Wests
in Essex County, Massachusetts:
Four
Sons of Thomas and Phebe West
Compiled by Joy Ikelman, April 2014.
Revised, June 2014. Disclaimers
apply. Note: The use of double dating, such as 1630/1631, reflects the
difference between the Julian and Gregorian Calendars.
Background: Judah West (b.
11 Sep 1765; d. 9 Apr 1825) was added to West DNA Family Group #5 in 2007. [1] He
is a descendant of Thomas West (b. 1630/1631; d. 23 Dec 1720). This is the
sixth in a series of articles about this line of the FG#5 West families.
Currently
(April 2014) Henry West (1629-1703) and his brother Thomas West
(1630/1631-1720) are the earliest documented members of Family Group #5.
Four
Sons, Many Descendants
This article is about the four sons of
Thomas West and his first wife Phebe Waters West—Samuel West, Joseph West,
Benjamin West, and John West. There are many descendants today from these brothers.
A more
complete lineage, with additional branches of this family tree, will be posted
on the West Family DNA Project—Group #5 site in the future.
________________________________________
(1)
Samuel West (1659/1660-1685)
Summary: Samuel West lived in Salem and Bradford, Essex
County, MA. He had a short and difficult life. He died at about age 25. He
married Rhoda Meacham. A son, Samuel Jr., was born after his death.
Early
Years of Samuel West
Samuel West was born 23 Mar 1659/1660 in
Salem. [2] He was baptized on 25:1:1665 (March, Julian calendar) at First
Church, Salem. [3] He was baptized with his brothers Benjamin and Joseph, and
his cousin Elizabeth (daughter of Uncle Henry West and Aunt Elizabeth West). When
he was 15 years old, his mother died and his father remarried. The West family
moved to Bradford in 1678. [4]
Samuel
West’s Head Injury
In 1679, his father brought a case to
the Essex County Court: [5]
Thomas West, in
behalf of his son, Samuell West v. Anthony Wood. For striking up the heels and
violently striking said Samuel down. Verdict for plaintiff.
Today “kicking up our heels” means
having fun. In the 1600s, it meant “to be killed.” [6] A footnote to the case
reads:
John Bennet, aged
about 35 yrs, deposed that a little while after his apprentice, Samuel West,
came to live with him he complained of a pain in his head and said it came from
a blow he received about a year before. “In the time of the war Thomas West was
at my house and desired me that I would let Samuell West his sonne to keep a
little out of the way in the time of the press but said if he should be prest I
do not fear but that I shall get him freed because he had hurt himselfe by a
fall.” Sworn in court.
In the deposition, Thomas West told
Bennet to make allowances if there was a “press” on Samuel at “the time of the
war.” A press was a military draft. The war was probably King Philip’s War—also
called the First Indian War, 1675-1678. [7]
The
Last Years of Samuel West’s Life
Samuel West became a member of First
Congregational, Bradford on 6:8:1683 (October, Julian calendar). [8] His name is
mentioned in a deposition at the Essex County court on 29 Jun 1685. [9]
He may have died in the summer of 1685. An
estate inventory for “Samuell Westt” was taken on 14 Aug 1685, and presented in
Essex County court. The inventory listed: “cloath left at James Holtons, 10s; 2 old
Coates, an old pr. of Breeches & an old Shirt & Hatt, 10s; an old pr.
Of shoos, 1s; total £1, 1s.” [10, 11]
This was a very poor man. It is not
clear if this was the son of Thomas West. However, West researchers often use
this date because of the guardian record (below). Samuel West married Rhoda
Meacham before his death, and she was pregnant when he died. [12] Rhoda named
their baby Samuel West, Jr.
Samuel
West, Jr.
We do not know the
exact date of Samuel, Jr.’s birth, but we can use available information for an
estimate. He was baptized on 21 Jun 1691 at First Congregational, Bradford.
[13] Rhoda Meacham West died before Apr 1694. Jeremiah Meacham’s Will of Apr
1694 stated: “Item 4. My daughter Rhoda being deceased my will and desire is. .
. her Son Samuel West Shall have . . . five pounds.” [14]
On 23 Mar 1695/1696, official
guardianship of Samuel, Jr. was granted to Thomas West. Here is an abstract:
“An Essex Co.
Mass., probate file #29372-“We Thomas West of Bradford, (Meaning-we, Thos.
& Henry.) as principle, being appointed & allowed Guardian unto Samuel
West Son of Samll West decd & Rhoda his wife also decd being a minor ten
yrs & upward & Henry West of Salem as surety,” were bonded 23 Mar.
1695/6, for Thomas’ guardianship of his grandson Samuel.” [15]
According to this document, Samuel, Jr.
would have been born in 1685/1686 if he was 10 years old. If he was more than 10
years old, his birth year would be earlier than 1685/1686. Thus, the Samuel
West who died in the summer of 1685 (in the inventory of Aug 1685) was possibly
his father. In 9 Nov 1722, Samuel West,
Jr. received a portion of his estate from his grandmother Mary Tenney West.
[16]
Samuel
West, Jr. Married Dorothy Eggleston
Samuel West, Jr. married Dorothy Eggleston
on 24 February 1708. The couple settled in Windsor, CT. Many West descendants
came from this union. [17] Their children were [18]:
1. Joseph West (b. 2
Mar 1711)
2. Samuel West (b.
28 Oct 1714)
3. William West (b.
27 Mar 1717)
4. Thomas West (b.
21 Jul 1719)
5. Asa West (b. 19
Nov 1721)
6. Dorothy West (b.
19 Aug 1723)
7. child (b. and d.
26 Feb 1726)
8. Hannah West (b.
13 Aug 1727)
9. Elizabeth West
(b. 7 Jun 1730)
10. Benjamin West
(b. 1 Aug 1733)
________________________________
(2)
Joseph West (1663-1739)
Summary: Joseph West lived in Salem, Bradford, and Andover,
Essex County, MA, and also Enfield, Hartford County, CT. He and his brother,
Benjamin, obtained land in Connecticut about the same time. Joseph West spent
his later years in Bradford and Andover with his wife Bethia.
Early
Years of Joseph West
Joseph West was born 3:7m:1663 in Salem
(September, Julian calendar). [17] He was baptized on 25:1:1665 at First
Church, Salem. [18] He was baptized with his brothers Samuel and Benjamin, and his
cousin Elizabeth (daughter of Uncle Henry West and Aunt Elizabeth West).
When he was about 11 years old, his
mother died and his father remarried. When he was 15, he moved with his family
from Salem to Bradford. By age 20, he was living on his own in Enfield.
Joseph
West’s Land in Enfield, Connecticut
In 1679, the selectmen of the town of
Springfield, Hampden County, MA created a plantation (land for farming) south
of their boundaries at Freshwater Brook. The first settlers from outside of
Springfield were from Salem—some called it “Salem Colony.” [19] A surveying
error placed the settlement of Enfield in Massachusetts Colony instead of
Connecticut Colony. This was officially corrected in 1749. [20] Today Enfield
is part of Hartford County, CT.
On 18 Jul 1683, the Committee for
Enfield granted to “Joseph West a homelot of 12 acres, of field land 26 acres,
and meadow four acres” provided that he “settle at Enfield by micalstide
[autumn] come two years or else such grant to be void.” [21] West’s homelot is
shown on a hand-drawn map prepared by the Enfield Historical Society: Town Plat of Enfield, Conn. and its
Extension Through the North and South Fields, 1680-1700. [22]
Benjamin West, Joseph’s brother, was
granted 35 acres forfeited by Nathaniel Mun of Springfield. [23] Their
brother-in-law from Salem, Isaac Meacham, also settled in Enfield about the
same time. Isaac’s sister Rhoda Meacham had married Samuel West (another West
brother). [24]
Joseph West’s land was in Northfield
First Division. Benjamin’s land was in Southfield Fourth Division. Isaac
Meacham’s land was on the east side. [25]
On 7 Jan 1691, the Enfield selectmen listed
26 men (mostly first settlers) who had not taken part in clearing bushes in August.
The men were told to do the job by the following June or pay a fine. Joseph and
Benjamin West were mentioned in this list of men. [26]
In 1693, Joseph West exchanged homelots
with Zechariah Booth. [27]
On 13 Nov 1695, Joseph West transferred
his land to Benjamin. “Joseph West of Bradford in Essex to his brother Benjamin
West living in Enfield, all lands and rights in Enfield.” [28]
Joseph West Marries
Bethia Marston
On 22 December 1703, Joseph married Bethia Marston of Andover.
[29] They had no children.
I located three records for Joseph West
in Bradford Town Records [30]. In each he was chosen as a tithingman—20 Mar
1710/1711; 13 Mar 1715; and 12 Mar 1716. A tithingman maintained order during
church services, enforced the Sabbath laws, and monitored disorderly conduct.
When Thomas West died in 1720, Joseph
was listed in the estate document with other surviving adult children. [31]
It is likely that Joseph and Bethia lived in Bradford until
1727. At that time they transferred their church membership to First Church, Andover.
[32] Joseph West died 26 Nov 1739 and Bethia West died 8 Feb 1739/1740. [33]
Joseph West’s Will was settled on 11 Dec 1739—the estate executor was David
Foster of Andover. [34, 35]
___________________________________
(3)
Benjamin West (1665-1733)
Summary: Benjamin West was the great-grandfather of Judah West
and Aaron West. He lived in Salem and Bradford, Essex County, MA; Enfield, Hartford
County, CT; and, Middletown, Middlesex County, CT.
He was born 1 Oct 1665 in Salem. [36] Benjamin married Hannah Shadduck (or Shaddock) on 14 Mar 1692.
[37] I found five children listed in various Connecticut records—Hannah West,
Phebe West, Benjamin West (Jr.), Mary West, and Abigail West.
Benjamin West was mentioned in his Uncle Henry West’s Will of
1703. More about Benjamin West and his descendants will be provided in a future
blog entry.
________________________________
(4)
John West (1667-1739/1740)
Summary: When he was very young, John West moved with his family
from Salem to Bradford, Essex County, MA. He stayed there the rest of his life.
John West married Mary Webster of Bradford. He was a planter (farmer). John and
Mary had 10 children.
Early
Years of John West
John West was born 9:7m:1667 (September,
Julian calendar) in Salem. [38] He was baptized on 20:1:1668 at First Church,
Salem. [39]
This John West was one of three “John
Wests” in Essex County during the 1600s. The other two were John West, b. ca
1615 and John West, b. 1661, son of Twiford West. John West (b. 1667) is
sometimes mixed up with Twiford’s son because of their close age. At the
writing of this article (April 2014), only John (b. 1667) is part of West DNA Family
Group #5. It is very likely that these two John Wests knew each other. They
lived in the same county, and both West families married into the Tenney
family. [40]
John
West’s Land in Essex County
Thomas West co-signed on a purchase of
land with his son, John, in Apr 1695. [41]
Thomas West of
Bradford, husbandman, having purchased of Abiel Mower of Haverhill, 12 A.
there, 15 Apr., 1695, acknowledges son John West as a joint purchaser with him,
16 April, 1695. Wit. By Benj. Rosse, Robert Clements. Vol. XI, folio 16.
John
West Marries Mary Webster
John married Mary Webster the next year,
25 Mar 1696, in Salem. [42] They had ten children. All of the children are
listed in Vital Records of Bradford. [43]
1. Mary West (12 Jan
1696/1697)
m.
24 Jun 1724 Samuel Heath
2.
Hannah West (b. 6 Jul 1699; d. 26 Jul 1699)
3.
Sarah West (b. 28 Jun 1700)
4.
Abigail West (b. 18 Feb 1702/1703)
(intention)
26 Aug 1736 Thomas Coverly
5.
Rebeckah or Rebecca West (b. 20 Jun 1706)
m.
22 Aug 1728 Joseph Gray
6.
Bethiah West (b. 19 Apr 1709)
m.
11 Sep 1735 Enoch Poor
7.
John West, Jr. (b. 6 Dec 1711)
8.
Isaac West (b. 31 Jan 1714/1715)
m.
29 Nov 1739 Phebe Swan; 3 sons, 6 daughters
9.
Thomas West (b. 10 Aug 1717; d. 28 Oct 1782)
10.
Joanna West (b. possibly 1721)
Mary joined First Congregational,
Bradford on 21:6:1698. John joined the church on 24:5:1701. This merited a
special note in the church records: “John West, that hath waited from the 31 of
3d ’97 to this day, 4 years.” [44]
I located three records for John West in
Bradford Town Records: [45]
10 Mar 1695/1696: John
West was chosen as one of several “serveyors of Hige ways and to view fenses.”
13 Mar 1715: John
West was chosen as one of “survayors of high ways & fences for the West
End.”
3 Mar 1719: John
West was chosen as a “thitheing man.”
When Thomas West died in 1720, John was
listed in the estate document with other surviving adult children. [46]
John and Mary lived out their years in
Bradford. John West died possibly 1739/1740. His Will was dated 12 Apr 1739 and
mentions children John, Isaac, Thomas, and daughters Mary Heath, Rebecca Gray,
Sarah West, Bethia Poor, and son-in-law Thomas Coverly. [47, 48] An estate inventory
was completed on 5 Feb 1740. [49] This is Essex County Probate File #29352, dated
20 Apr 1741 in Bradford. [50]
Next: West Connections to the Salem
Witch Trials
_________________________________
References
and Additional Notes
1. West Family Group #5 results are at http://web.utk.edu/~corn/westdna/west5.htm#FG5.
Samuel
West
2. Essex Institute, 1916: Vital
Records of the Town of Salem, Volume I—Births, Salem, Massachusetts, p.
413. His name is spelled “Samuell” in the record.
3. Essex Institute, 1974: The Records of the First Church in Salem, Salem, Massachusetts, p.
27.
4. Harry Irwin West, Jr., 1997: Descendants
of Henry West (1629-1703) of Salem, Massachusetts with Some Collateral Lines of
Interest, Anundsen Publishing Co., Decorah, Iowa, p. 4A. West sourced this
as Essex Institute Historical Collections,
Volume 16, p. 78, which I could not find.
5. George Francis Dow, editor, 1921: Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Volume 8, Essex
Institute, Salem, Massachusetts, p. 6. Also referenced as “EIQC,” with volume
number, and page number—EIQC:8:6. Presented at the Ipswich Quarterly Court on
September of 1680.
6. Christine Ammer, 2013: The
American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms, Second Edition, Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt, p. 252. “This expression originated about 1600 with a totally
different meaning, “to be killed.” The modern sense, alluding to a prancing
horse or exuberant dancer, dates from about 1900.”
7. “King Philip’s War.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Philip’s_War
8. J. D. Kingsbury, 1883: A Pictorial History of Bradford, Massachusetts; from the Earliest
Period to the Close of 1882, C.C. Morse and Sons, Haverhill, Massachusetts,
p. 36.
9. EIQC:9:483.
10. EIQC:9:560. Reviewed
by the court, Nov 1685.
11. Essex Probate # 29371, 24 Nov 1685. M.L.
Sanborn, compiler, 1987: Essex County,
Massachusetts Probate Index, 1638-1840, Salem, Massachusetts. On-line index
at ancestry.com.
12. Sidney Perley, 1926: The
History of Salem Massachusetts, 1638-1670, Volume II, Salem, Massachusetts,
p. 304.
13. Topsfield Historical Society, 1907: Vital Records of Bradford, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849,
Topsfield, Massachusetts, p.166. “Samuel, s. Samuel, deceased, bp 21:4m:1691, C.R.I.”
The notation “C.R.I.” refers to “Church Record of Bradford, First
Congregational.”
14. Will of Jeremiah Meacham, 1694. http://judyharper.info/Geneology.htm.
15. Beatrice West Seitz, 1971: West,
Barker, Hodges: New York to Wisconsin, 1836-1846. Janesville, Wisconsin,
202 pages.
16. A.H.D., 1906: “Answers, Genealogical Department,” Boston Evening Transcript, June 20,
1906, Boston, Massachusetts, p. 21.
17. The genealogy written by Beatrice Seitz (Reference
15, above) follows many of these descendants.
18. Henry R. Stiles, 1892: The Histories and Genealogies of Ancient Windsor, Connecticut; East
Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891. Volume II. “Genealogies and Biographies,”
Hartford, Connecticut, p. 789.
Joseph
West
17. Vital Records of Salem, p.
411.
18. Records of First
Church, Salem, p. 27.
19. David Pease, 1869: A Genealogical and Historical Record of the Descendants of John Pease,
Senior, Late of Enfield, Connecticut, Samuel Bowles and Company, Springfield,
Massachusetts, p. 397.
20. Ruth Bridge, editor, 1977: The Challenge of Change; Three Centuries of Enfield, Connecticut
History, Enfield Historical Society, Phoenix Publishing, Canaan, New
Hampshire, p. 18.
21.
Cleveland Abbe and Josephine Genung Nichols, 1916: Abbe-Abbey Genealogy, in Memory of John Abbe and his Descendants,
Tuttle, Morehouse, and Taylor Company, New Haven, Connecticut, p. 14.
22. Bridge, p. 14-15.
23. Francis Olcott Allen, editor, 1900: The History of Enfield, Connecticut, Volumes 1- 3, Wickersham
Printing Company, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In Volume 1: “Committee Book; An
Introduction to the Records of the Town of Enfield, A.D. 1683.”
24. Sidney Perley, 1926: The History of Salem Massachusetts, 1638-1670, Volume II, Salem, Massachusetts,
p. 391.
25. History of
Enfield, Connecticut, Volume 3. Various pages in “Deeds—Enfield,” p.
1905-2142.
26. Abbe and Nichols, p. 15.
27. History of
Enfield, Connecticut, Volume 3, “Deeds—Enfield,” p. 1937.
28. Ibid, p. 2139.
29. Topsfield Historical Society, 1912: Vital Records of the Town of Andover, Volume 2—Marriages and Deaths,
Topsfield, Massachusetts, p. 567.
30. John E. Hardy and Melinde Lutz Byrne, transcribers, unknown date: Bradford Town Records, 1668-1743, p. 5, 37-38,
63, 66. Original documents and
transcriptions at:
http://www.bradfordburialground.com/town-records-1668-1743.htm
31. A.H.D., 1906: “Answers, Genealogical
Department,” Boston Evening Transcript,
June 20, 1906, Boston, Massachusetts, p. 21.
32. Essex Institute, 1922: “Andover Church
Records—Admissions to the First Church (South Parish),” Essex Institute Historical Collections, Vol. 58, p. 255.
33. Vital Records of the Town of
Andover, p. 567.
34. Essex Probate #29356, 11 Dec 1739. M.L.
Sanborn, compiler, 1987: Essex County,
Massachusetts Probate Index, 1638-1840, Salem, Massachusetts. On-line index
at ancestry.com.
35. G.H.S., 1905: “Answers, Genealogical Department,” Boston Evening Transcript, October 11,
1905, Boston, Massachusetts, p. 25. G.H.S. writes: “The Wests connect in some
land swaps with William Foster of Boxford and John Jackson. Notes not at hand
in order to refer to. Joseph West died Nov. 26, 1739, estate settled by David
Foster, executor; wife Bethiah died Feb. 8, 1740.”
Benjamin
West
36. Vital Records of Salem,
p. 410.
37. History of Enfield,
Connecticut, Volume 2, “Enfield Town Records, Marriages,” p. 1756.
John West
38. Vital Records of Salem,
p. 411.
39. Records of
First Church, Salem, p. 28.
40. M.J. Tenney, 1904: The Tenney
Family of the Descendants of Thomas Tenney, of Rowley, Massachusetts,
1638-1904, Revised, The Rumford Press, Concord, New Hampshire, p. 337-338.
John West (son of Twiford) married Sarah Tenney, a sister to Mary Tenney West
(John’s step-mother).
41. Eben Putnam, 1895: “Pedigrees from Deeds
Recorded in Essex County, Massachusetts,” Putnam’s
Monthly Historical Magazine, Volume III, January-December 1895, Salem,
Massachusetts, p. 110.
42. Essex Institute, 1918: Vital
Records of Salem, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849, Volume
IV—Marriages, Salem, Massachusetts, p. 454. The record says, “John, and
Mary Webster, both of Bradford, Mar. 25, 1696.”
43. Vital Records of Bradford,
p.166.
44. J. D. Kingsbury, p. 37.
45. Bradford Town Records, 1668-1743,
p. 32, 66, 71.
46. A.H.D. (1906), p. 21.
47. A.H.D. (1906), p. 21.
48. Boston Registry Department, 1898: Report of the Record Commissioners of the City of Boston, Rockwell and
Churchill. Joseph Gray m Rebecca West in 1728, p. 143. Thomas Coverly gave
his intention to marry Abigail West in 1739, p. 225.
49. A.H.D., 1905: “Answers, Genealogical Department,” Boston Evening Transcript, November 6,
1905, Boston, Massachusetts, p. 12.
50. Essex Probate # 29352, 20 Apr 1741 (in Sanborn, 1987). A.H.D.
(1906) p. 12, refers to the Will as Salem Probate 324-554, 6.
