From THE VALLEY OF THE UPPER MAUMEE and ANNALS OF THE TOWN-SHIPS, 1887 edition, reprint by Brant and Fuller, Madison, Wisc., page 331
FISHER C. WEST, was born in 1827, at Syracuse, New York, son of JOSEPH and JOANNA (SMITH) WEST. The father was a soldier in the war of 1812, and served about one year. The grandparents on both sides were soldiers in the war for American Independence, and the grandfather on the father’s side served through the whole struggle and lost an eye in the first battle. MR. WEST left his native state when about 15 years of age, and settled in DeKalb county, where he remained with his parents about 1 year, and then began to learn the miller’s trade, which he has followed more or less ever since. In 1849 he joined the great tide of emigration to the gold fields of California, where he was very successful in mining. He remained about 4 years, then returned to Indiana and purchased the farm in Perry township on which he now lives. He remained in Allen county about 10 months and then began a series of travels, to New York City, then to the Cape Verde, Africa, then to Cape Town, Africa; thence to Fort Phillip, Australia; thence to the gold mines of Australia, where he remained about 8 years; then from Melbourne to London, Eng-land, where he remained about 3 months and then returned home.
In 1860 he was united in marriage with COLUMBIA ANN WHEELER. Of their 8 children, three are living:
PRICE D., CURTIS S., and LENA E.
The mother of these children was born in 1833, and departed this life in 1888. Mr. West is an extensive land owner, having 937 acres of valuable land in Perry township, with brick dwelling and other substantial buildings. He also owns 80 acres in Noble county, about 300 in Missouri and 1,700 in Tennessee. He is an enterprising man and is now boring for gas on his farm, the well being at this writing about 1,000 feet deep. His home farm is the very best land in Allen county, unsurpassed in its production of grain. Mr. West is a member of the F. & A. M.
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You can find an excellent biography on PRICE DONNER WEST in
Biography of Price Donner West, pages 408/409/410/411/412.
History of DeKalb County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company,
Inc., Indianapolis, 1914.
Also to be found on the DeKalb County website
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WEST CENSUS
1850 Census of Sacramento, Sacramento Co., CA
Fisher West 23 M born NY
If this is the correct Fisher West, he is living with a Schwitzer family.
1850 Census of Butler Township, DeKalb Co., IN Family 65, Dwelling 65
George S. West 29 M Farmer born CAN
Hannah West 22 F born Ohio
Edward West 4 M born IN
Sylvia Ann West 1 F born IN
No name West 2 mo. F born IN
1850 Census of Butler Township, DeKalb Co., IN Family 66, Dwelling 66
Joanna West 49 F born CT
Eliza Whetsel 23 F born NY
Agnes Whetsel 1 mo. F born IN
Elizabeth West 19 F born NY
Archy West 14 M born NY
Ira West 12 M born NY
Louis G. West 10 M born NY
Susan G. West 6 F born NY
1880 Census of Perry Township, Allen County, IN, page 194 B
Fisher C. West married male, 42 born NY Farmer (prob. 52)
Both parents from CT
Columbia A. West wife female, 46 born NY Keeps house
Both parents born MA
Curtius S. West son, single male, 14 born IN At home
Guy C. West son, single male, 11 born IN At home
Lena E. West dau, single female, 7 born IN
Albert Hanley single male, 23 born PA Farm laborer
Marcus Cherry single male, 26 born GA Painter
Father born NY, Mother born Ceylon, Asia
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1880 Census of Butler Township, DeKalb County, IN 193 A
George West married male, 59 born CAN Farmer
Both parents born CT
Hannah West wife female, 53 born Ohio Keeps house
Both parents born VA
Holland G. West son, single male, 22 born IN At home
Douglas A. West son, single male, 18 born IN At home
Ollie E. West daughter female, 16 born IN At home
Flora May West daughter female, 13 born IN At home
1880 Census of Butler Township, DeKalb Co., IN 193 A
Ira West married male, 41 born NY Farmer
Both parents born CT
Susana West wife female, 36 born NY Keeps house
Both parents born NY
Lee West son male, 15 born IN At home
Allen West son male, 14 born IN At home
Willard West son male, 10 born IN At home
Claud West son male, 8 born IN
Lillie West daughter female, 3 born IN
Merta West daughter female, 1 born IN
1880 Census of Butler Township, DeKalb Co., IN 193 A
William Whetsel married male, 64 born Ohio Farmer
No place of birth given for parents
Eliza Whetsel wife female, 64 born NY Keeps house
Both parents born CT
Augusta Whetsel dau., single female, 27 born IN At home
Joseph Whetsel son, single male, 25 born IN At home
Itche Whetsel dau., single female, 23 born IN At home
Louis Whetsel dau, single female, 20 born IN At home
Brittie Whetsel daughter female, 12 born IN At home
(Probably the age of Eliza is incorrect on this census. Note above that she is 23 in the 1850 census of her mother, Joanna above, making her birthyear about 1826/27. More in line with a 12 year old daughter also. Does anyone know where William might have been in 1850?? They were married on January 27, 1848 in DeKalb Co.
1880 Census of Quartz Gulch, Baker, Oregon 37 B
Edward West Single male, 34 born IN Gold Miner
(Is this Edward West, son of George?)
WEST BURIALS AT PERRY TOWNSHIP CEMETERY, HUNTERTOWN, IN
WEST, JANE E. 1843-1929
WEST-SIBLE, LENA A. 1873-1909
WEST BURIALS AT CEDAR CHAPEL CEMETERY, BUTLER TOWNSHIP, DEKALB CO., IN
FISHER C. WEST 1827-1914
GEORGE S. WEST b. July 1, 1820 d: March 24, 1886
HANNAH, wife of George W. d: Jan. 19, 1887, aged 61 years
DOUGLAS A. WEST b. Aug. 8, 1861 d: Dec. 5, 1884
Son of G. S. & H. West
INFANT DAU WEST d: July 3, 1855, aged 1 day
Dau. of G. S. & H. West
ISABELLA M. WEST d: Sept. 15, 1864, aged 18m 12d
SHEPARD L. WEST d: Sept. 22, 1864, aged 3y 10m 19d
Children of Fisher C. & Columbia A. West
JOSEPH WEST d. April 30, 1846, aged 52y 10m 3d
JOANNA, wife of Joseph West d: March 3, 1879, aged 77y 2m 19d
OWEN WEST d: April 17, 1869, aged 5m 17d
Infant Dau. of Ira A. & Rose E. West
WILLIAM WHETSEL d: Feb. 24, 1887, aged 61y 5m 25d
WEST - DESCENDANTS OF JOSEPH WEST
1. Joseph West b: CT
+ Joanna Smith b: abt. 1802 in CT
2. George S. West b: abt. 1821 in Canada, married Oct. 14, 1845 DeKalb Co.
“Pioneer Weddings, Auburn Courier”
+ Hannah Surface b: abt. 1828 in Ohio
3. Edward West b: abt. 1846
3. Sylvia A. West b: abt. 1849
3. Jane A. West b: abt. 1850
3. Charles West b: abt. 1853
3. Holland G. West b: abt. 1857
3. Douglas A. West b: abt. 1862
3. Ollie E. West b: abt. 1864
3. Flora May West b: abt. 1867
2. Eliza West b: abt. 1826/27 in NY, married Jan. 17, 1848 in DeKalb Co., IN
+ William Whetsel b: abt. 1816 in Ohio
3. Agnes Whetsel b: abt. 1850
3. Augusta Whetsel b: abt. 1853
3. Joseph Whetsel b: abt. 1855
3. Itche Whetsel b: abt. 1858
3. Louis Whetsel b: abt. 1860
3. Brittie Whetsel b: abt. 1868
2. Fisher C. West b: 1827 in Syracuse, NY
+ Columbia A. Wheeler b: abt. 1834 in NY d: April 19, 1888
3. Price Donner West b: Dec. 27, 1861 in Perry Twp., Allen
Co., IN d: July 5, 1913, married Dec. 27, 1895
+ Mary C. Barnes d: March 10, 1905
4. Fisher C. West
4. Price Donner West, Jr.
2nd wife of Price Donner West, married June 19, 1906
+ Nanne Peterson
3. Curtis S. West b: abt. 1866
3. Guy C. West b: abt. 1869
3. Lena E. West b: abt. 1873 d: 1909
+ Unknown Sible
2. Elizabeth West b: abt. 1831
2. Archy West b: abt. 1836
2. Ira Allen West b: abt. 1838 in NY
+ Susanna b: abt. 1844 in NY
3. Lee West b: abt. 1865
3. Allen West b: abt. 1866
3. Willard West b: abt. 1870
3. Claud West b: abt. 1872
3. Lillie West b: abt. 1877
3. Merta West b: abt. 1879
2. Louis G. West b: abt. 1840
2. Susanna G. West b: abt. 1844
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NELSON, CLARA
MARRIAGE OF CLARA NELSON TO SAMUEL BROWN
"At high noon, September 9, at the residence of Mr. Fisher West, two miles from Huntertown, Ind., occured the marriage of Miss Clara G. Nelson to Mr. Samuel A. Brown. Rev. E. A. Bunner performed the ceremony in the presence of a few near relatives and friends. The bride was attired in a lovely gown of tan voile and creme lace which showed to advantage her modest beauty. She held a bouquet of asters. Mrs. Lena Sible played the wedding march. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Nelson of Huntertown. She has made her home with Mr. and Mrs. West for the last 6 years. The groom is a son of Mrs. S. Brown of Fort Wayne. After the nuptials were performed a bountiful wedding breakfast was served. The following were present:
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Nelson and family, Stella, Manilla and Marie
Mrs. S. Brown
Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Greenfield
Mr. and Mrs. F. G. West
Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Sible
Mrs. G. Warcup and daughter, Angeline
Mrs. F. Reinhold
Miss Sophia Thompson
Mr. Sible
Ira Greenfield
Edwin Strock.
Mr. and Mrs. Brown will leave in a few days for Seattle, Washington, where they expect to reside.
Added information as found in a letter dated June 2, 1968 and written by “Aunt Manilla May Nelson Bond”.
June 1, 1968........"Your grandmother, Clara, went to work at the Fisher West farm when she was around 14, I believe. They liked her very much, and sent her to Valpiroza, Michigan to what was called, "Normal School" at that time, a school for preparing to teach. She was engaged to Samuel Brown, during this time. Sam worked on the farm too. He was a very fine man, but not too well. He was to change climates, and didn't want to leave without Clara, so she quit school, married Sam and went to Sedro Wolley, Washington. Sam passed about 8 months after they got there. I am sure 1890 would be the right date for Clara's birth, as we children were some 2 years apart, and it would figure back to about that time. She was married in 1908, as she was when she married Sam."
"Mr. and Mrs. West were very wealthy. Their land was 1,100 acres on that farm and they owned 1000 acres in Tennessee, but Mr. West was blind when they took me. That was one of the reasons they took me, as I could read to him and drive him in the Buggs around to the five tennant houses he had."
"The Wests moved to Huntertown where Mrs. West had a small house of her own. (She was his second wife and taught school all her life till she married Mr. West at the age of 50). I married in 1916 and Bob and I looked after her. She died in 1929 at the age of 87. That is all to the history of my life so far."
FISHER WEST
Article from Sandy Seyfert, owner of the West property
FISHER WEST was an intriguing individual. We learned recently that JOHNNY APPLESEED spent several winters in our home. He stayed in the barn, not ever wanting to come inside. They took meals out to him and he came and went as he wished. Being an Abolitionist he was involved in the Underground Railroad also. Maybe that was why he was in the area. I know we had a very old apple tree on the property when we moved in and FRED DICKES said it had always been there. It was destroyed about 8 years ago in a storm.
There is a very old cherry tree that we are trying to graft thinking it may have been from J. Appleseed too since he also planted them. The information came from the great-great-granddaughter of FISHER WEST.
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