What we assume to be true

The 1870 Census shows the following family living inSpringfield Ohio in the 3rd Ward.

William West-      age 44 Born 1826  Ky Mulatto
Ruth West -         age 40 Born 1830 Ky - Black
Rebecca Taylor - age 50 Born 1820 Ky - Black
Jane Higgins-         age 30 Born 1840  Ky - Black
Pleasanton West   age 23  Born 1847 Ky- Black
Catharine West     age 19 Born 1851 Ky Black
Jordan Ford          age 11 Born 1859 Ky- Black
Fannie Thomas     age 8   Born   1862 Oh- Mulatto (in the 1880  Census she is listed as born in KY)
  Fannie is used in our research to tie her and Rebecca Taylor to another family in Springfield at the same time.
Peohada Thomas  age 3 Born 1867 Oh  - Mulatto

The 1870 Census also shows the following family

Jeremiah Taylor -age 33 Born 1836 Ky  Black
Anna Taylor        age 26 Born  1844 Ky Mulatto
David Taylor       age 10 Born 1860 Ky  Black
There are also 4 other younger Taylor children in this household.

Lets's skip to Census of 1880.
William West, Ruth West ,Catherine West,Rebecca Taylor, Jane Higgins and Peohada Thomas do not appear in the 1880 Census.

So next I looked for Jeremiah Taylor family in 1880. What led me to Jeremiah Taylor, I searched the Census for everyone on the West household in 1870 and found Fannie Thomas now age 18 born in Ky living in the Taylor household and listed as a niece of Jeremiah Taylor. Because of where they lived and the age of Fannie and the time both families migrated to Ohio I made the assumption these families are either related or are good friends. So if we make that assumption then Rebecca Taylor could be the older sister of Jeremiah Taylor  or possibly his mother. So then after we make that connection how did I determine where they came from. I looked at all the Taylor children after vital records were being collected and found a Marriage certificate for David Taylor which showed his mom and dad Jeremiah and mother Anna Taylor and born in Scott County Ky. The birth date and parents confirm this is David from 1870 census.

So now what can we assume or what do we have left to confirm.

1. Is Pleasanton in the 1870 census actually Pleasant West  -Father of Motty -I am 95% sure he is.
2. Ruth West is she the younger sister of  Rebecca Taylor making her a Taylor and possibly another family branch.        I am maybe 25% convinced this to be true. 
3. Is Jeremiah Taylor the son of Rebecca Taylor or a younger brother of her and Ruth. Jeremiah is 17 years younger than Rebecca.  Ruth is 10 years younger than Rebecca.
4. Fannie Thomas is listed as niece of Jeremiah she could have been living with her Aunts or Grandmother in 1870 in the West Household.
5. William West is listed as a Mulatto born 1826. Is he the son of a Plantation owner? DId the West name come from one of the 6 West named Slave owners in Scott County?

One other thing that is interesting, there is no mother or father listed for Fannie or Peohada Thomas in the census. Also there is a Burt Thomas now living with Jeremiah Taylor in 1880. Who is a brother of Fannie., born 1873 in Ohio and listed as Mulatto. 

The term Mulatto as we have always known it to mean the child of  Black and White parents.Or of Native American and African American.   Mulatto was used in the US Census until 1930 and now some Americans consider the term offensive and now use the term Biracial.


 If we make the assumption that they are listed properly in the Census as mulatto, then the Thomas children were born to an unknown Taylor female and an unknown white male, but since the Thomas children began showing up in Ohio it could be their father was a white man from Ohio or even Ky. This is all yet to be determined but is a little out of scope for finding the West name. Or is it? You can not leave a stone unturned in this type of research, you just have to priortize what will yield the goal that you seek. All other findings are a bonus. 

IE: I mentioned Jordan Ford listed in the West household in 1870 but not in 1880. I found Jordan Ford age 21 in 1880 living as a border with the James Nelson Family of Springfield and working as a Blacksmith. James Nelson is listed as a Notable Black Kentuckian as a wealthy Blacksmith owner who made Whitley coaches and wagons in Springfield Ohio. He made a fortune.

Also further research on Jeremiah Taylor shows he served in the 40th ColoredInfantry during the Civil War and fought in Pa. He was normally discharged in 1864 just prior to moving to Ohio.

There is still a lot of info to confirm and if anyone has stories or information please add it to the blog in the comments section. YOu can always send me photos at grwest1@aol.com or you might be able to load into this Blog, I am not real sure what this Blogspot will accept.