Jefferson County Online A part of the IAGenWeb and USGenWeb Projects Who's Who in 1921 & 1922 Frederick W. Jericho

"The Fairfield Tribune"
Friday, February 4, 1921
Page SIX

NO. 1

(EDITOR'S NOTE--At the request of many readers of the Tribune, the "Who's Who" department, which proved so popular in the Tribune some years ago, will again be conducted. Cartoons, with biographical sketches more or less truthful accompanying, will be published of the locally great, the near-great and the just plain John Smiths. The first in the new series, which will continue from week to week indefinitely, is herewith presented.)

FREDERICK WILIAM JERICHO

Perhaps country readers of the Tribune will not see anything familiar in this presentation of Frederick William Jericho, depicted carrying a sheet of paper. But business men of Fairfield generally will agree, "Uh, huh, that's Jerry." You see, when there's some money to be raised for a public improvement, or an entertainment, an old settler celebration, or anything of the kind, the chairman of the meeting asks for nominations for chairman of the finance committee. And Jerry always receives that high honor without so much as hinting that he wants it.

That's why Frederick William with a subscription paper is such a familiar figure to Fairfield business men. It has got so that when he steps into a store the merchant shies. Sometimes that merchant sees him coming and slides out the back door. That doesn't worry Jerry--he just sits down and waits for his return. For, be it known that when Frederick William Jericho starts out to get the jack he comes back with it.

In spite of the fact that Jerry started out in life against the humiliating and almost insurmountable handicap of being born in Mt. Pleasant, he has managed to get along very well and has pretty well lived down the misfortune of his birth now. It is some forty-odd years since Jerry appeared on the scene in Mt. Pleasant, and it wasn't very many years later that he began selling St. Jacob's oil and Hood's Sarsaparilla in his father's drug store down there.

Jerry's leave-taking of Mt. Pleasant was dramatic. Jerry didn't like the way the town was being run, so passed the word that he might accept a job as councilman if it was wished on him hard enough. People smiled. "Idea of a young buck like him wanting to run this town! Why, the young fool would pave the streets and do a lot of other fool things to get us into debt!" they said. So they never even considered Jerry. It made him mad. "I'll be dod-gummed if I'll stay in such a blankety-blank town; I'll go to a good town where they'll be begging me to serve on the council," he told them.

So Jerry wandered around a bit. went to school, worked over in Indiana, and then came to Fairfield. That was twenty years ago and Fred has realized his life's ambition by filling one of the aldermanic chairs over at the city hall. He goes back to Mt. Pleasant each Thanksgiving day yet. Says he likes to go on that day for the visit gets him in the properly thankful frame of mind when he sees from what he escaped.

As a sort of a sideline to which he gives nearly all of his time Jerry handles a well known line of phonographs. He isn't what you would call reticent on any subject, but get him started on phonographs and Marvin Humpreys wouldn't have a look-in. Not long ago Jerry telephoned a party, saying he understood she was in the market for a talking machine, and asked if he couldn't send one down to demonstrate. It was all right, so Jerry loaded up a very handsome one, took it to the house, and spent a couple of hours volubly telling of its merits. The lady's aged father, who was somewhat deaf, had been in the next room during Jerry's visit, where he could hear but not see. After Jerry had gone and there was a great silence in the room, the old man called to his daughter:

"Did you by either one of those talking machines?" he asked.

"Either one? Why, there was only one!" replied the lady.

"Well! I thought I heard two," the old man answered.

But at that Jerry always has something interesting to say whether he talks of phonographs or any other subject. And Jerry is likewise a doer. Put him at the head of a progressive movement--something for the good of the city or the community--and he'll put it over with a bang. Last fall they made Jerry the supreme head of the Old Settler celebration. You got to give it to him for pulling off the biggest, best and smoothest running show of the kind the city ever had. And, it may be well to mention that though Jerry devils the life out of others with his unceasing subscription papers, you'll always find his own name on them opposite a nice, fat amount.

On the whole, Frederick William Jericho is one of Fairfield's most useful citizens. You'll find him on the job any time you place him there if it is something that is of real benefit to the town or community, and he'll give you the very best that he's got. Only--just be careful not to mention phonographs while he's working or he's likely to get sidetracked.