Seeking data on parents of THOMAS GEORGE WEST, born approx. 1838 in Kershaw Cnty SC. THANKS

Question

I am seeking data on the parents of my great-grandfather, THOMAS GEORGE WEST, born approx. 1838 in Kershaw County SC. Other info indicates that he was the son of Wm. Eli West, also of Kershaw County but his THOMAS (no middle name) WEST died in 1909 in NC. My great-grandfater died in NC as well but in 1899.

Comments

There is a, "Thomas George West", West-8837 date is different.  Not sure same one but was married 3 times, although born in Illinois, he moved to Ohio and Missouri.  see if any children are the same or anything in this that could be related.
Thomas George West
1859–1942
Birth 12 MAR 1859 • Assumption, Christian, Illinois
Death 9 OCT 1942 • Doniphan, Ripley, Missouri

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THANKS for your response. I have definitely established - thru U.S. Census & his military records - that my THOMAS GEORGE WEST was living in Kershaw County SC, married with 2 children in the 1870 Census. ALSO, he enlisted in the 2nd SC Infantry 2 weeks after the capture of Fort Sumpter. He was in Kershaw's Brigade, which was in the ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, under Generals Robert E. Lee, James Longstreet, and Lafayette McLaws. He fought at Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg until captured at Cedar Creek. I have his copy of POW RELEASE from Point Lookout MD Prisoner of War camp dated June 22, 1865. He died in my hometown of ROCKINGHAM NC in 1899,

Answer 1

The 1850 U.S. Census for South Carolina reports a Thomas West (b. about 1842) living with his parents William and Elizabeth West in Greenville County.  There were other Thomas Wests in South Carolina that might work, but this was the closet match.  I suggest that you look into South Carolina marriages at about the right time.

Comments

Thank you for this input. However, I have already considered this THOMAS (no middle name) WEST and found that he was born to Wm. ELI WEST. Further information showed that this Thomas West died in North Carolina in 1909 (if I remember correctly), and my great grandfather - Thomas GEORGE West - died in 1899 in Rockingham (my hometown) NC. There were/are all too many Wests in Kershaw County, SC. There is even a community named WESTVILLE.

Answer 2

I wish I could offer encouragement, but for some reason 1750-1840 is tough. I suspect you will find what I have & there will be multiple men with the same name born within 2-3 yrs of each other & in several states. Given the naming traditions & sequence, the families are likely related, but I haven’t been able to get beyond that time & identify individual parents. My Achilles heel is Simeon West. I do suspect the family was mainly in NJ or RI in the 1700s before scattering & have found some birth records through HeritageQuest.