2020, burning about 2 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 2 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 July 2020 | Debris and open burning | 2.0 acres | Ohio Department of Natural Resources | 15767 |
| 25 April 2020 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Ohio Department of Natural Resources | 15702 |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Specimens collected near this place
12 of 482 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. Museums hold 482 specimens collected within 10 miles of Jefferson between 1872 and 1975: 414 Animalia, 50 Plantae, 16 Fungi, 1 Unrecorded, 1 Chromista. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by A. B. Fuller, A. Woolman, Ansley, G and others. Each is a physical object with a catalogue number, and each entry opens the museum's record. This is what was collected and kept, not a survey of what lives here - nothing can be concluded from a species being absent.
| Image | Species | Year | Collected by | Where, as recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Hymenostylium curvirostre Mitt. | 1872 | L. B. Tuckerman | |
 | Actinonaias carinata gibba (C.T.Simpson, 1900) | 1903 | not recorded | Cuyahoga River, South Park, Above Cleveland |
 | unnamed | 1915 | Munsell; Harvey | |
 | Riccia fluitans L. | 1892 | E. E. Bogue | |
 | Ameiurus natalis (Lesueur, 1819) | 1893 | A. Woolman | Ashtabula River, Ashtabula, Ohio |
 | Catostomus commersonii (Lacepède, 1803) | 1893 | A. Woolman | Ashtabula River, Ashtabula, Ohio |
 | Etheostoma blennioides Rafinesque, 1819 | 1893 | not recorded | Ashtabula River, Ashtabula, Ohio |
 | Etheostoma caeruleum Storer, 1845 | 1893 | not recorded | Ashtabula River, Ashtabula, Ohio |
 | Etheostoma nigrum Rafinesque, 1820 | 1893 | A. Woolman | Indian Creek 5 miles east Geneva Ohio |
 | Geranium pusillum L. | 1893 | Goodrich | Ashtabula Co. |
 | Lepomis gibbosus (Linnaeus, 1758) | 1893 | A. Woolman | Ashtabula River, Ashtabula, Ohio |
 | Lithobates clamitans (Latreille, 1801) | 1893 | not recorded | Geneva, Cowles Creek |
All 482 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
Storms near this place
32 since 1994Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Jefferson in 32 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 23 thunderstorm wind, 7 hail, 1 lightning, 1 funnel cloud. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | $300,000 | Thunderstorm downburst winds produced a swath of damage across northern Ashtabula County. Damage stretched from the Jefferson area northeastward across Sheffield Township and into the Conneaut area. Significant tree damage was reported in Jefferson. A residence in Sheffield Township along Peebles Road had nearly 70 trees toppled. Dozens of trees were also downed in the Conneaut area with at least five homes in the town heavily damaged by fallen trees. Scattered downed trees were reported across the remainder of the area. Many power outages were reported. |
| May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | $200,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed several large trees and power lines. Farm equipment was overturned and a roof was blown off a barn. Siding on an industrial building was damaged during this event as well. |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | $70,000 | The media reported numerous trees down in Jefferson and Sheriff's office confirmed trees and powerlines down across the county. First Energy reported 5000 customers lost power. |
| August 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | $25,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed 10 to 15 trees in Jefferson. A truck was crushed by one of the trees. |
| July 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | $20,000 | Law enforcement officials reported trees downed across all of Ashtabula County. |
| June 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | $20,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed a tree in Jefferson and a second tree three miles south of town. The tree to the south of town damaged a parked car. |
| June 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | $15,000 | A large tree limb was downed on a house. Lawn furniture was blown across the yard. Neighbors homes were unaffected and a very small microburst is suspected. |
| April 2002 | Hail | Jefferson | $10,000 | Quarter size hail was reported. |
| June 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | $10,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed several trees in and around Jefferson. |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | $6,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed a few trees south of Jefferson. |
| July 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | $5,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed a few trees. |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | $5,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed a few trees. |
| November 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | $5,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed a few large tree limbs near Jefferson. |
| April 2002 | Hail | Jefferson | $5,000 | Quarter size hail was reported. |
| April 2002 | Hail | Jefferson | $5,000 | Dime to quarter size hail was reported. |
| June 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | $5,000 | Trees were downed, some on power lines. |
| September 2012 | Hail | Jefferson | $4,000 | A National Weather Service employee and members of the public reported quarter size hail in Jefferson. |
| September 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | $2,500 | Law Enforcement reported a couple trees down from east of Jefferson. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | $2,000 | A few large limbs were reported down. |
| July 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | $2,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed two large tree limbs west of Jefferson. |
| June 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | $1,000 | Thunderstorm winds knocked a tree down on State Route 46. |
| September 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | $1,000 | Member of the public reported a few large tree limbs downed from strong thunderstorm wind gusts. |
| July 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | $1,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed a large tree in Pierpont Township. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | - | Trees downed in Jefferson. |
| June 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | - | Two trees downed in Jefferson, including one on North Spruce Street. |
| October 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | - | Multiple healthy tree limbs downed in Jefferson. |
| July 2007 | Hail | Jefferson | - | Nickel size hail was observed. |
| June 2004 | Hail | Jefferson | - | Penny size hail was observed south of Jefferson. |
| May 2002 | Funnel Cloud | Jefferson | - | Trained spotters observed a funnel cloud. |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Jefferson | - | Thunderstorm winds were estimated at 60 mph. |
| August 2001 | Hail | Jefferson | - | Quarter size hail was reported. |
| July 1999 | Lightning | Jefferson | - | Two men, ages 55 and 31 were struck by lightning while leaning on a metal pole in their yard. Both men were treated for minor injuries at a local hospital. |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chapel | 3.6 miles | 14 | |
| Eagleville | 3.8 miles | 12 | |
| Rays Corners | 3.9 miles | 12 | |
| Lenox Center | 4.1 miles | 12 | |
| South Denmark | 4.7 miles | 18 | |
| Rowenton | 4.7 miles | 18 | |
| Austinburg | 5.0 miles | 14 | |
| Cold Springs | 5.1 miles | 12 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Jefferson | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q1014189 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1042061. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Specimens. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), https://www.gbif.org/. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY are used. Records licensed CC BY-NC are excluded because this site carries advertising. Images are checked individually and any whose licence is non-commercial, no-derivatives or unreadable is refused.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.