West, Francis, deputy governor of Virginia from November 14, 1627, on the death of Governor Yardley, to March 5, 1629, when Dr. John Pott was elected by the council to take his place, West having been selected to go to England to represent the interest of the colony, which was still in an unsettled condition by the revocation of the charter in 1624. He was born October 28, 1586, and was a brother of Thomas Lord Delaware. When Captain Newport came over with the "Second Supply" in October, 1608, he was accompanied by Francis West, who was elected a member of the council there in August, 1609, after the arrival of the "Third Supply" sent out under the new charter. During the "starving time" which soon followed, West attempted to get provisions from the Indians, but being unsuccessful he left the colony to its fate and sailed away to England. After a few months he returned again to Virginia, and after Percy left in 1612 he succeeded him as commandant at Jamestown in which office he continued till 1617, when he was succeeded by Captain William Powell. He was a member of the council again from April, 1619, to February, 1633. In connection with his brothers, Lord Delaware, and John and Nathaniel West, he owned lands at Westover and Shirley. In November, 1622, he was appointed admiral of New England, and went there to suppress illicit fishing, but he found the New Englanders difficult persons to deal with. In 1624 Captain West was living on his estate at Westover in Virginia, and soon after succeeded Sir George Yardley as deputy governor. His administration is distinguished for the assembling at Jamestown on March 26, 1628, after an interval of four years, of the regular law making body — an event second only in importance to the original meeting in 1619; for its restoration was proof that despite the revocation of her charter Virginia was to continue in the enjoyment of political liberty. After Pott took charge in 1629, West went to England, but he was in Virginia again prior to December, 1631, when he attended a meeting of the council, again in February and September, 1632, and in February, 1633. After the last date he drops out of Virginia records, and there is a tradition in Earl Delaware's family that he was drowned.
