STEPHEN JEFFERS, JR. Farmer; Sec. 15; P.O. Hanover; born in Broome Co., N. Y., Sept. 20, 1820; came to Whiteside Co. in 1836; resided there three years and came to Jo Daviess in 1839; returned to Whiteside and married Miss Julia Maxwell Feb. 14, 1844; she was born in Deleware Co., N.Y., Feb. 22, 1819; they came from N. Y. in the same emigrant train, consisting of twelve wagons; were on the road twelve weeks; have four children living; George, Perry, Albert, Willard; lost two children, William and Ellen; only four houses in Hanover when he came to the place. Mr. J. enlisted in 96th Regt. I. V. I.; mustered in at Rockford, Oct. 6, 1862; elected Quartermaster and served with the Regt. till commissioned Captain in Commissary Dept.; remained in army till close of war; was honorable discharged and returned to his home in this Co.; was in business for twelve or fourteen years; resigned his commission as P. M. when he enlisted. Supervisor ten years, Justice of Peace four years; has served as School Director, School Trustee, and Collector several years,, owns 700 acres land. Jeffers Willard, farm; S. 15. P.O. Hanover.

The most disastrous fire that occurred in Hanover was on October 16, 1888. The fire began between 12:00 and 1:00p.m. in the furniture store of C. F. Dadman at 201 Jefferson Street. Dadmun had an old stove minus one leg, which apparently had fallen over while Dadmun was home for lunch. The fire was rapidly spread by a fierce gale of wind, which swept the blaze east to Dr. Love's drug store at 205 Jefferson Street, and then on to Albert Wright's harness shop at 207 Jefferson Street. The fire spread east until it struck August Westphal's boot and shoe store at 211 Jefferson Street and also the new home of Stephen Jeffers at 215 Jefferson Street. For awhile, the residents of Hanover feared that the whole town would burn because of the sparks flying all over, and many people gathered up their valuable possessions and fled across the river to the north side of town. With great heroic efforts, the fire was finally extinguished at the residency of David Gray, 219 Jefferson Street by literally covering the house with wet blankets.

NOTE: Julia passed away 5 months later - was the fire too much.

The present location of the Hanover State Bank (1990) was once the site of Stephen Jeffers' home, built in the mid-1880's and burned to the ground in the fire of 1888. The lot sat vacant until July 1927 when the city erected a bandstand which was used for many years. The new bank building's begining was on March 28, 1972.

The Hanover United Presbyterian Church was organized as the Associated Congregation of Apple River. It's early home was the Log Church constructed in 1839. The church was used by the Hanover Presbyterians until 1851-52 when the first church building to be constructed in Hanover was built on land donated to the congregation by James W. White. The church stood on the site of the present-day United Presbyterian Church and was built of brick by Stephen Jeffers to the measure of thirty-four-by-forty-four feet.

The first bridge to span the Apple River in Hanover was erected in 1848 by Darius Hunkins from Galena. That bridge lasted for a period of fourteen years. Then J. C. Smith, also from Glena, was contracted to build a second bridge, replacing the first in 1862. A flood carried away the second bridge on March 8, 1868,making it necessary to build a third bridge at a time when the village was nearly in a state of bankruptcy because of the ending of the Civil War. Jo Daviess "County officials agreed to pay half of the $8,000 required to build the bridge and STEPHEN JEFFERS assumed responsibility for the remaining $4,000. The third bridge was completed in 1869 by W. W. Ives from Bloomington and was the first iron bridge in Jo Daviess County.

See Biography of Stephen Jeffers

Contributed by Barbara Starkey - Taken from Jo Daviess Co. Directory; Hanover Township - Pg. 763