John West (1690 - abt. 1776)

Born 28 Oct 1690 in Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Pearson) West — married 1718 in Chester, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died about 5 Oct 1776 at about age 85 in Marlborough, Oxfordshire, , England

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Biography

John West was born Oct 28, 1690 in Buckinghamshire, England.^[1] West was a British Quaker and his wife Sarah an American Quaker. John and his wife were parents to ten children; the tenth child was famous Revolutionary War artist Benjamin West.

The family was in Springfield Twp Chester Co, Pennsylvania, when Benjamin was born and later moved to Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, where John was the proprietor of the Square Tavern ^[2], still standing in that town.

The following is taken from the Newtown Square Historic Society:^[3]

John, was born a birthright Friend [Quaker] in 1690 in the Parish of Long Creedon in Buckinghamshire. England. John’s father was Thomas West and his mother’s maiden name was Rachel Gilpin. As a young man, John was a cooper living in Wapping, East London. His first wife was Elizabeth Beislay of Warborough, Oxford, England. She too was a birthright Friend. This information is from a paper read by Albert Cook Myers at the Springfield Meeting in Marple in 1929.14 In the paper, Mr. Cook mentioned that a son, Thomas, was born in 1716 of this first marriage, adding that the wife dying about this time, John joined some of his brothers in Pennsylvania.

John West passed away Oct 5, 1776 .^[4]

Children

John married Elizabeth Beisley around 1714. They had one child together. Elizabeth died shortly after giving birth.

1. Thomas (b. abt. 1716)

John married Sarah Pearson in 1717 or 1718 in Chester County, Pennsylvania. They had 10 children together.

1. Joseph (b. abt. 1718) m. Jane Owen
2. Sarah (b. abt. 1719) m. Mr. Howell
3. Mary (b. abt. 1721) married Jonathan Morris
4. William (b. abt. 1724) m. 1. Sarah Ennis 2. Hannah Shaw
5. Samuel (b. abt. 1732)
6. Hugh
7. John, Jr. (b. abt. 1734) m. Margaret Pearson
8. Rachel (b. 15 Jun 1725) m. Johannes Clarkson
9. Elizabeth
10. Benjamin (b. 10 Oct 1738) m. Elizabeth Shewell

• Note: Benjamin West was a famous painter and artist to King George III

Notes

The following is after a merger & still needs some work. I have much of the same info in my notes, but the research was done so long ago that my sources are often lacking. -- Suellen

Still to be incorporated into Biography

John West was born in England, the son of Thomas and Ann (or Rachel) Gilpin West.

John married Elizabeth Beisley in 1714 at the Warborough Monthly Meeting. John came to America without Elizabeth who was pregnant with their son, expecting to return. Thomas was born in 1716. Elizabeth died in childbirth. [Some sources say Elizabeth died before John left England. If she was pregnant at the time, it wasn't with Thomas who was born about 2 yrs before her death.]

John remained in America and married Sarah Pearson, daughter of Thomas and Margery Smith Pearson in 1718 in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Sarah Pearson was born February 8, 1697 in Marple Township. Thomas and Margery Pearson came to America on the ship "Endeavor" in July 29, 1683, with William Penn. Thomas was a member of the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1708. Margery was the daughter of Robert and Ellen Williamson Smith of Pownall Fee, Cheshire, England.

John West spent some years in sea commerce and later farmed and ran a tavern. Some biographers indicate John became a major advocate against slavery and helped move the Quakers toward denouncing the practice among their faithful members.

After Sarah Pearson died in 1756, John's oldest son, Thomas, and youngest son, Benjamin were living in England. Before going abroad, Benjamin had won the heart of Elizabeth Shewell but Elizabeth's brother did not approve of the match. All his efforts to prevent the marriage failed when Benjamin's friends, one of whom is reported as Benjamin Franklin, conspired to help her escape her brother's home and sail to England. John West accompanied Elizabeth on the voyage in June, 1764 and gave her away as she married Benjamin.

John remained in England the rest of his life, living with his sister and with his son, Thomas. John died just months after American declared independence from Great Britain.

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N12T-HB3 : 30 December 2014, John West, 28 Dec 1690); citing , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 814,826.
2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_Tavern
3. ↑ Newtown Square Historic Society: http://www.historicnewtownsquare.org/historic-sites/square-tavern/
4. ↑ A source for this information is needed.

• Of Arms and Artists: "Of Arms and Artists, The American Revolution through Painters' Eyes" by Paul Stairti, 2016 Bloombury Press, NY Call 759.13 STA
• Bulletin of the Friends Historical Association, Volumes 1-2. Page 124. https://books.google.com/books?id=YtMQAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA124&lpg=RA1-PA124

See also:

• Find A Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/81890496
• Ancestry Family Trees: http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=27928723&pid=113