Crawford Co., AR - Biographies - John Q. West

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John Q. West was born April 13, 1843, in Crawford County, Ark., and is 
a son of Miram H. and Mary A. (Stevenson) West. The father was born in 
Kentucky, and when a young man came to Washington County, Ark., and 
farmed until 1840, when he came to Crawford County. In 1842 he married 
Mary A. Stevenson, daughter of James G. and Jane Stevenson, pioneer 
settlers of the county, who came here about 1830. To Mr. and Mrs. West 
six children were born: John Q., James G., Miram H., Lavinia J., wife 
of L. W. Thomas, of Indian Territory; Anna, wife of Louis J. Keifer, 
of the same place, and Susan, wife of Fred Keifer, Peru, Kas. Mr. West 
represented the county in the House of Representatives in 1856. He 
died in 1860, and his wife in 1887, she being sixty-one years of age. 
James Stephenson, the maternal grandfather, came to Crawford County 
from Cape Girardeau, Mo., represented the county in 1865, and was also 
justice of the peace. He died December 1, 1865, and his wife in 1888, 
at the age of eighty. Our subject attended the log cabin school-house 
during his youth, but has since become well informed by study and 
observation. When twenty-five years of age he left the paternal roof 
and enlisted in Company L, Second Arkansas Volunteer Cavalry, United 
States Army, as quartermaster-sergeant, serving two years. The most 
important battles in which he participated were Booneville, Big Blue, 
Upshaw, and Jefferson City. He was discharged at LaGrange, Tenn. In 
1865 Mr. West married Mary E. Campbell, daughter of Anderson and Nancy 
C. Campbell, and a native of Lawrence County, Ark. This union was 
blessed with ten children, seven now living: James W., Nettie, 
Florence, Etta, Benie, Bessie and Fannie. Nannie, Louella and Nora are 
deceased. After his marriage Mr. West began farming, and in 1875 was 
ordained in the Christian Church, although he had preached prior to 
his ordination. He has been of great assistance in building up that 
denomination [p.1213] in the county, and has charge of the Antioch, 
Van Buren and Philadelphia Churches. In 1882 he was elected assessor 
on the Republican ticket in a Democratic county, and held that office 
four years. He is a Republican, but also a worker in the Prohibition 
cause. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and A. O. U. W., and his wife 
and two children have become identified with the Christian Church. For 
two years he served as justice of the peace.