Born in Virginia, Edward West came with his father, Tilghman H. West, to IL circa 1818. Acknowledged one the best representatives of business interests in Edwardsville after 1835, Edward acquired his business acumen early on: He worked in the recorder's office in Sangamon county in 1831, learned the mercantile business in Alton in 1834, and by 1858 was in the banking business in Edwardsville. Along with a son-in-law, Major William R. Prickett, Mr. West organized a private banking house under the name of West & Prickett in 1868. After Mr. West's death in 1887, Mr. Prickett and his son, Edward, continued the business under the firm name of W. R. Prickett & Co. In 1896 the bank incorporated with the name of Bank of Edwardsville.

According to the brochure, HISTORIC TOUR OF ST. LOUIS STREET, sponsored by Edwardsville Historic Preservation Commission, Mr. and Mrs. West built the Italianate & Greek Revival-style brick home at 627 St. Louis Street. Circa 1875 as a wedding gift, they presented their daughter and son-in-law, William Flavius Lester and Mary (West) Hadley, with the property and house across the street from their home. Today this Hadley House at 708 St. Louis Street serves as the home of the Edwardsville –Glen Carbon school district.
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EDWARD M. WEST. (obituary: "Edwardsville Intelligencer," 2 November 1887)

One of Edwardsville's Widely Known Citizens Dead.
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Hon. Edward M. West, president of the banking firm of West & Prickett, and for over half a century identified with the interests of the city commercially, politically, educationally and socially, died on Monday, shortly after noon, at his residence, on St. Louis street. He had been unwell for several weeks but was not strictly confined to bed, and it was not believe that any serious results would follow. The immediate cause of death was heart disease.

Edward Mitchell West, a native of Virginia, was born May 2, 1814, and would have reached the age of 74 years at his next birthday. His ancestors were English and were closely identified with the Revolutionary war. The numerous incidents related of the war made a strong and lasting impression upon the subject of this sketch. In 1818 he came west with his father, settling near Belleville, St. Clair county. In the early times of his childhood in southern Illinois there were no colleges, and had there been, he could not have attended them. He was always an earnest supporter of educational facilities and assisted in building the first school house in the county. He was emphatically, to a great degree, a self-educated and self- made man. When only a boy, twelve years of age, he was hoeing corn and doing other farm work, on his father's farm, in St. Clair county. The next year he went to Springfield, spending two years in the Recorder's office, recording all the deeds made in Sangamon county, during that time, in addition to which he rendered valuable aid to the postmaster, besides cultivating the garden of his employer. The year 1833 found him with a clerkship in the land office at Edwardsville, where he spent two years of his time working fourteen hours a day, at a salary of $12 per month. By strict economy he managed to lay by one-third of his salary and having gained a knowledge of book keeping, he opened a store in this city in the spring of 1835. By his persistent industry and application, soon established a reputation as a reliable and successful business man. By dint of perseverance, pleasing manners and fair dealing he rapidly built up the largest trade in town.

There had been no bank in Edwardsville since 1824, and Mr. West recognizing the need of one, in connection with his son-in-law, Major W. R. Prickett, erected a handsome building in 1867, and established the banking house of West & pricket. This institution is among the first in the state, and Mr. West remained as its president to the time of his death. His face was a familiar one to all business men, and to all who had business connections with the bank.

Notwithstanding his close application to business, he devoted much time to literary pursuits, and was well read. As an earnest student he had collected a fine library. In recognition of his literary attainments, Illinois College, the oldest in the state, conferred the degree of Master of Arts upon him.

When the Illinois National Guard was formed he was commissioned Captain of the 15th Battalion, and acted in capacity of Chaplain until it ceased to exist.

Politically, he was formerly a whig, but since that party has become extinct, he acted with the democratic party. In these affairs he always took an active interest, and many expressions of confidence were bestowed upon him. Being a candidate for office fifteen times, he with two excerptions, was elected. He was a member of the state constitutional convention in 1848, and took a very active part in the debates of that body. In this convention he drafted an article "On Counties," and as a member of the finance committee furthered the payment of the state debt. His ambition, however, has not been for political honor and distinction, but he rather preferred the pursuits of business and quiets of domestic life. He was an indefatigable business man and worker, and even in late years was regular and persistent in his devotion to the interest of the bank. His judgment seldom was at fault, and hence his advice was frequently sought. Both in public and private affairs he was not only generous, but unostentatious.

For many years he has been an active and prominent member of the Methodist church, rendering aid in every form. He contributed very heavily to the maintaining and erection of St. John's church and other churches in the state. In fact, it is largely due to his beneficence that the debt on the M. E. Church is lifted.

He was wedded to Miss Julia A. Atwood [Atwater], in 1835, in whom he found a worthy companion and loving wife for forty-two years. But three of his children reached their majority: Virginia, wife of Major W. R. Prickett; Mary, wife of Senator W. F. L. Hadley; and Norah L., wife of O.L. Taylor. Only two of his children survive him, the wife of Major Prickett having passed away thirteen years ago. Mr. West was again married in 1880, to Mrs. M. K. Mitchell of this city, who survives him.

The funeral services, which will be conducted at the Methodist Episcopal church, will occur tomorrow morning, at 10 o'clock. The remains will be laid to rest in Woodlawn cemetery.
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Contributor: Bev Bauser (46973644), December 2022:

Edward West
TALKS WITH THE OLD SETTLERS
By Hon. Edward Mitchell West
Source: Alton Telegraph, December 3, 1874
The "Old Settlers" of Madison County held a rousing meeting November 21, in the courthouse at Edwardsville. Hon. Edward M. West of Edwardsville was called to the chair. He accepted gracefully. He said, "I came from the State of South Carolina – a very good State to be born in and to come from, if you don't stay there too long. Our people left that State in 1817 to get rid of slavery. My father freed all his slaves, and came to this State when I was a mere boy, and put me to work. To be sure, I was very little in 1817, but we all went to work, and have kept at it ever since – very much in the same old fashion way, so far as 'keeping at it' goes.

I have never regretted that my father came to this country at an early day. A new country is just the place for boys. It was not so pleasant for my mother. She felt the hardships, but when as a boy, I could entrap half a dozen prairie chickens at once catch, or as I remember, did take at one time thirteen quails, the trap being so full that one little fellow had not room to stand, and contented himself by perching upon the backs of the dozen! This sport was fun for boys. So, we did not feel the hardships of a new country as the older folks did – we rather enjoyed it.

It fell to my task upon the farm to take care of the sheep. The great pests of the flocks were the wolves. They were very troublesome, and a shepherd was necessary to protect them. I used to shield myself from the cold by creeping into a straw pile and lay there with my gun, and shoot the wolves when they came for the sheep.

In 1829, when I was a man grown, I went to Springfield, Illinois, which was at that time a very new place. I have many a time gathered strawberries and hunted rabbits on the spot where now stands the old State House.

In 1833, I came to Edwardsville. I was here employed at $12 per month, and paying for my washing and mending, and that, gentlemen, is just about what I am now doing – making $12 per month, and paying for washing and mending (laughter). I have been acquainted with almost every family that has lived in Edwardsville for the last forty years. Not one-half dozen persons are now living in this town that were here when I came. And I wish to say here, gentlemen, that I attribute my present fair health to two circumstances or habits of life that I have adopted. The one is I would not drink liquor, and the other is I stayed at home at night. I do not mean, to be fair and honest, that I advocated or practiced teetotalism. I believed the good Lord had given me sense enough to enable me to control myself in what I should eat and drink, and when and how much I should sleep, and I have used, and so intend to use, my very best judgment in all these matters. I do not give this as the best way for all others to do. It is the course I have adopted for myself. I have no objections to absolute temperance. I think a well man has no need of alcoholic liquors, and a sick man needs a very little, if any."