Genealogical and Family History
of the
STATE OF MAINE

Compiled under the editorial supervision of George Thomas Little, A. M., Litt. D.

LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
New York
1909.

[Please see Index page for full citation.]

[Transcribed by Coralynn Brown]

[Many families included in these genealogical records had their beginnings in Massachusetts.]

WEST (I) Wilkes West was born in Beverly, Mass. Dec. 6, 1735. In 1756, when about twenty-one years of age, he settled in Chester, N. H., on Governor Shute's home lot, and was a carpenter and cabinet maker. His shop stood about where the Baptist church now (1908) stands. He died April 10, 1830, aged ninety-four. He was a revolutionary soldier and participated in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga, May 10, 1775, and in the battle of Bennington, Aug. 16, 1777. In the New Hampshire revolutionary rolls he is stated to have been a private, ont eh "Pay Roll of Captain Stephen Dearborn's Company, Colonel Thomas Stickney's Regiment, in General Stark's Brigade, which company marched to Chester from the state of New Hampshire, and joined the Northern Continental Army, 1777." He was discharged Sept. 18, after serving one month and twenty-nine days. He was also on the "Pay Roll of Captain Joseph Derburnes (Dearborn's) Company, in Colonel Moses Nichols' Regiment of Volunteers, which marched from the state of N. H. and joined the Continental army on Rhode Island August, 1778." He enlisted Aug. 5, and was discharged Aug. 28, and is credited with twenty-six days' service, two days being added to the time of service for travel home after discharge. He married (first) Phebe, daughter of Lieut. Ebenezer Dearborn. She died in 1783, and he married (second) Hannah, daughter of Deacon Matthew Forsaith. She died in 1793. He had nine children by his first wife, and four by the second: Esther (died young), Molly, Joseph, Nason, John, Jackson, Thomas, Joseph, Henry N., Esther, Phebe D., Hannah and Sally. (II) Dr. Henry Nason, third child and seventh son of Wilkes and Phebe (Dearborn) West, was born at Chester, N. H., Sept. 5, 1781, and died there March 10, 1857. He resided at Hall's Village. As a "seventh son" he was famous for curing the "kings evil," scrofula, was known far and wide, and patients visited him from every part of New England. He married Sarah Rogers. (III) Henry Nason (2), son of Dr. Henry N. (1) and Sarah (Rogers) West, was born in Chester, Dec. 8, 1807, died at Haverhill, Mass. May 18, 1893, and was buried in Evergreen cemetery, Portland, Maine. He was a lumberman at Oldtown, on the Penobscot, and Fort Kent, Maine, on the St. John's river, and at Grand Falls, New Brunswick. In his lumbering he had business connections in Boston. In his later life he removed to Haverhill, Mass., where he did some lumbering, contract work, and farming. He was an active, successful man. In politics he was a Republican; in religion a Baptist. He married Sarah Ann Gordon, born at Watertown, Mass. May 12, 1807, died at Havehill, Mass., Oct. 15, 1882, and was buried in Evergreen cemetery, Portland, Maine. She was a daughter of Spencer Gordon who was an officer in the war of 1812, and died in an army hospital. Children: 1. George Warren, mentioned below. 2. Mary Jane, b. Dec. 3, 1833, died in Portland, April 19, 1903. 3. Sarah Gordon, b. April 19, 1839, died Feb. 17, 1799. (IV) General George Warren, only son of Henry Nason and Sarah Ann (Gordon) West, was born in Lowell, Mass., July 19, 1832, died at Athol, Mass., May 27, 1899, and was buried in Evergreen cemetery, Portland, Maine. As a young man he was engaged in the lumber business with his father. While in Boston, and just before the rebellion, he was fourth lieutenant in the Boston City Guards. Soon after the outbreak of the civil war, while lumbering at Fort Kent, Maine, he organized a company of soliders which was accepted by Governor Israel Washburn Jr. of the state. Mr. West was commissioned captain of the organization, which went to the front Oct. 21, 1861, as Company D of the Tenth Maine Volunteer Infantry. He served with that regiment until July 25, 1862, when he was promoted major of the Seventeenth Maine Infantry. He served througout the war in the Army of the Potomac. He took part in the battles of Fredericksburg, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, and other engagements, and was promoted to colonel of the Seventeenth, Oct. 22, 1863. Dec. 2, 1864, he was brevetted brigadier general for gallant and distinguished services during the war and especially at the battle of the Wilderness, where he was severely wounded May 6, 1864. He retired from military service April 25, 1865, and settled in Richmond, Virginia, where he resided several years. Subsequently he returned to his lumbering operations at Fredericton, New Brunswick, which he continued until 1875, when he moved to Boston, Mass., and was appointed to a place in the U. S. custom house. Later he was special pension examiner in New York state for about ten years, when, owing to ill health, he was compelled to resign, and was never afterward actively engaged in business. He attended the Unitarian church, and always voted the Republican ticket. George Warren West married, at Somerville, Mass., July 22, 1856, Sarah Ann, born in Somerville, May 22, 1830, daughter of Samuel Tufts and Sarah Ann (Johnson) Frost. Children: 1. Henry Nason, born at Somerville, April 27, 1857. 2. George F., mentioned below. 3. Warren Gordon, born at Richmond, Virginia Feb. 21, 1869. 4. Brownie, born at Fredericton, New Brunswick, Jan. 30, 1873. (V) George Fletcher, second son of General George Warren and Sarah Ann (Frost) West, was born on Laurel street, Spring Hill, Somerville, Mass., Aug. 20, 1862. He graduated from the Morse grammar school and the Latin high school of Somerville, and entered Harvard College, but did not pursue the course of study there. He removed to Portland, Maine, in 1882, and became associated in business with George P. Westcott, and has since been actively engaged in the building and operating water works, gas, and electric light plants, in which he has been successful. He is director in the Portland National Bank and the Union Safe Deposit & Trust Company. He is a member of High Street Congregational Church, and votes the Republican ticket, but has never held or sought office. He is a member of Atlantic Lodge, Mount Vernon Royal Arch Chapter, Portland Commandery, Knights Templar, and of the Scottish Rite bodies; and of the Country Club. George F. West married, at Milbridge, Maine, April 1, 1886, Jennie Estelle, born in Millbridge, July 4, 1863, daughter of Capt. Lemuel Green and Mary Jane (Gay) Means. Capt. Means was a successful sea captain for over forty years. The only child of Mr. and Mrs. West is Vernon Frost, born Jan. 22, 1887, who completed the course in the Butler grammar school, graduated from Exeter Academy, and is now a student at Dartmouth College.