ESTILL DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE
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  • Live
    • Community Events
    • Summer Big Blow-Up
    • EPIC
    • Education
    • Healthcare
    • History
    • Culture >
      • River City Players
    • Relocation >
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      • Services Directory
    • Insider
    • Youth Report
  • Work
    • Business Retention & Expansion Program
    • Chamber of Commerce
    • Government
    • Starting a Business in Estill County
    • Demographics
  • Lead
    • Estill Action Group
    • Estill County Captains
    • Leadership LEAP
  • Visit
    • Dining
    • Accomodations
    • Recreation >
      • Lily Mountain Nature Preserve
      • Trails
      • Veteran's Memorial Park
    • Historic Sites >
      • Cottage Furnace
      • Fitchburg Furnace
    • Events >
      • Mountain Mushroom Festival
      • Railroad Festival
      • Moonlight Market
  • About EDA
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  • Estill Shines

James Foster West

James Foster West is honored as a progressive citizen and Philanthropist of Estill County. 

The son of William Bluford and Jane West, who were originally from Buncombe County, North Carolina and Jackson County, Kentucky before coming to Estill County. Mr. West was also the father of several well-known Estill Countialns, including former Hall of Honor inductee Maime Scott West.  He was prominent in politics and business, with both statewide influence and a big heart for his hometown.

When the 1890-91, Kentucky Constitution was framed, Mr. West was the delegate from Estill and Lee Counties.  Through his influence, the County Poll Tax, previously $3.00, was cut in half.  Mr. West was twice honored by the voters of Estill County by being elected sheriff, once for a two year term and once for a three year term.  A Republican, he was recognized as one of his party’s leaders all of his life.

After his public life, he entered a lumber and timber business for a number of years and spent the last years of his life in the oil and real-estate business.  He was always a progressive, energetic and loyal citizen. In order to get the L&N Railroad Shops located here, he offered to donate his land for the site. When the project required such a large tract of land and the railroad company proposed paying him for it, he let them set the price. Scarcely any church was built in this community during his later years without his aid. He was one of the largest donors to the Irvine City School building and served on its building committee.  Mr. West was one of the original stockholders of the first bank of Estill County, the Estill County Deposit Bank and when it failed he took his own funds to help repay depositors. Later he helped in the organization of the Ravenna State Bank and was its first Vice President.

James Foster West takes his honored place among Estill County’s finest citizens for his influence and guidance in Kentucky’s early years and for his generous contributions to Estill County’s people and their growing endeavors.

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