John West, ‘the Tavern Owner’

These Wests were early Quakers easily confused with other separate West lines. Brothers Thomas, William, and John all came initially to Pennsylvania. They and their children married into other prominent early Quaker families though not all Wests remained Friends. William West married Deborah Coppock, no issue. In his will he “bequeaths unto my two brothers Thomas West and John West all my wearing apparell to be equally divided between them.”

There were Wests in Virginia using many of the same names who also married Pearsons. The lines have not yet proven related.

No middle name.

Parentage is Thomas and Rachel West of Long Crendon, Bucks. Image from Quaker records was kindly uploaded by someone here.

Biography

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=81890496

John West was born in England, the son of Thomas and Ann (Rachel is listed in the Meeting books) 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.

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. Thomas was a member of the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1708. Margery was the daughter of Robert and Ellen Smith of Pownall Fee, Cheshire, England.

Beware of confusion with Thomas Pierson who was a Quaker and surveyor.

John and Sarah had ten children:

1. Joseph (1719-1802) married Jane Owen
2. Sarah (1719-?) married Mr. Howell
3. Mary (1721-?) married Jonathan Morris
4. William West(1724-?)married 1)Sarah Ennis and 2)Hannah Shaw
5. Samuel (1732-?)
6. Hugh
7. John, Jr.
8. Rachel
9. Elizabeth
10. Benjamin (1738-1820) married Elizabeth Shewell Note: Benjamin West was a famous painter and artist to King George III

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.

• Residence: Buckingham, England - 1688
• Residence: Buckingham, England - 1690
• Residence: Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, England - 1690
• Residence: England - 1690
  • Reference: FamilySearch Genealogy - SmartCopy: Aug 20 2021, 2:49:04 UTC

References

1. West Family DNA Project: https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/westdna/about
2. https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~summer/genealogy/West.htm
3. http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/h/a/m/Steven-H-Hamblin/W...
4. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LJLV-J8G
5. Stone, Letta Brock, 1879-. The West Family Register: Important Lines Traced, 1326-1928. Washington, D.C.: W.F. Roberts Co., 1928. p. 313-314
6. Myers, Albert Cook. “BENJAMIN WEST’S MOTHER, SARAH PEARSON, AND HER FAMILY.” Bulletin of Friends Historical Association, vol. 18, no. 2, 1929, pp. 71–77. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41945491. Accessed 10 May 2023.