Notes


Note    N2554         Index
North Carolina Marriages, 1759-1979North Carolina Marriages, 1759-1979
Name Alexander West Spouse's Name Hanna Langley Event Date 07 Mar 1781 Event Place Wilkes, North Carolina

North Carolina, U.S., Marriage Index, 1741-2004
Name: Hannar Langley Spouse: Alexander West Marriage Date: 7 Mar 1781 Marriage County: Wilkes Marriage State: North Carolina

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North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782
Name Alexander West Military Date 5 Aug 1783 Military Place Salisbury, North Carolina

United States Census, 1790 better match to Alexander b1783 and family
Name: Alex West Event Place: Burke, North Carolina
2m<16 m>16 4f

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1810 United States Federal Census
Name: Alexander West Home in 1810 (City, County, State): Morganton, Burke, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25: 1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25: 1
Number of Household Members Under 16 : 2
Number of Household Members: 4

United States Census, 1820
Name: Alexander West Sr Event Place: Burke, North Carolina
m26-45 m>45 f10-16 f>45

United States Census, 1830
Name: Alexander West Event Place: Burke, North Carolina
m70-80 f40-50 f70-80

U.S., Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900
Name Alexander West Pension Year 1835 Application State North Carolina Applicant Designation Widow's Pension Application File Second Applicant Name Hannah West see Alexander West 1750 war pension.docx in Data

North Carolina, Historical Records Survey, Cemetery Inscription Card Index
Name: Alexander West Event Type: Burial Event Date: 28 Mar 1834 Event Place: Lenoir, Caldwell, North Carolina Event Place (Original): Union Baptist, Lenoir, Caldwell, N C Age: 84 Birth Year (Estimated): 1750

findagrave
Alexander West II BIRTH 1751 Orange County, North Carolina DEATH 28 Mar 1834 (aged 82-83) Burke County, North Carolina BURIAL Union Baptist Church Cemetery Lenoir, Caldwell County, North Carolina MEMORIAL ID 177786051
Spouse Hannah Langley West 1750-1839 (m. 1781)
Children
Rachael Margaret West Templeton 1781-1869
Alexander West III 1783-1864
Elizabeth West Barnes 1786-1869
Thomas West 1788-1874
Mary West Payne 1791-1856

Information that he is buried here came from Ancestry user: beamcl1

North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979
Name: Alexander West Event Type: Probate Event Year: 1834 Event Place: Burke, North Carolina Number of Names with File: 1 File Name: Alexander West
First Image Number: 00156 Last Image Number: 00159 Number of Images: 4 images of inventory with buyers and prices paid

lindajdunn
The West family of Caldwell county descends from Alexander West II born about 1750; died 28 March 1834, who was a soldier of the American Revolution from Wilkes county. In his old age he applied for and was granted a pension for his military services, and his widow likewise was awarded such a pension. He was married in Wilkes county in 1781 to Hannah Langley (born about 1750; died 5 May 1839) and removed within a few years to Upper Little River, Burke (now Caldwell) county, where he spent the remainder of his life. He and his wife Hannah are buried at Union Baptist Chruch, near Oak Hill, as are many of their descendants. Full transcript of pension Genealogy/West/Data

He was a prosperous farmer who acquired considerable property, and it may be noted here that he and his descendants generally were considered wealthier than their Wilkes county relatives. He and his wife Hannah had at least two sons, Alexander III, and Thomas, and several daughters, one of whom was Mary West (1791-1856) who married Aquila Payne, a rich farmer on Middle Little River, and has had numerous prominent descendants in Caldwell and Alexander counties. She was, for example, the grandmother of the late Abner Payne, for many years a leading attorney in Taylorsville.

Alexander West iii (1783-1864A) is the ancestor of many of the Wests now living in Caldwell; he married Patience L. Allen (1782-1855), daughter of Ananias Allen, and had a family of four sons (Ananias, Isaac, James Harvey and Hiram) and one daughter (Elizabeth, wife of Clisby G. Cobb). Two of his sons, J. Harvey & Hiram, became well-known Baptist ministers. His wife, Patience Allen, belonged to a well-known local family; her nephew, J. Warren Allen of Lenoir, was the grandfather of Ed F. Allen, long one of Lenoir's financial leaders (Mutual Savings Loan), now living in retirement on Norwood Street at an advanced age.

Thomas West, born about 1790 and died about 1875, inherited part of his father's lands on Upper Little River, where he spent his entire life. He married Elizabeth McCrary (born about 1800) and had a family of one son and five daughters, as follows:
1. Catharine West born about 1825 married John Witherspoon West of Wilkes
2. Caroline West (born about 1827) married (1852) Gholstoon Smith, a well-to-do farmer who lived in the edge of Burke county, where the present Lenoir-Morganton Airport is located, on Lower Creek.
3. Eveline West, born about 1830, died 1915, unmarried.
4. Hannah West born about 1833, married 1859 Joseph H Hartley, and died not many years later, leaving several orphans. Mr. Hartley afterwards married again, and has numerous descendants in Hudson township.
5. Nancy West born about 1835 married 1855 her cousin William West of Wilkes County, a son of Baylis West.
6. C Decatur West born about 1837, the only son in the family, inherited most of his father’s lands.

The South Carolina location of the family was most likely in the old Pendleton District (comprising the present counties of Pickens, Anderson and Oconee), or possibly in the adjoining Greenville District (now Greenville county). A prominent figure in this section was a wealthy citizen named John Baylis Earle, whose local popularity was such that numerous male infants were named for him and BAYLIS, as a given name, still occurs with some frequency in that part of South Carolina.

Baylis West was born about 1797 (according to census) in South Carolina, but was raised in Wilkes County, NC, where he was married in 1818 to Mary Swanson (born about 1799) in Wilkes. For some years they continued to live in the same section where Baylis was raised, between Elkville and Ferguson, until sometime in the 1840's, when Baylis West purchased a small farm on the south fork of Lewis Fork. Baylis & Mary had a total of 9 children, four sons and five daughters.
1. Franklin West (1818 -1897) married Cynthia Holder (1824-1910) they are buried at Mt. Zion Baptist Church on Stony Fork. They were the parents of Thomas C. West who married Bethania Triplett and had, among others, the late Carter West of Ferguson.
2. Margaret (Peggy) West (born about 1820 married Wilson Hendrix.
3. Alexander B. West (born about 1828) married (1851) Nancy Land of Stony Fork; he was a licensed Baptist preacher (i.e., a lay preacher). On 28 Feb 1862 he enlisted in Company K, 53rd North Carolina Regiment, Confederate States Army; was subsequently promoted to Corporal, was wounded at Gettysburg (3 July 1983) , and killed 19 September 1864. The captains of this company were both men from the Wests' home neighbourhood - William J. Miler, killed at Gettysburg, & Jesse F. Eller, killed in civil war).
4. William West (born about 1830) married (1855) his cousin Nancy West, daughter of Thomas West of Caldwell county, and died in the Civil war, leaving three children (Selena, Genelia, William)
5. Melinda West (born about 1832) obviously named for her aunt who married Israel Presnell.
6. Elizabeth West (born about 1835)
7. Mary Ann West (1837-1917) married Hamilton Barnett (1844-1904); they are buried at Mount Zion Baptist Church on stony Fork.
8. John Witherspoon West (born about 1840) married his cousin Catharine West (born about 1825) of Caldwell County. Note the large difference in their ages. He was no doubt named for Capt. John Witherspoon, a wealthy planter who at the time (1840) owned and lived on the valuable plantation at the mouth of Elk Creek, and was a near neighbour of the Baylis West family. Capt. Witherspoon's brick is still standing at Elkville; it is the residence formerly occupied by the family of the late Henry Wheeling.
9. Lucy West (born about 1842)

I might mention here that I have failed to find any record in Caldwell county of the marriage of John Witherspoon West to Catharine West. At that time, North Carolina law required marriage licenses to be issued in the county where the bride resided, so the lack of such a marriage record here is rather puzzling. One possible explanation is that Catherine went to Wilkes county to live with her widowed sister Nancy, after the death of the latter's husband William West, and consequently was residing in Wilkes County when she married John W. West. Another possibility is that Catharine had been married previously, to a Wilkes county resident. In any event, it seems likely that the married John W. West in Wilkes county.

The children of Alexander & Hannah (Langley) West, which are included in the transcription of the Revolutionary War Pension documents of Alexander West are in Word doc in Genealogy/West/Data

census records could be for Alexander & Hannah Langley; he was born c1750 in Wilkes, NC

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Excerpts from West Family History compiled by Reba Pennington
Excerpt from State of North Carolina, Burke Co. 1776 posted by marycarolmarino originally shared this on 31 Aug 2007
This day personally opened before us Lewis Fain and Jepe Brown & Isaac e Bradburn acting as Justices of the Peace in a for said County and State ALEXANDER WEST, SR who after being sworn upon the Holy Evengelist in order to Obain the benefit of an act of Congress passed 7 Jun 1821 for the relief of certain Officers and Soldiers of the Revolutionary in order to obtain a pension doeth on his Corperal oath say that he was a soldier in the Revolutionary War in the North Carolina Militia and entered the service as a volunteer under Insign Alison in Captain Hargraves Company in Wilkes Co. NC against the Cherokee Indians and served some months which he does not now recollect, but he is certain not less than two months And that at the expiration of his time, he was dismissed. Said WEST, the next service rendered was in the year 1782 in which year he was drafted as an infantry soldier for three months under Captain Peter O'Neils in Col. Potterfields Regiment, no of regiment forgotten in General Gates Army, in which service he was rendezvoused a Guildord County Courthouse N. Carolina where he remained for some time, from which place he was marched some ten miles or twelve miles to Col Peinelys where he was engaged for some eight or ten days in casting ball--from thence he was marched to Salisbury, NC under the command of Gen Rutherford. Thence by Jacob Egness to the mouth of Big Rockey River where a small engagement took place between the American Army and a party of Tories at which time Gen. Davidson received a mortal wound. From Thence he was marched to the McKay Settlement near the Cheraw Hills SC where he was stationed a short time, from there a circuitous march through the country to the Cheraw HIlls and after remaining in Cheraw some eight or ten days, he was marched in pursuit of Land Radew to Rudgulys Mill, Anisan Creek, South Carolina. And was a General Gates deeat and then with two other soldiers was taken sick after the battle and was left in the Waxsaw neighborhhood for some five or six weeks.until he regained his strength. Then being again able for duty went to the Guilford Court House N. Caroline at which time he was Honorably Discharged by Captain Peter O'Neill. The said WEST further swears that he was again drafted into the North Caroling Militia in the year 1769 and placed under the command of Captain Pentleton Isball in Col. Cleveland Regiment, but at the time he was drafted said regiment was commanded by Col. Elisha Isaacs and rendezvoused a Wilksbor NC and marched through Salem to Bells Mills in Deep Rived inRandolph County., NC. From thence to various placed throught the Western part of NC in purshit of Tories commanded by Col Faren without meeting with any military engagement only to take prisoners and confine them until the time of his being discharged by Said Col Isaacs afore said at the expiration of his time of service which was three months, said WEST further swears that the General Discharges given him were either lost or mislaid and that he does not of but one person now living by whome he can name his services, by Thomas Carlton who now lives in the county of Wilkes, NC all of which was sworn before us this 1st day of January 1834.

Southern Campaigns American Revolution Pension Statements and Rosters Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris. Revised 24 July 2019.
Pension Application of Alexander West WI8328 Hannah West NC
State of N Carolina Burke County Bradburn Acting Justices of the peace in & for said County & State
Alexander West Sr. who after being Sworn upon the Holy Evangelist in order to obtain the Benefit of an act of Congress passed June 7 1832 for the Relief of Certain serving Officers & Soldiers of the Revolution, in order to obtain a pension doth on his Corporal oath say That he was a Soldier in the Revolutionary War in the N Carolina Militia and entered the cervis as a voluntier under Insign Alison in Captain Hartgraves Compcny in Wilks [sic: Wilkes] County N. Carolina against the Cherokee Indians, and served some months which he dose not now Recollect. But he is certin not less than Two monthes, and the experation of his tower [sic; tour] he was dismist. Said West further swears that the next service he Rendered was in the year 1780 in which year he was drafted as an Infintry Soldier for three months under Captain Peter Oneal in Col. Porterfields Regiment No. of the Regiment forgotan, in Genl. Gatcscs [sic: Horatio Gates's] armey in which cervis he was Rondevoused at Guilford ford, Court house [sic: Guilford Courthouse] N. Carolina where he remained for some time from which place he was marched some ten or twelve miles to Col Paisleys [sic: John Peasley's] where he was engaged some eight or ten days casting balls - from thence he was marched to Salisbury NC under the command of Genl. [Griffith] Rutherford. Thence by Jacob Egners to the mouth of big Rocky River where a small ingagement took place between the american army & a party of tories at which time Genl. [William Lee] Davidson received a mortal wound, [see endnote] From thence he was marched to the M.Kay Settlement near the Cheraw Hill S. C. where he was stationed a short time from there a Circutious march through the Country to the Cheraw hills and after Remaining in Cheraw some 8 or 10 days he was marched in pursuit of Lord Raden [sic: Francis, Lord Rawdon] to Rudgelys [sic: Rugeley's] Mill, on Richison Creek [sic: Grannies Quarter Creek] S. Carolina, and was at Genl Gates Defeat [Battle of Camden SC, 16 Aug 1780] and was then with two or three from long fetegue was taken sick after the Battle, and was left in the Waxsaw [sic: Waxhaws] neighborhood for some five or six weeks
at which place he was honorably discharged by Captain Peter Oneal The said West further swears that he was again drafted in the North Carolina Melitia in the year 1782 and placed under the command Captain Pendleton Isbell in Col. Cleaveland [Benjamin Cleveland] Regiment, but at the time he was drafted said Regiment was Commanded by Col. Elisha Isaacs [Elijah Isaacs] and rendevoused at Wilksboro [sic: Wilkesboro] N. Carolina, & marched through the Salem to Bells mills on Deep River in Randolph County N. C. From thence to various places through the western part of N. Carolina on pursuit of tories commanded by Col Fannan [David Fanning] without meeting any meterial ingagement only to take prisoners and confine them until the time of his being discharged by said Col Isaacs aforesiad at the expiration of his term of ccrvis which was three months. Said West further swears that the several discharges given him areeither lost or mislaid and he does not know of but one person now Liveing by whome he can prove his cerviscs, Viz Thomas Carlton who now Lives in the County of Wilks. Carolina.
all of which was duly sworn to & subscribed before us this 6* day of January 1834 Alexander his X mark West
1" When and Whare was you bom answer in in Orange County N. Carolina in the year 1751
2nd Whare did you Live when you first entered the scrvis of the U.S.? Answer in Wilks County NC.
3d name some of the principle officers under which you served during your several campaigns - Answer Genl. Gates Genl Rutherford and Genl Davidson
4th Why did you not go before one of the Courts of your county to make your Declaration. Answer Because 1 am unable to walk the Distance I am Liveing From the Court house as also owing to my infirmetes & dimness of sight I would not feel my safe or Justifeable in riding to the Court House, and I was informed I could make make it before megistrets. Sworn to & subscribed before us
Alexander hisXmark West

State of North Carolina } Burke County }
Personally appeared before me the undersignd one of the Justices of the peace in and for s'd County Thomas Carlton who being duly sworn deposseth & saycth that Alexnder West Sen'r. was a Soldier in the united States Service in the Revolutionary War in the year seventeen hundred & eighty two & that I said Thomas Carlton was in the Campaing with s'd Alexander West and that he was a true Whig Sworn & subscribed to before me this 4th of December 1832
Thomas his X mark Carlton

State of N.Carolina } SS Burke County J
Whare as this day pursanally apeared before me the undersigned an acting Justice of the peace in & for said County & State Alexander West Sr. who maid the anext Declaration in order to obtain a pentian under an act of Congress passed June 7 1832 & produced a Letter from James L Edwards Commenesear of Pentions shewing that his Declartion maid on the 6* day January Last was Returned to him for the purpose of Suplying some omissions in said Declaration. Said West therefore after being Dully sworn saith on Oath, that the first serves he Renderd in the Revolutionary war was as a volunteer against the Cherokee Indians was in the year 1779 to the best of his Recolection and that During that serves he was not under the com'd of any Leagle Col But was Commanded by Majr. Hartgrave [sic: Francis Hargrove) a portion of the time in scouting & pursewing the Indians & the Balance of his time he was stationed at Fort Defiance to gard said Fort under the Comand of said Insign Alison as mentioned in the former Declaration The other two towers which said West served he has fully set forth in his original Declaration to gather with his age viz. He was bom in the year 1751. Said west further swares that he is not now nor never has been on the pention Roll of the General Goverment or any of the State Goverments or Agencys there of and that he hereby Relinquishes all Claim to any pention or annuity except the present Swore to subscribed before me this 1 fi"1 Day of March 1834
Alexander his X mark West

[On 25 July 1834 Hannah West applied for the pension of Alexander West, who died while his application was pending.]
After which the following interogatorys ware propounded to said Widow Hanah West
1 Where & in what year was you bom Answer in the year 1749 October
2nd When was you maried to your husband the said Alexander West Dec'd Answer I do not Recolect the presise time but I think something like 54 years ago.
3rd Why Did you not go before a court of Record to prove your Widowship to the said Alexander West Dcc'd. Answer because I am and has been for the last seventeen years purfectly Blind and through oald age and sevear afliction my being almost intircly helpless and Residing as I do Twenty miles from the court house of my County [Burkc] Render it entirely imposable for me to prove my widowship before a court of Record
4th how long has your husband been Dead answer he Died on the 28* day of March Last 1834. Sworn to & subscribed before us this 25* Day ofJuly 1834
Hannah her X mark West

State of North Carolina }
Caldwcll County } Court of pleas and quarter Sessions July Term 1852. This 30* day of July one thousand eight hundred and fifty two, personally appeared in open court Thomas West, Administrator of Hannah West Deceased, Widow of Alexander West Deceased, Who being sworn in due form of law declares and says, that he believes from report and the ages of his brothers and sisters that his father Alexander West was married about the year 1777 or thereabout to Hannah Langley and of Orange County by which marriage was bom Bathia in 1778. Margaret 1781. Alexander 1783. Elizabeth 1786. Thomas 1788. Mary 1791. - of Whom This affiant is one. That his father Alexander West died on the 28th of March 1834. That after his death, Hannah West widow of said Alexander West, drew pension of sixty or seventy Dollars, being the amount due said Alexander West under the act of Congress of 1832. He further states that his Mother Hannah West died on the 5th day of May 1839 and that she was the identical person named in the declaration heretofore filed among the archives of the war department having charge of pensions and that said Hannah did not in her life time receive any pension money, or benefit from the several Acts of Congress making provision for the widows and Heirs of Deceased soldiers of the army of the revolution, nor has the widow or heirs, or the survivors of them received of the government any compensation, whatever under the several acts aforesaid, your affiant Therefore prays that he the Administrator of Hannah West Dec'd Widow of Alexander West Dcc'd that whatsoever he might legally claim as the Administrator of Hannah West Dec'd. Widow of Alexander West Dec'd to be paid to him the papers heretofore filed in the pension office substantiating the claim of Alexander West as a private soldier in Capt Onails company at the Battle of Camden under Genl. gates were filed in the year 1832 or 1833 and sent back to the pension office by Hannah West after the death of said Alexander West in 1834. The Regiment to which said Alexander West was attached was from North Carolina the name of the Col not recollected that he served also under Genl Lee Davidson of North Carolina
[signed] Thomas West

NOTES:
Gen. William Lee Davidson was killed in battle at Cowan's Ford on Calawba River in North Carolina on 1 Fcb 1781, not at the mouth of Rocky River before the Battle of Camden.

The file contains the family record transcribed below. On the other side of the paper is written, " 1790/ Amos Tuttle his Bible for his instruction."

Bethiah west was Born march the 18th 1779
Margret west was Born march the 8th 1781
Alexander west was Born the 23rd of December 1783
Elizebeth West was Born the 8th of March 178 [last digit hidden)
Thomas West was bom the 23rd of Sept 1788
Mary West was Born June the 18th 1791