Nathaniel West (captain)

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Captain Nathaniel West (1665-1723) was the member for King William County in the House of Burgesses of the US Colony and Dominion of Virginia. He was the oldest son of Colonel John West of West Point, Virginia and Unity Croshaw.

[edit] Biography

Captain Nathaniel West was a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses for King William County, Virginia 1703-1705. The House of Burgess was the representative assembly in colonial Virginia; the First elective governing body in a British overseas possession. The assembly was one division of the legislature established by Governor George Yeardley at Jamestown July 30, 1619; the other included the governor himself and a council, all appointed by the colonial proprietor (the Virginia Company). Because each Virginia settlement was entitled to elect two burgess, the original membership of the House of Burgess was 22.

On May 14, 1702, Nathaniel married Martha Woodard Macon (1665-1727) in York County, Virginia. Martha was the widow of Gideon Macon, and the daughter of William Woodard and Martha (West?). It has been suggested, but not proven, that the mother of Martha Woodward was Martha West, thereby making Martha and Nathaniel West second cousins. They lived at Popular Neck, Virginia and had the following children:

  • Francis West
  • Unity West (1702-1753), married Colonel William Dandridge of Elsing Green, who was Martha Washington's uncle. Direct ancestors of Edith Wilson.

From Martha's first marriage to Gideon Macon, there were seven children. Their daughter, Martha Macon, married Orlando Jones. Martha and Orlando Jones were the parents of Frances Jones and thereby the grandparents of Martha Washington.

Nathaniel and Martha both died in 1723.

[edit] Sources

  • "St. Peter's Parish Records, St. Peter's Parish, New Kent, VA
  • "Genealogy of the Harris and Allied Families. Gandrud, Pauline Myra Jones, 1929.
  • "The Sneads of Fluvanna. Hatcher, Wiliam E., 1959.
  • "Gideon Macon, York and New Kent Co., VA (Sons of the Revolution in the State of Virginia Quarterly Magazine, Volume 4, Number 3, July, 1925)
  • "Middle Peninsula Historic Marker "Cockacoeske"
  • "The Powhatan Indians of Virginia: Their Traditional Culture. Rountree, Helen C., University of Oklahoma Press, 1989.
  • "Cockacoeske, Queen of Pamunkey: Diplomat and Suzeraine." W. Martha W. McCartney.
  • "Powhatan's Mantle: Indians in the Colonial Southeast by Peter H. Wood.
  • "Tax Rolls, March 1660. 3 March 1659. 1