Benton Co., AR - Biographies - Leonard West

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History of Benton County BENTON COUNTY. page 905 Leonard West,a retired
merchant of Bentonville, Ark., was born in Randolph County, N. C., May
26, 1823, and is the son of David and Amelia (Varner) West, and
grandson of Daniel West. The father was born in North Carolina in 1794,
was of English descent and a farmer by occupation. He was married in
North Carolina, and in 1824 he immigrated to Marion County, Ind., where
he resided until 1839, when he moved to Polk County, Mo. He died in
1877. His wife, Amelia Varner, was born in Randolph County, N. C., in
1799, and was of German descent. She died in 1857, and was the mother
of thirteen children. seven now living: Joel, Leonard, John, Robert,
James, Mary (wife of B. Wilkinson) and Sarah (wife of Marion Farris).
Leonard was only an infant when his parents moved to Marion County,
Ind. He was reared and grew to manhood on the farm, and remained with
his parents until twenty years of age. He went to Missouri in 1839, and
about 1846 he began teaching and continued at this one [p.905] term.
Not king the business he abandoned it, and in 1853 he commenced
merchandising at Bolivar, Mo., and sold goods until the war. He was
postmaster at Bolivar eight years under Pierce and Buchanan, and six
months under Lincoln. In the spring of 1862 he went to Texas, and the
same year he enlisted in Company K. Twenty-ninth Regiment Texas
Cavalry. He was in the battles of Poison Spring, Elk Creek and numerous
skirmishes, his duties being mostly scouting and raiding. He was in
service about three years. After the war he sold goods at Pilot Point,
Denton Co., Tex., two years, and in 1868 he became a resident of
Bentonville, Ark., and for nineteen years from that time followed
merchandising at that place. He sold his stock of goods in 1887, and
since then has been living a quiet, retired life. He is an honest,
upright citizen, and is respected by all who know him. He was justice
of the peace in Bolivar, Mo., a short time; is a member of the Masonic
fraternity, an Odd Fellow, a Democrat in polities, and is a member of
the Christian Church.