Benjamin West (b. 1775) of Hanover County, Virginia:
His Probable Genealogical Connections
to the Wests of Colonial Caroline County, Virginia
A Project for West Family DNA Group #5
By Ben West
June 27, 2010 (Rev. August 5, 2013)
Abstract: In this writing, I seek to relate a theory about how Benjamin West (b. 1775) of Hanover
County, Virginia and of West DNA Group #5 could be genealogically connected to the Wests of Colonial Caroline County, Virginia. This theory is bolstered by a 25 out of 25 Y-chromosome marker DNA test match between a male West descendant of Benjamin West (b. 1775) of Hanover County and that of a male West descendant of Robert West (b. 1834) of Caroline County, Virginia.
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Benjamin West (b. Ca. 1775-1780) of Hanover County, Virginia is the earliest proven ancestor
of Mr. AW, a match and participant in West Family DNA Project Group #5. The 1810 Census
of Hanover County reveals a Benjamin West who was of 26 years of age and yet under 45.
The 1820 Census entries for Hanover County further disclose a Benjamin West who was the
overseer for a plantation of Thomas Root. A Benjamin West, however, is not listed with a
separate Census entry himself for that year. Group #5 researchers and I have not yet consulted
other records for this Benjamin West in Hanover County.
Among Caroline County, Virginia records, West researcher Hal Beumer found a Benjamin West
who may be one and the same as the Benjamin West of Hanover County. I myself believe
strongly that the Hanover County Benjamin West is, in fact, the same as a Benjamin West
who first appears in Caroline County, Virginia records in 1800. What follows are my reasons:
Therese Fisher in "Marriages of Caroline County, Virginia 1777-1853," lists a Benjamin West
who married Nancy Clarke on November 13th of that year (1800) as a first supporting piece of evidence.
This item of evidence is significant, as the Benjamin West of Hanover County, Virginia was
married to a woman named Nancy. I highly doubt that many Benjamin Wests who happened to
be married to a Nancy in central Virginia existed at the same time, and therefore, I believe that
these Benjamin Wests of Caroline and Hanover are the same person. However, unfortunately,
no definite proof so far exists to corroborate my theory. An analysis of further records, though,
bolsters my theory to a firm degree:
There are another six and one fourth pages left in this article compiled by Ben West that makes his theory very plausible! If anyone is interested in reading the full article (of which I strongly suggest) please request it from Ben West:
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