West was born in Ontario, Canada but moved to Salem, Oregon with his family at the age of four where he attended school and eventually went into banking. After several years as a banker in Salem and Astoria, Oregon and a six month stint searching for gold in Alaska West gained an appointment to the State Land Commission. He proved effective in his position with the State Land Commission recovering almost 1 million acres of fraudulently held state land. After leaving the Land Commission he earned a term the Oregon Railroad Commission where he again found a great deal of success.