William ‘the Rebel’ West

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/West-480

Only his father and brother are documented. His mother's first name may have been Sarah but that's unproven and her maiden name is unknown.

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William West

• Birth: Between 1642 and 1645 - Isle of Wight, Virginia
• Death: aft Oct 27 1708 - Isle of Wight, Virginia
• Parents: Henry West, Mary (or Rose) (also seen as John West & Sarah West )
• Brother: Henry West
• Spouses: Rebecca Bracewell, Martha

children

1. WILLIAM WEST b: ABT 1668 in ISLE OF WIGHT CO VA. Married unknown.
2. RICHARD WEST b: ABT 1673 in ISLE OF WIGHT CO VA. Married Ann.
3. ROBERT WEST b: ABT 1670 in ISLE OF WIGHT CO VA. Married Isabella.
4. MARY WEST b: ABT 1678 in ISLE OF WIGHT CO VA. Married William Green.
5. REBECKAH WEST b: ABT 1681 in ISLE OF WIGHT CO VA. Unmarried in 1709.

Origins

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/West-480

William West, son of Henry West and Sarah (unknown) West[1], was born about 1642 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.

Henry West and his wife, parents of the family, had been barbarously murdered by the Indians "about 30 years since..." [about 1647].[2] The West family strongly opposed Governor William Berkley during Bacon's Rebellion. William West took up arms and headed a force which marched against Berkley's troops but was captured as relayed in a chapter on Bacon's Rebellion. In Commander Morris's Journal, one William West, who headed a rebel force marching to surprise a loyal fort, was captured on 16 Jan 1677.

will

1708: The will of William West was written Oct. 2, 1708, and probated Feb. 9, 1708/9 lists sons:

• William,
• Richard, and
• Robert, all to receive land;
• to daughter Mary Green an Indian girl;
• to daughter Rebecca an Indian woman and all the rest of the estate.
• Appraised by William West, Jr. and wife Martha. [Southside VA Families – Boddie, p. 89.]

Bacon's Rebellion

1677: Calendar of State Papers (Colonial) Vol 10 ƒ132 of March 1677 "Petition of his Majesty’s most loyal and obedient subjects of the Isle of Wight County in Virginia to his Majesty’s Commissioner. In behalf of William West “a rebel absconding”, who took up arms against the Indians by whom his father was barbarously murdered, was taken prisoner, carried aboard a ship, from hence to prison and condemned to death, but has made his escape and, as yet, cannot be heard of. Pray for his life and the restitution of his estate to his wife and children. Signed by about 70 persons, mostly with their mark."

Privy Council (Colonial) in London: Dated Whitehall 21 Nov 1677:

“Upon reading this day at the Board the humble Petition of Henry West Planter a Native of his Majestys Colony of Virginia (now in England) in behalf of himself and Brother, Setting forth, That his Brother William West having been seduced to accept of a Commission against the Indians under the late Rebell Nathaniel Bacon, and being sent by Colonel Bridger with Promise of free Pardon to lay downe his commission, disband his men, and submit himself to the Governor, He way prevayled upon by the Petitioner so to do, upon the Petitioners Promise to go with him to the Governor, But so soon as they had surrendred themselves to Colonel Bridger, He contrary to his Promise sent them bound to the Governor Sir William Berkeley, who tryed them both by a Councill of Warr, and sentenced to Death the Petitioners Brother, who never acted to the prejudice of any one Person or Estate, and the Petitioner who was alwaies loyall, and against whom nothing could be proved, was after long Imprisonment sentenced to be transported hither, and forced to give Bond to his Majestys use to depart by a day prefixed; which, to indemnify his Security, he did to utter ruine of himself and Wife, and severall small Children . . . And therefore Praying to be discharged of the said Bond, with Liberty to return to Virginia, And that his Majesty of his abundant Goodnes would extend his Pardon to his said Brother, who hath since made his Escape out of Prison, He taking the Oath of Obedience and giving Security for his future good Behaviour.

[The petition regarding William West is referred to Lord Culpepper’s decision on his arrival in Virginia: the part regarding the petitioner himself Lord Culpepper is to examine in England and report his opinion thereon to his Majesty in Council.]”
William West had been very active in Bacon's Rebellion, the uprising in 1676 in the Virginia Colony over the colonist’s anger at Virginia Governor William Berkeley for his friendly policies towards the Native Americans. The West family strongly opposed Governor Berkeley during Bacon's Rebellion because Henry West, the family patriarch, had been murdered by Indians

West led a rebel force to attack an English-loyal fort, but was captured on January 16, 1677. He was sentenced to death but before the verdict could be carried out, he escaped from prison. A petition for his reprieve was circulated in October of 1677.

In addition to Bridgeman and Thomas Joyner, the petition below was signed by 86 other people. Apparently West was pardoned because in April 1708, he witnessed the will of Thomas Joyner Jr. "Petition of His Majesties most loyal and obedient subjects of Isle of Wight to his Majesties Commissioners, in behalf of William West, a rebel absconding, who took up arms against the Indians by whom his father had been most barbarously murdered, was taken prisoner and carried aboard a ship, from hence to prison and was condemned to death, but has made his escape and as yet has not been found. We pray for his life and the restitution of his estate to his wife and children." Source: "Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County Virginia" by John Bennett Boddie.

William West's participation in Bacon's Rebellion was evidently quite extensive. The following is the petition sent to the Commissioners of Isle of Wight County for the pardon of William West, who was captured January 16, 1677, and subsequently escaped. William was the husband of Rebecca BRASWELL, daughter of the Reverend Robert BRASWELL (see page 10). "Petition of His Majesties most loyal and obedient subjects of Isle of Wight to his Majesties Commissioners, in behalf of William West, a rebel absconding, who took up arms against the Indians by whom his father had been most barbarously murdered, was taken prisoner and carried aboard a ship, from hence to prison and was condemned to death, but has made his escape and as yet has not been found. We pray for his life and the restitution of his estate to his wife and children." (signed) Signers listed in the Braswell Book Online, index Family Stories and Legends.

West Name Meaning

English and German: from Middle English, Middle High German west ‘west’, hence a topographic name for someone who lived to the west of a settlement, or a regional name for someone who had migrated from further west.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press

Similar surnames: Wuest, Oest

References

• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=7213&id=I...
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=bfulgham&...
  • 1. Type: Web Site URL: http://www.videoranch.net/sect-one.htm
  • 2. Text: Chapman, Blanche Adams; Wills and Administratiions of Isle of Wight County Virginia, Books 1-3; 2006; Heritage Books, Inc.; Westminster, Maryland 21157-5026
  • 3. Text: Chapman, Blanche Adams; Marriages of Isle of Wight County,Virginia 1628-1800; GPC; Baltimore; 1976
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/196449123/william-west
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/West-833