Thomas West (abt. 1732 - 1795)

Born about 1732 in Gloucester County, Province of New Jersey

Descendants

Died 1795 at about age 63 in Greenwich Township, Gloucester, New Jersey, United States

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Biography

Thomas was a Friend (Quaker)

In Gloucester County Records

Thomas West was a bondsman for Mary Hutchinson's application to keep a tavern at her home in Woolwich.^[1] This reference is undated; Mary may be his wife or perhaps her mother (whose name is currently unknown).

"Mary Hutchinson was also granted a license to keep a tavern at the house where she lived in Woolwich township. Her application was signed by

John Mayhew

Abraham Nelson

William Morgan

Bodo Otto

Stanford Mayhew

Matthew Niewkirk

Jacob Elwell

Isaac Flanningham

David DuBois

Isaac Albertson

Michael Richman

S. Blackwood

Her bondsmen were James Budd and Thomas West"

His brother John West (abt.1735-1798) is probably the one who signed another application, this one dated 1770, transcribed on the same page.

Thomas and John also are listed as freeholders of Gloucester County between 1770-1800.^[2]

In Friends Records

Mt Holly MM wrote a certificate of removal for Thomas West to Woodbridge MM dated 10d 11m 1791.

"To Friends at their Monthly Meeting at Woodbury.

"Dear Friends, Thomas West having returned to reside amongst you hath requested our certificate, and on the usual enquiry we dont find but that he is Clear of Debt and Marriage Engagements amongst us, and as his abode with us hath been but short we cannot say much of his conduct but as a friend in Membership we recommend him to you Friendly Care and Oversight with Desires for his growth in the Truth and Subscribe ourselves your Friends and Brethren."

Subsequently, Thomas West requested a certificate of removal from Mount Holly MM to Woodbridge MM on behalf of his apprentice "George Ash West", a minor, on 8d 9m 1791.^[3]

This George West is possibly the one buried near to Thomas West in Mount Holly.

Thomas West was called a Friend by the Mount Holly MM to whom he left a bequest referenced in Men's Meeting Minutes dated 10d 11m 1796; Joseph Powell was appointed to receive the money for the Meeting.^[4] That's possibly this Joseph Powell (1739-1805).

Will continue to add references to Thomas in minutes for this meeting.

Thomas West in index to Woodbridge MM minutes: https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2189/images/31906_284041-00024

In New Jersey Wills

Thomas West's family is known from four people's wills: his father, his brother Richard, his father in law John Hutchinson, and his own.

Thomas West is named in the will of Richard West of Greenwich, his father, dated 4 Oct 1759.

"Thomas (who has son Uriah)..."^[5].

22 July 1794, Thomas West of Greenwich wrote his will, naming land once belonging to deceased brother Israel, his living sister Elizabeth (who was to receive 100 shillings annually) and land bordering brother John West's land. He also references land adjacent to Isaiah West, relationship not yet known.

Thomas' son Uriah is not named in his will, and must have died between 1759 and 1794. There is no will abstract or land record for any Uriah West. While there is a Uriah West who witnessed the will of Elizabeth Allen in 1753 up in Shrewsbury, that Uriah would be too old to be a son of Thomas.

• 27 Apr 1765, Thomas West conducted inventory of estate of John Mickle of Gloucester^[6]

• On 16 Nov 1765, Joseph Allen of Greenwich Township left Thomas West "a Landing on Manto Creek, to extend from my wharf to Thomas West's wharf". The will was witnessed by Israel West and proved 6 May 1769.^[7]

• On 23 Mar 1777, Thomas West inventories estate of Samuel Chew (1740-1777) with Thomas Taber.

Land Records

• 30 Jul 1761, Richard Fry conveyed land to Thomas West at Great Egg Harbor River, Gloucester County^[8]
• 8 Jul 1762, Thomas West conveyed land to Alexander Montgomerie at "Schrusbury, Monmouth County."^[9]
• 2 May 1781, resurvey "all of any of Thomas West's Lands in Gloucester County"^[10]
• 11 Jan 1782. This land record needs to be clarified by NJSA. Apparently there was a resurvey of 100 acres of Mud Flats in Deptford Township, Gloucester County. From Elizabeth West (wife of Joseph) and their son Thomas West to "Robert Friend Price (Trustee of the late Deborah West); Deborah West (Deceased; Devisees of)". Also named on the deed are Beulah Clement (Wife of Samuel Clement; Owner of adjoining land); Samuel Clement (Husband of Beulah Clement; Owner of adjoining land); Daniel Ellis (Clerk); John Ladd (Owner of adjoining land); John Lee (Attorney) (of Daniel Raydon); Joshua Paul (Deputy Surveyor); Daniel Raydon (Owner of adjoining land); Robert Smith, Jr. (Surveyor General) (Signatory); Charles West (Son of the late Deborah West; Former owner of land); Joseph West (Son of the late Deborah West; Former owner of land).^[11] (Note that John Ladd was the JP who married Thomas West and Sarah Couzins)
• 7 Nov 1787, resurvey of "all or any of Thomas West's Lands in the County of Gloucester."^[12]

Death and Legacy

"1794, July 22. West, Thomas, of Greenwich Twsp., Gloucester Co., yeoman; will of. Wife, Mary, profits of plantation during her life; also 1/3 of residue of personal. Son, John, places he lives on..."^[13]

Children mentioned in will

John

Jonathan

Keziah (West) Wetherby

Sarah (West) Turner

Job

Mary

Other family mentioned in will

wife Mary

sister Elizabeth

brother Israel

John Hutchinson, father-in-law

Thomas West left a legacy to the Mount Holly Friends Meeting, recorded in the Men's Minutes on 6 Sep 1796 when his executor informed a Friend (unnamed) at the meeting that "the legacy left by our said Friend was ready for payment if the Meeting would appoint a friend to receive it"; the friends appointed Joseph Powell.^[14]

With this connection established, we can connect Thomas West to his burial on ??? 21st 1795 in Mt Holly Friends Burial Ground, Fourth Row, Lot 2.^[15]

Research Notes

Joseph Allen

Was Joseph Allen a relative or just a close friend/neighbor?

Joseph Allen of Greenwich Township was a neighbor of Thomas and left him land; his will was witnessed by Thomas' brother Israel. Joseph died after 16 Nov 1765 and before 6 May 1769. This is his family. They could be related to the Wests, or just neighbors/friends.^[16]

• father deceased in 1765?
• mother Patience Allen
• sister Abigail Allen
• sister Rebecca Lodge
• sister Patience Allen
• sister Elizabeth Allen
• sister Deborah Allen

Thomas West of Deptford

There is a contemporary Thomas West, son of Joseph and Elizabeth West, named in a land survey in Deptford dated 11 Jan 1782 (see below). This is about 35 miles from Greenwich. At the time, both towns were in Gloucester County, but Greenwich is now in Cumberland Co.

John Ladd in the land record is a neighbor to this Thomas West, and was also the JP that married Thomas West and Sarah Couzins in 1755. Presumably this marriage record is for Thomas West of Deptford.

Marriage performed by John Ladd, JP: "Thomas West, yeoman, Gloucester county, and Sarah Couzins, spinster, Gloucester county, 1755"^[17] Also transcribed here: "West Thomas and Sarah Couzins, both Gloucester co.,1755."^[18]

Sources

1. ↑ Stewart, Frank H. (comp). Notes on Old Gloucester County, New Jersey. 4 vols. (Camden, N.J: Printed by Sinnickson Chew & Sons Company, 1917, volume 1, page 63
2. ↑ https://archive.org/details/notesonoldglouce00stewa/page/130/mode/2up?ref=ol&view=theater&q=west
3. ↑ Mount Holly Monthly Meeting Minutes, 1787-1828, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2189/images/42060_1821100519_3579-00028?pId=1100223345
4. ↑ Mount Holly Monthly Meeting, Men´s Minutes, 1793-1818, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/100113752:2189
5. ↑ West, Richard. Calendar of Wills 1751-1760. Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey, XXXII, 353.
6. ↑ https://archive.org/details/calendarofnewjer03newj/page/285
7. ↑ Joseph Allen of Greenwich Township. Calendar of Wills, Administrations, Etc. 1761-1770. Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. (Trenton, NJ: Archives of the State of New Jersey), volume 33, page 13
8. ↑ New Jersey State Archives. Early Land Records Database. Citing T (WJ) : Folio 121 (SSTSE023). https://wwwnet-dos.state.nj.us/DOS_ArchivesDBPortal/EarlyLandRecords.aspx
9. ↑ New Jersey State Archives. Early Land Records Database. Citing A-C (WJ) : Folio 496 (SSTSE023). https://wwwnet-dos.state.nj.us/DOS_ArchivesDBPortal/EarlyLandRecords.aspx
10. ↑ New Jersey State Archives. Early Land Records Database. Citing WJ Loose Records : 1781 - West, Thomas (62428) (PWESJ004). https://wwwnet-dos.state.nj.us/DOS_ArchivesDBPortal/EarlyLandRecords.aspx
11. ↑ New Jersey State Archives. Early Land Records Database. Citing Book R (WJ Surveys) : Folio 156-157 (PWESJ004). https://wwwnet-dos.state.nj.us/DOS_ArchivesDBPortal/EarlyLandRecords.aspx
12. ↑ New Jersey State Archives. Early Land Records Database. Citing WJ Loose Records : 1787 - West, Thomas (62309) (PWESJ004). https://wwwnet-dos.state.nj.us/DOS_ArchivesDBPortal/EarlyLandRecords.aspx
13. ↑ West, Thomas. Calendar of New Jersey Wills, Administrations, Etc. 1801-1805. Documents Relating to the Colonial, Revolutionary and Post-Revolutionary History of the State of New Jersey. (Trenton, NJ, 1946), XXXVIII, 406.
14. ↑ Mount Holly Meeting, Men´s Minutes, 1793-1818, page 98, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/100113750:2189?ssrc=pt&tid=53260005&pid=26042615435
15. ↑ Mt Holly MM Records of Burials. https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/3158409:2189?ssrc=pt&tid=53260005&pid=26042615435
16. ↑ https://archive.org/details/calendarofnewjer03newj/page/12
17. ↑ Stewart, Frank H. Stewart's Genealogical and Historical Miscellany (Woodbury, NJ: Gloucester County Historical Society, 1918), page 25
18. ↑ Craig, H. Stanley,. South Jersey marriages : supplementing the Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem County marriage records. Merchantville, N.J.: H.S. Craig, 19--, p. 16