Almost all the details we have of the West’s life in England comes from John West’s daughter Anna West Hand. She was 19 when the West’s left England to come to America in 1855. In 1896, she spoke to her ladies club about “A Day in England”, and wrote down her speech before presenting it on 41 small sheets of paper. Seven of those sheets didn’t survive, but those that did give an interesting account of a day trip with her parents in England. Her account leads through her last big outing with her parents before their trip to America. John West, Jr. took his family to Little Mitton, England in Lancashire, where he was born and raised to see all the areas of his childhood one last time.

The village of Little Mitton had a population at the time of under 100. It is built around a large Manor that dates back to at least the 15th century. Anna in her speech explains that it is in this manor, that her father was born and raised. She explains that this came to be because in that time, when the nobility were off on the continent for an extended period, they would often rent out their manors to local gentry to use and keep the house while they were away.

John West apprenticed as a woolstapler under Thomas Milthrop from when he was 15 till his 21st birthday. His parents had moved from Mitton Hall to Bradford, Yorkshire, England during this time, and his father died before his apprenticeship was over. The Wool Economy of the time was England’s most important industry, and John, Jr. became a wool dealer of his own right, and was so when he married at 21 to Sarah Ackroyd in Bradford in September 1828. They had three children born in Bradford before moving to Selby, a smaller town, thirty miles east of Bradford. John and Sarah West would have eight children all together. They recorded each of their births, even to the time of day, in a black book entitled “Familey Record of John and Sarah West” in their own handwriting.

John West was a wharfinger in Selby for s short time before being appointed Goods Manager of the Midland Counties Railway in Selby. The railroad was a new booming business, and John West thrived in it. He was later appointed SuperIntendent of the railway system. He was in this position probably no more than a year, because he switched jobs to the Canal business, and was appointed manager of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. This involved another move to Derby, in Derbyshire, England.

It is unknown why John decided to move his family to the United States. Given all of his top-notch jobs, he seemed to be rather successful in England. There is no record of what profession John West took upon moving to Illinois in 1855 with his family, or if he took any at all. But nevertheless, he moved with his wife, and all six of his living children (the eldest John and Anna adults by this time) to Elmwood, Illinois. He did not get to enjoy it long, however, as he died in February 1857, only a year or so from his immigration. His wife died the following year in Knoxville, Illinois.
-Arrived in the US June 13, 1855 in NEW YORK from Liverpool, England. Rode the ship "William Nelson".


Sources:
-Birth Source: Many, including family bible record.
-Marriage Source: Many
-Death Source: West Family Bible
-1834 Pigot's Commercial Directory, lists, "Conveyance by Water, To London, Leeds, Selby, and all intermediate places, the Selby Canal Co. from the Canal warehouse, daily -- John West, agent."


E-mail Joe C. for any additions/questions!