The West family were of English origin and were early settlers in New England. They have been prominent and influential wherever found.
(I) Matthew West was of Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1636; freeman, 1637. In 1646 he was of Newport, Rhode Island, where he was made a freeman in 1655. He was a tailor by trade.:There is no record of his marriage, and it is assumed by the Genealogist Austin in his "Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island" that his sons were Nathaniel, John, Robert, Bartholomew and Francis, who cannot be confounded with Francis of Duxbury, although the latter may have been related to the Rhode Island Wests.
- Nathaniel, died at Newport in 1659; he and wife were among the first twelve members of the First Baptist Church; accidentally drowned.
- John. of Newport; made a freeman in 1655;
- Robert, of Providence, Rhode Island, and Monmouth county, New Jersey; in 1667 was one of the original purchasers in Monmouth, New Jersey; died 1697; married Elizabeth ————; children: Joseph, John and Robert.
- Bartholomew, see forward.
- Francis, of Kingstown, Rhode Island; married; children: Francis and Richard.
(II) Bartholomew, son of Matthew West, was of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and Monmouth, New Jersey. In 1667 he was an early and original purchaser of lands in Monmouth with his brother Robert, and in the same year was elected deputy. He died prior to October 30, 1703, as is seen by a deed of that date from his son, John West, of Shrewsbury, New Jersey, wherein he reserves one-half acres of ground where his father is buried. He married Elizabeth, daughter of William and Audry Almy. Children: Bartholomew, William, John and Stephen.
(III) Stephen, son of Bartholomew and Elizabeth (Almy) West, was born in 1654. There is no record that shows whether he went to New Jersey with the family or not, but if he did he returned to Massachusetts and settled at Dartmouth, where his children were born. His wife's name is not recorded, but the births of nine children are as follows:
- Katherine, born September 9, 1684;
- Sarah, August 1, 1686;
- Ann, July 9, 1688;
- Bartholomew, July 31, 1690;
- Amy, May 22, 1693;
- Stephen, May 19, 1695;
- John, April 27, 1697;
- Eunice, June 21, 1699;
- Lois, April 12, 1701.
(IV) Stephen (2), son of Stephen (1) West, was born May 19, 1695, in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, died in that town between 1768 and 1770. He was a man of considerable means, as shown by proceedings attending the settlement of his estate. His first wife was Susannah ————, as in 1729 and 1730 Stephen and Susannah West conveyed lands. He married (second) Hopestill ————, who survived him, and made a quit claim of dower right October 15, 1778. Stephen had three sons and three daughters, mentioned in his will, which was made January 3, 1768. Samuel, Stephen, Bartholomew, Anna, Susannah, Hannah.
(V) Stephen (3), son of Stephen (2) and Susannah West, was born about 1730 in Dartmouth, where he lived and probably died. He inherited property under his father's will, and in 1770 an indenture shows a division of Cedar Swamp property between him and his brothers, Bartholomew and Samuel. He was a private of Captain Robert Earl's company (Dartmouth), Colonel Josiah Whitney's regiment, in service from August 4, 1777, to September 10, 1778; one month, seven days, at Rhode Island; also Captain Avery Parker's (first) company, Colonel John Hathaway's, (second) Bristol company; entered service August 3, 1780, discharged August 8, 1780; service six days on an alarm at Rhode Island. (Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolution, vol. xvi, p. 901.) Stephen West married, and had issue, including a son, Jonathan, founder of the Saratoga county, New York, family.
(VI) Jonathan, son of Stephen (3) West, was born about 1765 or 1770. He was the first of his family to settle in northern New York. He was living in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and from there, in 1791, journeyed to Saratoga county with an ox-team, two cows, two sheep and such household goods as could be packed and transported in one wagon through an unbroken wilderness a good part of the way. He located in the town of Galway, purchased a tract of land, then in a wild state, that he converted into a fertile farm, and lived upon its proceeds until his death in 1857. He was twice married, his first wife, whom he married in Massachusetts, succumbed to the pioneer privations after reaching New York. She bore him seven children. He married (second) Betsey Warren, in Galway, where she was born, lived and died.
(VII) Matthew, son of Jonathan West, was born in Galway, Saratoga county, New York, in 1816, died in 1881. He was a farmer and lived his entire life on the old West farm in Galway. He became an important man in the town; was captain of militia and held many local political offices; was a Democrat, and during the civil war was an intense Union man. He married, in Charlestown, Montgomery county, New York, February 14, 1839, Elizabeth Doty, of Duanesburg, Schenectady county, New York, a descendant of Edward Doty, a "Mayflower" passenger (see Doty VII). Children:
- James Marvin, born March 12, 1840;
- William Henry, October 8, 1842, died July 5, 1861;
- George Nelson, October 17, 1849, died February 14, 1854;
- George Herrick, see forward.
(VIII) George Herrick, youngest son of Matthew and Elizabeth (Doty) West, was born in Galway, Saratoga county, New York, December 23, 1854. He was educated in the public schools of Galway, Troy Business College and the Union Classical Institute of Schenectady. He taught school for four years, then engaged in mercantile life in Galway until 1881. In 1897 he removed to Ballston Spa and engaged in a general insurance and real estate business, continuing until 1905, when he retired. Mr. West has had an important and interesting public career, beginning when a boy of nineteen years of age. In that year he began his fight against licensing the liquor traffic under the law of 1874, electing commissioners of excise, and was one of the five organizers of the first temperance society of the town of Galway. In 1889 he was elected school commissioner of the first school district of Saratoga county, New York, which office he held for six years. In 1897 he was special agent for the forest, fish and game commission. In 1898-99 he was elected to the New York assembly, serving with credit and force. In 1901 he was appointed clerk of Saratoga county by Governor Benjamin B. Odell, and by successive re-election still retains that office. He has made a faithful and efficient county clerk, and has the confidence of the people, and the commendation of those having business to transact with that office. Was chairman of Republican county committee from 1895 to 1909. The Secret Law and Order League of the State of New York was founded and organized in 1905 through his efforts, and he is now its president and superintendent, working without compensation. This organization was incorporated in January, 1909, for the purpose of discouraging and suppressing Sunday desecration, distribution of obscene literature, the social evil, the white slave traffic, and to secure the enforcement of the laws against illegal liquor selling in license and no-license towns, gambling places and all dens of vice. The League has secured good results from its efforts, and is continuing its work with vigor. In all reform movements, whether political or social, Mr. West has always taken an active part. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, which he joined in 1870. His fraternal orders are the Free and Accepted Masons, International Order of Good Templars and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He married, May 18, 1881, Carrie L., of Galway, New York, daughter of Peleg Burdick, of that town.
(The Doty Line)
Elizabeth Doty, mother of George H. West, was of the eighth generation of Dotys in America, she being the daughter of the seventh Doty in direct succession, beginning with Edward Doty, a passenger on the "Mayflower," 1620, and signer of the compact. Governor William Bradford, in his "History of Plymouth Plantation," gives, in his list of "Passengers of the Mayflower," this item "Mr. Stephen Hopkins and Elizabeth, his wife, and two children, called Giles and Constanta, a daughter both by a former wife, and two more by this wife, called Damaris and Oceanus, the last born at sea, and two servants called Edward Doty and Edward Litster." Further on he states: "Edward Doty and Edward Litster, the servants of Mr. Hopkins, Litster, after he was at liberty, went to Virginia and ther dyed, but Edward Doty, by a second wife, hath seven children, and both he and they are living" (1650). Stephen Hopkins was a tanner, and the term "servant" probably means a workman, or in this case an apprentice. Edward Doty was invited to sign the compact, was treated as one of the company, and received the same allotment of land and stores as all other single men. This would indicate that he had reached his majority, though he probably owed some service to Stephen Hopkins. He is spoken of as a youth, and the presumption is that he had reached his twenty-first year. If this be true he was born about 1599. The name is spelled variously Doty, Doten, Dote and Dotez.
(I) Edward Doty arrived in America on the "Mayflower," 1620. He was a wild youth apparently, and was a principal in the first duel fought in New England. He settled down and became one of the leading land owners and respected citizens. In 1672 he was one of the purchasers of Dartmouth, and owned much land elsewhere. He died at Plymouth, August 23, 1675. He married Faith Clarke, who survived him, born 1619, daughter of Thurston and Faith Clarke. She was but sixteen years old when married, January 6, 1635. They had ten children.
(II) Joseph, youngest son of Edward and Faith (Clarke) Doty, was born at Plymouth, Massachusetts, April 30, 1651. He was a farmer and surveyor, and was one of the original purchasers and proprietors of Rochester, Massachusetts, where he was a man of importance. He was ensign, treasurer and large land owner. He married (first) Elizabeth, born at Plymouth, September 5, 1654, daughter of Nathaniel and Sarah (Walker) Warren. She died about 1679, and he married (second) Deborah Hatch, born in Scituate, Massachusetts, about 1662, daughter of Walter and Elizabeth (Holbrook) Hatch. She died at Rochester, Massachusetts, June 21, 1711, and he married (third), at Rochester, March 9, 1712, Sarah Edwards, who died about 1732-35. He had two children by first marriage, seven by second and nine by third marriage.
(III) John, son of Joseph and Deborah (Hatch) Doty, was born in Rochester, Massachusetts, March 1, 1688. He left Rochester after his marriage and probably settled at Sharon, Connecticut, although there are no records to support the supposition. There is little record of him except land transfers in Rochester and Wareham, where he sold land in 1742-45. He married Elizabeth ————, and had two children, Samuel and Simeon.
(IV) Samuel, son of John and Elizabeth Doty, was born in Rochester, Massachusetts, about 1714. He was a mariner and was called "captain." He settled in Sharon, Connecticut, where he was an active dealer in real estate and a surveyor. He later removed to Amenia, Dutchess county, New York. He was a man of ability and energy. He married (first), January 19, 1738-39, Zeruiah Lovell, who died December 11, 1760. She is buried at Sharon, Connecticut, where her tombstone says "died aged forty-three years." He married (second), April 16, 1761, Elizabeth Southard. They had thirteen children, and he also had ten by his first marriage.
(V) Asa, son of Samuel and Zeruiah (Lovell) Doty, was born at Wareham, Massachusetts, November 6, 1746. He was fatally injured at Sharon, Connecticut, in 1788, by falling from a wagon. He was a soldier of the revolution, and in 1775 was an ensign in Albany county. He married Sarah Barnum, in Sharon, Connecticut, who survived him and removed to southwestern New York with her daughter. They were the parents of seven children.
(VI) Joshua Lovell, eldest son of Asa and Sarah (Barnum) Doty, was born in Sharon, Connecticut, 1769. He removed to Schenectady county, New York, where he died at Braman Corners in 1842. He married Mary Clayton, born in Connecticut, 1783, died in Schenectady county, New York, April 1, 1868. They had six children.
(VII) Elizabeth, daughter of Joshua Lovell and Mary (Clayton) Doty, born July 5, 1822, died 1893, married Matthew West (see West VII).
(VIII) George Herrick, son of Matthew and Elizabeth (Doty) West, married Carrie L. Burdick (see West VIII).