Washington Co., AR - Biographies - Alvah G. West

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Alvah G. West was born in Washington County, Ark., near Viney Grove, 
November 25, 1837, and is one of four surviving members of a family of 
nine children born to James S. and Mary A. (Crawford) West, who were 
Tennesseeans by birth. The father came to Arkansas when a young man 
(about 1834). and located in Washington County, where he reared his 
family and became a wealthy land owner. He was married three times, 
and died in 1881. Alvah G. West attended the common schools and the 
Cane Hill College, receiving an excellent education in the higher 
English branches and higher mathematics in the latter institution. In 
1859 he went to the Rocky Mountains, locating at Pike's Peak, where he 
was engaged in mining for about three years, then removed to Nevada 
Territory, where he mined nearly two years. About this time he met 
with a serious accident, which unfitted him for further hard work, and 
in the latter part of 1866 he returned home, and in 1867 engaged in 
agricultural pursuits. On January 22, 1868, he was married to 
Elizabeth J. Blair, a native of the county, and daughter of Rev. Jesse 
M. Blair, formerly of Tennessee, and soon after his marriage took 
charge of his father-in-law's farm of 220 acres. He has made some 
valuable improvements, and has 135 acres cleared and under 
cultivation, with a fine orchard, consisting of fourteen acres. Mr. 
West has been a member of the school board for a number of years, and 
takes a great interest in educational matters. He is a member of the 
Cane Hill Lodge of A. F. & A. M., No. 57, and is a Master Mason, and 
secretary of his lodge, which position he has held for a number of 
years. His children are as follows: Jesse Blair, James E., Mary J., 
George C., Maggie E., William R. and Hattie E. Mrs. West is a member
of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.