Birth
Lucius West was born December 3, 1805, in Rensselaerville. He was the son of William West (1762-1838).
Marriage & Children
About 1831, Lucius married Ruth Belinda Townsend (1811-1891, daughter of John Townsend and Ruth Thorn). Children:
- John William b. Nov. 1, 1831, Rensselaerville, NY; d. May 5, 1882
- Ruth Cornelia b. Nov. 24, 1834 Rensselaerville, NY; d. Aug. 1, 1901
- Martha Ann b. May 24, 1837 Rensselaerville, NY; d. abt 1851
- Nicholas Nathan b. Dec. 8, 1838 Rensselaerville NY; d. Nov. 29, 1922
- Othello b. abt 1841 Rensselaerville, NY; d. Apr. 26, 1908
- Harry M. b. abt 1844 Rensselaerville, NY; d. abt June 1, 1882
- Squire Cook b. Apr. 14, 1847 Rensselaerville, NY; d. Sep. 13, 1917
- Oscar A. b. abt 1849 Rensselaerville, NY; d. Apr. 3, 1875
- Jeanette b. abt 1852 Broome, NY;
- Mary b. abt 1853 Broome, NY; d. by 1860
- Harvey b. Aug. 26, 1856 Broome, NY; d. Mar. 23, 1943
Occupation and Life
Lucius was counted on the 1840 Rensselaerville census. By 1852, Lucius had relocated his family to Broome where he farmed his newly purchased three acres of land, and where he was counted on the 1860 Broome census as a 54 year old farmer. By 1870, Lucius, 65, was a farmer in Middleburgh, NY. He lived in 1875 Middleburgh village, and was a farm laborer. By the time of the June 1880 Middleburgh census, Ruth was a widow and lived with her son Harvey, 23. Ruth was a descendant of the Wampanoag and Naragansett Indians.
Death
Lucius died on May 7, 1880 and Ruth died April 16, 1891, both in Middleburgh, NY.
Obituary
Mrs. Ruth B. West Mrs. Ruth B. West, relict of the late Lucius West, died suddenly at her home in the village of Middleburgh, on Thursday evening, April 16, at the advanced age of 80 years. She had been unusually healthy for some time, bidding fair for a number of years of life, but over exertion upon her part during the day brought on a fit of apoplexy, and in an hour or two from the attack, she passed away. Hers had been a long and busy life--devoted to home and friends, she had been a hard worker, rearing a large family to manhood and womanhood, even in infirm old age refusing the earnest solicitation of her married sons and daughters who desired to make her last days easy and happy, to relinquish the old home, for the reason that one son yet had no home of his own. She was a good mother--better than that, a Christian mother, whose example was always on the side of right, and now that she is gone blessed memories will ever linger in the hearts of the children who are left to mourn mother's loss. Every smile of the dear old face will be fondly cherished, every wrinkle wrought by Time's progress dearer than even the bloom of youth; the silvered hair which told of anxiety, care and grief, more beautiful than the auburn tresses of early womanhood; and the deeds of kindness performed by mother's blessed hands now closed forever to life's work, will grow sweeter and dearer until the practice of a faith founded in Him who created the bond of love between mother and child shall unite them in the home where the dear one has gone. Mrs. West had no chance top perform great deeds and place her name high in the archives of fame--she was not a society woman seeking for the false applaud of society bubbles, but she was a noble woman who filled her sphere well and did the little things of life of which the Saviour made mention so often, and today she stands with the women God honors, which is better than all the sickening flattery of what is today denominated fashionable society, which too often wrecks homes, blights lives and damns souls. We honor her children for their devotion to their mother, fully believing that it will sweeten life's trials and lighten its cares, beside receiving the final commendation of God. The funeral services were held at the residence of her son, Squire C. West, on Sunday afternoon, Rev. C. C. Morehouse officiating.
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