West Family Monument at Oakland Cemetery

William T. West was born on June 15, 1815 near Pittsfield, Massachusetts. His brother Abel Kingsbury West was born in Massachusetts in 1817. The two brothers opened a general store in Sandusky. The brothers, who often went by their initials, W.T. and A.K. West, were also the proprietors of large hotel in Sandusky. The West House opened to the public in 1858. It was a popular hotel among travelers, who could travel to Sandusky via steamers on Lake Erie.

William T. West was married to Lydia Mahala Todd West, and Abel K. West was married to Caroline E. Wood West. On April 16, 1880, A.K. West passed away in Sandusky at the age of 60. W. T. West died on June 13, 1899. Both brothers are honored by a beautiful obelisk in the North Ridge section of Oakland Cemetery. The wives of W.T. and A. K. West are also buried in the family plot, as well as several extended family members. The West family made significant contributions to Sandusky in its early days. You can read more about W.T. and A. K. West in HISTORY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE, by Harriet Taylor Upton, as well as AT HOME IN EARLY SANDUSKY, by Helen Hansen.