They had three sons, all lawyers, including Judge DuVal West, Woodrow Wilson's personal emissary to Mexico.
As a lawyer in Austin, West made his first partnership with Henry P. Brewster, thus beginning his successful legal career in that city.
During this tenure he established a partnership with Judge John Hancock; their law firm represented the Houston and Texas Central Railway.
West was appointed Secretary of State by Governor Francis R. Lubbock but soon left to fight in the Civil War, on the side of the C.S.A.
West achieved the rank of major and was Judge Advocate General for the Trans-Mississippi Department.