The West Family Line - The Children of Thomas

William Robert West

Son of Thomas

My great great grandfather

William Robert West was born on 14 Feb 1841 in Lewis Township, Granville County, North Carolina. The 1850 Census shows Robert with both his parents.

This would be the last time that Thomas, his father, would appear with the family. 

In 1860 Robert was living with Brodie and R.E. Meadows and working as a farm laborer. 

A few short years later the Civil War would begin and Robert enlisted on 8 Jul 1862 in Oxford, Granville County, North Carolina. He was in the 23rd Regiment Company I. He was 23 years old with fair complexion, brown hair and gray eyes and 5 foot 5 1/2 inches tall. Things seemed to go well until 12 May 1864 when he was captured near Spottsylvannia, Virginia. He was sent to Point Lookout Maryland and then on 10 Aug 1864 he was transferred to Elmira, New York. 

Elmira New York

Conditions at Elmira were not good. The prisoners lacked nourishing food, suffered bouts of dysentery, small pox, typhoid and pneumonia. Thankfully Robert was transferred for exchange 11 Oct 1864 back to Point Lookout Maryland. He was exchanged on 29 Oct 1864.

 

Robert was captured again near Petersburg, Virginia on 25 Mar 1865. He was released on 22 Jun 1865.

After the war Robert lived in Maryland and worked, according to a family story. This would explain why Robert did not appear in the 1870 Census.

Robert married Elizabeth "Betty" Greenway on 2 Oct 1870 in Granville County.  Betty was the daughter of Samuel Greenway, who died from small  pox in the Old Capital Prison in Washington D.C. during the war, and Mary Jane Parrott. 

They appear in the 1880 Census living in Sassafras Township, Granville County.

In the ten years that they have been married the family has grown. Spencer is 9 years old, Tommie is 7, Solomon is 5 and Lelia is 1.

Because the census of 1890 was destroyed it is hard to pinpoint when the family moved to Franklin County, North Carolina. 

The next published census is 1900 and we find the family living in Cedar Rock, Franklin County.

Robert is living with his children and listed as widowed. To find out what happened to Betty I turned to the newspaper and found this article.

This article appeared in the Franklin Times on January  20, 1899. From this we find that Betty had been sick and gone to Baltimore for treatment and died on January 14, 1899. I have not been able to find a death certificate yet or locate where she was buried. She might be buried at White Level Baptist Church where Robert is buried. 

Robert's oldest son Spencer did not come to Franklin County with the rest of the family. He made his home in Vance County. More on him later.

Robert and Betty had eight children. 

• William Spencer
• Samuel Thomas
• Solomon
• Lelia
• Luther Martin
• Ada Virginia
• Lessie
• Robert Jr.

Robert passed away 25 Jan 1917. According to the information given at the time of death, he was 75 years 11 months and 11 days old. The cause of death was yellow jaundice. He was buried at White Level Baptist church on 26 Jan 1917.

In 1953 Robert's son, Luther, applied for a marker for Robert for his service in the war. 

Coming up will be more about the children of Robert and Betty West.

Thanks for stopping by!

Pattie