The first Westaways to have emigrated to America were Simon & John Wilkinson Westaway from Sampford Courtenay, Devon. John emigrated around 1834 and settled in New York, USA. His brother, Simon followed around 1840, but had been living previously in New York (1830 census) as well as Scotland and Ireland. They were farmers in the Saint Laurence area of New York. I have not been able to track all the children as Simon in the 1830 census appears to have had six children and I have only traced three to date. John came via Bermuda on the schooner, Marie, with his wife, Mary. There are many descendants still living in the New York area. Interestingly, in the 1841 census for Bristol, their brother Mark and family were also at the Bristol port waiting to emigrate to America, probably to join his brothers. However, Mark & Elizabeth didn't stay long in America as shortly after this they were farming in Wraysbury, Berkshire. Richard Westaway b. 1818 in Scotland and John born 1819 in New York married to Betsey were the sons of Simon.

Around 1840, James Westaway, family member of the William & Elizabeth Yeo of Poughill, settled in the Detroit, Michigan area. He arrived in the USA on the Barque Louisa on the 18th May, 1835 with William & Elizabeth and their family. William & Elizabeth's son, William married Charity Badge in England and their son William born 1836 in Ontario, Canada, married Ada Vandecar from Michigan and settled in Detroit. They had two sons, Frank born Charles Wilmont born 1870

On the 17th April, 1854 William Winsor Westaway & Jemima (Hardwick) arrived in New York on the Richard Cobden. They had travelled from London with William's two children, William and Elizabeth from his previous marriage to Harriet. William senior was born in Totnes, Devon. They settled in the New Utrecht area of New York

In the 1850's another William (Henry) arrived from England and settled in the Carroll, Maryland area. It is possible that this William was the son of Robert Westaway and Lydia Webber, baptised 1834 in South Tawton, Devon and possibly jumped ship. His brother John died from starvation in 1867 and another brother Robert was transported to Australia in the 1850's so life was indeed hard.

On the 29th June, 1868, Walter Coleman Westaway arrived in America on board the Helvetia. Walter was born in Tavistoke, Devon, the son of Daniel Westaway & Sarah Wills. In 1870 he was a machinist living in Fort Howard, Wisconsin. He married Ellen Kipp, who was born in Indiana and after the marriage must have visited England as he then returns on the 2nd January, 1878 aboard the Adriatic, with his wife and children.

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