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Samuel M West
SAMUEL M. WEST, a retired business man of Apollo, Pa., and a veteran of the
Civil war, was born in Westmoreland county, Pa., Jan. 23, 1841, son of Adam
and Sarah West.Adam West was a shoemaker and followed the trade through life. He was a
hard-working and highly respected man and died in his native State in 1843.
His wife survived him for many years, her death occurring in 1876. They were
parents of eight children, the only survivor of the family being Samuel M.Samuel M. West was reared by an aunt after the death of his father, and he
resided with her and enjoyed school advantages until he enlisted for service
in the Civil war. This was the fall of 1861, when he entered Company C, 4th
Pa. Vol. Cav., as a private, later becoming first sergeant. He joined his
regiment at Harrisburg, Pa., and from there the command was sent to
Washington, D. C., where it was placed under the leadership of General
McClelland. This regiment gave a good account of itself, and as a member of it
Sergeant West participated in sixty-seven engagements. It took part at Malvern
Hill and White Oak Swamp, and at Gettysburg its activity prevented General
Stuart making his proposed connection with the other Confederate forces. At
Antietam the 4th Pennsylvania Regiment was a part of the advance
guard and in that fierce engagement the brave Colonel Childs was killed. While
the battle was in progress Mr. West was one of those detailed to give care to
the wounded and dying soldiers. In the spring of 1864 he took part in the
battle of the Wilderness, having re-enlisted in the same company and regiment
in which he had served out his first term, and after the surrender of General
Lee his regiment went into camp at Lynchburg, Va., where it lay until
honorably discharged, July 13, 1865.Mr. West then returned home and on Oct. 26, 1865, in Westmoreland county,
was married to Margaret Townsend. Four sons and one daughter were born to
them: Carrie Isabel, Robert T., Harry H., Clayton D. C. and Elmore Murray.After his marriage, Mr. West interested himself in farming, both in
Pennsylvania and in Virginia, continuing agricultural work until he moved to
Apollo, Pa. Here he went into the teaming and draying business and was so
engaged until 1907, when failing health, undoubtedly due to his years of army
exposure, compelled him to retire from active life. He is a member of
Whitworth Post, No. 89, G. A. R. In politics he is a Republican, and for nine
years served in the office of constable at Apollo.Source: Pages 928-929, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and
Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed November 1998 by Jeffrey Bish for the Armstrong County Beers
Project
Contributed for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)Armstrong County Genealogy Project Notice:
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