John West (1756-1817) was a mathematician and priest from Scotland.
Life and work Fourth child of Samuel West and Margaret Mein, his father died in 1766. West matriculated in the University of Saint Andrews in 1769 thanks to financial help of the presbytery clerk Dr. Adamson., page 32. He, like his brothers, studied mathematics under professor Nicolas Vilant., pages 33-34.
He was assistant of professor Vilant, who had poor health, but lacking of prospects in his native land, he emigrated to Jamaica,, page 80. in 1784, the same year that Elements of Mathematics and A System of Shorthand were published., page 40.
In Jamaica, West was initially teacher in the Manning's Free School at Savanna-la-Mar in Westmoreland Parish., page 41.
In 1790 he was appointed rector of Saint Thomas in Morant Bay, where he died in 1817.
During his life in Jamaica he never left his mathematical studies, despite his academic isolation., page 90.
Before his death, he sent the manuscript of Mathematical Treatises to his old student John Leslie, who published it in 1838.
References
Bibliography
External links