Oliver Waldo West, son of Perry and Melissa Carpenter West, was born June 2, 1842. The 1860 federal census lists 18-year-old Oliver W. West living in the home of his parents in North Dansville (Livingston County), New York and working as editor of the Livingston Democrat. West enlisted in the 130th New York Infantry at North Dansville on July 31, 1862, and by late August was serving as an orderly sergeant in Company G. The 130th was converted to a cavalry regiment on July 28, 1863, and designated the 19th New York Cavalry. Just six weeks later, on September 10, 1863, the 19th was re-designated the 1st New York Dragoons, with West serving as a lieutenant in Company K. He would later be breveted a captain. West was captured at the Battle of Todd's Tavern on May 7, 1864, and held at Richmond, Virginia before being transferred to prison at Columbia, South Carolina. He was paroled on April 26, 1865. After being mustered out of the service on June 30, West returned to Dansville. Later that year, he was admitted to practice law in New York. He served as Dansville village clerk in 1867 but by the following year had opened a practice in New York City. In 1871, West entered into a law partnership with Josiah Porter and James A. Deering. The 37-year-old West appears in the 1880 census, living in a hotel with presumed wife, Mary C. West. (According to West's obituary, the couple would have two children.) Oliver Waldo West died on March 11, 1889, and was buried in Green Mount Cemetery, Dansville (Livingston County), New York.