The West family has a long history in the New World, and has travelled widely. The family has been traced through Nova Scotia, Alberta and British Columbia in Canada as well as Massachusetts and Washington State in the United States. The following people are included in the Arbutus Project and may be people of interest as you beginning your search.
 circa 1844-unknown |
 1869-1961 |
 1896-1992 |
 1897-1965 |
 1908-1990 |
 1914-1978 |
The earliest records we have of our line of the West family is the marriage of John B. West to Esther Jane Cox on September 3rd, 1867, in Londonderry, Colchester County, Nova Scotia, Canada. Esther Jane Cox was the daughter of David Archbald Cox and Eunice Cox (nee Budd). She was born circa 1846 in Colchester County, Nova Scotia. The Cox family can be traced back to the original Planter migrations into the area after the expulsions of the Acadians. John B. West's parents are listed on the marriage record as William and Mary West, but I currently have no other information on them.
I have found records of three children of John B. West and Esther Jane Cox. The eldest is Daniel Stuart West born October 31st, 1869 in Truro, Colchester County, Nova Scotia. Frederick West was born January 4th, 1873 in Onslow, Colchester County, Nova Scotia, and Susan Rebecca West was born April 4th, 1875 in Truro, Colchester County, Nova Scotia. Of these children I so far only have information on Daniel Stuart West.
Daniel Stuart West was married Jennie LaVaughn Archer on March 5th, 1895 in Sherborn, Massachusetts, U.S.A. The records indicate that the ceremony took place at the home of the groom's father so John B. West must have also moved to the area by this time. Daniel is listed as living in Sherborn and working for the railway. His wife, Jennie LaVaugh Archer, was a recent immigrant from England. The couple stayed in Massachusetts for the birth of their first two children, John Frederick West on January 31st, 1896 and Susan LaVaughn West on October 13th, 1897. The family then travelled West with the railway, until they settled in Stanwood Washington state where their second son Earl Stewart West was born November 10th, 1908. The family farmed their until it was decided that they would move and homestead near Lac La Biche in Alberta, Canada. It was there that their youngest child, Lawrence West was born on December 19th, 1914.
The family remained in Alberta until after World War II, when en mass the family moved to Victoria British Columbia. All four of the grown children, three of them married and with children of their own, moved out to the coast before 1940. Descendants of each of these four siblings can still be found living in western Canada.
The West family had enjoyed two reunions on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The first was in 1995, The second in 2004. Another is tentatively planned for summer of 2006. These events also welcome members of the Latham and Manning families, two families who married into the West lines during their time in Alberta. Many of the Lathams came to British Columbia as well.
Unfortunately the West family has also faced sorrow recently with the losses of three of the children of John Frederick West. They are all sorely missed and fondly remembered by the family.
(nee West)  circa 1918-2004 |
 1927-2003 |
 1930-2003 |