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West, Joseph Rodman

soldier, journalist, United States senator, was born Sept. 19, 1822, in New Orleans, La.

He moved to California in 1849, and engaged in commercial pursuits, and at the outbreak of the rebellion was proprietor of the San Francisco Prices Current. He entered the army as lieutenant-colonel of the first California infantry, and attained the rank of brevet major-general. He went to Texas, and then removed to New Orleans, and was chief deputy United States marshal and auditor of customs, and adminstrator of improvements. He was elected to the United States senate, for the term commencing in 1871 and ending in 1877. He settled in Washington City, and served for several years as one of the commissioners of the District of Columbia.