Hempstead County ArArchives Biographies.....West, Judson T. 
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Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 August 16, 2009, 10:50 pm

Source: See Full Citation Below Biography
Author: S. J. Clarke

CAPTAIN JUDSON T. WEST.
    Captain Judson T. West, long one of the honored citizens and prominent
business men of Hope, Arkansas, died August 8, 1907, thus terminating a life of
great activity and usefulness. He was born in Huron county, Ohio, April 21,
1836, and was a son of Truman W. and Emily (Lazell) West, both of whom were
natives of the state of New York, where the father followed the occupation of
farming.

    Captain West was reared in the Buckeye state to his fourteenth year, when,
his parents having died, he started out to make his own way in the world. For
two years he was employed by an uncle, Col. George R. West, a wholesale grocer
of Dubuque, Iowa. and at sixteen years of age he went on the river as a cabin
Doy. When a youth of eighteen he was made pilot of his vessel and in 1860 he
became captain and part owner of the vessel, continuing to follow the river
until 1876. During a part of this time he made the run between St. Louis and New
Orleans and he owned and operated a number of steamers including some of the
best on the river. During his river experience Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain)
was a boy under him on one of his vessels and for many years James J. Hill,
railroad magnate, was one of his intimate friends. In 1876 Captain West retired
from the steamboat business and came to Hope. He had a little capital to invest
and he here engaged" in the lumber business, buying a small sawmill in the
country. From the beginning the new enterprise prospered and subsequently he
organized the Hope Lumber Company, in which connection he built up one of the
large lumber concerns of the southwest, owning and operating one of the
extensive planing mills in southwestern Arkansas. The Hope Lumber Company is
doing an immense business, shipping lumber throughout the northern states. Mr.
West, however, did not confine his activities entirely to the lumber industry,
for he became identified with banking and was regarded as one of the most
prominent financiers of Hope. He was president of the Bank of Hope and continued
as president after the reorganization and nationalizing of the institution under
the name of the Hope National Bank. He remained in the presidency until his
demise and this bank and the lumber business which he established stand as
monuments to his enterprise and ability. His activities, too, were ever of a
character that contributed to public progress and prosperity, as well as to
individual success and he deserved much credit for what he accomplished in the
way of upbuilding the city in which his last years were passed. Captain West was
married twice. His first wife was Miss Nellie Sweet of St. Paul. Minnesota, and
to them were born three daughters and a son, but the daughters died in infancy.
The son is William H. West, now living in Edwardsville, Illinois. Following the
death of his first wife Captain West wedded Miss Hattie A. West, the daughter of
William Greenfield West, of North Fairfield, Huron county, Ohio. They had one
daughter, Wanda, who is now the wife of Talbot Feild, president of the Hope
Lumber Company. Captain West was well known in Masonic circles, having attained
the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite and he also belonged to the
Knights of Pythias. He was a broad-gauged man, liberal in his views, kindly in
his nature and cordial and genial in manner. He judged men not by wealth but by
worth and all who knew him were proud to claim him as a friend. Mrs. West was a
most active worker during the World war and was appointed chairman of the
women's committee of Hempstead county for the third Liberty Loan, at which time
the county went over the top, through the efforts of her committee which sold
more Liberty bonds than the men's committee. Mrs. West is also treasurer of the
Hempstead County Chapter of the American Red Cross. She is the vice president of
the Women's League of Hope, is vice president of St. Mark's branch of the
women's auxiliary and St. Mark's Guild. She has membership in the Episcopal
church, of which Mr. West was also a communicant, dying in that faith August 8,
1907. He had attained the age of seventy-one years and during an active, busy
and useful life had made valuable contribution to the world's work, contributing
in substantial measure to the progress and improvement of the district in which
he lived. Thrown upon his own resources at the age of fourteen he so directed
his efforts as not only to win success but also an honored name, which is rather
to be chosen than great riches.


Additional Comments:
Citation:
Centennial History of Arkansas
Volume II
Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
1922



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