Census: 1880 Christiana, Dane Co., Wisconsin: age 51, Ispine

Isaphena (Burdick) West 1828-1906
Milton Newspaper Obituary
"The Milton Journal", Milton Wisconsin, Thursday, June 14, 1906, p 4.
Isaphena Burdick West was born in Allegany county, New York, June 27, 1828, and died at Milton Junction, Wisconsin, June 5, 1906, in the seventy-eighth year of her age. She was the daughter of Ethan and Amy Allen Burdick who were originally from Rhode Island.
In 1841 she came with her parents to Wisconsin, and in the year following they settled upon a farm in the town of Lima. In 1851 she was baptized by Elder Stillman Coon and joined the Milton [SDB] church. While attending Milton Academy she became acquainted with William B. West, to whom she was married September 23, 1852, by Rev. Varnum Hull. After living in Milton nearly two years she, with her husband and infant son removed to Christiana, Dane county, Wisconsin, and settled upon a farm. September, 1855, she joined by letter, the Christiana, which was later the Utica church, of which she remained a faithful member until the dissolution of the church in 1901. She then joined the church at Milton Junction to which place she and her husband had removed in 1891. She was an earnest worker in the church and Sabbath school, in which she was an efficient teacher.
In her home life she was a faithful wife and devoted mother, unsparing of herself in her labors for her family. To her and her husband were born four children: William Leman, who died in 1891; Allen B. of Lake Mills; Amy S., Now Mrs. W. H. Allen; and Nettie I., now Mrs. W. D. Burdick of Farina, Ill.

Census: 1880 Christiana, Dane Co., Wisconsin

"The Milton Journal", Milton, Wisconsin, Thursday, June 2, 1904, p 4.
Dea. Wm. B. West was born in Durhamville, Oneida county, N. Y., Feb. 24, 1833, and died of valvular disease of the heart in Milton Junction, Wis., May 19, 1904. His father and mother were Baptists and attendants of that church, so that his early religious training was with them. The family came to Wisconsin in 1844, coming by the way of the Erie canal to Buffalo and by lake steamer thence to Milwaukee and they made their first settlement on a farm a few miles south of Ft. Atkinson.
In 1848 they moved to Spring Prairie, in Walworth county, where the father died and the son was left at this early age to his own resources.
About this time Brother West attended a district school where the teacher was especially good and under his encouragement he came to have a great desire for a college education; and with this object in view, he accompanied this teacher to Oberlin, Ohio, and entered the school. There was a great revival of religion in progress at the time, and Bro. West was soon among the seekers for Christ, whom he found and greatly rejoiced in forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life.
The professors in the college gave great encouragement to the converts. Every session of the classes was opened by prayer and these young people were often invited to lead in these devotions, thus receiving a training similar to that now received in the Young People's societies. For various reasons Mr. West did not remain long in Oberlin, but returning to Spring Prairie he united with the Baptist church of that place.
In 1849 for the purpose of gratifying his desire for a higher education he came to Milton Academy, where he became a convert to the Sabbath of the Lord and since then he has been faithful in its observance. Although he did not obtain the liberal training he desired for himself, his interest in training schools continued as shown in the generous contributions made at various times for their support. At the age of seventeen he taught his first district school and in this work he became quite proficient.
Sept. 23, 1852, he was married to Isaphena, daughter of Ethan and Amy Allen Burdick, of Lima. In 1854 they moved to Utica, Dane county, Wis., and a year from that time he united with the Seventh-day Baptist church of that place, remaining a faithful and efficient member until its dissolution. In December, 1865, he was elected and ordained a deacon of that church.
A very large part of his active and useful Christian life was spent in teaching or superintending Sabbath schools, and he did considerable institute work among the Sabbath schools of this section of the country. He was often called to serve his fellow citizens in offices of honor and trust and was especially efficient and satisfactory in his work and in his wise counsel to those who sought his aid. For twenty-six consecutive years he has been the treasurer of the Seventh-day Baptist Northwestern association and a member of its executive committee. In June 1901, Bro. West became a member of the Milton Junction S. D. B. church. His long life has been filled with usefulness and faithful service and this church feels greatly its loss.
He leaves a wife, one son, Allen B. of Lake Mills, Wis.; two daughters, Mrs. W. H. Allen of Alfred, N. Y., and Mrs. W. D. Burdick of Nile, N. Y.; twelve grandchildren and many other relatives and friends to mourn his departure. His eldest son, Wm. Leman, went before to the spirit land thirteen years ago. G. J. C.