John West (Sr.) (son of Levi WEST and Mary WILLIAMS), was born in Maryland on 12 March 1763. The family moved to Onslow Co. N. C. when he was a small child. In the spring of 1781 at age 18, he volunteered for 3 months service in the Revolution. At the expiration of that 3 months he returned home and was then drafted for an additional 3 months.

He was married to Rachel _ (daughter of Samuel _). Marriage record has not been found. State census of N. C. 1784-87 shows John with 1 male, 1 female, no slaves. In Jones Co. N.C. 1790 he is found with 1 male under 16, 1 male over 16, 2 females, 2 slaves. In 1798 Andrew and John West of Jones County and Levi West of Onslow County sold land on White Oak River on the east side of Cranberry pond. Several family deeds mention this river and cranberry pond. On 6 August 1800, John, Jacob and James sold to Andrew 48 acres on "east side of White Oak River, south side of black swamp, being land formerly belonging to Levy West, our father."

Apparently John West came to Sumner County, Tn. in 1806, purchased land and built a cabin. There is a family legend told to me by Brode Cantrell (1875-1965), a descendant, that John was such an admirer of Andrew Jackson that he walked from his home at the village of Rock Bridge to Logan County, Ky. to see the Jackson-Dickinson duel, which was on 28 May, 1806. In pension application, John says that they moved to Sumner Co. in 1807. I suppose that is when he brought his family. We do not know if Rachel died in N.C., or if she came here.

Other family legends are that John fought under Jackson at New Orleans and that Jackson affectionately called him "Red Coat Johnny" because he killed so many British. He also went with Jackson in the Creek Expedition and while on this trip was bitten by a poisonous snake on his ankle. The place never healed completely and each summer it would become swollen and painful. Another story told by Mr. Cantrell was that John was out in the woods hunting. He heard a man splitting rails and went to investigate. He found that the man was his brother, Andrew. He did not know until then that his brother had moved here. John had come up Drake's Creek to the headwaters and Andrew had come up Bledsoe and Brushy Fork Creeks to the headwaters and they lived about 15 miles apart. Both John and Andrew remained in Sumner County until their deaths and have many descendants here now. Two other brothers, George and Jacob lived here for a short time. George was here in 1812 and moved to Rutherford County, Tn. before 1830. Jacob moved to IL where he had a lawsuit tried by Abraham Lincoln in 1837.

On 9 August 1810 John married Susannah Freeland (daughter of Thomas FREELAND, 1755-1781 of Orange Co. NC and his wife, Mary PHILLIPS),. Susannah was born 2 Aug. 1780 in Orange County N.C. died August 1850 in Sumner Co. TN. John died Feb. 1854. They are buried in unmarked graves near Rock Bridge.

Known children of John WEST and 1st wife Rachel _ are:

1. Female West b. before 1790 NC.
2. Daniel West b. before 1790 NC, died bef. March 1837 in Sumner Co. TN. Married 1812 to Judith HODGES. Married 16 Dec. 1816 Sumner Co. TN to Rebecca CULLEY. (Note: this is not a proven child).
3. Vashti West b. 4 July 1791 NC, died 12 August 1864 Hancock Co. IL. Married 29 July 1811 Sumner Co. TN to David BROWNING. In Davidson Co. TN in 1820, in Hancock Co. IL later.
4. Edith West b. 1790's NC. Married 6 Nov. 1811 Sumner Co. TN to Thomas BRADLEY. No information found on this line after the 1830 Sumner Co. TN Census.
5. John West Jr. b. 1798 NC, died 20 Sept 1852 Sumner Co. TN. Married 1st 23 January 1821 Sumner Co. TN to Polly ALLEN. Married 2nd 23 October 1824 Sumner Co. TN to Sarah A. BROWNING. For more information see below.
6. Mary West b. 1 Oct 1799 NC, died 10 October 1883 Sumner Co TN. Married abt 1817 to Thomas DURHAM. For more information on this line see the Durham/West Family

Children John WEST and 2nd wife Susannah FREELAND are:

1. Joseph West b. 3 November 1811 Sumner Co. TN, died 7 August 1900 Sumner Co. TN. Married 12 June 1833 Sumner Co. TN to Frances DORRIS. For more information on this line see the Joseph West Family
2. Thomas West b. 19 June 1815 Sumner Co. TN, died 1874 Barry Co. MO. Married 23 August 1839 Sumner Co. TN to Cintharilla MARTIN. Married 2nd 2 February 1856 to Eliza Jane WILLERFORD. Known children (according to the 1850 Sumner Co. TN Census and the 1860 Grayson Co. TX Census) are: Frances, Granville, James, Hannah, John, Richard, Elizabeth, Jane, Martha E., Mary E., and William F.
3. Female West b. 1810/1815
4. Jane G. West b. 25 April 1818 Sumner Co. TN, died 7 Sept 1842 Sumner Co. TN. Married 7 Sept 1837 Sumner Co. TN to John C. PAYNE. For more information on this line see the Payne Family
5. William P. West b. 19 June 1821 Sumner Co. TN, died 1868. Married 28 Mary 1855 Sumner Co. TN to Oneda Jane LOVEALL. Divorced 1858 in Sumner Co. TN.
6. Annis West b. 12 August 1824 Sumner Co. TN, died bef. 1880. Married 21 September 1853 to Henry B. LEE. Henry Lee was first married to Rachel DORRIS in 1848. Children of Henry Lee and 1st wife Rachel are: James, William and John. Children Henry Lee and 2nd wife Annis West are: Mary, Steven, and Elizabeth "Betty".

John West Jr. (son of John WEST and Rachel _ ) was born in 1798 NC. He died 20 September 1852 in Sumner Co. TN. He is buried in the Browning Cemetery, in what is now Trousdale Co. TN. John married twice. First to Polly Allen (daughter of William ALLEN and Elizabeth and granddaughter of Clifton ALLEN and Susannah JONES). Polly was born abt. 1801 in Sumner Co. TN. She died abt. 1832/1833 in Sumner Co. TN. She is buried in the Allen family cemetery, Brushy Fork Creek, Bethpage Tn. This cemetery was destroyed about 1900. John married second to Sarah "Sally" Bywaters BROWNING (daughter of Thomas B. BROWNING and Elizabeth ALLEN, granddaughter of Clifton ALLEN and Susannah JONES) b. 19 February 1805. In 1878 Sarah moved to Dallas Co. TX with her two surviving children.

Children of John WEST Jr. and 1st wife Polly ALLEN are:

1. William W. West b. abt 1822 Sumner Co. TN, died between 1867-1870 in Grayson Co. Texas. Married 22 October 1842 Sumner Co. TN to Nancy E. SIMPSON (daughter of Enoch SIMPSON and Elizabeth CARTER). Know children are: Mary, Martha, James M., and Catherine.
2. James Wilburn West b. 4 December 1823 Sumner Co. TN, died 14 January 1874 near Bethpage, Sumner Co. TN. Buried West Cemetery, Brushy Fork Creek, Sumner Co. TN. He married 30 December Sumner Co. TN to Katherine Odie SIMPSON.
3. Abner J. West b. abt 1826 Sumner Co. TN, died after 1885 Fulton Co. KY. Married 1st 13 August 1853 to Elizabeth F. TUCKER. Elizabeth died June 1860. Possibly second wife. Married 3rd 19 November 1868 to Sarah Elizabeth "Betty" DONOHO. In 1870 he lived in Sumner Co. TN, in 1878 in Trousdale Co. TN. Moved to Fulton Co. KY. After he died his widow married Mr. BROWDER. She was the "Aunt Betty Browder" who painted the picture on velvet for my grandmother Pond and also painted vases.
4. Daniel Wesley West b. 15 March 1828 Sumner Co. TN, died 8 August 1864 Union Rock Island IL Grave #1389. Married 5 September 1855 Sumner Co. TN to Sarah E. KEY. Sarah died in 1857.
5. Elizabeth R. West b. 1831/1832 Sumner Co. TN. Married 19 December 1849 Sumner Co. TN to Alexander J. NEELY. In 1878 they lived in Henry Co. TN.

Children of John WEST Jr. and 2nd wife Sarah "Sally" Bywaters BROWNING are:

1. Thomas Allen West b. 19 September 1835 Sumner Co. TN. Married 15 March 1858 to Caroline OGLESBY. He lived in Dallas Co. Texas.
2. Mary Ann West b. 9 June 1837 Sumner Co. TN, died 1840's.
3. Emily Jane West b. 11 May 1839 Sumner Co. TN. Married 1st 15 June 1854 Sumner Co. TN to Rufus R. JONES. Married 2nd 18 July 1868 Sumner Co. TN to J. S. SIDDONS.
4. Jonathan Lewis West b. 30 October 1841 Sumner Co. TN, died 21 February 1864 Union prison, Rock Island, IL Grave #561.
5. David Browning West b. 17 June 1844 Sumner Co. TN, died between 1850-1853.