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Nathan B. West 1816 - 1905 Active Allegan Politician Allegan County treasurer Allegan Township Treasurer |
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------------------- ALLEGAN IS IN SORROW. PIONEER MANUFACTURER AND CAPITALIST PASSED AWAY. Nathan B. West Expired last Saturday -- Helped to Make this Village --One of the First Business Men -- Prominent in Religious Work -- Story of a Busy and Useful Life. QUITE unexpected was the death of Nathan B. West last Saturday afternoon, notwithstanding that he had failed rapidly during the few days previously, and friends well knew the end was not a great way off. His death was as quiet and peaceful as his life had been. During the two preceding days he had slept almost constantly, was free from pain, and death came to him without a struggle. Few indeed are the men who reach the ripe age of eighty-nine years and retain their faculties to such a remarkable degree as did Mr. West, or who approach that degree of idealism reached by him in his daily life. Born May 23, 1816, in the town of Lee, Massachusetts, of parents inured to habits of industry and of great integrity, he was endowed with those characteristics which later enabled him to follow persistently his chosen occupations, meet misfortunes wihtout discouragement, and finally to succeed by his determination and wise judgement. He remained on his father's farm until sixteen years of age, attending the district school, when he hired to his brother Albert to serve a four-years apprenticeship to learn the carpenter's trade. At the expiration of three years he wished to become his own master, and so purchased the last year's time, paying his brother $100 for it. Mr. West came to this village in the summer of 1836. Here he built a small boat, packed his belongings, and floated down the river to Saugatuck, from which place he went to Chicago on a schooner. There one might have seen him on Madison-st. earning his living by sawing wood. He passed two winters there and one summer in Wisconsin, working at his trade, then returning to Allegan. In the fall of 1841, Mr. West and his brother entered into partnership and began the manufacture of sash, doors, and blinds, and they enjoyed a prosperous business until the death of the latter which occurred in 1842. Mr. West continued the business and in 1844, he lost by fire, everything he had at that time accumulated. Chauncey J. Bassett, a cousin to Mr. West, came to Allegan at this time, and together they established a new factory and continued in partnership until the breaking out of the Civil war, when the former enlisted in the Eighth Michigan infantry, after which Mr. West conducted the business alone. The next year occurred the marriage of Mr. West to Miss Bertha Gurley, the ceremony being performed Oct. 20, and during more than sixty years this couple journeyed together in life, sharing alike their pleasurers and reverses. Mrs. West survives her husband, although her condition is extremely critical, she having recently sustained a broken hip, and she is confined to her bed. The factory of Mr. West was destroyed by fire in 1864, and again in 1869. Not disheartened by these misfortunes he rebuilt with renewed vigor, and his efforts were rewarded by continued financial success. At the age of seventy years Mr. West retired from active management of his factory, and in 1890 sold his interests. Mr. West was one of the organizes of the First National bank in 1873, had been one of the directors constantly since that time, and was last January made its president. At the organization of the congregational church here, June 10, 1858, he was made moderator and had since been one of the deacons, contributing both money and his services for the benefit of the society, and in 1898 he and Mrs. West presented the church a beautiful pipe organ. He also some years ago made an endowment of $5,000 to the church. Before uniting with the Congregational church he had been a regular attendant of the Presbyterian church, being one of its principal supporters. When the first Presbyterian church was destroyed by fire in 1875, Mr. West was found to be ready with a contribution toward a new edifice. He gave toward the building of the Episcopal parish-house, the new Methodist church, the indebtedness of the Baptist church, and left endowments to Olivet and Oberlin colleges to become absolute a the death of Mrs. West. In politics, Mr. West was firmly a Republican, although never taking part in campaign work. He was reseerved in his manners, temperate in habits, esteemed as a gentleman by his wide range of acquaintances, and loved by his friends. This was manifested by the attendance and beautiful floral tributes at the funeral which was held from the Congregational church Tuesday afternoon at two o'clock, during which hour the business of the town was practically suspended. The services were unusually solemn, though beautiful. Ref. Wilfred Lindsay opened the service with the reading of the twenty-third Psalm, and he was followed by Mr. Ernest L. Hulley who sang "Lead, Kindly Light." Rev. J.E. Littell of the Baptist church made a prayer, Rev. A.V. Brashear of the Presbyterian church read from the twenty-fifth verse to the end of the eleventh chapter of St. Matthew and from the eleventh verse to the end of the seventh chapter of revelations, and Mr. Hulley sang "Nearer My Home". Rev. Lindsay preached a very able sermon, taking for his text "Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Isreal?" from the second book of Samuel, the third chapter and thirty-eighth verse. He thought that Mr. West was truly a great man because he possessed four characteristics unusual in one person. Mr. Lindsay said each man's life was made up like of constituents, business, social, domestic, and religious, in each of which Mr. west had given the best he had, which made him a full-orbed man. The speaker reviewed the life of the deceased, showing that it had been in keeping with the character of the month in which he was born, opening in everything the best of the year. In the business life, Mr. West had been honest, socially he had been a friend, in his domestic affairs he had been devoted, and in his religious life he had been faithful and sincere. The benediction was pronounced by Rev. G.R. Brown of the Methodist church. The remains were laid to rest in Oakwood cemetery. The pall-bearers were F.I. Chichester, Will. Davis, Clarence and Edward Messinger, W.E. Rowe, George Oliver, M.C. Sherwood, W.J. Pollard, H.F. Marsh, Andrew Oliver, Henry Cook, I.F. Clapp, S.F. Murphy, and W. H. Bills, the last eight being honorary. |
| Nathan Bassett West is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Allegan,
Michigan, next to his wife Melissa (Gurley) West and his parents, Timothy Nye and Thankful (Bassett) West, his sisters,
Louisa M. West and Roxana (West) Murray and his brother Albert West and spouses. |
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Created by Lynn Matt 2/5/2021
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