1925 Biography - Hezekiah West
Governor Reynolds, in his history says of the West family that "they are English and came with Calvert, Lord Baltimore, to Maryland 1632". He was referring to the Wests of Madison County, Ill. Hezekiah West, no doubt belonged to this same family. He stated he was born in Fredrick County, Md., in 1763 and was the only son of John West. When Hezekiah was seven or eight years old his father, with his family moved to Sandy River, Camden district, S. C. His father, John West, enlisted in the patriot army in 1777, in Captain Winn's company of mounted rangers, Colonel Thompson's regiment; served fourteen months and was killed in an engagement at St. Tibbs. Hezekiah enlisted in the same cause for freedom at the age of seventeen. His record is found under "Revolutionary Soldiers". The family tradition is that Hezekiah West came to this county in 1809 or 10; his name appears on the county records in 1813. He was a man of education and served the county as a teacher and in other capacities He was undoubtedly a pioneer of the right sort, influential, useful, religious and of the highest moral character. He died in Johnson county July 29, 1845. A walking cane owned and used by him, can be seen in the Carnegie Library, Vienna, Ill., placed there by the Daniel Chapman Chapter D. A. R. The handle of the cane is made from the antlers of a deer killed by Hezekiah West. He married Priscilla Osborn, 1784. Their children were Sally (2), born 1785, John (2) born 1787, Temperance (2) born 1790, Mary (2) born 1792, never married, Lucy (2) born 1794, Asa (2) born 1797, Elizabeth (2) born 1799, Marcy (2) born 1801, Patsy (2) born 1804, Fannie (2) born 1806, William M. (2) born 1809.
Sally (2) married Rix Carter and they had William (3), Moulton (3), Asa (3), Eliza (3), Nancy (3), Marcy (3), William (3) married Mary Ann Deans, they had Madison (4) and Marshall (4). William (3) being an M. E. minister and belonging to a conference did not reside in this county, consequently little is known of his two sons Madison and Marshall. Madison (4), was a physician and practiced in central Illinois and Indiana. He had two daughters, one of whom is Helen. She is married and lives in Chicago. Marshall (4) was a minister, had one daughter, Marie, who married Benjamin F. McGee of this county. He had other children, names not known. Some members of this family reside in Los Angeles, Calif.; Moulton (3) married Martha Pruitt, children John M. (4), W. B. (4). John M. (4) married Martha Alice Cheek and their children were Ida (5), May (5), who married a Mar, Capoot and lived in Mound City, John (5); William B. (4) married Mary Morgan and had Glen (5) who married Blanch Reece; Dean (5), Fred (5), the sons and mother are dead; Asa (3) married Melissie Mulky and their children were Ortie (4), who married Artemissa Hardy, Frank (4) married Mary Ann Brown, and had Harvey (5), who married Cora Mackey and they have Glen (6); Calvin (4) married Rena Davidson and had May (5); Phillip (4) (no history); Eliza (3) married William T. Jones and their children were Hattie (4) and Etheldred (4), Hattie (4) married Henry S. Perkins (see Simpson). Etheldred (4) was a Baptist minister and lived in Cypress community where he preached for many years. He married first, Elizabeth Davis and they had Melvin (5), who married Laura Bridges, their daughter. Glenna (6), married Owen Stanley, and they have Owen (7); Etheldred (4) married second Ellen Henard and had Ethel (5), who married Ralph Peeler, Lester (5) who married Mabel they had John P. (6) and Josephine (6); Nancy (3) married Jehu Axley and their children were William (4), James (4) and Luke (4); Marcy Carter (3) married Leonard Morgan and their children were Mary Ann (4), Jane (4), Nancy (4), Chandler (4). Jane (4) married Fred Trusty, Nancy (4) married Hugh Sutliff; Marcy (3) married Mr. Mc Kenzie.
Temperance (2) married Richard Mercer and their children were Priscilla (3), Sarah (3), Thomas (3), W. Emerson (3), John Deans (3), Nancy (3), Catherine (3), Hezekiah W. (3), Martha (3), Elizabeth (3). Priscilla (3) married John Standard and their children were Melvina (4), who married Jesse L. Porter, and they had Jane (5), Alice (5), Elizabeth (5), John (5), William (5), Arle (5). Jane (5) married Gilford Pippins 1873, children Mrs. Adah Thompson (6), Mrs. Ella Ford (6), Mrs. Laura Crowder (6), Mrs. Ola Irwin (6). Mrs. Cora Hester (6). James (6), Jessie (6). Alice (5) married Clayton (see Cummins); Elizabeth (5) married Paul Comer, children Nora (6), Alma (6), Loyd (6), John (6), Dimple (6). Nora (6) married A. Rhodes, children Blanch (7) married Earl Burnet Edna (7) married J. Clem and has Robert (8); Nora married second (see Carter); Alma (6) married Geo. Fairless; Dimple (6) married Edward Cheek. Elizabeth (4) married Eli Morgan; Temperance (4) married Milburn Smith; Jane (4) married William Mangum, children Elizabeth (5), Bell (5) married Mr. Pully of Stonefort and has Guy (7); Sabina (4) married James Jenkins. Sarah (3) married John Allen 1835 and had William Copeland (4), who married Francis (see Calhoun) and Melissa (4) who married John Martin and had one daughter who married Mr. Holehouser. Sarah (3) married second Alex Smith and had Mary J. (4) who married Tobias Hartman and their children were Ella (5) who married Samuel H. Reese and has Walter (6), Theodore (6), Guy (6), Blanch (6), Edith (6), Helen (6). Etta (5) married Dr. Edgar Knieppe and hesides in Mt. Carmel, Ill. They have Percy (6), Dorothy (6), Edith (6), Mary Belle (6); Ethel (5) married James Main of Karnack and their children are Allen (6), Mary Ellen (6), Charles (6); Thomas (3) married Minerva Allen (sister to John) no knowledge of family; W. Emerson (3) married ___ Axley and their children were T. A. (4) a Methodist minister said to be living in Colorado. No history of others. John Deans (3) married Nancy Thompson and had one son said to be living at Little River Missouri; Nancy (3) married Elijah Axley and had children L ___ (4), Perry (4) and French (4); Catherine (3) married Isaac Axley brother to Elijah and son of Robert, their children were Laura (4), who married Robert Martin and Leonora (4) who married Mr. Sayers and has Swank (5); Martha (3) married Jesse Hodge and they had three daughters one of whom lives at Salem. Ill.; Elizabeth (3) married Owen Peterson, son of Thomas, and had Mary Ann (4), Martha (4), Clementine (4) and Mrs. Thompson (4). Mary Ann (4) married R. W. Brown and their children are Ellen (5), George (5), Owen (5), Austin (5). Ellen (5) married Green (see Thacker), George (5) married Kate (see McFatridge) and Owen P. (5) married first a Miss Reed (see R. W. Brown). Martha (4) married George Boomer, they had Nathanial (6) who married Lubeth Calhoun, Nola (5) married Scott Lenark, Helen (5) married a Mr. Goforth, the two later families live in Colorado. Simeon (5) is a member of the faculty of the Southern Illinois Normal and resides at Carbondale. He married May Kaiser and has George (6) and; Clementine (4) married F. B. (see Thacker), Mrs. Thompson (4) had Joshua (5) who married a Miss Pippins, and Mary Ann (5). They reside in Mo.; Hezekiah W. (3) married Nancy Ellis, one son lives in Guthrie, Okla.;
Lucy (2) married John Robertson; Asa (2) married Fannie Osborn;
Elizabeth West (2) married John Axley and their children were Temperance
(3), Jehu (3) and Bud (3). Temperance (3), born 1817 married Naman Martin,
1835, who was born 1817. Their children were Elizabeth (4), born 1836,
Francis (4), born 1838, William (4), born 1839, Alexander (4), born 1841,
Robert A. (4), born 1843, Henry S. (4), born 1845, Owen P. (4), born 1846,
John L. (4), born 1848, Sarah A. (4), born 1850, Martha Jane (4), born 1852,
Nancy E. (4), born 1854, George W. (4), born 1856, Andrew J. (4), born 1857,
Jehu (4), born 1858, Samuel B. (4), born 1859, Stephen A. (4), born 1862.
Francis (4) married Moses Jones 1854 and had William (5), Margaret (5) who
married Mr. Beggs; William (4) married Amanda Hudson 1860; Alexander (4)
married Martha (West) Smith, 1864, and had Robert (5), and Alice (5), who
married John Moak. Tney had George (6) who married Ruby Axley and reside in
Cypress.
Robert A. (4) married Laura Axley 1872; Dr. O. P. (4) married Ellen Axley
1871, they had Addie (5); he married second Orpha Shirk, died 1923; Sarah
Anne (4) married first Thomas Peterson and second Joseph Edleman and they
had one son Dr. Owen Edleman (5); Andrew J. (4) married Melisse (Mulky)
Carter; John L. (4) married Sula Pruett and had Albert (5), Douglas (5), Guy
(5), Duty (5), Tempy (5), Grace (5), Maggie (5); Jehu (4) married Anna
Harvel, children Maud (5), married Oscar Brock and they have Ruby (6),
Dorothy (6), Ruth (6), Dolly (6); Ruth (5) married Claude Cochran and they
have Geneva (6), Marshall (6), Guy (6); Bertie (5) married William Williams;
Stephen A. D. (4) married Bertha Lyons and they had Victor (5) who resides
in Washington, D. C; Bernice (5) who married Ray Roller and lives in
Karnack, Ill.; Martha Jane (4) married Elbert Norval and had Owen (5);
George W. (4) married Jennie Tarwater and had Austin (6) and Owen (5).
Marcy (2) married Thomas Standard;
and Patsy (2) married Edward Osborn and they had Arminda (3) and Evelyn (3); Evelyn (3) married a Mr. Chapman, Arminda (3) married A. J. Martin and they had John (4) who married Crynthia Deans and they had Rena (5) James (5), Seth (5), Clinton (5), Orpha (5). James (5) married Laura Hurley and they have John (6) and Nell (6). Seth (5) married Sarah Groner and has Elwood (6), Norwanda (6);
Francis (2) married Robert Axley and they had James (3), Jackson (3), Uriah
(3), Terry (3), Mary (3), Spencer (3). James (3) married a Miss Mitchel and
had Avy Ann (4), who married a Mr. Amburn; Jack son (3) married first N. O.
Gray's daughter and they had Isaac (4) he married second Crynthia Copeland,
they had Ellen (4) (see Martin); Loren (4) and James (4), married Ella
Rutledge, niece to Ann. they had Myrtle (5), William (5). He married second
Maranda Anderson, children Earl (5), Seth (5), Raymond (5), Rollo (5). James
was a teacher in the Oregon for many years. He died about 1920. His family
are all in the West. Uriah (3) married Sarah Sutliff and had Asa (4) and
Betty (4); Terry (3) married Sarah Peeler and the children were Amanda (4)
who married Charles Collins; Mary (Polly) (3) married W. D. Deans, born
1826. He served in the 120th Illinois Volunteer Infantry also held different
positions of trust in the county and was an influential and useful citizen
of the West Eden neighborhood. He removed to Alma, Kansas, 1880. He was a
Mason and a member of the M. E. Church. Their children were John (4), who
married Mary Buford and they had four children, all of whom reside in
Kansas; Simon K. (4) married Mary Stricker, 1877 and their children are
Elmer (5), Arthur (5), Lewis (5), Estella (5), Howard (5). Arthur Deans has
been manager of the Charles Stone Quarry at Whitehill, this county, since
its establishment. He married May Adams and has Pauline (6), Morris (6),
Mary Ann (6), Robert (6); Elmer (5) married Roxy Davis and they have Ward
(6), Edris (6), James (6); Estella (5) married James Cane; Crynthia (4)
married John Martin (see Patsy West (2); Rena (4) married Joseph Newton and
they have Ida (5) who married John Sharp, and their children are Samuel (6),
who married Lela Darst, Robert (6) and Harry (6); Spencer (3) married Nancy
Jones and they had William (4) who married Elizabeth Watson and their
children are William (5), and Ruby (5), who married George (see Martin);
Sarah (4) married Moulton Vaughn.
William (2) married first Lydia Peterson and they had Joshua (3), Asa (3),
Matha (3), A. J. (3) and George (3); Joshua (3) married Evelyn Smith and
they had William (4) and James (4); Joshua (3) married second Elizabeth
Kuykendall, their children were Joseph (4), Cina (4), Lydia (4) and Cora
(4). William (4) married Sadie Shirk and their children are Everett (5),
Clifford (5), Lois (5), Reba (5), William (5). Everett (5) married Myrtle
Hodge; Clifford (5) married Myrtle Greer and has Doris (6), George (6)
Harold (6); Lois (5) married Richard Duncan and has Kivel (6), Pauline (6),
Virginia (6); Reba (5) married Joseph Smith; Joseph (4) married Verna
Meyers; Cina (4) married Dr. Hall Whiteaker; Cora (4) married first James
Phoenix and they had Zeno (5), she married second Edward Hooker; Lydia (4)
married Harold Spaulding and has Louise (6); Martha (3) married first George
Smith and second Alexander (see Martin). A. J. (3) and George (3) died in
young manhood. Asa (3) was an M. E. minister.
Extracted 08 Feb 2017 by Norma Hass from 1925 A History of Johnson County, Illinois, by Mrs. P. T. Chapman, pages 458-463.
