West, J. R. (Joseph Rodman), 1822-

Joseph Rodman West (1822-1898) served in the Mexican War (1847-1848) before moving to California in 1849 to become proprietor of the San Francisco Price Current. During the Civil War he entered the Union Army as lieutenant of the First Regiment, California Volunteer Infantry and rose to the rank of brigadier general and was brevetted major general in 1866. West moved to New Orleans, La., after the war where he served as deputy U.S. marshal, auditor for customs (1867-1871), and U.S. Senator for Louisiana (1871-1877). He also was a member of the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia (1882-1885).

Lieut. Col. West commanded units of California Volunteers (Companies C & K of the 1st Infantry and Companies B & G of the 5th Infantry) on a march from Camp Wright, San Diego, Calif. to Tucson, A.T. pursuant to order no. 30, Apr. 6, 1862. Advance guard column was to take Union control over Arizona Territory from Confederate forces.

Joseph Rodman West was born in New Orleans, La., on September 19, 1822, moved with his parents to Philadelphia in 1824, and attended the University of Pennsylvania during 1836-1837. He moved to New Orleans in 1841 and was a captain attached to Maryland and District of Columbia Volunteers in the Mexican War (1847-1848). West moved to California in 1849 and engaged in newspaper work in San Francisco, becoming proprietor of the San Francisco Price Current. During the Civil War he entered the Union Army as lieutenant of the First Regiment, California Volunteer Infantry, in 1861 and was promoted to the rank of colonel and brigadier general and was brevetted major general in 1866. West returned to New Orleans and served as deputy United States marshal, auditor for customs (1867-1871), and U.S. Senator as a Republican (1871-1877). He was a member of the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia (1882-1885), retired from public life in 1885, and died in Washington, D.C., on October 31, 1898.