Wests
from Middlesex County, Connecticut:
David
West, Jr. (1761-ca 1855)
Compiled by Joy Ikelman, October
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
(1765-1825) was added to West DNA Family Group #5 in 2007. [1] David West, Jr.
(1761-ca 1855) and Aaron West (1763-1840) were his brothers. They were
descendants of Thomas West (1630/1631-1720) of Essex County, Massachusetts. This
is the fourth of six articles about FG#5 Wests from Middlesex County, Connecticut.
David West, Jr. lived most of his life in New York City.
Thomas West (1630/1631-1720) m. Phebe Waters
- Benjamin West (1665-1733) m. Hannah Shadduck
- Benjamin West, Jr. (1696-after
1739) m. Mehitable Bailey
- David West
(ca. 1736-1822) m. Judith Hills
- David West, Jr. (1761-ca 1855) m. Unknown
- Aaron
West (1763-1840) m. Susannah Kellogg
- Judah
West (1765-1825) m. Mary Todd
Three
Revolutionary War Patriots
David, Aaron, and Judah West were
brothers who served in the Revolutionary War. They were the sons of David West
(Sr.) and Judith Hills West. Their
combined service spans from 1776 to 1783—nearly the entire war. Their Revolutionary
War pension applications are a rich source of information on historical events and
also their personal lives. Each of the three articles on these brothers includes
a brief biography, references, and a transcript of the pension
application.
The
Life of David West, Jr.
Birth
Date. According to the Vital Records
of Chatham, Middlesex County, Connecticut, David West, Jr. was born on 18 Feb
1761. [2] At the time, this was in Hartford County. Middlesex County was not
established until 1785. David probably grew up on his family’s land in what is today
called East Hampton, Middlesex County, CT (south of Lake Pocotopaug). [3]
As he got older, nobody, not even David
himself, could figure out his birth year. In his Revolutionary War pension
application [4], he states (sworn testimony) that he is 66 years old. That would
make his birth year about 1754. Census Records in the 1850s list his age as 90
or greater, for a birth year between 1755-1759. It was not unusual to be unsure
of your birth date during that time.
Revolutionary
War Service. “Respectfully showeth
that the said David West enlisted as a Soldier in the Year 1776 in the Brigade
commanded by General Putnam.” David West
was 15 years old at the time. The draft age was 16. We can only imagine the
reaction of his parents, David and Judith West. This was their oldest son.
There were seven more children at home. War meant sacrifice. Aaron West, an
uncle who David, Jr. had never met, died in the French and Indian Wars. [5]
During 1776 the
militia of Connecticut were subjected to five heavy drafts, and in the August
of that year all the outstanding militia of the State west of the Connecticut
River, were ordered to march to New York City. Instead of the question, who
went from Middletown that year? The proper inquiry would be, who did not go? [6]
The patriotic fervor was high in
Middletown. R. W. Bacon, editor of The
Middler, Newsletter of the Society of Middletown First Settlers Descendants,
studied the migration from Middlesex County to other areas after the Revolutionary
War. He gives an amazing statistic for Middletown, CT. In 1776, there were “538 Middletown men on
the militia rolls and 202 men in the Continental Army—that is, 790 out of the
947 town men between the ages of 20 and 70.” [7] These numbers do not include
young men under 20 years old!
David West, Jr. enlisted again in 1777
when he was 16. In 1778, he enlisted for three years and received a “town
bounty.” [8] Each town or district in the Middletown region gave an incentive,
usually monetary, for enlistment. The soldier could do with this as they
wished; many gave it to their families.
David West was a soldier in the Third Regiment of the Connecticut Line.
[9] In his deposition, he mentions General Washington, the treason of Benedict
Arnold, and the hanging of Major Andre. West’s base camp was at the site of
today’s West Point Military Academy, New York. He participated in the
“fortifying of the west point of the Hudson” under Captain Louis de la Radiere,
the chief engineer. Between 1776 and 1780, David West participated in these
battles: [10]
Battle of Long Island, NY, 27 Aug 1776
Skirmish at Verplanck’s Point, NY, 1 Jun 1779
Battle of Stony Point, NY, 16 July 1779
The Staten Island Expedition, NY, 14-15 Jan 1780
Battle of Connecticut Farms, NJ, 7 Jun 1780
Battle of Springfield, NJ, 23 Jun 1780
Here is an interesting detail. In 1778 he “marched to Fishkill [NY] put in
the Hospital to have the small pox, after my recovery joined my Reg. at West
Point.” It is not clear from these words if he had small pox, or if he was
inoculated and spent a period of time recovering. General Washington had ordered the inoculation
of all troops in 1777. [11]
West was honorably discharged in Spring
of 1781 “by Major Warner my late captain & counter’d sign’d by Genl
Washington. Returned to Middletown my native place.” Right away, Captain David Starr
of Middletown made him a Sergeant. West trained new recruits and marched them
from West Point to Danbury (CT) to Fishkill (NY)and back again. Aaron West, his
younger brother, might have been one of the new recruits.
David
and Aaron West Served Together. David
and Aaron served together under Captain David Starr of Middletown. [12] Their
pension applications have slightly different viewpoints of the same military
actions. They gave their depositions in different States at different times. Both
were discharged in January 1782. Aaron enlisted for three more months beginning
in May 1782. [13]
In the summer of 1782, Aaron became ill,
and was confined to the hospital at West Point. Aaron’s term of service expired
while he was there. Aaron stated in his pension application “that his brother
took him from the hospital and carried him to Quaker Hill in the Nine Partners
where he lay some time before he was able to go home.” A family tradition
passed down through the Aaron West line says that “Daniel” was this brother.
There was no Daniel in this family at this time. It was David who took him to
Quaker Hill, NY.
Living
in New York City. David West was
about 21 years old when he was discharged from service in the Revolutionary
War. In 1783, his parents and siblings moved to Winsted, Litchfield County, CT.
[14] It is possible that David moved there also—I found no evidence to prove
this.
Eventually David West moved to New York
County, NY, which today is New York City. Based on information from the New
York Census of 1855, he came to the State in about 1800. [15] During the 1810
Census, he lived in New York Ward 10. [16] He lived with a female in his age
group (45 and older), three males age 16 to 25, a female age 10 to 15, and one
other person. The 1820 Census shows that he was living in New York Ward 8 with
three other people—one female in his age group, and a female and male both ages
26 to 44. [17]
His pension application of 1820 indicated
that he was married. He has step-children. The first name of his wife is unreadable. David was
about 60 years old, although he swore in court that he was 66. He says his
father is still alive and about 90 years old. This would be David West, Sr. who
was about 84 years old in 1820. [18] His mother, Judith Hill West, died in
1816. [19]
He testifies
that he has two brothers who were in the Revolutionary War that he has not seen
for 30 years. This would be Aaron West, who was living in Orwell, Oswego
County, NY and Judah West, who was living in Winsted (Winchester), Litchfield
County, CT.
I have no trade but have pressed Horns for Comb Makers for a Living but owing to
Rheumatis pains cannot follow it at present. I have no other Occupation except
as above mentioned and I am unable to support myself without the assistance of
my Country or by private or public Charity. I have no personal estate or income
except as above mentioned and I have no real estate whatever.
Horn smithing
required strength, accuracy, and craftsmanship. An animal horn (usually cattle)
would be flattened by a wedge press or screw press. A comb maker would create
daily-use combs and also fancy ornamental combs for women’s hair styles.
Special hand tools were used for crafting these decorative pieces. [20] David West
received training in Connecticut, Massachusetts, or New York. It is likely that
the place he worked at was a small shop, rather than a factory.
Later Years. At the age of 60, David’s pension application was
approved. He was granted $8 per month—equivalent to about $163 per month today.
[21]
I could not
find any census records for him in 1830 or 1840. In the 1850 Census, David West
is listed as age 95, born in Connecticut. He was actually 89 years old based on
the record of his birth (1761). He is living in Ward 16, Enumeration District
(E.D.) 2, New York City in a boarding house. He has real estate valued at about
$2,000. [22]
In the New
York State Census of 1855, David West is living in the same boarding house.
[23] It is identified as a “brick building.” This is in Ward 16, E.D. 3 in
Manhattan. [24] David West is listed as age 96, born in Connecticut. He was
actually 94 years old, based on the record of his birth (1761). He is listed as
a boarder and a pensioner. He is marked as “widowed.” The box is checked for
“owner of land.”
This is the
last known record of David West, Jr. He outlived his brother Aaron by 15 years,
and his brother Judah by 30 years.
Two
Families Linked by DNA
In 1782 (during the war), David West
took his sick brother Aaron from West Point to Quaker Hill, Pawling Township,
Dutchess County, NY. Another West DNA
FG#5 family was living close by—the family of another David West. Did the
brothers know the other West family?
At first I thought that Aaron had stayed
in the Oblong (Quaker) meeting house. It had been converted to a hospital in
late 1778. However, it was only used for a few months, and then it became a
meeting house again. [25] David took Aaron to Quaker Hill during the summer of
1782—three years later. Did they stay at the other family’s home?
The other David West—David West of
Dutchess County, NY—was added to West DNA Family Group #5 in 2007. [26] He was
born in Pawling in 1758. [27] He married Susannah Hoag. Five sons were born in
Dutchess County from 1781 to 1791. [28] I have not yet been able to link these
families!
References
and Additional Notes
1. West DNA Family Group #5 results are at
http://web.utk.edu/~corn/westdna/west5.htm#FG5.
2. Lorraine Cook White,
editor, 1994-2002: The Lucius Barnes Barbour
Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records, Vol. 1-155, Genealogical
Publishing Company, Baltimore, Maryland, p. 163 (Chatham).
3. This was the location of the West family land in
Middlesex County. Benjamin and Hannah West settled in the area in 1698. For
more of this history please consult the articles on Benjamin West, Sr. and Benjamin
West, Jr. on this blog site.
4. David West, Private (and Sergeant), Connecticut Line, 1776-1781.
Pension certificate No. 16773, City of New York, 24 Dec 1819 and 1 Jul 1820.
File No. S43275, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC.
Digital images on HeritageQuest.com. Accessed November 2013.
5. Connecticut Historical Society, 1903: “Campaign of 1757,” Collections of the Connecticut Historical
Society, Volume IX, The Society, Hartford, Connecticut, p. 185-187.
6. Henry Whittemore, “Middletown in the Revolution,” in
The History of Middlesex County,
Connecticut, with Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men, J.H. Beers
and Company, New York, p. 80.
7. Reginald W. Bacon, 2008: “Middletown in the
Revolutionary War: The Redcoats Never Marched Down Main Street, but War Did
Accelerate Change in Middletown Life,” The
Middler; Newsletter of the Society of Middletown First Settlers Descendants,
Volume 8, No. 2, p. 1, 6-8. Bacon researched Albert E. Van Dusen, 1950: Middletown and The American Revolution,
Rockfall Corporation and the Middlesex Historical Society, 35 pages; plus other
sources.
8. Connecticut Historical Society, 1909: “Town Bounties, 1777-1779,” Lists and Returns of Connecticut Men in the
Revolution, 1775-1783, Hartford, Connecticut, p. 65. “David West, Jr.” is
listed under the town of Chatham.
9. Henry P. Johnston, editor, 1889: “Regiments, Connecticut Line,
1777-1781,” The Record of Connecticut Men
in the Military and Naval Service during the War of the Revolution, 1775-1783,
The Adjutant-General of Connecticut, Hartford, CT, p. 179. The record shows
David West of Warner’s Company: enlisted 23 Feb 1778 for three years;
discharged 27 Jan 1781.
10. Battles.
See David West’s Revolutionary War pension application. Basic information can
be found at the following reliable sites. All accessed October 2014.
Battle
of Long Island, NY
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Long_Island
Skirmish
at Verplank’s Point and Battle of Stony Point
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stony_Point
The skirmish preceded the main battle at
Stony Point.
Staten
Island Expedition
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/hh/7/hh7c1.htm
There were 500 sleds carrying about
3,000 men over the frozen river.
Battle
at Connecticut Farms, NJ
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Connecticut_Farms
Battle
of Springfield, NJ
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Springfield_(1780)
11. To read about small pox and the Revolutionary
War, go to:
https://www.armyheritage.org/images/stories/Education_Images/Shute/Smallpox_Sidebar.pdf
Accessed October 2014.
12. Johnston, “Col. Canfield’s Militia Regiment at
West Point, Sept, 1781,” p. 582. The Captain is listed as “Capt. William Starr”
of Middletown. The line should read “Capt. David Starr.”
13. Aaron West, Private, Connecticut Line, 1779-1782. Pension
certificate No. 19607, Orwell, Oswego County, New York, 24 September 1832.
Susanna West (Widow’s Application) File No. W19607, 7 December 1840. National
Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC. Digital images on
HeritageQuest.com. Accessed November 2013.
14. John Boyd, 1873: Annals of
Family Records of Winchester, Connecticut with Exercises of the Centennial
Celebration, on the 16th and 17th Days of August, 1871,
Case. Lockwood, and Brainard, Hartford, CT, p. 215.
15. Census of the State of New
York for 1855, 9 Jun 1855, New York State Archives, Albany, New York.
Database online at Ancestry.com. David West had been in New York for 55 years.
16. Census of 1810, New York
City, County of New York, State of New York. Records of the Bureau of the
Census, National Archives, Washington, D.C.
17. Census of 1820, New York
City, County of New York, State of New York. Records of the Bureau of the
Census, National Archives, Washington, D.C.
18. Boyd, p. 215.
19. Charles R. Hale, compiler,
1916-1935: “Central Cemetery, Winsted,”The Charles R. Hale Collection
of Connecticut Cemetery Inscriptions, Connecticut State Library, Hartford,
Connecticut, p. 171.
20. Mary Musser, 1978:
“Massachusetts Horn Smiths: A Century of Combmaking, 1775-1875,” Old-Time New England, Volume 68, Number
251, p. 59-68. The article is on-line at the Historic New England Web site, http://www.historicnewengland.org/.
Accessed October 2014.
21. The inflation calculator that I used was at http://www.davemanuel.com/inflation-calculator.php.
22. Census of 1850, New York City, New York
County, State of New York, 30 July 1850. Records of the Bureau of the Census,
National Archives, Washington, D.C.
23. Census of the State of New York for 1855.
24. New York City 1855
Enumeration District Boundaries, New York Public Library. Transcribed by
R.K. Brown; online at http://
http://bklyn-genealogy-info.stevemorse.org/Ward/1855.St.ward.html. Accessed
October 2014. The boundaries of E.D. 3 were 20th St to 8th
Ave to 23rd St and the western boundary was the Hudson River.
25. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oblong_Friends_Meeting_House. Accessed
October 2014.
26. West DNA Family Group #5 results are at
http://web.utk.edu/~corn/westdna/west5.htm#FG5. Notes on the results say, “It
appears likely that W66 and W113 are from the same branch of this family that
either immigrated to the New England area, or moved there from the Virginia
area before 1750. W66 and W113 have values of 30 for the marker DYS 389-2,
while everyone else in this group have values of 29.”
27. Josephine C. Frost, compiler, 1910: “Members of Hartland Monthly
Meeting, Niagara County, New York, Residing at Alba, Genesee County, New York,”
Quaker Records, Hartland Monthly, Niagara
Co., NY, p. 4.
28. I have not done my own research on this family yet. However, a good
starting point is Lorelle VanFossen’s David
West Descendants at http://family.cameraontheroad.com/family-names/david-west-descendants/.
Accessed October 2014.
David
West’s Revolutionary War Pension Application
Pension
certificate 16,773. A brief deposition was signed on 24 Dec 1819. A longer
deposition was presented on 1 July 1820. Transcription by Joy Ikelman. Original
spelling and grammar are retained. A blank space means the handwriting could
not be deciphered.
First form, 24 Dec 1819. Official court form,
printed. Handwriting is from the county clerk
or his representative.
. . . The Declaration under oath of David
West, formerly a soldier engaged in the Service of the United States, during
the Revolutionary War, and now a Citizen of the United States, and a resident
of the city of New York.
Respectfully showeth that the said
David West enlisted as a Soldier in the Year 1776 in a Regiment in the Brigade
commanded by General Putnam. That in the year 1779 the said David West again
enlisted as a soldier in the Company
commanded by Captain Robert Warner in the Regiment commanded by Colonel
Samuel Willis in the Connecticut line on the Continental establishment for
three years and served until sometime in the year 1781 & received an
honorable discharge which is now lost. And the said David West afterward
enlisted again in the Company commanded by Captain David Starr in a Regiment
commanded he thinks by Colonel ___ and served therein nine months as a Sergeant
and was employed in drilling new recruits.
And this Declaration further
representeth that the said David West is now a Citizen of the United States,
and residing in the city of New York aforesaid, and is by reason of his reduced
circumstances in life, in need of assistance from the country for support . . .
And in support of the facts above, he refers to the deposition hereto annex.
[signature of David West]
City & County of New York ss.
David West being duly sworn says, that the matters by him set forth in the
foregoing Declaration are in all respects just and true. [signature of David
West] Sworn before me, the 24 day of Dec 1819. [Signature of R.A. Jay]
Second form, 1 July 1820. Official court form, printed. Handwriting is
from the county clerk or his representative.
In the Court of Common Pleas, called the Mayor’s Court of the
City of New York, held at the City Hall . . . be it remembered, that on the
first day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty
. . . David West aged Sixty-six years, resided in New York who being first duly
sworn according to law, doth on his oath declare that served in the
revolutionary war as follows:
In 1776 I volunteer’d and went to New Haven lay there 3 Months
and continually in scouting parties for said parties, then was dismissed at
Middletown.
In 1777 enlisted in Middletown under Captain Fitch marched to
Norwalk in scouting parties from place to place and Sea board and at Black Rock
in skirmishes with parties to plunder & was then discharged at Norwalk.
In 1778 in the spring enlisted for 3 years by Lieut Hulbert in
Captain Warner’s Company in Col. Willis’s Reg. & General Parsons Brigade,
was then marched to Fishkill put in the Hospital to have the small pox, after
my recovery joined my Reg. at West Point and worked on the Forts under Col. La
Radiere, the Engineer. At the close of the Campaign marched to Redding to
Winter Quarters. I was detached and sent to Norwalk (was in the winter) was in different
skirmishes with the British & Tories. General Putnam their commander in
chief of that part of the Army.
In 1779 in opening the Campaign, joined my Reg. & marched
to White Plains, Joined the grand Army, under Genl. Washington. Was detached
and sent with Genl. Washington as a reconnoitering party back at Verplanck
Point, previous to storming Stony Point, had a skirmish by a party who sallied
out while the fort was pitching Bombs & elevated Shot among us. Lay in
Robinson’s house opposite West Point when Genl. Arnold deserted. Was detached
to the point to mount Cannon which Arnold had dismounted was detached to Albany
& all the river from the point upward to collect all the flat bottomed
boats & bring them to West Point.
Then our line marched to Jersey near Tappan when Major Andre
was hanged then in the _____ Camp at Short Hills in 1779 & 1780 was in an
expedition under Lord Sterling to Staten Island where we took a Quantity
military stores and provisions.
In June 1780 was in 2 actions under Genl Maxell at
Connecticut Farms and Springfield against the British under Genl Kuphausen—at
the end of the campaign 1780 marched to Constitution Island opposite West Point
to Winter Quarters.
In the Spring of 1781 was honorably discharged by Major
Warner my late captain & counter’d sign’d by Genl Washington. Returned to
Middletown my native place, on my return Captn David Starr gave me a Sergant
warrant to raise a Company of new Levies, and when company was compleat, gave
me the Command and orders to march to West Point, and at Danbury received 18
prisoners and lodged them in Fishkill provost marched to West Point joined the
Company in Col. Hulls reg. The rest of this campaign was drilling New Levies
& _____ Fort Putnam.
And that his original declaration is dated the twenty fourth
day of December one thousand eight hundred and nineteen and that his pension
certificate is No. 16,773.
Printed form, second page. Two
different handwriting styles. West’s name is signed by the clerk.
. . . I have not, nor has any person in trust for me, any
property or securities, contracts of debts, due to me; nor have I any income
other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed, and by me
subscribed, to wit:
Necessary Clothing.
An aged Father near 90 years old
who was in the old French War and who took an active part in the Revolutionary
War.
Two Brothers who were in the
Revolutionary War who enlisted during the war, have not heard from any for 30
years.
I have no children. My wife named
______ who lives with my step children and is about 65 years of age.
I have no trade but have pressed
Horns for Comb Makers for a Living but owing to Rheumatis pains cannot follow
it at present. I have no other Occupation except as above mentioned and I am
unable to support myself without the assistance of my Country or by private or
public Charity. I have no personal estate or income except as above mentioned
and I have no real estate whatever.
David West
Sworn in the open Court this first
day of July 1820
Benjamin Ferris Clk
