For the ancestry of Thomas West, see The West Family of Martha's Vineyard by Dr. Charles Banks.
1. Thomas1 WEST was born 12 Jan 1748, in Tisbury. He was the son of Peter WEST and Elizabeth ATHEARN. He married Sarah BUTLER 21 Dec 1775, in Chilmark. She was born 14 Dec 1755, in Edgartown, the daughter of Shubael BUTLER and Hepsibah DAGGETT.
They had 8 children:
+ 2. George WEST, born 16 Nov 1776, died 8 Oct 1856.
+ 3. Lydia WEST, born 1778.
+ 4. Sarah WEST, born 1780.
+ 5. Rebecca WEST, born 25 Dec 1782.
+ 6. William WEST, born 1784.
7. Thomas WEST, born 3 May 1786, died Nov 1816, at sea.
8. Love WEST, born 7 Jun 1789, died 1789.
9. Love WEST, born 1791.
Sarah died 31 Jan 1816, in Chilmark. Thomas died 4 Jan 1822, at sea. [View his gravestone at Crossways Cemetery.]
2. George2 WEST (Thomas1) was born 16 Nov 1776, in Chilmark. He married Prudence LAMBERT 27 Oct 1796. She was born 16 Dec 1777, in Chilmark, the daughter of Moses LAMBERT and Sarah HAYDEN.
They had 9 children:
+ 10. Leonard WEST, born 21 Nov 1797, died 25 Aug 1855.
+ 11. Mary WEST, born 13 May 1800, died 19 Apr 1889.
+ 12. Sophronia WEST, born 13 Apr 1804.
+ 13. Lydia WEST, born 27 Nov 1806, died 14 Jun 1891.
+ 14. Prudence WEST, born 6 Apr 1809, died 12 May 1882.
+ 15. Thomas WEST, born 7 Dec 1811, died 11 Nov 1895.
+ 16. Moses L. WEST, born 16 May 1814.
+ 17. George WEST, born 27 Jan 1817.
+ 18. William Clement WEST, born 13 Nov 1819, died 25 Dec 1865.
Prudence died 24 Jul 1869, and was buried in Chilmark. George died 8 Oct 1856, in Chilmark.
3. Lydia2 WEST (Thomas1) was born 1778. She married Richard FISHER 9 Nov 1799. He was born 1766.
4. Sarah2 WEST (Thomas1) was born 1780. She married Warren LUCE 19 Oct 1797.
5. Rebecca2 WEST (Thomas1) was born 25 Dec 1782. She married Joshua SKIFFE 26 Nov 1812. He was born 23 Aug 1776. Joshua died 11 Nov 1865.
6. William2 WEST (Thomas1) was born 1784. He married Betsey
WEST 21 Nov 1820. She was born 25 Oct 1801.
[See The Descendants of Betsey (West) Hillman for more information about this family.]
They had 3 children:
19. William T. WEST, born 19 May 1826.
20. Reuben WEST, born 14 Feb 1828.
21. James WEST, born 7 Oct 1830.
10. Leonard3 WEST (George2, Thomas1) was born 21 Nov 1797. He married Rebecca FLANDERS 5 May 1826. She was born 29 Jun 1806.
They had 8 children:
+ 22. Elizabeth WEST, born 16 Sep 1828.
+ 23. Martha B. WEST, born 16 Dec 1829, died 27 Oct 1896.
24. William Valentine WEST, born 1834.
+ 25. Sophronia C. WEST, born 17 Jul 1840, died 4 May 1927.
26. Mary A. WEST, born 1842.
+ 27. Leonard E. WEST, born 1843.
28. Ann Maria WEST, born 19 Oct 1844, died 11 Jul 1864.
29. David Bates WEST, born 6 Nov 1849, died 15 Oct 1911.
Rebecca died 16 Mar 1893. Leonard died 25 Aug 1855.
11. Mary3 WEST (George2, Thomas1) was born 13 May 1800. She married John TILTON. He was born 19 Aug 1796. John died 7 Jan 1868. Mary died 19 Apr 1889.
12. Sophronia3 WEST (George2, Thomas1) was born 13 Apr 1804. She married Francis COTTLE.
13. Lydia3 WEST (George2, Thomas1) was born 27 Nov 1806. She married Thomas Hayden LAMBERT 22 Jan 1825. He was born 8 Apr 1795. Thomas died 27 Aug 1877. Lydia died 14 Jun 1891.
14. Prudence3 WEST (George2, Thomas1) was born 6 Apr 1809. She married William MITCHELL 2 Feb 1833. He was born 27 Nov 1805, in County Cork, IR.
They had 3 children:
30. Margaret MITCHELL, born 1842, died 1863.
31. William MITCHELL, born 1847, died 1911.
32. West MITCHELL.
William died 30 Sep 1869. Prudence died 12 May 1882.
15. Thomas3 WEST (George2, Thomas1) was born 7 Dec 1811, in Tisbury. He married Hannah Hayden LAMBERT 30 Jul 1835, in West Tisbury. She was born Feb 1816, in Chilmark, the daughter of William LAMBERT and Laura LAMBERT.
They had 6 children:
+ 33. William L. WEST, born 29 Sep 1836, died 19 Dec 1929.Hannah died 1896. Thomas died 11 Nov 1895, in West Tisbury, and was buried in West Tisbury.
+ 34. Laura WEST, born 1839.
35. Thomas A. WEST, born 1843. Thomas A. West, son of Thomas and Hannah West, was unmarried and killed in action in the Civil War.
+ 36. James WEST, born 1845.
+ 37. Edith WEST, born 1850, died 1932.
+ 38. Edgar Merry WEST, born 9 Mar 1854, died 10 Jan 1929.
16. Moses3 L. WEST (George2, Thomas1) was born 16 May 1814. He married Rebecca W. WEST 8 Aug 1835. She was born 1818.
They had 7 children:
39. Love WEST, born 1838.
40. Rebecca J. WEST, born 1839.
41. Frances P. WEST, born 1841.
42. Sarah E. WEST, born 1844.
43. Lavina R. WEST, born 1847.
44. Harriet W. WEST, born 1848.
45. Emma L. WEST, born 1850.
Rebecca died 13 Jun 1885.
17. George3 WEST (George2, Thomas1) was born 27 Jan 1817. He married Didamia D. TILTON 31 Jul 1842. She was born 15 Jul 1818.
They had 4 children:
46. Rebecca T. WEST, born 1845.
47. Samuel E. WEST, born 1846.
48. George F. WEST, born 1849.
+ 49. Daniel Worth WEST, born 1850, died 1924.
Didamia died 6 Jun 1888.
18. William3 Clement WEST (George2, Thomas1) was born 13 Nov 1819. He married Abbie A. LUCE 19 May 1849. She was born 25 May 1828.
They had 6 children:
50. Nicholas C. WEST, born 13 Oct 1853, died Sep 1877.
+ 51. Hepsie L. WEST, died Apr 1879.
52. Mary Eliza WEST, born 20 Jul 1859, died 1944.
+ 53. Clement D. WEST, born 6 Sep 1862, died 1925.
54. Thomas WEST, born 1863.
+ 55. Ellsworth Luce WEST, born 8 Jun 1864, died 10 Apr 1949.
Abbie died 18 May 1890. William died 25 Dec 1865.
NOTES: William West was a whaler who went West via Cape Horn as a 49er. He returned a wealthy man and bought 200 acres of land. He was crushed by a rock on Christmas Day, 1865.
22. Elizabeth4 WEST (Leonard3, George2, Thomas1 ) was born 16 Sep 1828. She married Frank A. FLANDERS 6 Aug 1854.
23. Martha4 B. WEST (Leonard3, George2, Thomas1 ) was born 16 Dec 1829. She married Nehemiah REED. Martha died 27 Oct 1896.
25. Sophronia4 C. WEST (Leonard3, George2, Thomas1
) was born 17 Jul 1840. She married (1) James V. HANCOCK 23 Oct 1864; they divorced.
Sophronia next married (2) Charles Henry LUCE 29 Nov 1877. He was born 29 Apr 1844.
Charles died 26 Sep 1917. Sophronia died 4 May 1927.
27. Leonard4 E. WEST (Leonard3, George2, Thomas1 ) was born 1843. He married Laura E. NICKERSON.
They had 3 children:
Leonard WEST.
Stella WEST.
Elsie WEST.
33. William4 L. WEST (Thomas3, George2, Thomas1 ) was born 29 Sep 1836, in Tisbury. He married Frances H. LANDERS. She was born 1839.
They had 3 children:
Grace E. WEST, born 1865, died 1 Mar 1925.
Thomas Adams WEST, born 1870, died 1885.
Maurice WEST, born 1885, died 1895.
Frances died 1912, in West Tisbury. William died 19 Dec 1929, in West Tisbury.
NOTES:
William L. West, 93, Served in Navy on Frigate Mississippi William L. West of West Tisbury,
naval veteran of the Civil War and last of the native born residents who took part in that
conflict died at the home of his sisterinlaw, Mrs. Agnes West on Thursday morning,
following a lengthy period of helplessness due to extreme age. He was 93.
Mr. West was the son of Thomas and Hannah West and was born in West Tisbury where he had made
his home for most of his years. A man of great stature, he was impressive to look upon even
in old age.
His career as a young man was filled with adventure. As a youth he went to sea on whaleships
and, returning from a voyage at the age of 24 he enlisted in the Navy, becoming trainer of the
forward pivot gun on the Steam Frigate MISSISSIPPI, a ship which was commanded by another
Vineyarder, Captain Melanethon Smith. On board was Lt. George Dewey, afterward Rear Admiral
of Spanish War fame.
Mr. West was on the Frigate when she took part in the blockade of the Gulf ports, and in the
various naval battles, Pensacola, Mobile Bay, Port Donaldson, and the siege of New Orleans.
Running the river blockade, thirty ships steamed up the river and the Mississippi and the
flagship lashed together were the only two that passed the barrage of artillery fire. Shortly
after this, the frigate ran ashore and the crew was captured, the ship being blown up by the
crew to prevent capture. As a prisoner of war, Mr. West was confined in a prison at Jackson,
Louisiana. Three years had elapsed from the time of his enlistment until he was discharged
from the prison.
As a civilian Mr. West returned to the South after the war ended, in search of the body of
his brother, Thomas West, who was killed at the battle of Winchester, VA. Mr. West searched
for three days, before he succeeded in locating his brother's body.
After the war, Mr. West engaged in the moving business, first in New Bedford and later in
Taunton, which he followed for 10 years. For six or seven years after that he was in the
livery business at Oak Bluffs at the end of which he returned to the town of his birth and
engaged in dairy farming with marked success. For thirty years he carried milk and farm
produce to Oak Bluffs during the summer season and he devoted much attention to stock raising.
Having retired from active business a number of years ago, he was nevertheless intensely
interested in livestock and treasured a collection of ribbons and prize medals that his
cattle and horses won at the Island cattle shows.
Vineyard Gazette, 1929: LAST VINEYARD BORN VETERAN OF CIVIL WAR IS DEAD
34. Laura4 WEST (Thomas3, George2, Thomas1) was born 1839. She married William F. DUGEN.
36. James4 WEST (Thomas3, George2, Thomas1) was born 1845. He married Statia CROWELL.
37. Edith4 WEST (Thomas3, George2, Thomas1) was born 1850. She married Sylvanus WALDRON. He was born 1838.
They had 3 children:
Raymond WALDRON.
Muriel WALDRON.
Thomas WALDRON.
Sylvanus died 1913. Edith died 1932.
38. Edgar4 Merry WEST (Thomas3, George2, Thomas1) was born 9 Mar 1854, in Tisbury. He married Agnes Amelia MURDOCK 4 Dec 1888, in Tisbury. She was born 12 Feb 1868, in St. Johns, New Brunswick, CN, the daughter of John F. MURDOCK and Elizabeth Ann WHEATON.
They had 5 children:
Iva WEST, born 30 Sep 1889, died 9 Mar 1983.
Norman WEST, born 1890, died 13 Jun 1966.
Lena WEST, born 4 Dec 1893, died 13 Jun 1978.
Harry Dunbar WEST, born 9 Oct 1895, died 1951.
Lydia Phinney WEST, born 8 Apr 1898, died 12 Sep 1989.
Agnes died 7 Mar 1946, in Chilmark, and was buried 9 Mar 1946, in West Tisbury.
Edgar died 10 Jan 1929, in West Tisbury, and was buried 12 Jan 1929, in West Tisbury.
49. Daniel4 Worth WEST (George3, George2, Thomas1) was born 1850. He married Deborah TILTON. She was born 1849. Deborah died 1910. Daniel died 1924.
51. Hepsie4 L. WEST (William3, George2, Thomas1) was born in Chilmark. She married Seth Bradford CLEVELAND 31 May 1876. He was born 18 Jan 1854, the son of Seth CLEVELAND and Lurana FISHER.
They had 1 child:
Anna CLEVELAND.
Seth also married Florence TILTON Apr 1881, in Chilmark. Seth died 14 Nov 1881, in Chilmark.
Seth Bradford Cleveland was a farmer. Hepsie died Apr 1879, in Tisbury.
SOURCES:
Cleveland, Edmund Janes. THE GENEALOGY OF THE CLEVELAND AND CLEAVELAND FAMILIES. Hartford, CT: The Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co., 1899, p. 1721.
53. Clement4 D. WEST (William3, George2, Thomas 1) was born 6 Sep 1862. He married Alice M. NORTON 1886. Clement died 1925.
55. Ellsworth4 Luce WEST (William3, George2, Thomas1) was born 8 Jun 1864. He married Gertrude EAGER 24 Nov 1892. She was born 19 Apr 1868. Gertrude died Sep 1917. Ellsworth died 10 Apr 1949.
Notes:
Captain Ellsworth Luce West went to sea at age 18 on the JAMES ARNOLD out of New Bedford. He was gone four years. The following years he was on the Bark WILLIAM BAYLIES, Bark MARS, Steam Whaler WILLIAM LEWIS. Ellsworth met Gertrude Eager, the school teacher in Menemsha and fell in love. Her father asked them to wait a year before marriage. Ellsworth shipped out on the Bark CALIFORNIA in 1891 and upon his return, he and Gertrude were married. Gertrude sailed with Ellsworth on the CALIFORNIA as far as Honolulu and then returned home. In 1893 she was with him again on the CALIFORNIA and suffered a miscarriage. Keeping her with him until she regained her health was a violation of the company rules and Ellsworth lost his captaincy because of it. Gertrude was again with Ellsworth from 18971899 on the Bark HORATIO. This was their last whaling voyage as the Captain felt that the whaling industry was about to come to an end.
In 1900, the CORWIN was bought by a company in which Captain West was a stockholder. It carried mostly freight from Seattle to Nome the first year. In 1901, he was 2nd mate on a coal freighter, LARA, and made four round trips from Norfolk to Boston.
The CORWIN was refitted to carry passengers and freight and it sailed again in 1902. This
time Gertrude was on board as ship's clerk and continued in this capacity thru 1910.
In 1911, Ellsworth retired to Edgartown House on Cook and Summer Streets. He bought a 55'
yacht and sailed around Martha's Vineyard and up and down the coast. In 1912 he bought the
Alonzo Tilton house on Middle Road in Chilmark and took up farming.
After the death of Gertrude in 1917, Ellsworth went back to sailing. He returned to farming in Chilmark in 1920 with his second wife, Elsie Atheran Crowell and they raised a family of seven.