ANCESTRY OF THOMAS WEST ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Chapter 1 The Wests were An Ancient family of Knightly Rank -connected by ties of marriage and descent with royal lineage and other families of peerage, and among the landed gentry of the oldest type throughout the Kingdom. Thomas West of the Family of Lord Delaware, m. Ann Gilpin. >From History of Chester County Futhey & Cope. Sir Thomas de West, the first of whom there is a record, was knighted in 1326. There seems no doubt but he was the ancestor of the English West. However, no genealogical descent has been traced from him down to the West of this sketch. The Wests has lived at Long Crendon since the time of Richard II. They became Quakers in 1667. Col James West, the friend and proselyte of Hampden, was the first West Quakers. Extract from Galts A Benjamin West. William West, of Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire, England, m. Elizabeth ____?___, died Jan 11, 1696. Elizabeth d. Aug 6 1684. They were Quakers. Both were buried at Meadle. Thomas West, son of William and Elizabeth, m. about 1682 to Ann (or Rachel) Gilpin, daughter of Thomas and Joan Bartholomew Gilpin, of Shillingsford, Oxfordshire. ISSUE OF THOMAS AND ANN (OR RACHEL) GILPIN WEST 1. William West m. Deborah Coppock, daughter of Bartholomew Coppock. After coming to Pennsylvania he first settled in Concord Township, Chester Co., but removed to Springfield as early as 1709. He was a member of the Friends Society. 2. Thomas West, of the parish of Wapping Stepney, County of Middlesex; m. Mary Dean, of Shoreditch, at Devonshire House, London, Oct 19, 1709. He came to Pennsylvania and purchased a small tract of land in Concord in 1712. Most of his family of several children moved to what is now Wilmington, Delaware, about 1732. From Futhey and Cope. 3. A daughter with whom John West lived part time after his return to England. From letter of Benjamin West to Dr. Jonathan Morris June 25, 1769. 4. John West, b. Oct. 28,1690, at Long Crendon, Bucks., England; m. Elizabeth Beisley in 1714 according to Friendly ceremony, at Warborough Monthly Meeting. In 1716 a son Thomas was born (this is the line Clarence Earl West born 1894 follows) and died in 1792.Elizabeth died giving birth to Thomas. In the Friends Register, newspaper and parish church records of Warborough is to be found the death notice of John West. A John West of Philadelphia in the West Indies, Quaker. Extract from A Benjamin Wests Mother, Sarah Pearson and her Family by Albert Cook Myers. Some biographers have suggested that because John West, presumably a Quaker by birthright, come to Pennsylvania without a certificate of transfer, he was not on good standing in the Society in England. Birthright membership was not an established policy of Friends before 1745 or a little later. That John West was a member in good standing is proved by the fact that he was married to Elizabeth Beisley by A Friendly Ceremony in Warborough. It is not unreasonable to believe that he came to Pennsylvania to visit his brothers, and to make a survey of the situation with the idea of bring his family when it was practicable, and to produce his certificate when he was established. the death of his wife evidently changed his plans and he did not return to England until 1764. He remarried Sarah Pearson, daughter of Thomas and Margery Smith Pearson of Marple. She had been a member of Friends, but at the time of her marriage she had been disowned, so that the marriage was not accomplished in the meeting. Whereas Sarah Pearson of Marple in the County of Chester being a child of Believing Parents and educated in the way of Truth as professed by the People called Quakers notwithstanding which Since she attained to the years of understanding for want of keeping to the Leading of Gods Spirit which hath Drawn her into Disobedience to the Leadings of the holy Spirit of Truth which we own and Profess we can do no Less than testify against the said Sarah Pearson and we do hereby for the above said transgression Deny her to be of our Society until she by unfeigned repentance obtain Mercy to Almighty God and by a sober Conversation Recommend herself to his Church and People which that she may we heartily Desire. Signed in Behalf & by appointment of our Monthly Meeting the 24th of 12th month 1717. Henry Miller, Clerk Mary Dell At a monthly Meeting held at Providence Meeting House twelfth month twenty fourth, seventeen hundred seventeen. Our women friends having Drawn A Paper of Denial against Sarah Pearson belonging to Springfield Meeting which John Steadman and Bartholomew Coppock are desired to read to her first and after in Springfield Meeting to be read by Joseph Colby giving a copy if she desire one and return original to our next monthly meeting. At a Monthly Meeting held a Providence first month thirty first seventeen hundred and eighteen. The friends that were Appointed to read the paper of Denial against Sarah Pearson Report that she being absconded it should not be read to her and that it was read in Springfield meeting and it is returned to this meeting. As far as the author has been able to ascertain, none of the children of John and Sarah Pearson West, except William united with the society in 1752. Nothing appears to be known of the activities of John West for four or five years after his arrival in Pennsylvania. His marriage record can not be found, but family documents state that he and Sarah Pearson were m. in 1718. In 1722 he was a resident of Upper Providence in Pennsylvania and owner of a small tract of land in that Township In 1735 he resided in Chester, Probably in the borough. A year of two later, he was taxable in Springfield Township, and then it is to be presumed he occupied the farm and dwelling where his son Benjamin was born; but he did not own this property, and it is not certain that he ever owned land in Chester County except the small tract in Upper Providence. Extract from Smiths History of Delaware County, p.512. On May 29,1773 John West received a license and had taken to farm the house with the appurtenances where James Trego lately dwelt on the Green near the Courthouse in Chester where a house of entertainment hath been for some time and is now kept. August 30,1743 he >Has Rented a Commoudyas and all other the Conveniences there and to belonging for a house of Entertainment on the Road Leading from Darby to Springfield and from thence to Conestoga which is of late much frequented by Dutch Wagons to the number of forty of fifty an day. He was granted a license. The next year he in Newton Township August 28,1744, John West having obtained a license for keeping a public House of Entertainment in the County of Chester for one year, which is now expired, Your Petitioner Craves to be continued in the same Station in the Township (Newton) >From that time until 1748 he continued in that business, but in that year the lease was acquired by other parties. In 1755 he again obtained the lease and kept it until 1758. In 1759 he untied with the Society of Friends. At our Monthly Meeting held at Goshen the 15th 1st month 1759 John West with the approbation of Newtown Meeting made application to come under the care of friends wherefore Richard Jones, Thomas Goodwin are apd to pay him a Visit on the occasion and make report thereof to our next Mo. Meeting. At our Monthly Meeting held at Goshen the 19th 3rd month 1759 One of the friends appointed to visit John West report that he with the other friend appointed have done accordingly and did not apprehend any cause to obstruct his request. Wherefore he is accepted as a Member of this Meeting as his future conversation corresponds with our principles. At a Monthly Meeting held at Goshen on the 7th 10th month 1763. The friends appointed to prepare a Certificate in behalf of John West have done accordingly which was approved and signed directed to Philada. Mo. Meeting. At our Mo. Meeting held the 10th 8th mo 1764" A certificate in behalf of John West having in the 11th mo last been signed by this Meeting directed to phial Mo. Meeting, but the sd Certificate was not produced to Philad Mo. Meeting, but the sd West having chiefly resided in Maryland or the Lower Country most of the time since: the sd Certificate was not produced to Phila Mo. Meeting. And now the sd John West being lately Embarked for London hath sent our Certificate back to this Meetg requesting by his son William another directed to London. Thos. Massey & Francis Yarnall are appointed to make the necessary inquiry concerning him & report. At our Mo. Meeting held at Goshen the 5th 10 mo 1764. The friends appd to prepare a Certificate on behalf of John West have done accordingly which was produced here, approved of & signed, directed as Requested. Data furnished by the Department of Records of the Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends of Philadelphia and Vicinity. The minute of 9th month 10th, 1764 is convincing of the accuracy of the tradition that John West visited Joseph, his son, and other relatives in Virginia, and took with him one of his bibles which he gave to Josephs son John, two years old at the time of his grandfathers visit. He stipulated that it was to be passed on to the John of the family. It is now in the possession of John Arthur West, Cameron, Missouri. Readable inscriptions in the Bible are John West, his Bible, 1752: Isaac West, 1753; and John West, 1779" (Josephs son, John) The Bible was printed after 1715, for it bears the Ratification mark of the Prayer From, dated at the Court of St. James, June 13,1715, under King George II. The Historical Society of Pennsylvania has another of John Wests Bibles. The one herein illustrated, was probably purchased about the time he contemplated uniting again with Friends. John West sailed for England June 24, 1764, accompanied by Elizabeth Shewell who became the wife of Benjamin West. They made the trip in 28 days. At the marriage of Benjamin West and Elizabeth Shewell, Matthew Pratt states that he acted as father of the bride and gave her away. The marriage was consummated Sept. 2, 1764. After the marriage, Matthew Pratt visited all Mr. Wests relatives; old Mr. Wests sister, then living in Warborough, Oxfordshire, and Mr. Wests family at Reading in Berkshire, who is a very respectable member of the Society of Friends. After his return from England, John West lived most of the time with his son, Thomas, at Reading his sister at Warborough. He died October 5, 1776, and is buried in the friends burying ground at Warborough. John Williamson says at Springfield meeting >Friend West and his wife have blameless reputations. They have had ten children whom they have carefully brought up in the fear of God and the Christian Religion. >From Jacksons Benjamin West BACK TO WEST GENEALOGY West Site established 1998 by Andrea at WayWard Cats Studio. 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