This well-known merchant and resident of Hanover has been engaged in his present business since May 1886, when he became junior member of the firm of Jeffers, Moore & Co., which partnership continued until 1871, when the firm changed to Moore & Jeffers. This firm continued until 1877, when George Jeffers purchased Moore's interest, and has since continued the business alone, conducting a prosperous trade,and numbering his patrons among the best people of this township. His store is 40 x 70 feet in dimensions, being part of a two-story brick building; which in 1883 was remodeled and provided with all the modern conveniences necessary to this business. He carries a general stock of everything required both in village and country, 66 household goods, and amounting probably to $9,000.00. His honesty and well-known integrity of character long ago established him in the esteem and confidence of the people.

Mr. Jeffers was born in Hanover, this county,December 21, 1844, and is the son of Stephen and Julia (Maxwell) Jeffers; the former of whom is residing near and the latter departed this life, March 10, 1889. The parents of our subject were among the earliest settlers of this county, coming here as early as 1839. He was the eldest son of the family and began his mercantile experience at an early age in the store of his father at Hanover. His education was conducted in the public schools and he remained a member of the parental household until after the outbreak of the Rebellion. In the fall of 1862, he offered his services to assist in the preservation of the Union, enlisting in Company F, 96th Illinois Infantry, which was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland; and remained in the service until June 1865, being much of the time on detached duty.

Upon receiving his honorable discharge from the Army, Mr. Jeffers returned to his native haunts and soon became a partner in the business of which he is now sole owner. About that time he was married, January 16, 1867 to Miss Louise Wycoff Rowan, who was born in New York City on August 1843, and is the daughter of Stephen and Elizabeth (McClellan) Rowan.

The parents of Mrs. Jeffers were natives of New York, and are now deceased. Of this union, there have been born two children, sons, Stephen and George. The family occupies a neat and comfortable residence in the eastern part of town,and are widely and favorably known in this locality.

Mr. Jeffers, politically, is a stanch Republican, although declining to be governed by party lines. He has served as Collector of Hanover Township; and held the office of Postmaster, a period of ten years, then resigned. Of his father, Stephen Jeffers, jr., a sketch will be found elsewhere in this volume.

He is still living, and, as one of the pioneers of this county who bore no unimportant part in it's growth and development is held in high esteem. The latter represented Hanover Township in the County Board of Supervisors a number of years, was a member of the Village Board of Trustees, and a Justice of the Peace. The wife of our subject is a member in good standing of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Jeffers does a good business.

From "THE HISTORY OF JO DAVIS COUNTY"

Taken from Jo Daviess Co. Directory: Hanover Township, pg. 763

JEFFERS, GEORGE, Merchant; P.O. Hanover; born in this Co., Dec. 21, 1844; has lived here since, except four years spent in the Union Army during the war; enlisted in Aug., 1862, in the 96th Regt., I.V.I.; served with his regiment one year, and was on detached duty in the quartermaster and commissary departments; he shared the toils and hardships of army life till the close of the Rebellion, when he was honorably discharged at Nashville; returned home about Jan. 1, 1876; married Miss Louise Rowan, Jan. 14, 1867; she was born in New York City in 1843; came to Galena with her parents; removed to Chicago, where they were married; Mr. J. is now in business in Hanover, is Postmaster, and known as an efficient officer.

A general store run by the firm of Moore and Company occupied the building at 207 Jefferson in the 1860's. The name changed to JEFFERS, Moore and Co. in August 1866, when GEORGE JEFFERS joined the firm. That enterprise continued until 1871, when the firm became a co-partnership of Moore and Jeffers. This partnership lasted for six years until JEFFERS purchased Moore's interest in 1877 and then became the sole proprietor. In 1883, Jeffers enlarged and remodeled his store with all the modern conveniences necessary to his business at that time.

Jeffers conducted the business until March 6, 1902 when he sold to J. S. Edwards and Albert Anderson. That partnership lasted until June 14, 1902 when Anderson bought Edwards' share out and then conducted the business on his own until the fall of 1911. Ben F. Glazier and Wilbur Bills then became the managers of what was known as the P. J. M. Miller Store, which was also a general store. This enterprise lasted until May 18, 1912, when the remaining stock was sold at a public auction.

For a period of four years different business ventures were conducted n the building but none lasted any great length of time. M. A. Sivers started a moving picture show on January 30, 1913,bug stayed for just a short time. Then on March 18, 1914, Dora McCormac opened a millinery store in the annex portion of the building and the Bell Telephone switchboard in the rear of the store. She operated the millinery store until March 1915 when Ms. (J.) Edwards from Galena bought out the stock and moved it to Galena. Then McCormic's main interest became the Bell Telephone office which she operated until she resigned in August 1915. Mrs. (John) Grande took over the Bell Telephone switchboard on September 1, 19l15, which she operated for a short time.

On January 17, 1917, William J. Sullivan became the postmaster and opened up the postoffice in the annex portion of this building; he remained as postmaster until April 20, 1922. May S. Williams was appointed the next postmaster and she remained n this building until September 1922 when she moved the post office to 207 Jefferson Street. In the last year, the postoffice was in this location Sullivan added a hardware store. Shortly after Williams moved out of the annex portion, the Hanover Journal moved its office in and stayed for a period of time. Sullivan remained in the hardware business until the forties when the store was passed on to his son Jerry Sullivan who in turn operated the business for several years. Jerry Sullivan decided to get out of the business and his brother Roger Sullivan became the next proprietor of the hardware business. Roger Sullivan then conducted the business until his death on August 19, 1966. Tommy Sheridan became the next proprietor of the hardware store and remains in that position at the present time - 1990

(The site was visited by great-granddaughter, Barbara Draper Starkey in 1990 and saw the original safe still sitting that was original to the store when her great grandfather owned it.)

Hanover Union Bank was organized on July 1, 1892, on 200 block, Jefferson street os a stock corporation with a capital of $10,000. The first officers were GEORGE JEFFERS, president; Robert Moore, cashier; James W.White, W. N. Miller, and Ms. (Robert) Moore served as teh board of directors. In September 1900, the entire stock was purchased by W. N. Miller and Benjamin Eadie and the bank was conducted as a private institution, with Miller being the president and Eadie the cashier. John Eadie purchased one-third interest in 1911 and filled the position of assistant cashier until January 1921. On January 2, 1921, new state laws went into effect prohibiting private banks, so the bank was incorporated under the same name of Hanover Union Bank, and the capital stock was increased to $25,000. The bank was owned by a stock company of which Jourgen Olson from Minot, South Dakota was the principal holder. The stock not owned by Olson was owned locally in Hanover with a large portion belonging to retired farmers. The bank crashed on October 11, 1921 when L. N. Kopland, cashier, embezzled over $135,000 and was arrested shortly afterwards at Davis Junction. Because the existing laws did not assure deposits, many of the people who had invested their money lost a great deal. The bank was closed and never reopened.

Today, 1990, the old bank is now the Village Hall.

The first creamery in Hanover was started on May 1, 1892 by Barnes and McKee from Elizabeth. On November 17, 1892, the Hanover Creamery Company was organized with a capital stock of $3,500 divided into shares of $50 each, which were held by about thirty business people and farmers. The first directors of the creamery were James Barnes, J. Cooper, William Eadie, GEORGE JEFFERS, R. J. Nesbitt, and Charles Speer. A new building was constructed at once and formally opened on April 1, 1893, manufacturing butter and cheese with G. L. Koyle in charge of operations. F. R. Palmer, Mr. Ballard, George E. Dickinson, and Frank Chapman all managed the creamery at different times in the early 1900's. The old creamery building was burned to the ground on September 2, 1915, and a new creamery - now the VFW Club was constructed and officially opened on November 19, 1915.