John William West

John West was a Cherokee Man

Biography

John W. West was born in the Cherokee Nation (East) on March 29, 1811 to Jacob West and Sallie Harlan, both Cherokee. He married Ruth Fields, also Cherokee, about 1834. The couple appears on the 1835 Cherokee Census living at Creek Path (now Alabama). [1] John and Ruth were the parents of eight children, William, George, Martha, John, James, Kiamitia, Ruth, and Franklin. The family was Removed to Indian Territory and settled in the Illinois District. [2] John died April 4, 1867 at Briartown, Canadian District and is buried at the McClure Cemetery, Muskogee County, Oklahoma. [3]

Sources

1. ↑ 1835 Cherokee Census, transcription published by the Oklahoma Chapter, Trail of Tears Association, Park Hill, OK. 2002. Original records: National Archives and Records Administration, Microfilm publication T496, Census Roll, 1835, of Cherokee Indians East of the Mississippi with Index. p. 13
2. ↑ The National Archives at Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Record Group Number: 75; Record Group Title: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1793-1999; NARA Series Number: 7RA-01; NARA Series Title: Drennan Roll Illinois District, p. 346, #276.
3. ↑ Tyner, James and Alice. Our People and Where They Rest. privately published, Norman, OK, 1971. Volume 8, p. 71
Find a Grave, database and images ( Find A Grave: Memorial #5638285 john-w-west : accessed 06 March 2022), memorial page for John W. West (29 Mar 1811–4 Apr 1867), Find a Grave Memorial ID 5638285, citing McClure Cemetery, Briartown, Muskogee County, Oklahoma, USA ; Maintained by Wes T. (contributor 48190645) .
Oklahoma and Indian Territory, Indian and Pioneer Historical Collection, 1937. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9025/images/41698_...

Source: The WikiTree Native American Project @ https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/West-16793''

From Find A Grave Memorial# 5638285:

John W. West was the son of Jacob and Sarah (Harlan) West.

John and his wife, Ruth (Fields) West traveled from Tellico Plains, TN to Indian Territory in the early 1830's, prior to the forced removal called the Trail of Tears.

In October 1843, John and his father were arrested for the murder of Isaac Bushyhead in a political dispute between the Ridge & Ross factions of the Cherokee Nation in Indian Territory. John was given 100 lashes and expelled from the Nation. He and his family moved to Arkansas where they lived for about 20 years before being allowed to return to the Cherokee Nation. John's father, Jacob West, was hanged for the murder in Tahlequah. The gallows were located behind the courthouse where the parking lot is now.

John & Ruth are the parents of John Calhoun West and Franklin Pierce West, noted Marshalls in the Indian Territory in the late 1800's.

• Ancestry tree
• Census: 1835 - Creek Path, AL
• Census: 1851 - Illinois District, Cherokee Nation West
  • Updated from MyHeritage Family Trees by SmartCopy: Feb 9 2015, 20:35:14 UTC
• Updated from MyHeritage Family Trees via daughter Ruth P. West (born Fields) by SmartCopy: Feb 9 2015, 20:43:07 UTC