My Genealogy Hound
Below is a family biography included in the book, The History of Lewis County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887. These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary. Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more. There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.
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Joseph West, farmer, was born in 1827 in Marion County, the son of Jacob and Rebecca (Anderson) West, the former born in the State of Kentucky, in 1802, and the latter in the same State, and deceased in 1874. The father took up a claim where Canton now stands, and that too, at a time when he was much troubled by the Indians, one of whom attempted to kill his wife. He soon after removed to Marion County, near the county seat, where he died in 1848, one of the pioneers of this part of the State. Our subject, the eldest of five children, left home at twenty-seven years of age. In October, 1854, he married Sarah C., a daughter of Benjamin Holloway, and born in Virginia in 1832. Their children are George, Lizzie (the wife of Robert Barnett), Benjamin, Irene, Robert and Mattie J. Our subject came to this county in 1859, but during the war lived at the old Marion County place. In 1867 he returned and bought 192 acres, where he has since resided. His estate now embraces 272 acres. In politics he is a Democrat, and first voted for Cass. He is a member of the grange and of the Baptist Church, to which denomination his wife also belonged.
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This family biography is one of 293 biographies included in the Lewis County, Missouri portion of the book, The History of Lewis, Clark, Knox and Scotland Counties, Missouri published in 1887. For the complete description, click here: Lewis County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps
View additional Lewis County, Missouri family biographies here: Lewis County, Missouri Biographies
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