Person:Alexander West (3)

Watchers
  1. Alexander West1760 - 1834
m. Bef 1796
Facts and Events
Name Alexander West
Gender Male
Birth[1] 11 Aug 1760 Accomack, Virginia, United States
Property[3] 12 Jul 1787 Harrison, Virginia (now West Virginia), United States400 ac on Horse Run, a Drain of Freeman's Creek
Property[3] 13 Jun 1788 Hackers Creek, Harrison, Virginia (now Lewis, West Virginia), United States100 ac on South side of Hacker's Run
Marriage Bef 1796 Harrison, Virginia (now West Virginia), United Statesto Malina Hughes
Death[1][4] 20 Jun 1834 Hackers Creek, Harrison, Virginia (now Lewis, West Virginia), United States
Burial[1][5] Broad Run Baptist Church Cemetery, Lightburn, Lewis, West Virginia, United States
References
  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Alexander West, in Rootsweb.

    Note for: Alexander West, 11 AUG 1760 - 20 JUN 1834
    Burial:Place: Broad Run Church Cemetery, WV
    Individual Note: Alexander West, a son of Edmond and Mary West, was August 11, 1760 and died in Lewis County VA (WV) June 20, 1834. He first married Malina Hughes sister of Jesse the famous scout, his second marriage in January 24, 1796 to wife Mary Straley by Rev. Joseph Cheworant of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Harrison Co., VA. Serving in the Revolutionary War, Alexander enlisted at Monogalia Co. VA (now Lewis Co WV), age 17, serving as a ranger and spy in Capt. James Booth's company of Rangers in May 1777. Captain Booth was killed by Indians in June 1778 and none of his company ever received official discharges.
    Alexander enlisted in Captain George Jackson's company of Rangers in 1781. He marched to Fort Pitt and served with General George Rogers Clark. In his 1832 pension application, Alexander stated that his discharge papers were destroyed by the Indians who killed his family members in 1787. Though Alex received a pension of $66 per anum until 1835 when it was suspended, he never received his land bounty due to not receiving his official discharge from Booth's Co. They deemed the 7 months with Gen. Clark not enough service time. His widow did receive his pension in 1851. VA 16321 No. W. 6450

  2.   Alexander West, in McWhorter, Lucullus Virgil. The Border Settlers of Northwestern Virginia from 1768 to 1795: Embracing the Life of Jesse Hughes and Other Noted Scouts of the Great Woods of the Trans-Allegheny. (Hamilton, Ohio: Republican Publishing Co., 1915).

    Alexander West was prominent as a frontier scout. Rev. J. M. McWhorter, who saw him frequently, gives this description of him: "A tall, spare-built man, very erect, strong, lithe, and active; dark-skinned, prominent Roman nose, black hair, very keen eyes; not handsome, rather raw-boned, but with an air and mien that commanded the attention and respect of those with whom he associated. Never aggressive, he lifted his arm against the Indians only in time of war." West died in 1834. His house of hewed logs is, with its large barn, still standing and occupied by his relatives, about a mile east of the site of West's Fort.- R. G. T.

    In addition to the foregoing, my father writes me under date June 28, 1899. "some things that occurred when I was quite young were so vividly impressed upon my mind that time has never erased them; none more so than the sight of Alexander West. Long frame, broad across the shoulders, muscular with no surplus flesh. He wore the old-fashioned plain blue linsey hunting shirt, cape and belt and fringed in front of the same color. His vest and pantaloons were of like material and he wore a black wool hat and moccasins. I remember the color of the horse that he rode. He and his wife stopped with my parents for dinner when on their home from church held in an old log school house, where I got my first schooling. West was very fleet-footed and but few could outstrip him. ...

    ... Revolutionary War Muster Rolls, 1775-83 WEST ALEXANDER PRIVATE 31 Rev War Pension Applications WEST Alexander, VA Line, Mary, W6450, sol was b. 11 Aug 1760 in Accomack Co VA & he enl in Monongalia the part that later became Lewis Co VA, in 1785 sol's father a bro & his bro's wife were killed by the Indians but no names were given, sol appl 4 Sep 1832 in Lewis Co Va & he d there in June 1834, sol had m Mary Strayley or Straley on 24 Jan 1796 in Harrison Co VA, wid appl 14 Dec 1850 in Lewis Co VA aged 80, sol & wid raised a family of children, one Nicholas Alkire stated in 1852 that sol's wid Mary West was his mother & that he was aged over 50 yrs.

    "This day Jacob Bush appeared before John McWhorter, J. P. in and for said county of Lewis, and made oath that Alexander West, a resident of said county, volunteered under the command of Capt. George Jackson in May, 1781, in the county of Monongalia than, now Lewis, and marched in do. with the affiant to Fort Pitt. Was there attached to the army commanded by Gen. George Rogers Clark. From Fort Pitt we descended the Ohio river in boats to the falls there of and served the whole Campaign under Fenl. Carlk, for the term of seven months. Given under my hand this 23rd day of November in the year 1831. Jacob X Bush his mark "Sworn to before me this day & year above written. John McWhorter." In the Virginia State Library, Richmond, is preserved the endorsement to [Alexander] West's claim for bounty land: ...
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  3. 3.0 3.1 Alexander West, in Virginia, United States. Virginia Land Grants: Virginia Land Office Patents and Grants/Northern Neck Grants and Surveys.

    12 Jul 1787 - West, Alexander Harrison County 400a On Horse Run, a Drain of Freeman's Creek; Grants 9, page 622

    13 Jun 1788 - West, Alexander 100a On the South Side of Hacker's Run ; Grants 17, page 186

  4. Alexander West, in Haymond, Henry. History of Harrison County, West Virginia: from earliest days of northwestern Virginia to the present. (Morgantown, West Virginia: Acme Publishing, 1910)
    382.

    Alexander West.
    Alexander West was prominent as a frontier scout. He was represented to be a tall, spare man, very erect, strong, lithe and active, dark skinned, prominent Roman nose, black hair, keen eyes, not handsome, rather raw boned but with a bearing that commanded the attention and respect of those with whom he associated.
    He was of a quiet disposition and only lifted his arm against the Indians in time of war. He had the confidence of the community and his knowledge of the woods and of the Indian's method of warfare made him a power for good that was felt all along the frontier.
    He died in 1834 near Jane Lew. His house of hewn logs is with a barn still standing about a mile east of the site of West's Fort and is still occupied by his kindred.
    In the vicinity of the Beech Fort West discovered an Indian. [sic] He fired and wounded him in the shoulder. The Indian made off and was not found two miles from the fort in Life's run a branch of Hacker's Creek in a cleft of rocks into which he had crawled and miserably perished.

  5. Alexander West, in Find A Grave.

    [Last accessed 20130714. No photos.]