▁an ▁American ▁politician ▁from ▁Manchester , ▁New ▁Ham pshire ▁who ▁served ▁as ▁mayor ▁of ▁Manchester ▁for ▁several ▁terms ▁and ▁was ▁twice ▁Governor ▁of ▁New ▁Ham pshire . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁West on ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Manchester , ▁New ▁Ham pshire , ▁and ▁grew ▁up ▁helping ▁on ▁the ▁family ▁farm . ▁He ▁was ▁educated ▁in ▁the ▁district ▁school , ▁the ▁Manchester ▁Academy ▁and ▁the ▁P isc ata qu og ▁Academy . ▁Det erm ined ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁civil ▁engineer , ▁he ▁taught ▁school ▁during ▁the ▁winter s , ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁nin ete en , ▁was ▁appointed ▁assistant ▁civil ▁engineer ▁of ▁the ▁Con cord ▁Rail road ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 6 . ▁ ▁Career ▁Prom oted ▁to ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁Chief ▁Engine er ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 9 , ▁West on ▁was ▁also ▁performed ▁the ▁duties ▁of ▁road ▁master ▁and ▁master ▁of ▁transport ation ▁of ▁the ▁Con cord ▁and ▁the ▁Manchester ▁& ▁Lawrence ▁rail ro ads . ▁He ▁survey ed ▁and ▁super int ended ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁Con cord ▁water - works . ▁ ▁Though ▁Manchester ▁was ▁pre domin ately ▁a ▁Republican ▁city , ▁West on ▁was ▁elected ▁mayor ▁of ▁Manchester ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁ 1 8 6 7 , ▁ 1 8 6 9 ▁to ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 4 . ▁ ▁Having ▁secured ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 1 ▁Democratic ▁g ubern atorial ▁nom ination , ▁West on ▁was ▁named ▁by ▁the ▁legisl ature ▁as ▁the